Tuldich

Tuldich was one of three great khagans whom a Göktürk khagan called to his aid when his kinsman Turum rose against him.^[1] Theophylact Simocatta names him last of the three, after Sparzeugun and Kunaxolan, 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 Tuldich.^[1]

The Greek writes the name Τουλδίχ.^[2] Some scholars offer the Turkic forms Tuldix or Tuldïq, with a question mark. They count him among the khagans who remain unidentified.^[3] Another view declines to name any of the three without fragile hypotheses.^[4] The revolt in which he fought is dated in the literature between 581 and about 598.^[3]

References

^ a b c d e f Theophylact Simocatta; Whitby 1986, p. 190
^ Theophylact Simocatta; de Boor 1887, p. 259
^ a b Golden 1992, p. 133
^ Chavannes 1903, p. 251

Sources

Theophylact Simocatta

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)