khanate · Central Asia and the Steppe
Western Turkic Khaganate
Origins
The First Turkic Khaganate, founded in 552 by Bumin, gave its western lands to his brother Istämi, who with Persia destroyed the Hephthalite Empire. Rivalries within the ruling Ashina clan led to a formal split around 603, when Tardu's successors ruled the west independently of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Rule and society
The khagans ruled from summer pastures and courts such as Suyab in the Chu valley over the 'On Oq', ten arrows or tribes in two wings. Sogdian merchants and scribes served them, and they sent embassies to Byzantium, allying with Heraclius against Persia in 627. Under Tong Yabghu, whom Xuanzang met near Suyab around 628 to 630, the khaganate reached its height, collecting tribute from Sogdian cities and Tokharistan.
Decline and legacy
After Tong Yabghu's murder, civil wars divided the tribes, and in 657 the Tang general Su Dingfang defeated the khagan Ashina Helu. The Ashina were installed as Tang puppets until about 742; power passed to the Turgesh Khaganate and the Karluk Yabgu.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (9)
- Utigurs was conquered by Western Turkic Khaganate576 CE
- Onogurs was a vassal of Western Turkic Khaganate580 CE – 630 CE
- Principality of Samarkand was a vassal of Western Turkic Khaganate603 CE – 658 CE
- Principality of Bukhara was a vassal of Western Turkic Khaganate603 CE – 658 CE
- Principality of Chach was a vassal of Western Turkic Khaganate603 CE – 658 CE
- Principality of Ferghana was a vassal of Western Turkic Khaganate603 CE – 658 CE
- Yabghus of Tokharistan was a vassal of Western Turkic Khaganate625 CE – 658 CE
- Old Great Bulgaria split from Western Turkic Khaganate632 CE
- Western Turkic Khaganate was a vassal of Tang Dynasty659 CE – 742 CE
More states of Central Asia and the Steppe →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Western Turkic Khaganate. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/western-turkic-khaganate
- MLA
- “Western Turkic Khaganate.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/western-turkic-khaganate. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Western Turkic Khaganate.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/western-turkic-khaganate.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Western Turkic Khaganate’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/western-turkic-khaganate (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻