In 890 the governor of Lulong, Li Kuangwei, and the Tuyuhun leader Helian Duo drove into the territory of the Shatuo leader Li Keyong in Hedong. They attacked his army in the north-west of the province.[1] Chinese sources name Kirghiz and Tibetan troops among their allies.[1] Li Keyong beat Li Kuangwei and Helian Duo within a short time. The sources do not say whether the Kirghiz and Tibetan troops were present at the defeat.[1]
The sources do not show whether these men acted for a Kirghiz ruler or were mercenaries.[1] Some scholars conclude that the episode says nothing about Kirghiz power on the Mongolian plateau.[2]
References
Literature
- Michael R. Drompp, Breaking the Orkhon Tradition: Kirghiz Adherence to the Yenisei Region after A.D. 840 (1999)
Cite this article
Yavuz, Emre-E. “Kirghiz and Tibetan troops at Hedong (890).” Turkic Atlas, revised 8 November 2026. https://turkicatlas.org/events/kirghiz-troops-at-hedong-890/
Last revised: 8 November 2026
