, native_name_lang = otk
, image = Turkic Head of Koltegin Statue (35324303410).jpg
, caption = Bust of Kul Tigin found at the Khoshoo Tsaidam burial site, in
Khashaat
Khashaat ( mn, Хашаат, "fenced") is a sum (district) of Arkhangai Province in central Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russi ...
,
Arkhangai Province
The Arkhangai Province or Arkhangai Aimag ( mn, Архангай аймаг, Arhangai aimag, ; "North Khangai") is one of the 21 aimags of Mongolia. It is located slightly west of the country's center, on the northern slopes of the Khangai Moun ...
,
Orkhon River
The Orkhon River (; mn, Орхон гол, ''Orkhon gol'', Old Chinese: 安侯水 ''(*arhoushui)'') is a river in Mongolia.
The Orkhon river derives its name from the Old Turkic prefix "or" meaning "middle", and "khan" or king.
It rises in ...
valley. Located in the
National Museum of Mongolia
The National Museum of Mongolia ( mn, 1=Монголын үндэсний түүхийн музей); formerly the National Museum of Mongolian History is located in Ulaanbaatar. It characterizes itself as "a cultural, scientific, and educational ...
Second Turkic Khaganate
The Second Turkic Khaganate ( otk, 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰰:𐰃𐰠, Türük el, State of the Turks, , known as ''Turk Bilge Qaghan country'' ( otk, 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰝:𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣:𐰃𐰠𐰭𐰀, Türük Bilgä Qaγan eli) in Bai ...
, battles =
Battle of Bolchu
The Battle of Bolchu was a critical battle in the Turkic Khaganate history in 711.
Background
In the 7th century, the First Turkic Khaganate was divided into two rival states. Both states were subsequently defeated and annexed by the Tang dynast ...
Transoxiana Campaign
Transoxiana Campaign was a successful campaign by the Göktürks led by Turkic prince Kul Tegin against the Umayyad Caliphate, involving Sogdia and Türgesh Khanate.
The Campaign
In 712, the Göktürks sent insignificant troops under comma ...
Battle of Iduk Bash
Battle of Ming Sha
The battle of Ming Sha was a major battle between the Tang Dynasty and Second Turkic Khaganate which occurred in 707.
Battle
Kul Tigin and Bilge Qaghan were also present in the Göktürk army under the command of Qapaghan Qaghan. The Göktürks ...
Battle of Sayan Mountains
The battle of Sayan Mountains was a major battle between the Göktürks and Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate followed by a successful battle led by Tonyukuk.
Battle
When Kul Tigin was 26 years old, in winter time, 710 or 711, The Göktürk army set out ...
El Bilga Khatun
El Bilga Khatun ( otk, 𐰃𐰠𐱅𐰼𐰾:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Elbilge qatun; ) or Ilbilga Katun was the wife of the 8th century Göktürk Turkic Qaghan, Ilterish Qaghan, the founder of the Second Turkic Khaganate and the mother of Bilgä Qaghan, ...
(mother)
Bilge Khagan
Bilge Qaghan ( otk, 𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Bilgä Qaγan; ; 683 – 25 November 734) was the fourth Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate. His accomplishments were described in the Orkhon inscriptions.
Names
As was the custom, his ...
(brother)
, rank =
Tarkhan
Tarkhan ( otk, 𐱃𐰺𐰴𐰣, Tarqan, mn, or ; fa, ترخان; ; ar , طرخان; alternative spellings ''Tarkan'', ''Tarkhaan'', ''Tarqan'', ''Tarchan'', ''Turxan'', ''Tarcan'', ''Turgan, Tárkány, Tarján'') is an ancient Central Asia ...
(posthumously)
, memorials =
Orkhon inscriptions
The Orkhon inscriptions (also known as the Orhon inscriptions, Orhun inscriptions, Khöshöö Tsaidam monuments (also spelled ''Khoshoo Tsaidam'', ''Koshu-Tsaidam'' or ''Höshöö Caidam''), or Kul Tigin steles ( zh, t=闕特勤碑, s=阙特勤 ...
, religion=
Tengrism
Tengrism (also known as Tengriism, Tengerism, or Tengrianism) is an ethnic and old state Turkic peoples, Turko-Mongolic peoples, Mongolic religion originating in the Eurasian Steppe, Eurasian steppes, based on folk shamanism, animism and general ...
Kul Tigin ( otk, 𐰚𐰇𐰠𐱅𐰃𐰏𐰤, KülteginKultegin’s Memorial Complex, TÜRIK BITIG /ref> zh, 闕特勤,
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
Xiao'erjing
Xiao'erjing or Xiao'erjin or Xiaor jin or in its shortened form, Xiaojing, literally meaning "children's script" or "minor script" (cf. "original script" referring to the original Perso-Arabic script; zh, s=本经, t=本經, p=Běnjīng, Xiao ...
: ٿُؤ تْ ٿٍ, AD 684–731) was a general and a
prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
of the
Second Turkic Khaganate
The Second Turkic Khaganate ( otk, 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰰:𐰃𐰠, Türük el, State of the Turks, , known as ''Turk Bilge Qaghan country'' ( otk, 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰝:𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣:𐰃𐰠𐰭𐰀, Türük Bilgä Qaγan eli) in Bai ...
.
Etymology
Necip Asım (1921) for the first time did read his name as ''köl'', based on the etymology of
Mahmud al-Kashgari
Mahmud ibn Husayn ibn Muhammed al-Kashgari, ''Maḥmūd ibnu 'l-Ḥusayn ibn Muḥammad al-Kāšġarī'', , tr, Kaşgarlı Mahmûd, ug, مەھمۇد قەشقىرى, ''Mehmud Qeshqiri'' / Мәһмуд Қәшқири uz, Mahmud Qashg'ariy / М ...
, meaning "lake, sea". Radloff did read this word as ''kül'', and
Thomsen __NOTOC__
Thomsen is a Danish patronymic surname meaning "son of Tom (or Thomas)", itself derived from the Aramaic תום or ''Tôm'', meaning "twin". There are many varied surname spellings, with the first historical record believed to be found ...
(1896), Malov (1951) and Tekin (1968) adopted this reading. Bazin (1956) and Hamilton (1962) rejected Radloff's reading and preferred the form ''köl''. However, Chinese sources used the Chinese character 闕 (''què''). Therefore, this word should be read as ''kül'', not ''köl''.
, the Second Turkic Khaganate's founder, and the younger brother of
Bilge Kaghan
Bilge Qaghan ( otk, 𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Bilgä Qaγan; ; 683 – 25 November 734) was the fourth Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate. His accomplishments were described in the Orkhon inscriptions.
Names
As was the custom, his ...
, the fourth kaghan. He was seven when his father died.
During the reign of
Qapagan Khaghan
Qapaghan or Qapghan Qaghan ( otk, 𐰴𐰯𐰍𐰣:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Qapaγan qaγan, meaning "the conqueror", , Xiao'erjing: ٿِيًا شًا, Dungan: Чяншан, , also called Bögü Qaghan ( otk, 𐰋𐰇𐰏:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Bögü qaγan) in Ba ...
, Kul Tigin and his older brother earned reputation for their military prowess. They defeated
Yenisei Kirghiz
The Yenisei Kyrgyz ( otk, 𐰶𐰃𐰺𐰴𐰕:𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣, Qyrqyz bodun), were an ancient Turkic peoples, Turkic people who dwelled along the upper Yenisei River in the southern portion of the Minusinsk Depression from the 3rd century B ...
, extending the Kaganate territory all the way to the Iron Gate south of
Samarkand
fa, سمرقند
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = City
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from the top:Registan square, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, view inside Shah-i-Zinda, ...
. They also subjugated all nine of the Tokuz Oguz tribes.
In 705, Tujue forces commanded by Mojilian entered
Lingwu
Lingwu (, Xiao'erjing: لِئٍوُ شِ) is a county-level city of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Southwest China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Yinchuan. It is the most important industrial city of Ningxia. Li ...
, defeating Shazha Chongyi (沙吒忠义). Kul Tigin commanded a unit in battle, in which he lost three horses.
In 711, he participated in
Battle of Bolchu
The Battle of Bolchu was a critical battle in the Turkic Khaganate history in 711.
Background
In the 7th century, the First Turkic Khaganate was divided into two rival states. Both states were subsequently defeated and annexed by the Tang dynast ...
, which was disastrous for Turgesh.
In 713 he participated in subjugation of Karluk tribes with his brother and uncle.
As supreme commander
Upon the death of
Qapagan Khaghan
Qapaghan or Qapghan Qaghan ( otk, 𐰴𐰯𐰍𐰣:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Qapaγan qaγan, meaning "the conqueror", , Xiao'erjing: ٿِيًا شًا, Dungan: Чяншан, , also called Bögü Qaghan ( otk, 𐰋𐰇𐰏:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Bögü qaγan) in Ba ...
, his son
Inel Qaghan
Inäl Qaγan ( otk, 𐰃𐰤𐰠:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Inel Qaγan, zh, , c=, s=, t=拓西可汗, p=Tuoxīkèhán) was the third khagan of Second Turkic Khaganate.
During Qapγan's reign
He actively participated in his father's campaigns. He became les ...
attempted to illegally ascend to the throne, defying the traditional Lateral succession law, but Kül Tigin refused to recognize the takeover. He raised an army, attacked, and killed Inel,
Ashina Duoxifu
Ashina Duoxifu (; Old Turkic: Turs Beg; Title: Eletmiš Yabγu) — was a younger brother of Elteriš Qaγan and Qapγan Qaγan in Turkic Empire.
Life
He took part in war against Toquz Oγuz with Elteriš between 682 - 687 near Tuul River
...
and his trusted followers. He placed his elder brother
Bilge Khagan
Bilge Qaghan ( otk, 𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Bilgä Qaγan; ; 683 – 25 November 734) was the fourth Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate. His accomplishments were described in the Orkhon inscriptions.
Names
As was the custom, his ...
, an equivalent of commander-in-chief of the army, for himself.
Death
He died suddenly on 27 February 731. A
stele
A stele ( ),Anglicized plural steles ( ); Greek plural stelai ( ), from Greek , ''stēlē''. The Greek plural is written , ''stēlai'', but this is only rarely encountered in English. or occasionally stela (plural ''stelas'' or ''stelæ''), whe ...
in memory of Kül Tigin, which included inscriptions in both Turkic and
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
, was erected at his memorial complex of Khoshoo Tsaidam, at the present site of the
Orkhon inscriptions
The Orkhon inscriptions (also known as the Orhon inscriptions, Orhun inscriptions, Khöshöö Tsaidam monuments (also spelled ''Khoshoo Tsaidam'', ''Koshu-Tsaidam'' or ''Höshöö Caidam''), or Kul Tigin steles ( zh, t=闕特勤碑, s=阙特勤 ...
. Kül-Tegin is also mentioned in the inscription erected in memory of his older brother
Bilge Qaghan
Bilge Qaghan ( otk, 𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Bilgä Qaγan; ; 683 – 25 November 734) was the fourth Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate. His accomplishments were described in the Orkhon inscriptions.
Names
As was the custom, his ...
at the neighbouring site of Khöshöö-Tsaidam-1.
His burial ceremony took place in 1 November 731. He was posthumously renamed Inanču Apa Yarğan Tarqan ( otk, 𐰃𐰤𐰨𐰆:𐰯𐰀:𐰖𐰺𐰍𐰣:𐱃𐰺𐰴𐰣) by
Bilge Khagan
Bilge Qaghan ( otk, 𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Bilgä Qaγan; ; 683 – 25 November 734) was the fourth Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate. His accomplishments were described in the Orkhon inscriptions.
Names
As was the custom, his ...
.
The head of the Kül Tigin sculpture in the Khöshöö-Tsaidam enclave in ( Orkhon, in northern
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
) carries a bird with wings spread like an eagle, personifying a
raven
A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...
.Yu. Zuev, ''"Early Türks: Sketches of history and ideology"'', Almaty, Daik-Press, 2002, p. 25, The head was found by the Czech archeologie Lumir Jisl during his 1957-1958 expedition to Mongolia.
Popular culture
He was portrayed by Ham Suk Hun (함석훈) in Korean TV Series '' Dae Jo Yeong.''