Karluk Yabghu


Karluk Yabghu State - was a polity ruled by Karluk tribes.

History

The Karluks were part of Turkic and Uyghur khaganates. They were composed of three tribes, therefore their ruler mostly called Sanxing Yabghu in 8th century. In 742, they were named "Right Yabghu" by Basmyl khagan Ashina Shi. Like Basmyls, they were ruled by a branch of Ashina tribe.
Karluk chief Bilge Yabghu Apa Yigen Chor submitted to Uyghur khaganate in 746. He may be same person as Yigen Chor mentioned in Kul-Chor stele.
He was succeeded by Tun Bilge Yabghu in 753. A ruler of Karluks were mentioned in Turco-Manichean book "Sacred book of two fundamentals", fragments of which were found in 1907 at Kara-Khoja in the Turpan oasis by Albert von Le Coq. The book was dedicated to the ruler of the Chigil tribes, named Alp Burguchan, Alp Tarhan, Alp İl Tirgüg. He probably was the one who conquered Turgesh state and resettled Karluks in Zhetysu basin, making Suyab their capital.
Another ruler was Köbäk, whose coins were found in modern Kyrgyzstan.

Transition to Karakhanids

When Yenisei Kyrgyz destroyed Uyghur Khaganate in 840, Karluk yabghu declared himself khagan with title Bilge Kul Qadir Khan.