Kunaxolan was one of three great khagans. A Göktürk khagan called them to his aid when his kinsman Turum rose against him.[1] Theophylact Simocatta names him second, between Sparzeugun and Tuldich, in his summary of the khagan’s letter to the emperor Maurice.[1]

Turum’s party had gained the upper hand in battle when the khagan sent his embassy to the three.[1] Their whole array assembled at Ikar, a place in great plains.[1] Turum fell there. His allies fled.[1] Theophylact says nothing more of Kunaxolan.[1]

The name has come down in two forms.[2] The critical edition of 1887 prints Κουναξολάν. The edition of 1834 printed Κουναξολά.[2][3] Some scholars offer a Turkic Kunaksolan, with a question mark. They count him among the khagans who remain unidentified.[4] Others decline to name any of the three without fragile hypotheses.[5] These scholars date the revolt in which he fought between 581 and about 598.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Theophylact Simocatta; Whitby 1986, p. 190
  2. ^ a b Theophylact Simocatta; de Boor 1887, p. 259
  3. ^ Theophylact Simocatta; Bekker 1834, p. 285
  4. ^ a b Golden 1992, p. 133
  5. ^ Chavannes 1903, p. 251

Sources

Literature

  • Michael Whitby, Mary Whitby (trans.), The History of Theophylact Simocatta (1986)
  • Carl de Boor (ed.), Theophylacti Simocattae Historiae (1887)
  • Immanuel Bekker (ed.), Theophylacti Simocattae Historiarum libri octo (1834)
  • Peter B. Golden, An Introduction to the History of the Turkic Peoples (1992)
  • Édouard Chavannes, Documents sur les Tou-Kiue (Turcs) occidentaux (1903)

Related

What links here6

Persons
Sparzeugun · Tuldich · Turum
Battles & Events
Revolt of Turum
Places
Ikar
Sources
Theophylact Simocatta

Cite this article

Yavuz, Emre-E. “Kunaxolan.” Turkic Atlas, revised 8 November 2026. https://turkicatlas.org/persons/kunaxolan/

Last revised: 8 November 2026