Issik Qaghan

Issik Qaghan (Chinese: 乙息記可汗, romanized: Yǐxījì kěhàn) was the second ruler of the Turkic Khaganate.

Issik Qaghan
Qaghan of the First Turkic Khaganate
Reign	552 – 553
Predecessor	Bumin Qaghan
Successor	Muqan Qaghan
Born	Ashina Kolo (阿史那科羅) or Dayuan (大原)
Died	553
Issue	Ishbara Qaghan Bagha Qaghan
House	Ashina
Father	Bumin Qaghan

Name

His personal name recorded in Chinese sources was Ashina Kolo (Chinese: 阿史那科羅) which is reconstructible in Middle Chinese as *kʰuâ-lâ according to Peter Golden. According to him, this was which is transliteration of Old Turkic: 𐰴𐰺𐰀, romanized: Qara, lit. 'Black'.^[1] His regnal name Yixiji was reconstructed by Ahmet Taşağıl as Ilji.^[2] He is also referred to as Ayi Qaghan (Chinese: 阿逸可汗, romanized: Āyì Kèhán) in Cefu Yuangui.^[3]

Zhu Zhenghong, who analyzed his great-grandson Shi Shanying's epitaph, argued that in Turkic cosmology, colors correspond to cardinal directions, with "Black" representing the North. He proposed that "Kolo" was not his personal name, but a political title he held before becoming Qaghan. As Bumin's eldest son, he was stationed in the North to govern the Tiele tribes, hence the title "Black" (Qara).^[4] Epitaph referred to Issik as Xiejiesuona Qaghan (Chinese: 纈傑娑那可汗, romanized: Xiéjié Suōnà Kèhán). Zhenghong believes this was a regnal title that could be reconstructed as Old Turkic: 𐰃𐰠:𐱃𐰆𐰣𐰍𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣, romanized: *İl Tunga Qağan, lit. 'State Hero Qaghan'.^[4] Moreover, according to Zhu Zhenghong, Issik Qaghan's personal name was Dayuan (Chinese: 大原, romanized: Dàyuán), based on his analysis of Ashina Zhong's tomb.

Rule

In 552, he defeated the Rouran khagan Yujiulü Dengzhu near Mulai Mountain to north of Woye Town (modern Wuyuan County, Inner Mongolia). Between March and April 553, Issik Qaghan sent envoys to present 50,000 horses to Western Wei. Before dying of illness later that year, he passed the throne to his younger brother who became Muqan Qaghan.^[5] Eastern Turkic Qaghanate rulers were all descended from him through his sons Ishbara Qaghan and Bagha Qaghan.^[6]