Tuyuhun

Rouran epoch Göktürk epoch Uyghur epoch Kirghiz epoch

Rouran First Göktürk Tang rule Second Göktürk Uyghur Kirghiz Huns Western Göktürk Türgesh Karluk Khazar

Rouran 400–554
First Göktürk 552–630
Tang rule 630–682
Second Göktürk 682–744
Uyghur 744–840
Kirghiz 840–924
Huns 370–469
Western Göktürk 552–659
Türgesh 699–766
Karluk 766–800
Khazar 650–969

The Tuyuhun held the high country around the Koko Nor, between China and the Tibetan plateau. The Chinese histories trace their ruling house to the Xianbei. They lie on the road from Gansu into the west. That is why they appear in the Göktürk chapters at all.

The Zhou Shu records a joint operation against them. In the second year of the Wei emperor Gong, the Liangzhou governor Shi Ning fell on their ruler Kualü together with Mukan. They beat him and took his wife and children with a great quantity of goods and stock.^[1]

A beaten Göktürk claimant could also disappear among the Tuyuhun. The Sui Shu says that a Göktürk claimant who had lost fled to the Tuyuhun and was not heard of again. The chapter names him. The Tiele beat his allies and his own following broke up. Tardush then fled to the Tuyuhun, and Yami took his people.^[2]