Bars Bek (Old Turkic: 𐰉𐰺𐰽:𐰋𐰏; Kyrgyz: Барсбек каган; Chinese: 巴爾斯別克; 637–710/711) or Inanch Alp Bilge (Chinese: 亦難赤阿爾普毗伽),[4] was the first khagan of the Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate.[4]

Bars Bek
𐰉𐰺𐰽:𐰋𐰏
The commemorative coin issued by the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan in 2010 in honor of Barsbek
Khagan of Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate
Reign693 - 710/711
Coronation693
PredecessorState established
SuccessorBilge Tong Erkin
Born637
Died711
Son River (modern-day Khakassia)[1][2][3]
SpouseSister of Bilge Khagan
HouseAje
ReligionTengriism

Reign

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Nothing is known about Bars Bek's early reign, except minor information fragments contained within Orkhon and Yenisei inscriptions. The royal Aje clan, which Bars Bek was a member of, claimed descent from the Han dynasty general Li Ling.[5][6][7]

During his reign, he was believed to be hostile to the Göktürks until he married with one of the daughters of Ilterish Qaghan and was appointed as a lesser khagan ruling over Az and Kyrgyz tribes.[1][2][8]

In the late 7th century, according to Takeshi Osawa, Bars Bek mediated talks between Suoge and the Emperor Zhongzong of Tang.[9] According to Klyashtorny, he sent an ambassador named Eren Ulug to the Tibetan Empire in an attempt to form an alliance but was unsuccessful.[10]

Title

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According to Sergei Klyashtorny, Bars Bek's anointed name was Inanch Alp Bilge and was mentioned as such in Yenisei inscriptions.[11] Turkish historian Saadeddin Gömeç argued against this.[12]

Death

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After news of the triple alliance reached Tonyukuk, he decided to eliminate the Kyrgyz first. Roads to Kyrgyz lands were blocked by heavy snow, forcing them to find a guide. They first crossed Ak Termel (modern Ona - a tributary of Abakan). However, after ten nights of searching for a way out, their guide became lost and was executed on the orders of Qapaghan. After a few days, they arrived at Kyrgyz headquarters and launched a night attack on Bars Bek, killing him.[13] A memorial stele was erected after his death, on the left side of the Abakan river.[14]

He was succeeded by his son and Bilge Khagan's nephew.[15]

Legacy

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Statue of Bars Bek in Osh

A commemorative coin honouring Bars Bek was issued by the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic in 2010.[16] In 2017, a monument to Bars Bek was erected in Osh.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Bilge khagan's Memorial Complex". bitig.org. Archived from the original on 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2018-08-25.
  2. ^ a b "The Kultegin's Memorial Complex". bitig.org. Retrieved 2018-08-25.
  3. ^ "Новая литература Кыргызстана". www.literatura.kg. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  4. ^ a b Akaevich, Askar (2003). Kırgız devlet geleneği ve Manas. İbrahimova, Salih., Rahmanov, Ergeşbay., Şimşek, Tuğba. İstanbul: Da Yayıncılık. ISBN 9756571446. OCLC 54950584.
  5. ^ Veronika Veit, ed. (2007). The role of women in the Altaic world: Permanent International Altaistic Conference, 44th meeting, Walberberg, 26–31 August 2001. Vol. 152 of Asiatische Forschungen (illustrated ed.). Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 61. ISBN 978-3447055376. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  6. ^ Michael Robert Drompp (2005). Tang China and the collapse of the Uighur Empire: a documentary history. Vol. 13 of Brill's Inner Asian library (illustrated ed.). BRILL. p. 126. ISBN 9004141294. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  7. ^ Kyzlasov, Leonid R. (2010). The Urban Civilization of Northern and Innermost Asia Historical and Archaeological Research (PDF). Curatores seriei VICTOR SPINEI et IONEL CANDEÂ VII. Vol. The Urban Civilization of Northern and Innermost Asia Historical and Archaeological Research. ROMANIAN ACADEMY INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY OF IAȘI Editura Academiei Romane – Editura Istros. p. 245. ISBN 978-973-27-1962-6. Florilegium magistrorum historiae archaeologiaeque Antiqutatis et Medii Aevi. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  8. ^ Zhivkov, Boris (2015-05-07). Khazaria in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries. BRILL. p. 65. ISBN 9789004294486.
  9. ^ Takeshi, Osawa (1996). "Jenissei-Kirghiz in the Early Eighth Century". Shihō (in Japanese). 28. The Toyoshi-Danwa-kai Hokkaido University: 1–24.
  10. ^ "Altyn-Kol (E-29)". bitig.org. Retrieved 2018-08-25.
  11. ^ Кляшторный., С. Г. (1976). "Стелы Золотого озера (к датировке енисейских рунических памятников)" (PDF). Turcologica: 258.
  12. ^ Orkun, Hüseyin Namık (1936). Eski Türk Yazıtları. Vol. 1. Istanbul. pp. 35–39.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. ^ "The Tonyukuk's Memorial Complex". bitig.org. Retrieved 2018-08-25. 𐰾𐰇𐰭𐰏𐰤: 𐰲𐰑𐰢𐰕: 𐰴𐰣𐰃: 𐰾𐰇𐰾𐰃: 𐱅𐰼𐰠𐰢𐰾: 𐰾𐰇𐰭𐰾𐰓𐰢𐰕: 𐰽𐰨𐰑𐰢𐰕: 𐰴𐰣𐰃𐰤: 𐰇𐰠𐰼𐱅𐰢𐰕: 𐰴𐰍𐰣𐰴𐰀: (in Old Turkic script) / Their Khagan gathered the army. We fought them, killed their khagan. Kyrgyz people surrendered our Khagan. (English translation)
  14. ^ "Altyn-Kol (E-28)". bitig.org. Retrieved 2018-08-25.
  15. ^ Butanaev, V.; Khudyakov, Y. S. (2000). Istorii︠a︡ eniseĭskikh kyrgyzov. Abakan: Izd-vo Khakasskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta im. N.F. Katanova. p. 69. ISBN 5781001190. OCLC 47206450.
  16. ^ "National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic". www.nbkr.kg. Retrieved 2018-08-25.
  17. ^ "В городе Ош предлагают перенести монументальную композицию Барсбек Каган". КАБАРЛАР - Всегда первый!. 27 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2018-08-25.