Gktrks

For empires established by the Gktrks, see Turkic They were known in Middle Chinese historical sources as
Khaganate.
the twot-kot (Chinese: ; pinyin: Tju). According to Chinese sources, the meaning of the word Tujue
was "combat helmet" (Chinese: ; pinyin: Dumu;
The Trks or the Kk Trks (Old Turkic:
WadeGiles: Tou1 -mou2 ), reportedly because the shape
Chinese: ; pinyin: Tju), also known as
where they lived, was similar to
Ashina/Aina Turks and sometimes as its Anatolian of the Altai Mountains,
*
[4]* [5]* [6]
a
combat
helmet.
Turkish version Gktrks (Celestial/Blue Turks), were
a nomadic confederation of Turkic peoples in medieval The name Gktrk is said to meanCelestial Turks.* [7]
Inner Asia. The kk Trks, under the leadership of This is consistent with the cult of heavenly ordained
Bumin Qaghan (d. 552) and his sons, succeeded the rulewhich was a recurrent element of Altaic political
Rouran as the main power in the region and established culture and as such may have been imbibed by the Gkthe Turkic Khaganate, one of several nomadic dynasties trks from their predecessors in Mongolia.* [8] Similarly,
which would shape the future geolocation, culture, and the name of the ruling Ashina clan may derive from the
dominant beliefs of Turkic peoples.
Khotanese Sak term for deep blue, na.* [9] The
name might also derive from a Tungusic tribe related to
Aisin.* [10]

Etymology

The word Trk meant strongin Old Turkic.* [11]

2 Origins
The Gktrk rulers originated from the Ashina clan, who
were rst attested to 439. The Book of Sui reports that
in that year, on October 18, the Tuoba ruler Emperor
Taiwu of Northern Wei overthrew Juqu Mujian of the
Northern Liang in eastern Gansu,* [12]* [13]* [14] whence
500 Ashina families ed northwest to the Rouran Khaganate in the vicinity of Gaochang.* [5]* [15] Peter B.
Golden points out the possibility that the khaghans of
the Turkic Khaganate, the Ashina, were themselves originally an Indo-European (possibly Iranian) clan who later
adopted the Turkic language, but retained their tradition
of inherited Indo-European titles.* [16] German Turkologist W.-E. Scharlipp points out that many common terms
in Turkic are Iranian in origin.* [17]
According to the Book of Zhou and the History of the
Northern Dynasties, the Ashina clan was a component
of the Xiongnu confederation,* [4]* [6] but this connection is disputed,* [18] and according to the Book of
Sui and the Tongdian, they were mixed barbarians
( / , Pinyin: z h, WadeGiles: tsa hu)
from Pingliang.* [5]* [19] Indeed, Chinese sources link
many barbarians (hu) on their northern borders to the
Xiongnu, just as Graeco-Roman historiographers called
Avars, Huns and Magyars Scythians. Such archaizing was a common literary topos, and implied similar geographic origins and nomadic lifestyle but not direct liation.* [20]

Kl Tigin

The Old Turkic name was

Kk Trk,* [1]* [2] or

Trk,* [1]* [2]

Trk.* [3]
1

As part of the heterogeneous Rouran Khaganate, the

Trks lived for generations north of the Altai Mountains, where they 'engaged in metal working for the
Rouran'.* [5]* [21] According to Denis Sinor, the rise to
power of the Ashina clan represented an 'internal revolution' in the Rouran confederacy, rather than an external
conquest.* [22] According to Charles Holcombe, the early
Tujue population was rather heterogeneous and many of
the names of Trk rulers, including the two founding
members, are not even Turkic.* [23] This is supported
by evidence from the Orkhon inscriptions, where several non-Turkic lexemes, possibly representing Ungric or
Samoyed words.* [24]

REFERENCES

to the prominent historian, Lev Gumilev, is derived from

the Mongolian word for wolfchono

, chinaorshina
with a Chinese prex ofAwhich means the respectful,
elder, important. In combination it means Noble Wolf or
simply TheWolf.
Language and character
The Trks were the rst Turkic people known to write
their language in the Old Turkic script. Life stories of
Kul Tigin and Bilge Qaghan, as well as the chancellor
Tonyukuk were recorded in the Orkhon inscriptions.
Religion

Eastern Turks under the Jimi

system

Tengriism was the traditional religion of the Trks.* [32]

After the fall of the khaganate some of Trk descendants
followed the Uyghur Khaganate and received missionarOn May 19, 639* [25] Ashina Jiesheshuai and his tribes- ies from the Manichaeism religion. Eventually part of
men assaulted Tai zong at Jiucheng Palace (, in them were Buddhists and parts were Muslim, depending
present day Linyou County, Baoji, Shaanxi). However, on which region they settled down in.
they did not succeed and ed to the north, but were
caught by pursuers near the Wei River and were killed.
Ashina Hexiangu was exiled to Lingbiao.* [26] After the 5 See also
unsuccessful raid of Ashina Jiesheshuai, on August 13,
639* [27] Taizong instated Ashina Simo as the Yimin Ethnic groups in Chinese history
ishuqilibi Khan and ordered the settled Turkic people to
History of the Turkic peoples
follow Ashina Simo north of the Yellow River to settle
between the Great Wall and the Gobi Desert.* [28]
Horses in East Asian warfare
In 679, Ashide Wenfu and Ashide Fengzhi, who were
Kangly
Turkic leaders of Shanyu Protectorate (),
declared Ashina Nishufu as qaghan and revolted against
Khazars
the Tang dynasty.* [29] In 680, Pei Xingjian defeated
Ashina Nishufu and his army. Ashina Nishufu was killed
Khsh Tsaidam Monuments
by his men.* [29] Ashide Wenfu made Ashina Funian a
Krat (hero)
qaghan and again revolted against the Tang dynasty.* [29]
Ashide Wenfu and Ashina Funian surrendered to Pei
Orkhon script
Xingjian. On December 5, 681* [30] 54 Gktrks including Ashide Wenfu and Ashina Funian were publicly exe Timeline of Turks (500-1300)
cuted in the Eastern Market of Chang'an.* [29] In 682,
Turkic peoples
Ashina Kutlug and Ashide Yuanzhen revolted and occupied Heisha Castle (northwest of present day Hohhot,
Temir Kapig
Inner Mongolia) with the remnants of Ashina Funian's
*
men. [31]

6 References
4

Customs and culture

Origin of Achinas or Ashinas

[1] Kultegin's Memorial Complex, Trik Bitig Khsh

Tsaidam Monuments (English)
[2] Bilge Kagan's Memorial Complex, Trik Bitig Khsh

In 439 in Central Asia a distinctive clan calledAchina

Tsaidam Monuments (English)
or Ashinalived in the territory now located in northwest China, Xinjiang province or Eastern Turkistan. [3] Tonyukuk's Memorial Complex, Trik Bitig Bain Tsokto
Monument (English)
They spoke either a Turkic or Mongolic language and
they were the remnants of the aristocracy of the steppes [4] Linghu Defen et al., Book of Zhou, Vol. 50. (Chinese)
former Xiongnu Empire which had been destroyed by the
China Han dynasty in circa 100. Their name, according [5] Wei Zheng et al., Book of Sui, Vol. 84. (Chinese)

6.1

Bibliography

[6] Li Yanshou, History of the Northern Dynasties, Vol. 99.

(Chinese)
[7] Macdonald, et al, Peoples of Western Asia, Marshall
Cavendish Corporation, 2006, ISBN 978-0-7614-7677-1,
p. 545. (English)
[8] Wink 64.
[9] Findley 39.
[10] Zhu 68-91.
[11] American Heritage Dictionary (2000). The American
Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition - Turk"". bartleby.com. Retrieved 2006-12-07.
[12] Wei Shou, Book of Wei, Vol. 4-I. (Chinese)
[13] Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian, Vol. 123. (Chinese)
[14] ( ) Academia Sinica (Chinese)
[15] Christian, p. 249.
[16] Peter B. Golden, An Introduction to the History of the Turkic Peoples, O. Harrassowitz, 1992, p. 121-122
[17] (...) ber die Ethnogenese dieses Stammes ist viel gertselt worden. Auallend ist, dass viele zentrale Begrie
iranischen Ursprungs sind. Dies betrit fast alle Titel
(...). Einige Gelehrte wollen auch die Eigenbezeichnung
trk auf einen iranischen Ursprung zurckfhren und ihn
mit dem Wort Turan, der persischen Bezeichnung
fr das Land jeneseits des Oxus, in Verbindung bringen.
Wolfgang-Ekkehard Scharlipp in Die frhen Trken in
Zentralasien, p. 18
[18] Christian, p. 249

6.1 Bibliography
Christian, David. A history of Russia, Central Asia
and Mongolia, Vol. 1: Inner Eurasia from prehistory
to the Mongol Empire. Blackwell, 1998.
Findley, Carter Vaughin. The Turks in World History. Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-19517726-6.
Great Soviet Encyclopaedia, 3rd ed. ArticleTurkic
Khaganate(online).
Grousset, Ren. The Empire of the Steppes. Rutgers
University Press, 1970. ISBN 0-8135-1304-9.
Gumilev, Lev (2007) (Russian) The Gokturks
( ;Drevnie tiu rki). Moscow: AST,
2007. ISBN 5-17-024793-1.
Ska, Jonathan Karem (2009). Nicola Di Cosmo,
ed. Military Culture in Imperial China. Harvard
University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-03109-8.
. A. Zuev) (2002) (Russian), Early
Yu. Zuev (IU
Trks: Essays on history and ideology (Rannie
tiu rki: ocherki istorii i ideologii), Almaty, DaikPress, p. 233, ISBN 9985-4-4152-9
Wechsler, Howard J. (1979). T'ai-Tsung (Reign
626-49): The Consolidator. In Denis Twitchett;
John Fairbank. The Cambridge History of China,
Volume 3: Sui and T'ang China Part I. Cambridge
University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-21446-9.

[19] , , : , (Du You,

Tongdian, Vol.197), 13 4 , 1988, ISBN
7-101-00258-7, p. 5401. (Chinese)

Wink, Andr. Al-Hind: The Making of the IndoIslamic World. Brill Academic Publishers, 2002.
ISBN 0-391-04173-8.

[20] Sinor (1990)

Zhu, Xueyuan () (2004) (Chinese) The Origins of the Ethnic Groups of Northern China (
). Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju (
) ISBN 7-101-03336-9

[21] Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian, Vol. 159. (Chinese)

[22] Denis Sinor, The Establishment and Dissolution of the
Turk Empire, The Cambridge History of Early Inner
Asia, Page 295. (English)
[23] Charles Holcombe, The Genesis of East Asia, 221 B.C.A.D. 907, University of Hawaii Press, 2001, ISBN 978-08248-2465-5, p. 114.
[24] Sinor (1990, p. 282)
[25] Academia Sinica (Chinese)
[26] Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian, Vol. 195. (Chinese)
[27] Academia Sinica (Chinese)
[28] Ouyang Xiu et al., New Book of Tang, Vol. 215-I.
[29] Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian, Vol. 202 (Chinese)
[30] Academia Sinica (Chinese)
[31] Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian, Vol. 203 (Chinese)
[32] Ivelik, Sonia.Dnya Dinleri 2: Animist Dinle(in Turkish). p. 18.

Xue, Zongzheng () (1992) (Chinese) A History of the Turks (). Beijing: Chinese Social
Sciences Press () ISBN 75004-0432-8
Ekaterina Nachaeva (2011). The Runaway
Avars and Late Antique Diplomacy. In Ralph W.
Mathisen, Danuta Shanzer. Romans, Barbarians,
and the Transformation of the Roman World: Cultural Interaction and the Creation of Identity in Late
Antiquity. Ashgate.
Sinor, Denis (1990). The Cambridge History of
Early Inner Asia 1. Cambridge University Press.
ISBN 0521243041.

7 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1

Text

Gktrks Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6kt%C3%BCrks?oldid=654267188 Contributors: David Parker, Andre Engels,

JeLuF, Ktsquare, Olivier, Lorenzarius, Llywrch, Menchi, Cferrero, Abou Ben Adhem, Adam Bishop, Itai, Topbanana, Joy, Sandman, Cncs
wikipedia, Sewing, PuzzletChung, Robbot, The Phoenix, Fredrik, Gak, Jmabel, Altenmann, Arkuat, Auric, Kaz, Varlaam, Gilgamesh,
Evertype, Kusunose, Domino theory, Bumm13, Sam Hocevar, Avihu, Hardouin, Djyang, Humblefool, Mike Rosoft, Rich Farmbrough,
Guanabot, Dbachmann, ESkog, CanisRufus, Zscout370, Kwamikagami, QuartierLatin1968, Kross, CeeGee, Smalljim, Nk, H27kim,
Abstrakt, Gene Nygaard, Ghirlandajo, Nightstallion, Sinanozel, Karnesky, FeanorStar7, Briangotts, Cbdorsett, BD2412, Amir85, Mana
Excalibur, Rjwilmsi, Yug, Talessman, Lemuel Gulliver, Chobot, DaGizza, Bgwhite, JWB, Hairy Dude, RussBot, Chaser, Ksyrie, Apeman, Sumple, Nlu, Straughn, WAS 4.250, Laszlo Panaex, Khakhan, History asia, Curpsbot-unicodify, Tajik, Allens, NeilN, Samuel
Blanning, That Guy, From That Show!, Aarky, SmackBot, Pamir, Jagged 85, Big Adamsky, AtilimGunesBaydin, Eskimbot, Averisk,
Hibernian, Cplakidas, Shibo77, Ed4linda, Huon, Khoikhoi, Jmlk17, Hakozen, Underbar dk, Gurdjie, Frodese, Latebird, Ugur Basak
Bot, SashatoBot, Lambiam, BrownHairedGirl, SilkTork, Zaparojdik, Filanca, Hvn0413, Moszczynski, Jose77, Yes0song, Sinaloa, Geog,
Guss2, Internedko, CmdrObot, Eiorgiomugini, ShelfSkewed, Cydebot, Dougweller, DumbBOT, CenkX, Good friend100, Mattisse, Keyi,
Thijs!bot, Froggo Zijgeb, AlefZet, Crispus, Spencer, Rcduggan, Sluzzelin, Aceooder, Barefact, VoABot II, Faizhaider, Posuur, Sasha l,
RedMC, E104421, Edward321, Baristarim, Burcartman, Nlight2, Chapultepec, Ebizur, Fleetame, R'n'B, CommonsDelinker, J.delanoy,
Altes, Aleksandr Grigoryev, Mohammad adil, Skumarlabot, Ian.thomson, Turken, Jeepday, Kansas Bear, Manofedit, Idioma-bot, Caspian
blue, ChockStock, Nik Sage, Khutuck, Andres rojas22, Llcooleng, Seb az86556, Yaan, Viktor-viking, AlleborgoBot, Enkyo2, Lylefor,
Ivan tambuk, Jonmwang, Euryalus, Pengyanan, Hzh, Oxymoron83, PalaceGuard008, Slovenski Volk, Denisarona, JL-Bot, Gantuya eng,
Krzychu, Sevilledade, Viplux, SimpleParadox, Boneyard90, Nostradamus1, Enerelt, Takabeg, Dsmurat, Vincedumond, Orkh, Polysynaptic, Addbot, Jncraton, Douglas the Comeback Kid, Download, AnnaFrance, ContinentalAve, Denicho, Yastanovog, Lightbot, OlEnglish,
Qemist, , CountryBot, Bnh Giang, Mps, Amateur55, Yobot, Darx9url, Meotrangden, , Againme, AnomieBOT, Rjanag,
Galoubet, , Semiramides, Sz-iwbot, Kavas, Hunnjazal, Bouron, Citation bot, Kamuran otukenli, LilHelpa, Hrystiv, H falcon, Mttll, Nedim Ardoa, CnkALTDS, White whirlwind, Eugene-elgato, Joostik, Amethystus, FrescoBot, ERkistreet, Kksar, Huckelbarry, Finn
Diesel, Akocsg, blfuchs, Zanhe, Lotje, Duoduoduo, Dontbesogullible, Stegop, , , FetchcommsAWB, EmausBot, John of Reading, Look2See1, PusulasizGezgin, Nozdref, DragonTiger23, Al83tito, Lathdrinor, Monteps, Tomworrier666, Vorziblix,
Shrigley, MALLUS, Rangoon11, ClueBot NG, Qara xan, Islamisgr88, , Muslim lo Juheu, Og of Bashan, MerlIwBot, Girayhankaya,
Helpful Pixie Bot, Bulat Muratov, Wbm1058, MongolWiki, Cold Season, Op47, Blacksadplusplus, Lieutenant of Melkor, Tirgil34, This is
also Sven Manguard, Rwenonah, Le Lapin Vert, Maikolaser, Khazar2, Xantana, Hackstorix1000, JurgenNL, Greczia, Aymankamelwiki,
Shamans of Tengri, Krakkos, Aparhan, Mendsetting, Zyma, Naomi Standen, PinkAmpersand, Epicgenius, Zmavius, Kap 7, Khanate
General, Mehmeett21, Jezebel1349, Vieque, , Atomahawk and Anonymous: 188

7.2

Images

File:Commons-logo.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: ? Contributors: ? Original

artist: ?
File:Flag_of_the_Turkic_Council.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Flag_of_the_Turkic_Council.
svg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Hellerick
File:Kul_Tigin.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c0/Kul_Tigin.jpg License: Fair use Contributors:
http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/museums/ubhist/ubhist0553.jpg Original artist:
Unknown sculptor, Daniel C. Waugh (photograph)
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7.3

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