Karluk Yabghu


The Karluk Yabghu was a polity ruled by Karluk tribes.

History

The first information about the tribes of Karluks that occupied the territory between Altai and the Eastern coast of Lake Balkhash dates back to the 5th century. The Karluks were part of the First Turkic and Uyghur khaganates. Karluk leaders held the title Kül-Erkin as vassals of Göktürks, a rank of medium importance in the First Turkic Khaganate.
They were composed of three tribes, therefore their ruler was mostly called Üç Karluk Bey in the 8th century. At least one Kül Erkin held the title Yabghu while still acknowledging the suzerainty of Gokturk Khagan.
In 742, they were named "Saɣ Yabghu " by Basmyl khagan Ashina Shi. Like Basmyls, they were ruled by a branch of the Ashina tribe. However, the reign of Basmyl was cut short when they were defeated by a Karluk-Uyghur coalition. Uyghur Khagan gave the Saɣ Yabghu a new and higher title: 'Sol Yabghu '.
At the same time a group of Karluks elected Bilge Yabghu Tun Apa Yigen Chor who submitted to the Uyghur Khaganate in 746. He may be same person as Yigen Chor mentioned in Kul-Chor stele.
He was succeeded by Tun Bilge Yabghu in 753. A ruler of Karluks were mentioned in Turco-Manichean book "Sacred Book of Two Fundamentals", fragments of which were found in 1907 at Kara-Khoja in the Turpan oasis by Albert von Le Coq. The book was dedicated to the ruler of the Chigil tribes, named Alp Burguchan, Alp Tarhan, Alp İl Tirgüg. He probably was the one who conquered Turgesh state and resettled Karluks in Zhetysu basin, making Suyab their capital.
Another ruler was Köbäk, whose coins were found in modern Kyrgyzstan. He used the title 'Khagan' in his coins.
When the Yenisei Kyrgyz destroyed the Uyghur Khaganate in 840, Karluk yabghu declared himself khagan with title Bilge Kul Qadir Khan, forming the Kara-Khanid Khanate.

Known Yabghus

  1. Bilga İshbara Tamgan Tarkan? – Nephew of Ilterish Qaghan.
  2. Ishbara Tamgan Chor? – Brother of Bilga İshbara Tamgan Tarkan.
  3. Bilge Yabghu Tun Apa Yigen Chor – Relative of Özmiş Khagan, submitted to Uyghur Khagan following the destruction of the Second Turkic Khaganate.
  4. – Son of Bilge Yabghu.
  5. Yigen Chor? – Might be the same person as Tun Bilge.
  6. Unknown Yabghu – Karluk Yabghu were mentioned in the Turkic religious book 'Iki Jïltïz Nom'. His identity remains unknown.
  7. Inal Tegin – Known from coins.
  8. Köbäk – Known as 'βγy xr’lwγ x’γ’n pny' in Sogdian, meaning 'Karluk Kaghan Köbak.' Belonged to the Arslanids of Ashina.
  9. Arslan Kul Erkin – Belonged to the 'Arslanid' branch of Ashina dynasty, hence the name. Their relation to Arslanid dynasty of Chigils is unknown. Known from coins.
  10. Bilge Kul Qadır Khan – Following the destruction of Uyghur Khaganate, he declared himself Khagan and founded the Kara-Khanid Khanate.

Anikova dish

The Anikova dish is a Nestorian Christian plate with decoration of a besieged Jericho, by Sogdian artists under Karluk dominion, in Semirechye. It is dated to the 8th century, of which a ast silver of the 9th-10th century is known, copied from an original.