Eastern steppe
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Culture · At the founding of the state the Göktürk write in a script like that of the hu, by the Zhou Shu; the Sogdian alphabet, by the literature
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Environment · Late Antique Little Ice Age: the cold phase the Altai tree rings define from 536 to about 660 (536–660)
Climate and the steppe empires · First Göktürk Khaganate · Avars
Büntgen 2016; the coldest decade in the Altai is the 540s
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spring · Anagui dies, by his own hand according to the Chinese account; the Rouran nobility scatters south and west
Anagui · Rouran Khaganate · Battle of Huaihuang, 552 · Mumocheng · Avars
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April · Bumin enters Ötüken and takes the title Illig Khan; the First Göktürk Khaganate is founded
Bumin Khan · Ötüken · The Turkic War of Independence · First Göktürk Khaganate · Khan (Khagan)
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Bumin dies within the year of his victory; his son Issik succeeds him
Western steppe
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Culture · Sogdian colonists found the first towns of Semirech'e, Suyab and Navaket among them, as estates of nobles (450–600)
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first weeks of the year · A Rouran force sent west is beaten by the Göktürk in Dzungaria
Battle of Dzungaria, 552 · Bumin Khan · Anagui · Dzungaria
Dating discussed (Modern accounts): The months assigned to the two engagements differ; the sequence does not.
Tarim and Sogdiana
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Culture · The Kizil mural near Kucha showing armoured newcomers received by the city's rulers, dated to this year by the operator
China
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by March at the latest · The main Rouran army is destroyed north of Huaihuang
Battle of Huaihuang, 552 · Bumin Khan · Anagui · Huaihuang · Hegemony Wars in Northern China
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second half of the year · The Northern Qi attack Göktürk territory on behalf of the Rouran exiles
Issik Khan · Northern Qi · Hegemony Wars in Northern China
Dating discussed (Emre-E. Yavuz): Late summer or autumn, because no one campaigned on that frontier in winter.