Tardu
Encyclopedia
Tardu was the second yabgu
and the first khagan
of the Western Turkic Khaganate
.
), Medieval Greek
: Ταρδου, 達頭可汗/达头可汗, Pinyin
: dátóu kěhàn, Wade-Giles
: ta-t'ou k'o-han, personal name: 阿史那玷厥, āshǐnà diànjué, a-shih-na tien-chüeh). Accoding to Lev Gumilev
his personal name was Kara-Churin-Turk (Кара Чурин Тюрк).
and Chinese wall
to Black sea
. It was impossible to govern the whole khaganate from a certain capital. So while the eastern part was directly ruled by the khagan
(empreror), the western part was governed by yabgu
(vassal) in behalf of the khagan. The capital of the west was Ordukent (Suyab)
(present day Kyrgyzistan). Istemi
who was the khagan's brother was the first and Tardu (İstemi's son) was the second yabgu.
when khagan Taspar died. Taspar had announced his preference for Talopien
instead of his son Anluo. But Göktürk kurultay (council of tribal leaders) which was authorized to appoint the new khagan refused the former kagan's will and appointed the former khagan's son who in turn acknowledged Ishbara as the new khagan. This gave Tardu the necessary cause to interfere. He sent an army to back Talopien. Ishbara applied Sui China for protection and both contestants were played off against each other by China.
(future Khazar Khanette
). After the battle of Ganzak
in 591
in Sassanid Persia Bahram Chobin
who was a short term Sasanid empreror, sought asylum in Western Turks.
This enabled Tardu to establish a temporary (but ineffective) hegemony over Persia.
In 599 Tardu decleared himself to be khagan of the united khaganate (east and west) But his new status was not recoqnized widely. Probably to persuade the kurultay, he began a campaign against China. But unlike Turks of eastern part his target of campaign was too far away and his army suffered intensely from the poisoned waterwells during the long expedition through the steps. Finally, he had to retreat without serious combats. But this defeat was disastrous for him. After a rebellion of his subjects, he disappeared from the scene (probably was killed) in 603 or 604.
Yabgu
Yabgu was a state office in the early Turkic states, roughly equivalent to viceroy...
and the first khagan
Khagan
Khagan or qagan , alternatively spelled kagan, khaghan, qaghan, or chagan, is a title of imperial rank in the Mongolian and Turkic languages equal to the status of emperor and someone who rules a khaganate...
of the Western Turkic Khaganate
Western Turkic Khaganate
The Western Turkic Khaganate was formed as a result of the internecine wars in the beginning of the 7th century after the Göktürk Khaganate had splintered into two politiesEastern and Western.The Western Turks initially sought friendly relations with the Byzantine Empire in order to expand their...
.
Names
The regnal name in Turkic was Tarduš (Old Turkic:), Medieval GreekMedieval Greek
Medieval Greek, also known as Byzantine Greek, is the stage of the Greek language between the beginning of the Middle Ages around 600 and the Ottoman conquest of the city of Constantinople in 1453. The latter date marked the end of the Middle Ages in Southeast Europe...
: Ταρδου, 達頭可汗/达头可汗, Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: dátóu kěhàn, Wade-Giles
Wade-Giles
Wade–Giles , sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a romanization system for the Mandarin Chinese language. It developed from a system produced by Thomas Wade during the mid-19th century , and was given completed form with Herbert Giles' Chinese–English dictionary of 1892.Wade–Giles was the most...
: ta-t'ou k'o-han, personal name: 阿史那玷厥, āshǐnà diànjué, a-shih-na tien-chüeh). Accoding to Lev Gumilev
Lev Gumilev
Lev Nikolayevich Gumilev , was a Soviet historian, ethnologist and anthropologist. His unorthodox ideas on the birth and death of ethnic groups have given rise to the political and cultural movement known as "Neo-Eurasianism".-Life:His parents were two prominent poets Nikolay Gumilev and Anna...
his personal name was Kara-Churin-Turk (Кара Чурин Тюрк).
Background
Turkic Khaganate was a vast khaganate (empire); from ManchuriaManchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
and Chinese wall
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups...
to Black sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. It was impossible to govern the whole khaganate from a certain capital. So while the eastern part was directly ruled by the khagan
Khagan
Khagan or qagan , alternatively spelled kagan, khaghan, qaghan, or chagan, is a title of imperial rank in the Mongolian and Turkic languages equal to the status of emperor and someone who rules a khaganate...
(empreror), the western part was governed by yabgu
Yabgu
Yabgu was a state office in the early Turkic states, roughly equivalent to viceroy...
(vassal) in behalf of the khagan. The capital of the west was Ordukent (Suyab)
Suyab
Suyab was an ancient Silk Road city located some 50 km east from Bishkek, and 8 km west southwest from Tokmok, in the Chui River valley, present-day Kyrgyzstan.- History :...
(present day Kyrgyzistan). Istemi
İstemi
İstemi is a common masculine Turkish given name. In Turkish, "İstemi" means "Conquerror of the Sky".-Real People:* İstemi, the Yabgu of the western part of the Göktürks, the Western Turkic Khaganate ....
who was the khagan's brother was the first and Tardu (İstemi's son) was the second yabgu.
Years of civil war
Tardu became the yabgu in 575. Being a very ambitious yabgu he was planning to seize power in whole khaganate. He saw his chance in 581581
Year 581 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 581 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Sui Dynasty replaces the Northern Zhou...
when khagan Taspar died. Taspar had announced his preference for Talopien
Apa Qaghan
Apa Qaghan was son of Muqan Qaghan, declared himself qaghan of the Turkic Khaganate, in defience of the Toy, his claim of power came with the will of Taspar.The struggle between Ashina Shetu and Ashina Daluobian, was the...
instead of his son Anluo. But Göktürk kurultay (council of tribal leaders) which was authorized to appoint the new khagan refused the former kagan's will and appointed the former khagan's son who in turn acknowledged Ishbara as the new khagan. This gave Tardu the necessary cause to interfere. He sent an army to back Talopien. Ishbara applied Sui China for protection and both contestants were played off against each other by China.
Later years
While the east part of the khaganate suffered from civil war, Tardu was waiting for a suitable moment to realize his plans. He establisahed hegemony on CaucasusCaucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
(future Khazar Khanette
Khazars
The Khazars were semi-nomadic Turkic people who established one of the largest polities of medieval Eurasia, with the capital of Atil and territory comprising much of modern-day European Russia, western Kazakhstan, eastern Ukraine, Azerbaijan, large portions of the northern Caucasus , parts of...
). After the battle of Ganzak
Takht-i-Suleiman
For the similarly named locations see Takht-e Suleyman Massif in Iran, Taxte Soleymān in Pakistan, and Sulayman Mountain near Osh, Kyrgyzstan.Taxte Soleymān, is an archaeological site in West Azarbaijan, Iran...
in 591
591
Year 591 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 591 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Agilulf marries Theodelinda and becomes king...
in Sassanid Persia Bahram Chobin
Bahram Chobin
General Bahrām Chobin was a famous Eran spahbod during the late 6th century in Persia, usurping the Sassanid throne for a year as Bahram VI .- Life :...
who was a short term Sasanid empreror, sought asylum in Western Turks.
This enabled Tardu to establish a temporary (but ineffective) hegemony over Persia.
In 599 Tardu decleared himself to be khagan of the united khaganate (east and west) But his new status was not recoqnized widely. Probably to persuade the kurultay, he began a campaign against China. But unlike Turks of eastern part his target of campaign was too far away and his army suffered intensely from the poisoned waterwells during the long expedition through the steps. Finally, he had to retreat without serious combats. But this defeat was disastrous for him. After a rebellion of his subjects, he disappeared from the scene (probably was killed) in 603 or 604.