Türgesh Khaganate

The Turgesh Khanate was a Turkic state in Central Asia that lasted from 699 to 766 CE. It was founded after the fall of the Western Turkic Khaganate, when the Turgesh tribes, part of the On Oq confederation, rose to power in the Ili River valley. Their capital was at Suyab and later Taraz.Peter B. Golden, Central Asia in World History, Oxford University Press, 2011, pp. 72–75.  

The Turgesh were originally part of the Duolu wing of the Western Turks. After the collapse of the Western Turkic Khaganate, their leader Üch Elig declared himself khagan in 699. The Turgesh controlled much of modern Kazakhstan and parts of Kyrgyzstan. They were known for their cavalry and their ability to resist both the Tang dynasty of China and the Umayyad Caliphate.Sören Stark, "Türgesh Khaganate," in *Encyclopedia of Empire*, Wiley-Blackwell, 2016, pp. 1–8.  

In the early 8th century, the Turgesh fought against Arab armies during the Muslim conquest of Transoxiana. They played a major role in the resistance of Central Asian peoples against Arab expansion. The Turgesh khagans often switched alliances between the Tang dynasty and the Arabs, trying to keep their independence. Their most famous ruler was Suluk, who reigned from 715 to 738. Suluk led campaigns against the Arabs and became known as a defender of Transoxiana.Richard N. Frye, The Heritage of Central Asia, Princeton University Press, 1996, pp. 118–120.  

The Turgesh were also rivals of the Karluks, another Turkic group. After Suluk’s death, the khaganate weakened due to internal conflicts and pressure from both the Arabs and the Tang dynasty. In 766, the Karluks defeated the Turgesh and took over their lands, ending the khaganate.Edward N. Luttwak, The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire, Harvard University Press, 2009, pp. 215–217.  

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Category:Turkic peoples
Category:Former countries in Central Asia
Category:History of Kazakhstan
Category:History of Kyrgyzstan
Category:8th-century establishments in Asia
Category:8th-century disestablishments in Asia