Duliu

Duliu was a Göktürk prince of the sixth century. He was the father of Shegui Khan of the western Göktürks.^[1] The Chinese histories name him once, in the words of the Sui official Pei Ju about his son.^[2]

In 610 Shegui sent an envoy to the Sui court to ask for a bride.^[2] Pei Ju advised the emperor to raise him as great khan against Heshana, the khan of the western Göktürks, who had refused to come to court.^[3] Pei Ju said that Shegui was the son of Duliu and the grandson of Datou, that is Tardush.^[4] Shegui’s line had been khans for generations and had ruled the west. He himself, however, had lost his place and was now subject to Heshana.^[1] The plan led to Heshana’s fall.^[2] The Tongdian gives the same words. It adds that after Tardush’s death his grandson Shegui was too weak to become khan.^[5]

On Pei Ju’s account, Duliu was a son of Tardush.^[2] Nothing else is recorded of him.

Some scholars identify Duliu with Yangsu Tegin, the father of Niri Khan.^[6] In that case he was the father of five sons: Niri, Poshi Tegin, Shegui, Tong Yabgu and Bagha Shad.^[6] Others make Shegui a younger brother of Tardush. It therefore places him in an earlier generation than Pei Ju does.^[7]