Tardu

Tardu Qaghan, (Old Chinese:) also known as Bilge Qaghan (died 603), personal name Ashina Kara-Churin-Türk , was ninth and last Qaghan of the First Turkic Khaganate. After his death or disappearance, the Qaghanate premanently divided in two. Tardu previously served as the second yabghu of the Western wing of the Qaghanate ( 575–603), He was the son of Istämi Yabghu.

Names The regnal name in Turkic was Tarduš , Medieval Greek: , , Pinyin: , Wade–Giles: , personal name: , , ). According to Lev Gumilev his personal name was Kara-Churin-Turk (Кара Чурин Тюрк). However, when he subjugated the eastern half after the death of Tulan Qaghan, he assumed the regnal name Bilge (Wise) Khagan.

Biography

Background The Turkic Khaganate was a vast empire; from Manchuria and the Great Wall of China to the Black Sea. It was impossible to govern the whole khaganate from a single capital. So while the eastern part was directly ruled by the khagan (or qaghan), the western part was governed by the yabghu (vassal) on behalf of the khagan. The capital of the west was Ordukent (Suyab) (present-day Kyrgyzstan). Istämi, who was the Khagan's brother, was the first and Tardu (Istämi's son) was the second yabgu.

Years of civil war Tardu became the yabgu in . That year, he met the Byzantine ambassador Valentinius. Being a very ambitious yabgu, he was planning to seize power over the entire khaganate. He saw his chance in 581 when Taspar Qaghan died. Taspar had announced his preference for Talopien (son of Muqan Qaghan) instead of his son Anluo. But the Göktürk kurultai (council of tribal leaders), which was authorized to appoint the new khagan, refused to follow the former khagan's will and appointed Anluo, who in turn acknowledged Ishbara Qaghan as the new khagan.

Reign

In 599 Tardu declared himself to be khagan of the united khaganate. However, his new status was not recognised widely. Probably to persuade the kurultai, he began a campaign against China. But unlike the Göktürks of the eastern part, his target of the campaign was too far away and his army suffered intensely from poisoned water wells during the long expedition through the steppe. Finally, he had to retreat without serious combat, and the defeat was disastrous for him. After a rebellion of his subjects, he disappeared (was likely killed) in 603 or 604.

He was succeeded in the west by Niri Qaghan, a son of Apa Qaghan, his cousin.

Family He was father to Tulu and Külüg Sibir. Shikui Khagan and Tong Yabghu Qaghan were his grandsons through Tulu.