Karluk people were involved in a struggle of
domination with Uighur people in the Central Asia. However, they could not resist against
Uighur Ruler, Mo-Yen Çur (756) and they departed from the Tarim basin. They retreated to
the more west. Instead of the Turgiş domination that was established in Tarbagatay and
Chungaria in the year of 766, they settled in the region of Talas and they established
domination in the region of the Western Gok-Turk Khanate within only 7-8 years. Their
capital city was Balasagun. They continued to recognise the superiority of Ötüken. At
the same time, they would bear the name of "Turkmen" as a political name. The
Karluk princes had attributed their lineage to Aşina dynasty that was the ruling dynasty
of the Gokturk State.
These Karluk princes maintained their belief in
the close relation between the domination and the country of "Red Ötüken".
However, when the Uighur Khanate collapsed in this region (840), the Karluk prince that
did not take notice of the Khirghiz people declared himself as the "legal ruler of
the Steppe lands" in the capacity of the "legitimate successor" of the
Turkish rulers. Then, he was entitled with the title of Kara Han. As the centre of his
country, he selected the city of Kara-ordu (or Kuz-ordu) located near Balasagun that was
the former capital city of Turgiş people. Therefore, Karluk people had played the second
historical role through laying foundation for the establishment of the Kara-Hanli State.
Since they were
the closest neighbours of the Islamic world, the Arabian-Farsi works had frequently
mentioned about them (Karluh, Halluh). According to the information stated within Hududü'l-Alem
(the last quarter of the 10th century), the Karluk country was a well-kept country that
was surrounded with the Tien Shan Mountains, Yagma and Oguz peoples in the east, Tohsil,
Çigil and Dokuz-Oguz people in the north, and some of Yagma people and the region of
Transoxania in the south and this country was "the most beautiful country among all
of the Turkish countries". In the same resource, the names of 15 cities and towns
that were located in this country were listed and the Turkish tribes were dealt.
Karluk people
that constituted the main community of the Kara-Hanli State opposed to the state and
caused some disorders in the periods when some conflicts aroused among the dynasty
members. It seems that these attitudes were effective in the rapid development of the
Kara-Hitay domination in the Central Asia. Kara-Hitay ruler, Yel-lu Ta-şih (Kür-Han)
defeated the Kara-Hanli Khan Mahmud in Samarkand in the year of 1137. Upon this defeat,
this khan applied to his uncle, Sencer that was the Great Seljuk Ruler with a complaint
about this situation. This indicates that the Karluk people had interference in this
defeat. Sultan Sencer had organised a military expedition in order to chase the Karluk
people and he encountered with Kür Han.
In relation with
the defeat in this war (Katavan War in 1141), Sultan Sencer had accused the blame on the
penetration of the "idolater" Kara-Hitay people towards the Khorasan borders
that constituted a very important event. Karluk people had also caused some disorders and
conflicts between Harezmshah State (in the period of Il Arslan) and the Kara-Hitay people
and meanwhile, their Leader, Yabgu Han was killed (1157). Another Karluk leader, Ayyar Bey
was taken prisoner by the Kara-Hitay people (1172). It had been observed that Karluk
people caused some disorders in the region of Transoxania.
Therefore, the
Harezmshah Ala-üd-din Tekiş (1172-1200) laid hands on the steppe lands and he felt the
need for the reinforcement of his troops with Kangli and Kipchak and the other Turkish
tribes. However, it has been understood that the few Karluk people in the service of the
Harezmshah army had a bey principality in Turkestan that was dependent to the Kara-Hanli
government. In the course of the start of the Mongolian invasions (1215), this
principality that survived with the capital city of Kayalıg (in the east of the Ili
River) was governed by Arslan Han II. Arslan Han and Uighur Idi-kut Barçuk were subdued
under the Mongolian dominion that destroyed all of the Asian countries.
He was the
firsat Muslim ruler that was submissive to Jenghiz Khan and Karluk "khan" died
in the year of 1221. The city of Ozkent was given to his son. There have been some Karluk
people that had taken service in the Mongolian State government in the period of Jenghiz
Khan.
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