Niri Khan

Niri Khan was a khan of the western Göktürks in the last years of the sixth century. He was the son of Yangsu Tegin and the father of Heshana Khan.^[1] The Chinese histories name him for his alliance with the princess Dayi against the Sui and for his defeat by the Tiele.^[1]

Accession

Apa was the son of Mukan and had quarrelled with Ishbara. Bagha, whom the Sui Shu calls Chuluohou, took him alive.^[2] Apa’s people then raised the son of Yangsu Tegin as their khan. He was Niri Khan.^[3] The Xin Tang Shu and the Zizhi tongjian give the same account.^[4] Modern accounts date the capture of Apa to 587, and with it the beginning of Niri’s rule.^[5] He may have been elected khan of the Western Frontier Region in Apa’s absence. Tardush still held this dignity in name but did not exercise it. This dating gives Niri’s reign as 587 to 604.^[6]

The princess Dayi

After the Sui conquest of the Chen in the south, the princess Dayi, the Zhou princess at the court of the eastern khan, grieved over the fallen dynasty. The Sui emperor cut back his gifts to her.^[7] The Sui Shu says that she also made common cause with Niri Khan of the western Göktürks.^[2] The emperor feared a rising and resolved to be rid of her.^[1] This mention of Niri has been dated to 592.^[8] The Tongdian gives the alliance with Niri to Tulan himself.^[9] The princess was killed in the tent of the eastern khan Tulan in 593.^[7]

Defeat by the Tiele

The Sui Shu records under the first year of Renshou, 601, the year of Yang Su’s northern campaign, that Niri Khan and the yabgu were both beaten by the Tiele.^[2] Tardush, whom it calls Datou, soon fell into great disorder. He fled to the Tuyuhun.^[1] The words “in this year” may mean 602 at the earliest.^[10] The Xin Tang Shu puts Niri’s defeat after Tardush’s flight.^[11]

Death and succession

Niri died. His son Daman succeeded him as Nijue Chuluo Khan, who is the Heshana Khan of the later histories.^[12] His widow, the Chinese Lady Xiang, married his younger brother Poshi Tegin.^[1] The marriage followed the Göktürk custom of the levirate. The Sui Shu brings the two of them to the Sui court at the end of the Kaihuang era.^[2] On that account Niri was dead before 600, when the era closed.^[2] The Xin Tang Shu has him die after his defeat, when Tardush had already fled.^[11] His death is set in 603 or 604, most probably in 603. This dating rejects the earlier date.^[13]

Descent

A modern study makes Niri a grandson of Mukan and gives him the name Buyruk as well.^[14] It notes that the sources call him khan of the west in years when Tardush was the khan who can be clearly identified.^[14] In the study’s view, Niri more probably led the secession of Dzungaria, south of the Altai, about 599 to 603. His aim was to succeed Tulan as khan in the east.^[14] The same study identifies him as the writer of the khan’s letter to the emperor Maurice.^[14]

His father Yangsu Tegin has also been identified with Duliu, the son of Tardush.^[15] The Jiu Tang Shu calls Shegui, the son of Duliu, a paternal uncle of Heshana.^[16] In that case Niri was a brother of Shegui and of Tong Yabgu.^[15] Whether the western khans of these years descend from the line of Istemi or from Apa remains argued.^[17]