Karluks

Karluks

According to Jamal al-Karshi, the grandfather of Satuk Bughra Khan, the first Kara-Khan who accepted Islam, was named Bilge... Qadir Khan. In 840, the Samanid Nuh ibn Asa conquered Isfidjab (now Sayram, near Chimkent) and built a wall around the city to protect the pastures and vineyards of its inhabitants (Belazuri, 9th century). According to O. Prizak, Isfidjab in 840 was retaken by Nuh ibn Asa from Bilge Qadir Khan. Jamal al-Karshi's accounts in this regard are full of errors and anachronisms, but they provide grounds for such a conclusion.
Bilge Qadir Khan could have been from the same dynasty of Karachor or their descendants, whose monuments written in Turkic runic script were found in the Talas Valley and which, we believe, belonged to the "Talas" Kyrgyz. Apparently, these Kyrgyz were one of the Karluk clans. The Karluks were related to the "Western" Kyrgyz tribe and had deep ethnogenetic and cultural ties with them. The term Karluk is evidently of exogenous origin, i.e., a name given from the outside. It could have originated from the Turkic word "kyr," meaning west, steppe, mountain, edge (of something), hence "kyrlyk" (karlik, karluk) — western, mountainous, steppe, or extreme. Additionally, "karluk" or "karlik" could derive from the word "kaar" — snow, and "kaarlyk (karlik)" could mean "snowy" (inhabitants of snow-covered places (mountains of Altai) or at their foothills).
In the mid-7th century, Chinese sources report on some Karluk tribes, including Mo'ulo, Zhisi or Pofu, and Tashili. The first is reconstructed as — bulag, the second as — chigil or sebek, and the third as — tashlik. As can be seen, these ethnonyms are of exogenous origin, i.e., names given from the outside. Thus, bulag is probably nothing other than derived from the Turkic — bulaga (threshold) at the entrance. It is possible that this was related to some locality that could be presented to the Karluks or other tribes as a kind of passage (into the inner regions of the Karluks?). The ethnonym chigil has already been deciphered by us. As for the name — tashlik, it could have originated from the word — tash — stone, and "tashlik" could mean — "stone" (inhabitants of rocky territory). Alternatively, "tashlik" or "tyshlik" could have formed from the Turkic word — "tysh," i.e., "Tyshlik" ("tashlik") — outer, external.
Incidentally, as we have noted in this work, according to the map of Central and Middle Asia during the Tang dynasty, to the northwest (closer to the west) of Tashili (tashliks) are the Siaji (Kyrgyz). To the northeast (closer to the east) of Tashili are marked Me'ulo (Mo'ulo-Bulagi). Chisi (chigili) are located between Me'ulo (Mo'ulo) and Tashili. Apparently, the Siaji (Kyrgyz) mentioned here were one of the Karluk clans or tribes that later became known as the inhabitants of the Talas Valley and the adjacent lands of Western Tian Shan. In any case, the data on the map of Central and Middle Asia during the Tang dynasty presumably referred to the "Talas" group of "Western" Kyrgyz, prior to their settlement in the Talas Valley.
“The Karluks, as V. V. Barthold wrote, who moved westward in the 8th century and formed a state centered on the Chu River after 756, are constantly mentioned later as neighbors and allies of the Kyrgyz...” Thus, according to the "Tang Shu," the wife of the Kyrgyz khagan was the daughter of a Karluk yagbu (ruler).
The Karluks, as is known, originated from Altai, and in the earliest mentions, they lived next to the Kyrgyz. Apparently, the "Talas" Kyrgyz were one of the Karluk clans, although the "Tian Shan" Kyrgyz could also have been one of the clans of Tian Shan Karluks. However, the "Tian Shan" Kyrgyz might represent a group of "Western" Kyrgyz who moved to Central Tian Shan as a result of the destruction of the Uyghur Khaganate by the Kyrgyz and the transfer of power in Central Asia to them.
It is worth noting that during this period or later, the lake Kyrgyz-nor, located in northwestern Mongolia, could have received its name during the dominance of the Kyrgyz there and became known as Kyrgyz-nor. Not far from this lake, in the second half of the 9th century, was located the headquarters and horde of the Kyrgyz khagan.
Bilge Qadir Khan was evidently at one time the ruler of the domain that in the 9th century was governed by the same dynasty of Karachor, whose monuments have been discovered in the Talas Valley. Apparently, the Kyrgyz clan was dominant among the Karluks, at least among those who lived in the western part of Tian Shan. Interestingly, after the collapse of the Uyghur Khaganate in 840 and the transfer of power in Central Asia to the Kyrgyz, it is reported that the Karluk yagbu openly declared his claims to supreme power and in 840 accepted the title of khagan. “This did not mean the spread of the power of the Karluk khagan over all Turkic tribes of Central and Middle Asia, as real power was in the hands of the Kyrgyz of the state "Khagias" ("Kyrgyz").
If the Karluk yagbu was Bilge Qadir Khan, then such claims to "supreme power" could have been based on kinship ties with the Kyrgyz khagan, on the kinship of their ancestors and their eley. Most likely, the Karluk yagbu could not claim supreme power, but based on the aforementioned reasons, could also accept the title of khagan. If he expressed any claims to "supreme power," it could have been regarding supremacy over the tribes of this region, rather than over all the peoples of Central and Middle Asia, where the Kyrgyz of the state "Khagias" ("Kyrgyz") dominated.