Tengri Qaghan

Tengri Qaghan was the sixth ruler of the Second Turkic Khaganate.

Background

Ashina Kutluk was the second son of the fourth ruler, Bilge Qaghan, and was preceded by his elder brother Yollıg Qaghan. Tengri was a minor and his mother Qutluğ Säbäg Qatun ruled during his reign.

Reign

In 740, Xuanzong sent his envoy Li Zhi who declared him Tengri Qaghan. His mother Qutluğ Säbäg Qatun and chancellor Yusi Tarkhan conspired together to centralize the state and kill the cousins who were ruling as shads in the west and the east. While they succeeded in killing the western shad, the eastern shad Pan Kul Tigin rebelled and marched on the capital. He captured Tengri and executed him, causing his mother to flee.

After death

Pan Kul Tigin crowned his son Özmiş as Qaghan in 741 and himself as regent. However, he was quickly defeated and executed by Ashina Shi who marched to the capital and executed both Kutluk Yabghu and Özmiş, declaring himself qaghan.