Bars Bek 𐰉𐰺𐰽:𐰋𐰏 | |
---|---|
Khagan of Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate | |
Reign | 693 - 710/711 |
Coronation | 693 |
Predecessor | State established |
Successor | Bilge Tong Erkin |
Born | 637 |
Died | 711 Son River (modern-day Khakassia) [1] [2] [3] |
Spouse | Sister of Bilge Khagan |
House | Aje |
Religion | Tengriism |
Bars Bek ( Old Turkic: 𐰉𐰺𐰽:𐰋𐰏; Kyrgyz: Барсбек каган; Chinese: 巴爾斯別克; 637–710/711) or Inanch Alp Bilge ( Chinese: 亦難赤阿爾普毗伽), [4] was the first khagan of the Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate. [4]
Nothing is known about Bars Bek's early reign, except minor information fragments contained within Orkhon and Yenisei inscriptions. The royal Aje clan, which Bars Bek was a member of, claimed descent from the Han dynasty general Li Ling. [5] [6] [7]
During his reign, he was believed to be hostile to the Göktürks until he married a younger daughter of Ilterish Qaghan and was appointed as a lesser khagan ruling over Az and Kyrgyz tribes. [1] [2] [8]
In the late 7th century, according to Takeshi Osawa, Bars Bek mediated talks between Suoge and the Emperor Zhongzong of Tang. [9] According to Klyashtorny, he sent an ambassador named Eren Ulug to the Tibetan Empire in an attempt to form an alliance but was unsuccessful. [10]
According to Sergei Klyashtorny, Bars Bek's anointed name was Inanch Alp Bilge and was mentioned as such in Yenisei inscriptions. [11] Turkish historian Saadeddin Gömeç argued against this. [12]
After news of the triple alliance reached Tonyukuk, he decided to eliminate the Kyrgyz first. Roads to Kyrgyz lands were blocked by heavy snow, forcing them to find a guide. They first crossed Ak Termel (modern Ona - a tributary of Abakan). However, after ten nights of searching for a way out, their guide became lost and was executed on the orders of Qapaghan. After a few days, they arrived at Kyrgyz headquarters and launched a night attack on Bars Bek, killing him. [13] A memorial stele was erected after his death, on the left side of the Abakan river. [14]
He was succeeded by his son and Bilge Khagan's nephew. [15]
A commemorative coin honouring Bars Bek was issued by the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic in 2010. [16] In 2017, a monument to Bars Bek was erected in Osh. [17]
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𐰾𐰇𐰭𐰏𐰤: 𐰲𐰑𐰢𐰕: 𐰴𐰣𐰃: 𐰾𐰇𐰾𐰃: 𐱅𐰼𐰠𐰢𐰾: 𐰾𐰇𐰭𐰾𐰓𐰢𐰕: 𐰽𐰨𐰑𐰢𐰕: 𐰴𐰣𐰃𐰤: 𐰇𐰠𐰼𐱅𐰢𐰕: 𐰴𐰍𐰣𐰴𐰀: (in Old Turkic script) / Their Khagan gathered the army. We fought them, killed their khagan. Kyrgyz people surrendered our Khagan. (English translation)
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