Tanhan Khan

Tanhan Khan was a khan of the Göktürks in the years after Taspar’s death, when Ishbara held the throne and his cousins contested it.^[1] The Sui Shu names him twice in the first years of the civil war. He appears as Ishbara’s ally against the Sui, and as a friend of Apa whom Ishbara then deposed.^[1]

The war of 583

In 583, in the wars between the Göktürks and the Sui, the Sui emperor sent his marshals beyond the frontier.^[2] Ishbara, whom the Chinese histories call Shabolüe, led the two khans Apa and Tanhan against them. All were beaten and fled.^[1] The Zizhi tongjian tells how one Sui army met Ishbara at Baidao and routed him.^[3] Hunger and plague then struck the Göktürks. Very many died.^[1]

Deposition

Ishbara was wary of Apa, who was bold and fierce. He fell on Apa’s camp and killed his mother. Apa fled west to Tardush.^[1] Tanhan Khan had long been on good terms with Apa.^[1] Ishbara took his people from him and deposed him. Tanhan fled to Tardush in the west.^[1] The Zizhi tongjian enters his fall under 583, together with Apa’s flight.^[3] The Bei Shi tells it in the same words as the Sui Shu.^[4] His fall is placed in Ishbara’s effort to rid the east of possible rivals.^[5] Nothing more is recorded of him.

The five khans of 582

The Zizhi tongjian says that in the fifth month of 582 the Göktürks sent all five of their khans across the Long Wall. They had four hundred thousand bowmen with them.^[3] Tanhan Khan is counted among the five, with Ishbara, Amrak, Tardush and Apa.^[6] The Sui edict of 583 speaks of five chiefs who quarrelled among themselves. It does not name them.^[1]