Kutluk Yabgu Khagan

Kutluk Yabgu Khagan (Chinese: 骨咄葉護; pinyin: Gǔduō Yèhù) - was one of the last rulers of the Second Turkic Khaganate.

Kutluk Yabgu Khagan 骨咄葉護
Claimant to be Khagan of the Second Turkic Khaganate
As regent, then khagan	741 – 742
Predecessor	Tengri Qaghan
Successor	Ashina Shi (Basmyl chief) Özmiş Khagan (claimant)
Born	Kutluk Yabgu 骨咄葉護
Died	742
Religion	Tengrism

Background

He was not a descendant of the former khagan. He was a yabgu (high officer) in the Khaganate. Tengri Qaghan was killed by Pan Kül Tigin, one of his shads (governors). However Pan Kül Tigin was defeated by Basmyls, a Turkic tribe.

Reign and downfall

During the interregnum after Pan Kül Tigin's death, Kutluk Yabgu, enthroned a son of Bilge Khagan as the new Khagan, but soon he changed sides and declared himself as the Khagan in 741.[1]

In 742, the Tang emperor Xuanzong organized a secret alliance within the Turkic Khaganate. Basmyls, Uighurs and Karluks, the three Turkic tribes attacked capital. Kutluk Yabgu was killed. He was succeeded by Özmiş Khagan by some Turkic nobles. Meanwhile, Basmyl chief Ashina Shi also declared himself as khagan.[2]

References

1. Ahmet Taşağıl:Göktürkler, AKDTYK yayınları, ISBN 978-975-16-2460-4, p. 357
2. Wise., Bauer, Susan (2010). The history of the medieval world : from the conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade (1st ed.). New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN 9780393059755. OCLC 317919815.