Tardush Shad

This article is about yabgu of Tokharistan. For the given name, see Tardu (given name).

Tardush Shad (Chinese: 達頭设; pinyin: Dátóu Shè) — was a Yabghu of Tokharistan. He was a son of Tong Yabgu Qaghan.^[1]

Tardush Shad
Yabgu of Tokharistan
Reign	625–630
Successor	Ishbara Yabgu
Died	630 Kunduz
Issue	Ishbara Yabgu
House	Ashina tribe
Father	Tong Yabgu Qaghan
Religion	Buddhism

Reign

In 618^[2] or 625^[1] Tong Yabgu invaded Tokharistan and forced Hephthalite principalities to submit.^[2] According to Cefu Yuangui, these principalities were Zabulistan, Kapisa-Gandhara, Khuttal, Chaghaniyan, Shignan, Shuman, Badhgis, Wakhan, Guzgan, Bamiyan, Kobadiyan and Badakhshan, when Pantu Nili – a later yabgu of Tokharistan submitted to Tang.^[3] He installed his son Tardu in Kunduz to rule over with title of Tokharistan Yabgu (Chinese: 吐火羅葉護; pinyin: Tǔhuǒluó Yèhù).

Family and death

He was married two times, both times to a daughter of Qu Boya (麴伯雅) ruler of Gaochang. When Xuanzang visited Kunduz, he also brought a letter from his brother-in-law and ruler of Gaochang Qu Wentai (麴文泰) to Tardu. Yabgu received him despite being ill. Tardu advised him to make a trip westward to Balkh (modern Afghanistan), to see Buddhist sites and relics. Xuanzang also witnessed a palace scandal when Tardu's firstborn son Ishbara Tegin fell in love with his new step-mother (also aunt) and poisoned Tardu in 630.^[4]