Kül Tigin

Kül Tigin

Kül Tigin or Köl Tigin (Old Turkic: 𐰚𐰇𐰠𐱅𐰃𐰏𐰤, Kül Tig(i)n; 闕特勤/阙特勤, Pinyin: quètèqín, Wade-Giles: chüeh-t'e-ch'in; b. 684 – d. 27 February 731) was a head of state who, together with his elder brother Bilge Khagan, ruled the Second Eastern Göktürk Khaganate. Kül Tigin governed the military wing of the state.

He was the son of Ilterish Khagan, the brother of Bilge Khagan, and the grandson of Kutlug Erkin.

Life

When his father Kutlug Khagan (Ilterish) died, his elder brother Bilge was 8 and Kül Tigin was 7 years old. Together with his elder brother he was raised by his uncle Kapağan (Qapaghan) Khagan. Acting contrary to Turkic custom, Kapağan Khagan, before his death, declared his own son heir apparent and nullified the claim of his nephews to power. However, after Kapağan's death, Kül Tigin seized control through a coup similar to what Mete Khan had done earlier; he had the beys who supported Kapağan Khagan's son executed, carried out a great purge by bringing to his side Tonyukuk and Alp Eletmiş — who had been pushed into the background during Kapağan's reign — and finally placed his elder brother on the throne. Bilge Khagan was 32 and Kül Tigin 31 years old. Although the official leader was Bilge Khagan, the real power in the country lay in the hands of the army commander Kül Tigin. The most reliable information about Kül Tigin, who together with his elder brother suppressed the revolts in their country, is found in the Orkhon Inscriptions.

At the age of 16, Kül Tigin took part alongside his uncle Kapağan Khagan in a battle against a Chinese army of 50,000 and drew attention with his heroism. At the age of 21 he also fought in the battle against the Chinese general Caca and, although he lost three horses, continued to fight the enemy. It is written on the monuments that, having managed to survive more than 100 arrows shot by the Chinese soldiers, he had a great share in the winning of that battle. The inscriptions are full of stories of Kül Tigin's heroism. For example, they tell of how, when the men had gone on a western campaign, he organized the women and children against the Kyrgyz, Oghuz, and Chinese forces that raided the Turkic homeland and won a victory. Kül Tigin was both a successful warrior and a successful commander. Beyond this, he had a great share in the two brothers' ruling the state together without engaging in a struggle for the throne — an event rarely seen in history.

Funeral ceremony (yuğ)

Kül Tigin died on 27 February 731 at the age of 47. On 1 November 731 a great funeral ceremony was held for him. According to what is written in the Kül Tigin Inscription among the Orkhon Inscriptions, he died at the age of 47, on the seventeenth day in the Year of the Sheep. Kül Tigin kony yılka yiti yigirmike uçdı (Kül Tigin monument, north-east face), North Face, lines 11–13: "Yogçı, sıgıtçı, Kıtany, Tatabı bodun başlayu, Udar Sengün kelti. Tabgaç kaganta İsiyi Likeng kelti. Bir tümen agı altun, kümüş kergeksiz kelürti. Tüpüt kaganta bölön kelti. Kurıya kün batsıkdakı Sogd Berçik-er, Bukarak uluş bodunta Enik Sengün, Ogul

Tarkan kelti. On-Ok oglım Türgiş kaganta Makaraç Tamgaçı, Oguz Bilge Tamgaçı kelti. Kırkız kaganta Tarduş lnançu Çor kelti. Bark itgüçi, bediz yaratıgma, bitig taş itgüçi Tabgaç kagan çıkanı Çang Sengün kelti."

"As mourners and lamenters, from the Khitan and Tatabı peoples, foremost the general Udar came. From the Chinese khagan, İsiyi Likeng came. He brought abundant treasure — ten thousand [measures of] silk, gold, and silver. From the Tibetan khagan, a vizier came. From the west, from the Sogdians toward the sunset, the Iranians, and the people of the land of Bukhara, the general Enik and Ogul Tarkan came. From my On Ok sons, from the Türgesh khagan, the seal-keeper Makaraç and the seal-keeper Oğuz Bilge came. From the Kyrgyz khagan, Tarduş İnançu Çor came. As tomb-builders, painters, and makers of the inscription stone, Çang, a nephew of the Chinese khagan, came."

As written, the Chinese, Khitan, Tatabı, Tibetan, Iranian, Sogdian, Bukharan, Türgesh, Kyrgyz, and other state tribes also attended the ceremony. In 732, the Bukharan envoy named Ogul-Tarkan came to the Orkhon capital for Kül Tigin's funeral ceremony.

Kül Tigin has a contribution in the Orkhon Inscriptions. In 732 his elder brother Bilge Khagan had a Kül Tigin memorial stone (bengü taş) erected.

Sources

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