Capture of Apa (587)

In 587 Bagha Khan marched west against Apa Khan. His brother’s will had newly raised Bagha to the throne.^[1] He carried the drums and banners the Sui emperor had sent him.^[1] Apa’s men took them for a sign that Sui troops were with him. Many went over.^[1] Bagha took Apa alive.^[1] He asked the emperor whether the captive should live or die. The emperor spared him.^[1] The campaign belongs to the Göktürk civil war.

Background

Apa, the son of Mukan, had fought Ishbara since 583. Tardush and the west stood behind him.^[2] Ishbara died in 587. His brother Bagha, whom the Chinese call Chuluohou, took the throne after a long exchange of refusals with Ishbara’s son, in the succession of 587.^[1] The emperor confirmed the new khan with drums, pipes and banners.^[1] The Sui Shu describes Bagha as brave and full of plans.^[1]

The campaign

Bagha took the banners and drums the Sui had given him and marched west against Apa.^[1] Apa’s men believed that Sui troops were helping Bagha, and many came over to him.^[1] Bagha therefore took Apa alive.^[1] The Zizhi tongjian tells the same: many of Apa’s men gave in at the first news.^[3] The Tongdian gives the capture and Gao Jiong’s advice in brief. The Bei Shi repeats the Sui Shu.^[4] The Chinese histories give neither the place nor the strength of either side.^[5]

The Sui Shu has Ishbara capture Apa once before, in 585.^[1] A modern translation notes that Chinese critics took that earlier “captured” for an addition. The reason is that the Sui Shu has Bagha take Apa alive here.^[6]

The debate at the Sui court

Bagha sent a letter asking the emperor to decide whether Apa should live or die. The emperor put the question to his court.^[1] The Zizhi tongjian records three opinions.^[3] Yuan Xie, the duke of Le’an, wanted Apa beheaded where he was.^[3] Li Chong, the duke of Wuyang, wanted him brought to the capital and executed in public.^[3]

The emperor asked Zhangsun Sheng.^[3] Sheng answered that a Göktürk rebellion against the Sui would have to be punished, but that here brothers were destroying one another.^[3] Apa had done the Sui no wrong, and to kill him in his distress was no way to win the distant peoples.^[3] It would be better to keep both of them alive.^[3] The chancellor Gao Jiong said: “When kin destroy kin, it corrupts the teaching; keep him alive and show your generosity.”^[1] The emperor agreed.^[1]

Gao Jiong then raised his cup.^[1] “Since the Yellow Emperor,” he said, “the Xunyu have troubled our frontier; now all, as far as the Northern Sea, are your subjects and servants.”^[1] “Such a thing has not been heard of since antiquity; I dare to bow twice and wish you long life.”^[1]

Aftermath

In the west Apa’s people raised the son of Yangsu Tegin as their khan, Niri Khan.^[7] The Tongdian notes the same in a comment on the eastern khans.^[8] The Sui Shu says no more of Apa.^[1] One modern account has him die in the same year as Ishbara, 587.^[9] Bagha marched west a second time and was killed by a stray arrow.^[1] The capture of 587 removed the prince whose quarrel with Ishbara had divided the khaganate. The division outlived him.