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.[5] TheKarluks were part of theFirst Turkic andUyghur khaganates. Karluk leaders held the titleKül-Erkin as vassals of Göktürks, a rank of medium importance in theFirst Turkic Khaganate.
They were composed of three tribes, therefore their ruler was mostly calledÜç Karluk Bey (Chinese:三姓葉護, Sanxing Yabghu;lit. 'Yabghu of Three Tribes') in the 8th century (AlthoughBey andYabghu are different.).[6] At least one Kül Erkin held the title Yabghu while still acknowledging suzerainity of GokturkKhagan.
In 742, they were named "Saɣ Yabghu ( 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎𐰆 𐰽𐰀𐰍, tr. Right Yabghu) " byBasmyl khaganAshina Shi. Like Basmyls, they were ruled by a branch of theAshina tribe.[7] 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 (𐰽𐰗𐰞 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎𐰆, tr. Left Yabghu)'.[8]
At the same time a group of Karluks elected Bilge Yabghu Tun Apa Yigen Chor (Old Turkic:𐰉𐰄𐰞𐰏𐰅 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎𐰆 𐱃𐰆𐰣 𐰀𐰯𐰀 𐰖𐰄𐰏𐰅𐰣 𐰕𐰎𐰗𐰺;Bilgä Yabɣu Toŋa Apa Yigen Čor,Chinese:毗伽葉護頓阿波移健啜;pinyin:Píjiā Yèhù Dùn ābō Yíjiàn Chuài) who submitted to the Uyghur Khaganate in 746.[9] He may be same person as Yigen Chor (𐰘𐰃𐰏𐰤𐰲𐰆𐰺) mentioned in Kul-Chor stele.[10]
He was succeeded by Tun Bilge Yabghu (Chinese:頓毗伽葉護;pinyin:Dùn Píjiā Yèhù) in 753.[9] A ruler of Karluks were mentioned in Turco-Manichean book "Sacred Book of Two Fundamentals" (Iki Jïltïz Nom), fragments of which were found in 1907 atKara-Khoja in theTurpan oasis byAlbert von Le Coq. The book was dedicated to the ruler of theChigil tribes, named Alp Burguchan, Alp Tarhan, Alp İl Tirgüg.[11] He probably was the one who conqueredTurgesh state and resettled Karluks inZhetysu basin, makingSuyab their capital.[12]
Another ruler was Köbäk,[13] whose coins were found in modern Kyrgyzstan. He used the title 'Khagan' in his coins.[12]
Bilge Yabghu Tun Apa Yigen Chor (𐰉𐰄𐰞𐰏𐰅 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎 𐰆 𐱃𐰆𐰣 𐰀𐰯𐰀 𐰖𐰄𐰏𐰅𐰣 𐰕𐰎𐰗𐰺) (? - 753 ) – Relative ofÖzmiş Khagan, submitted to Uyghur Khagan following the destruction of theSecond Turkic Khaganate.
Tun Bilge Yabghu (𐱃𐰆𐰣 𐰉𐰄𐰞𐰏𐰅 𐰖𐰀𐰉𐰏𐰎𐰆) (753 –? ) – Son of Bilge Yabghu.
Yigen Chor? (𐰘𐰃𐰏𐰤𐰲𐰆𐰺) – Might be the same person as Tun Bilge.
Unknown Yabghu – Karluk Yabghu were mentioned in the Turkic religious book 'Iki Jïltïz Nom'. His identity remains unknown.
Inal Tegin (𐰄𐰣𐰀𐰞 𐱃𐰅𐰏𐰄𐰣 𐰚𐰎𐰀𐰏𐰀𐰣) (8th century) – Known from coins.
Köbäk – Known as 'βγy xr’lwγ x’γ’n pny' in Sogdian, meaning 'Karluk Kaghan Köbak.' Belonged to the Arslanids of Ashina.
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.
TheAnikova dish is aNestorian Christian plate with decoration of a besiegedJericho, by Sogdian artists underKarluk dominion, inSemirechye.[2] It is dated to the 8th century, of which a ast silver of the 9th-10th century is known, copied from an original.[15][16]
^Kli︠a︡shtornyĭ, S. G. (2004).Gosudarstva i narody Evraziĭskikh stepeĭ : drevnostʹ i srednevekovʹe. Sultanov, T. I. (Tursun Ikramovich) (2-e izd., isprav. i dop ed.). Sankt-Peterburg.ISBN5858032559.OCLC60357062.{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^S.G. Klyashtorny,"Ancient Turk Rock Inscriptions in the Talas Ala-Too. A Sogdian Word in an Old Turk Inscription", Webfestschrift Marshak 2003, (Online Article).
^abChavannes, Edouard (2007).Documents sur les Tou-Kiue (Turcs) occidentaux recueillis et commentés suivi de Notes additionnelles. Bibliothèque Paul-Émile Boulet de l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi.OCLC145840509.