Ashina Xian was a Western Turk khagan, also a general of
Protectorate General to Pacify the West
The Protectorate General to Pacify the West (Anxi Grand Protectorate), initially the Protectorate to Pacify the West (Anxi Protectorate), was a protectorate (640 – ) established by the Chinese Tang dynasty in 640 to control the Tarim Basin. Th ...
from 708 to 717, appointed by the
Tang dynasty.
Life
When his father was executed by
Lai Junchen in 692, he was exiled to
Yazhou. However, he was recalled to court in 703.
In 708, he was appointed ''Xingxiwang Khagan'' () by
Zhongzhong. However,
Suoge was appointed as his subordinate, who was going to appointed ''Shisixing Khagan'' () later.
In 714, after the death of Suoge in the
Battle of Bolchu, Xian was created Qixi (碛西) Military Commissioner and sent to
Suyab
Suyab ( fa, سوی آب; Middle Chinese: /suʌiH jiᴇp̚/), also known as ''Ordukent'' (modern-day ''Ak-Beshim''), was an ancient Silk Road city located some 50 km east from Bishkek, and 8 km west southwest from Tokmok, in the Chu r ...
to fill in the power vacuum.
Nevertheless, when
Suluk rose to prominence, the Tang appointed Ashina Xian as the ''Shixing Qaghan'' in 716 and appointed Suluk as his deputy, to appease Suluk. Suluk's growing ambition over Xian's overlordship resulted in war and defeat of Xian in June and July in 717.
After defeat he left for
Changan and died sometime during the
Kaiyuan era. His successor was his son
Ashina Zhen
Ashina Zhen (also referred to as Shi Zhen 史震) — was a puppet khagan set up by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty in China; He ruled briefly.
Life
He was a son of Ashina Xian. In October, 735, Turkic tribe leader and warlord Suluk att ...
.
References
8th-century Turkic people
Ashina house of the Turkic Empire
Tang dynasty generals
Göktürk rulers
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