A. G. Malyavkin. Materials on the History of the Uyghurs in the IX—XII Centuries. Vol. 2. Novosibirsk. 1974
In this book, A. G. Malyavkin translated and published with comprehensive comments all the information on the history of the Uyghurs in the IX—XII centuries from various sources written in Chinese. It contains very valuable information about the Yenisei Kyrgyz in connection with their defeat of the Uyghur Khaganate. Below are these excerpts with the corresponding comments.
Text: "C,zyu tanshu" ("Old Chronicle of the Tang Dynasty," completed in 945 AD).
The military leader Ju-lu mo-he hated Jue-lo-u(1); he attracted the Kyrgyz(2) and, leading 100,000 cavalry, defeated the Uyghur city(3), killed Lu-ji, beheaded Jue-lo-u; burned and destroyed everything without exception.
The Uyghurs scattered among various peoples. The Uyghur minister Sa-zhi, together with Pantigin(4), the nephew (of the Chinese emperor)(5), and five (of his) brothers — Nan-lu, Efen, and others, fled west to the Karluks (ge-lo-lu). One part submitted to the Tibetans, another went to Anxi6. In addition, 13 clans close to the khan's aymak appointed the tegina Wu-jie as khan, came south, and joined the Han state(7).
At first, when the Kyrgyz defeated the Uyghurs, they captured Princess Tai-he(8). The Kyrgyz called themselves descendants of Li Ling and had the same surname as the Tang house(9). Therefore, they ordered 10 tarhans(10) to escort the princess to the border fortifications: Wu-jie on the way met the Kyrgyz envoys, the tarhans were killed, and the princess was returned. Wu-jie, having the princess as a hostage, went south, crossed the Gobi Desert, and reached the borders (of the province) Tian-de. (Wu-jie) submitted a report (to the highest authority) requesting permission to reside with Princess Tai-he in the fortress of Jian-de.
In the second month (of the 3rd year of the reign of Hui-chan) (5/Ш—3/1V 843 AD), the Kyrgyz envoy Zhu-u He-su (S. 33) arrived at the court and presented two famous horses as a gift. He also reported that the khan had already defeated the Uyghurs and accepted Princess Tai-he to return her to her homeland.
Unfortunately, the remnants of the Uyghurs intercepted her on the way. In this regard, the emperor dispatched a palace legate to escort Zhu-u He-su to Taiyuan to meet the princess.
At this time, Khan Wu-jie was wounded by an arrow, fled, and submitted to the heichezi. The Kyrgyz were instructed to mobilize troops and attack them.
At the end of the reign of Kai-chen (836—841 AD), the Uyghurs were attacked by the Kyrgyz. They lost the battle, and the tribes scattered. Khan Wu-jie, taking Princess Tai-he, moved south. In the second month of the 2nd year of the reign of Hui-chan (16/Ш—14/1V 842 AD), his camp was near the border fortified line. Wu-jie sent an envoy requesting military and food assistance to restore power in his state, and also asked to allocate the province of Tian-de for the residence of the princess.
In the second month of the 3rd year of the reign of Hui-chan (5/111—3/IV 843 AD), Zhao Fan (S. 37) reported that the Kyrgyz attacked the provinces of Anxi and Beiting, so troops should be sent for assistance. Li-De-yu in the report stated: “According to geographical data, from Anxi to the capital is 7,000 li, from Beiting to the capital is 5,200 li. In peaceful times, traveling to the western provinces from Hexi and Longyu, one usually went through the Yumen Pass(11); then along the entire route there were districts and counties of the Tang state, and there were large military units in all of them. When troops were needed in Anxi and Beiting, they were usually recruited from nearby places. After the beginning of difficulties, Hexi and Longyu completely fell under the control of the Tibetans, and to communicate with Anxi and Beiting, one had to use the Uyghur road. Currently, the Uyghurs are defeated, and it is unknown whether they are under the control of the Kyrgyz or not.
Even if assistance is provided at a convenient opportunity, it is necessary to establish support points where guard troops of Chinese soldiers must be stationed, with at least 10,000 people in each garrison. Where can people be mobilized? By what roads can food be transported?”
“Xin tanshu” (“New Chronicle of the Tang Dynasty,” completed in 1080 AD). Suddenly, the leader of the tribe (named) Ju-lu mo-he (S. 27) united with the Kyrgyz and attacked the Uyghur city with 100,000 cavalry. He killed the khan, executed Jue-lo-u, and burned their capital. The tribes scattered.
Minister Sa-zhi with 15 clans of the tegina Pan fled to the Karluks. The others went to Tibet and Anxi. Then 13 clans of the khan's tribe appointed the tegina Wu-jie as khan and fortified themselves in the south at the Tsozi-shan mountains(12).
The Kyrgyz, having defeated the Uyghurs, took Princess Tai-he. Considering themselves descendants of Li Ling, having a common ancestor with the Tang dynasty, (the Kyrgyz) sent tarhans as envoys to escort the princess to the court.
Three days later, the minister of the Kyrgyz A-bo, leading 70,000 troops composed of various tribes, came from the southwest of the northern borders of the province of Tian-de(13) to take Enyan(14) and the Uyghurs. He inflicted a heavy defeat on the Shivei people(15), then gathered all the Uyghurs who were with the Shivei and returned them north of the Gobi. However, some families (yurt) scattered in the mountains and forests; they engaged in raiding neighboring tribes and directed all their thoughts westward, hoping for the arrival of Panle from Anxi.
Seven clans of Shivei divided the Uyghurs among themselves. The Kyrgyz were enraged, and their minister A-bo, attacking the Shivei with 70,000 soldiers, took all the Uyghurs and returned north of the Gobi. The remaining families (yurts) hid in the mountains and forests, lived by raiding various tribes, and gradually moved towards the tegina Pan(18). At this time, the tegina had already declared himself khan, lived in Ganzhou, and owned various cities west of the desert. The Kyrgyz sent an envoy and reported that they had attacked and occupied Anxi and Beiting. The emperor wished to obtain these areas from the Kyrgyz; the Uyghurs are now defeated, but it is unknown whether the Kyrgyz actually occupied their lands.
“Ciu udai shi” (Events of the "Five Dynasties" period, completed in 974 AD). At the beginning of the reign of Hui-chan (841—846 AD), the Uyghur state was invaded by the Kyrgyz. The tribes and clans fell into disorder and then migrated (to the area) between Tian-de and Zhenyu.
Initially, their state was located on the Solin River, then it was attacked by the Kyrgyz, and (the Uyghurs) resettled (to the territory) between Tian-de and Zhenyu.
“Liao shi” (“Chronicle of the Khitan State Liao”), (In the tenth month of the 2nd year of the reign of Ying-li), on the day of wu-shen (15/XI 952 AD) the Uyghurs and Kyrgyz sent envoys with tribute.
“Songshi” (“Chronicle of the Song Dynasty,” compiled in 1345 AD). The state of Gaochang(18) governs the southern Turks, northern Turks, tribes of the great and small Zhong-yu(19), Yagma(20), Karluks, Kyrgyz(21), Mo-man(22), Ge-do, Yu-lung, and other numerous tribes.
Comments and Notes
1 The Uyghur military leader Ju-lu mo-he opposed the chief minister Jue-lo-u, who in 839 or 840 AD carried out a coup, killed Khan Sategin, and placed the cowardly Lu-ji-tegin on the throne, thus effectively seizing power in the country.
2 In the text, xia-ge-si is one of the Chinese transcriptions of the same word "Kyrgyz."
3 Referring to the capital of the Uyghur Khaganate, Khara-Balgas.
4 The name of this khan is written differently in various sources. Most researchers consider the spelling Pan te-le to be correct.
5 According to Chinese court etiquette, Uyghur khans who married a Chinese princess were referred to as "nephews."
6 The Anxi province was established at the beginning of the reign of the Tang (618—907 AD), after the conquest of Gaochang (Turfan). Later, after the conquest of Kucha, its center was moved to Kucha.
7 Han is the most popular ancient dynasty in China (206 BC — 8 AD), the name of which later became one of the self-designations of China.
8 Tai-he is the daughter of Emperor Xian-zong, who was married to the Uyghur khan in 921 AD.
9 The founder of the Tang dynasty was Li Yuan.
10 Military aristocracy among the Turks.
11 One of the military-administrative units established at the beginning of the Tang dynasty, located about 100 km north of the western end of the great bend of the Yellow River.
12 Tsozi-shan is one of the foothills of the southeastern end of the Gobi Altai.
13 The fortress of Tian-de was located north of the great bend of the Yellow River.
14 After the murder of Khan Wu-jie by the heichezi people, his brother Enyan became the khan of the southern group of the Uyghurs.
15 The Shivei roamed in the area from the Great Wall of China to the southwestern foothills of the Greater Khingan.
16 Referring to Khan Pan te-le.
17 The Solin River is the Selenga, where the Uyghurs lived.
68 Gaochang is the Uyghur principality of Turfan; this information comes from a note by the Chinese traveler Wang Yan-de, who traveled to the Uyghur principality of Turfan in 980—982 AD.
19 Hamilton places this tribe north of Lake Issyk-Kul.
20 The Yagma tribe lived south of the Naryn River and in the Kashgar region, and was one of the main tribes that created the Karakhanid Khaganate.
21 This means that during Wang Yan-de's travels, some Kyrgyz were migrating somewhere in the territory of Eastern Tian Shan, most likely in the valley of the Manas River.
22 Mo-man is reliably identified with a toponym that existed in the 10th century northwest of Aksu.