Turgis-Gok Turk Relations It has been determined that the name
of Turgiş was formed as "Turk+ş". The Turgiş people lived in the region of
Talas-Çu-Ili-Isik Lake and they constituted one section of the To-lu branch of the
Western Gok-Turk people (On-Oklar= Ten Arrows). Within the Chinese resources, the Turgiş
people were cited firstly in relation with the events in 651.
It is beyond doubt
that the Turgiş people had existed in this region in the periods even before the
foundation of the Gok-Turk Khanate. Actually, Istemi was appointed as "yabgu"
(prince) in the capacity of the leader of On-Ok people that included the Turgis people. In
the years after 630, it has been understood that the Turgis people came into existence as
an organised powerful unit just like the other Turkish communities. U-çe-le titled as
Baga Tarkan that seemed to be the first Turgiş chief benefited from the incapable
government of the Western Gok-Turk Ruler that he was dependent in the beginning. Then, he
collected some forces around him. Within a short period, he succeeded in the arrangement
of an army composed of 20 commanders and each commander had a military unit composed of 7
thousands of soldiers.
He moved its centre
that was located in the north-west end of the Çu valley to the north-east. Therefore, he
had possessed two centres, one over Çu and the other in the north of the Ili region.
Apart from the region of Çu, he expanded his domination towards the "provinces"
of Turan and Kuca. The appointed "kagan" (ruler) who perceived that they were on
the verge of decline abandoned his country and went to the capital city of China. Pursuant
to his departure, he established his dominion in nearly the entire On-ok region. However,
in this powerful period of his domination (towards the end of the 7th century), he
collaborated with Khirghiz and Chinese people in order to stop the Gok-Turk people that
experienced their glorious period under the government of Kagan Kapagan. This
collaboration did not yield a positive result.
Since he was a member
of the ternary alliance, he was defeated and taken prisoner by Tonyukuk who advanced
against him (Bolçu War in 698). The region of On-Ok was annexed to the Gok-Turk Khanate.
Since U-çe-le's son, So-ko had been disobedient to the central government and
collaborated with China, he was totally defeated and annihilated by Kagan Kapagan (Ruler)
with the alliance of Kül Tegin and Bilge near Bolçu in the year of 711. Within the
Chinese resources, the reason of war was stated as the conflict that aroused in the course
of sharing the Turgiş lands. It was also stated within the inscriptions that the
"Kara-Turgiş people were subdued. These statements show that there was not any
disintegration within the Turgiş khanate.
It has been understood
that the Kara-Turgiş people under the command of So-ko were defeated; however, the group
under the command of So-ko's brother, Çe-mu (probably Sari Turgiş) had not participated
in this war. Due to the oppression of the Ruler Kapagan, the civil turmoil and rebellious
movements increased in the country. As a result of the incessant provocation of China,
they were obliged to fight with Turgiş people again. In the years of 712 and 713, a
Kara-Turgiş military expedition was organised by Kül Tegin and this expedition ended up
with success despite the unsuitable conditions for the Gok-Turk people. Pursuant to this
expedition, the Turgiş people elected the commander named Su-lu-çur as their
"kagan" (ruler) (717). According to the Chinese news, a major group of the
Turkish tribes got separated from Bilge and got into the service of the new Turgis ruler.
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