Timeline of the Göktürks

This is a timeline of the Göktürks from the origins of the Turkic Khaganate to the end of the Second Turkic Khaganate.

Turkic Khaganate

5th century

Year	Date	Event
439		500 families of Xiongnu tribes known as the Ashina residing around modern Turpan are subjugated by the Rouran Khaganate, who resettle them in the Altai Mountains[1]

6th century

Year	Date	Event
534		Bumin of the Ashina becomes chieftain of the Turks, who migrate further east to the Yellow River[1]
545		The Turks establish an alliance with the Western Wei[1]
546		Bumin of the Turks quells a Tiele revolt for the Rouran Khaganate and asks for a Rouran princess for his service but is denied, after which he declares independence[2]
551		Bumin declares himself Khagan and supreme ruler of the Turks[1]
		Bumin Qaghan marries Princess Changle of the Western Wei[2]
552		Bumin Qaghan defeats Anagui of the Rouran Khaganate and Anagui commits suicide; Bumin declares himself Illig Khagan of the Turkic Khaganate after conquering Otuken; Bumin dies soon after and his son Issik Qaghan succeeds him[2][3]
553		Issik Qaghan continues attacking the Rouran Khaganate and dies; his brother Muqan Qaghan succeeds him[2]
554		Muqan Qaghan defeats the Rouran Khaganate[2]
557		Battle of Bukhara: Istämi (brother of Bumin) of the western Turkic Khaganate makes an alliance with the Sasanian Empire; they attack the Hephthalites[4]
563		Istämi of the Turkic Khaganate defeats the Hephthalite Empire in battle[1]
568		Envoys reach the Byzantine Empire asking for them to hand over the Avars, slaves of the Turkic Khaganate [5]
572		Muqan Qaghan dies and is succeeded by his brother Taspar Qaghan[6]
580		Taspar Qaghan marries Princess Qianjin of Northern Zhou[6]
581		Göktürk civil war: Taspar Qaghan dies and his designated heir Apa Qaghan, son of Muqan Qaghan, goes to war with Ishbara Qaghan, son of Issik Qaghan; Amrak, son of Taspar Qaghan, renounces his claim to the throne[7]
582		Ishbara Qaghan conducts raids on China[8]
583		Göktürk civil war: Apa Qaghan is defeated by Ishbara Qaghan and flees to Tardu, son of Istämi, of the Western Turkic Khaganate[7]
584		Göktürk civil war: Tardu of the Western Turkic Khaganate defeats Ishbara Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate[9]
585		Ishbara Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate is defeated by the Sui dynasty[10]
587		Ishbara Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate dies and is succeeded by his brother Bagha Qaghan, who captures Apa Qaghan[7][11]
588		First Perso-Turkic War: Bagha Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate invades Herat but is defeated and dies from a stray arrow; he is succeeded by Tulan Qaghan, son of Ishbara Qaghan[12][1]
597		Tulan Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate attacks Yami Qaghan, son of Bagha Qaghan, and forces him to flee to the Sui dynasty[13]
599		Tulan Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate is killed by his subordinates and is succeeded by Yami Qaghan, son of Bagha Qaghan, while Tardu of the Western Turkic Khaganate declares himself ruler of all Turks[14]
		Tardu of the Western Turkic Khaganate attacks the Sui dynasty[15]

7th century

Year	Date	Event
600		Tardu of the Western Turkic Khaganate attacks the Sui dynasty[15]
602		Tardu of the Western Turkic Khaganate attacks Yami Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate in Ordos [13]
603		Tardu of the Western Turkic Khaganate is ousted and flees to the Tuyuhun;[16] he is succeeded by Heshana Khagan, great-grandson of Tardu[17]
605		Yami Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate attacks the Khitans on behalf of the Sui dynasty[18]
		Heshana Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate is forced to flee to the Sui dynasty due to a rebellion[19]
610		Heshana Khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate is defeated by Sheguy, grandson of Tardu, who succeeds him[17]
611		Yami Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate is succeeded by his son Shibi Khan[20]
		Heshana Khagan flees to the Sui dynasty[17]
615		Shibi Khan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate attacks the Sui dynasty.[20]
617		Shibi Khan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate aids Emperor Gaozu of Tang in his rebellion against the Sui dynasty[21]
		Sheguy of the Western Turkic Khaganate is succeeded by his brother Tong Yabghu Qaghan[22]
618		Heshana Khagan is killed by envoys from the Eastern Turkic Khaganate[17]
619		Shibi Khan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate is succeeded by his brother Chuluo[17]
620		Chuluo of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate is succeeded by his brother Illig Qaghan[17]
622		Illig Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate attacks the Tang dynasty[23]
624		Illig Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate and his nephew Tölis Qaghan invade the Tang dynasty but Li Shimin contacts Tölis and persuades him not to attack, forcing the invasion to a halt[24]
625		Illig Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate conducts raids on the Tang dynasty but is repulsed[25]
626		Illig Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate invades the Tang dynasty and the newly crowned Emperor Taizong of Tang agrees to payments of tribute[25]
627		Third Perso-Turkic War: Tong Yabghu Qaghan of the Western Turkic Khaganate attacks the Sasanian Empire and captures Derbent and Tbilisi[1]
		The Karluks revolt against the Western Turkic Khaganate[26]
		Tang and Uyghur forces engage in battle with the Turks and Tibetans.[27][28]
628		The Xueyantuo and Kumo Xi revolt against the Eastern Turkic Khaganate[29]
630		Tang campaign against the Eastern Turks: Illig Qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate is defeated by Li Jing of the Tang dynasty and captured by Li Shiji but released; the Eastern Turkic Khaganate becomes a vassal of Tang[30]
		Xuanzang visits the court of Tong Yabghu Qaghan of the Western Turkic Khaganate[31]
		Tong Yabghu Qaghan of the Western Turkic Khaganate is murdered by his uncle Külüg Sibir[22]
		Külüg Sibir of the Western Turkic Khaganate is killed by Irbis Bolun Cabgu, son of Tong Yabghu Qaghan[32]
		The Western Turkic Khaganate disintegrates into two loose tribal confederations, the western Nushibi and eastern Dulu Turks, collectively known as the On Oq (Ten Arrows)[26]
632		Irbis Bolun Cabgu of the Western Turkic Khaganate is ousted; he is succeeded by Dulu Khan, son of Bagha Shad, a close kinsman of Tong Yabghu Qaghan[33]
634		Dulu Khan of the Western Turkic Khaganate abdicates and is succeeded by his brother Ishbara Tolis[34]
638		Ishbara Tolis of the Western Turkic Khaganate is ousted in favor of Yukuk Shad, son of Illig Qaghan[35]
639		Ashina Jiesheshuai attempts to assassinate Emperor Taizong of Tang but fails[36]
642		Yukuk Shad of the Western Turkic Khaganate flees west and is replaced by Irbis Seguy, grandson of Ishbara Tolis[35]
649		Irbis Seguy of the Western Turkic Khaganate flees west, and is replaced by Ashina Helu, a descendant of Istämi[10]
651		Ashina Helu of the Western Turkic Khaganate raids Tingzhou[37]
653		Zhenzhu Yabgu attacks Ashina Helu of the Western Turkic Khaganate[38]
656		Karluk and Turgesh forces of the Western Turkic Khaganate are defeated by Cheng Yaojin[39]
657		Battle of Irtysh River: Ashina Helu of the Western Turkic Khaganate is defeated by Su Dingfang of the Tang dynasty[39]
658		Conquest of the Western Turks: Ashina Helu of the Western Turkic Khaganate is defeated by Su Dingfang of the Tang dynasty and lives out the rest of his days in Chang'an; the Western Turkic Khaganate is annexed by Tang[40]
660		Remnants of the Western Turkic Khaganate join the Tibetan Empire in attacking Shule (Kashgar)[41]
665		Remnants of the Western Turkic Khaganate join the Tibetan Empire in attacking Yutian (Hotan)[42]
677		Remnants of the Western Turkic Khaganate join the Tibetan Empire in capturing Qiuci (Kucha)[41]
679		Ashide Wenfu and Ashide Fengzhi of the Chanyu Protectorate make Ashina Nishufu a Khagan and revolt against Tang dynasty.[43]
680		Pei Xingjian defeats Ashina Nishufu and Ashina Nishufu is killed by his men.[43]
		Ashide Wenfu makes Ashina Funian a Khagan and revolts against Tang dynasty.[43]
681		Ashide Wenfu and Ashina Funian surrender to Pei Xingjian.[43]
		Ilterish Qaghan revolts with the remnants of Ashina Funian's men.[44]
682		Ilterish Qaghan declares the Second Turkic Khaganate[44]
		Ilterish Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate attacks the Tang dynasty[45]
683		Ilterish Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate attacks the Tang dynasty[45]
684		Ilterish Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate attacks the Tang dynasty[45]
685		Ilterish Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate attacks the Tang dynasty[45]
687		Ilterish Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate attacks the Tang dynasty[45]
692		Ilterish Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate dies and is succeeded by his brother Qapaghan Qaghan[44]
693		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate conducts raids against the Tang dynasty[46]
694		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate conducts raids against the Tang dynasty[47]
696		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate defeats the Khitans to the east and raids the Tang dynasty[46]
697		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate conducts raids against the Tang dynasty[47]
698		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate conducts raids against the Tang dynasty[46]

8th century

Year	Date	Event
702		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate conducts raids against the Tang dynasty[46]
706		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate conducts raids against the Tang dynasty[46]
707		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate conducts raids against the Tang dynasty[48]
711		Battle of Bolchu: Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate defeats the Turgesh[49]
713		Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate sends an army to aid Soghd against the Umayyad Caliphate but is defeated and retreats the following year[50]
716	22 July	Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate is killed in an ambush and Bilge Khagan, son of Ilterish Qaghan, succeeds him.[44]
		Tonyukuk memorial erected near Orkhon river.[51]
720		Bilge Khagan of the Second Turkic Khaganate invades the Tang dynasty and extracts tribute[44]
731	27 February	Death of Kul Tigin.[52]
734	25 November	Bilge Khagan of the Second Turkic Khaganate is assassinated and his son Yollıg Khagan succeeds him only to die in the same year; he is replaced by his brother Tengri Qaghan under the care of his mother Po Beg[44]
741		Tengri Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate is murdered by Pan Kültiğin, one of his shads (governor), who is then defeated by the Basmyl, and Kutluk Yabgu Khagan, son of Ilterish Qaghan succeeds him[53]
742		The Basmyl, Uyghurs, and Karluks revolt against the Second Turkic Khaganate and Kutluk Yabgu Khagan is killed; Özmiş Khagan, son of Pan Kültiğin, succeeds him[54]
744		The Uyghurs dismantle the Second Turkic Khaganate, establishing the Uyghur Khaganate; Özmiş Khagan is killed[53]