KAPAGAN KHAN
Ilteris had left two sons one 8 years old (Bilge) and one 7 years old (Kül Tegin). His brother Kapagan (or Kapgan), 27 years old, became the khan (692-716). Khan, that is, Moç'o (Turkish original, Bekçor) in Chinese resources, is one of the greatest conquerors of Turkish history. Tonyukuk was working as the state consultant, and his brother, nephews and sons were gradually being formed as the distinguished persons of Gök-Turk state.
The principles of state policy of Kapagan Khan can be examined under three main headings:
1- Keeping China under pressure. He had two aims in this, to maintain comfort in Turkish state and to provide adequate means of agricultural production.
2- Attracting Turks living separately in China to their motherland (Otuken). He had two objectives in this too. To save Turks from foreign dominance and to accelarate military and economical development in Turkish country.
3- Linking all Turks in Asian continent to Gök-Turk union.
These political and economic views of Kapagan raise him much among numerous Turkish personages. These three points especially mean an attractive political understanding. Young, harsh and passionate Kapagan started the series of his expeditions and victories with Chinese victory in 693. He rocked Ling-çu state violently and had seven more campaigns against the region within the same year. Then he raided upon Ordos. In 696, when military campaign refocused on ling-çu, he had 1 campaign on Şeng-çu, 3 campaigns on Liang-çu, and 8 campaigns against Ling-çu. He took advantage of the conflict between Kitans and Chinese and supported T'ang empress Wu. After routing Kitans in Hopei region in October 696, he gave a list of his wishes to the empress: 100 thousand 'hu' (hu=12.5 kg) seed millet, 3 thousand agricultural equipment, 10 thousand (40 thousand as per T'ang-shu) fond iron, return of Turks inhabiting in Chinese territories (most of them were in '6 state' land in Ordus' to the homeland.
Then Kapagan Khan headed toward the Kirghizes who were occupying Yenisey region. The season was winter (697-698) and the way was long and full of difficulties, however this expedition had to be made. As per Tonyukuk Epitaph strong Kirghiz Khan and Chine and on-Ok khan agreed and said lets gather in Altun forest (Altays), merge our armies, attack on the Turkish Khan, or since the khan is brave, he will rout us. The Gök-Turk army managed by Kapagan and Tonyukuk went beyond Kogmen mountains on valleys without roads "pulling out snow, taking tree branches and sometimes holding their horses at reserve". As described in Yenisey sources, they routed Kirghizes at the shore of Ani river, the Kirghiz country, the "khan" of which was killed, was completely surrendered.
Kapagan Khan reorganized the army and government in accordance with the current condition in summer of 697. He appointed his brother To-si-fu to the left wing of the khan as "yad", Bilge, the son of Ilteriş 14 years old to right wing Tarduş as "şad" and his son Bogu (Fu-kü in Chinese sources, Inal Khan in the epitaphs) as the "junior khan". Thus, two fronts was constituted in Turkish empire, having organized military forces in two army groups.
While Kapagan prepared for war against China, the western armies group of Inal Khan and Bilge Şad which was commanded by Tonyukuk in fact, took the position of linking On-oks to the state. Kapagan's violent and determinant attitude to Chinese messengers prevented armed conflict in the east temporarily. China, being worried for the power of Mo-ç'o, immediately sent three thousand agricultural equipment, 40 thousand "şi" (1şi=10 hu) seed millet and Turks were returned to their homeland (698). Two of the plans of great "khan" were realized.
However, Kapagan got angry because Empress Wu put forward a prince from her own family against his will to marry his daughter to a T'ang prince. He proclaimed general Çin-çi-wei (must be a member of T'ang dynasty), one of the people in China messenger delegation and appeared suddenly with him in China territories. He arranged thirty attacks within the same year (698) on the states Kuei-çu, T'an-çu, P'ing-çu, Yü-çu, Ting-çu, Çoa-çu. His army of 100 thousand people eliminated all resisting Chinese forces, they took many captives and spoils, especially their horse flocks. Kapagan then headed towards north. Chinese armies commander Şa-Çacung-i could not dare to attack on him and watched their pass from far away. Desperate Chinese palace sent a daily secret message to them saying that they would proclaim the person killing "khan" as the prince.
The western armies groups commanded by Inal and Bilge advanced to Yarış plain (Cungarya) under supreme command of Tonyukuk and won a definite victory over On-ok army commanded by "Turgiş Khan" consisting of 10 divisions (100 thousand soldiers) which attacked like fire and storm in the southwest of Urangu lake, today's Tokoi town (698).
Thus, terrifying Turkish union could be instituted by means of gathering all East and West kingdoms under Kapagan Khan's rule 100 years after Tardu's realizing Turkish unity. However, Maveraunnehir should be captured to complete the 3rd point in Kapagan's plan. Maveraunnehir was not strong enough to resist Gok-Turk armies, praised for its geographical location, climate, productive soils and richness .City kingdoms governed by some families of Turkish origin were successfully resisting Muslim-Arab commanders (Abdullah b. Ziyad, Said b. Osman, Musa, Mühelleb etc.), who had small operations since 675.
The Gok-Turk western armies group commanded by Inal Khan and Bilge, under supreme command of Tonyukuk, in which Kül Tegin, who was only 16 years old yet, reached Altaylar-Borçlu-Yarış Plain "Nation's door" -Çu and Talas basins- and shores of İnci from north of Karadag (Seyhun=Sirderya). They crossed the river and entered the Kızıl-kum desert of Maveraünnehir and headed towards north. Tonyukuk, who was left there under the command of Inal against a side attack by some of the armies, advanced and routed the army commanded by Sok waiting readily for war in southeastern Samarkand (01).
They also won a victory against Chinese. Bilge and Kul Tegin defeated the Chinese General Ong-Tutuk (Wei Yuan-çung), who was getting prepared to prevent Gok-Turks from going town to the line of transition from silk road in "Idukbaşı" position, Kül Tegin, who revealed his bravery and warriorship for the first time, had taken captive the Chinese commander himself. Thus, when the obstacles were lifted, Gok-Turk army reached Tamir Kapig (Iron Gate). That place was, as known, accepted as a natural border between Iran-Turan (Turk) countries since before the Christ.
Orhun epitaphs cited Muslim Arabs (Tazik) for the first time on the occasion of Maveraunnehir campaign. Tazik (used for Iranians later on by Turks: Tacik), which was derived from the name Tazi given by Iranians to Arabs (From Arabic tribe named Tay).
On the other hand, Kapagan carried out his assaults on China. He carried out 21 campaigns on China between 700-702. In 704, the Chinese army consisting of 80 thousand people were routed in the great Ming-şa war, in which Kul Tegin and Bilge took place. 11 more assaults were arranged thereafter. T'ang Emperor Çung-tsung, by issuing a daily order, proclaimed that he would reward any person to take captive or kill Kapagan with prince title and two thousand rolls of silk. In addition, he ordered all of his officers to prepare plans to defeat Gok-Turks. The report thus prepared by Lu Fu, one of the high-ranking officers of the palace, presented to the emperor advised two recoveries: 1- Inciting the barbarians against each other, 2- Forcing barbarians in two fronts at the same time, and reminded that Çi-çi was so defeated in 36 B.C.
At the same time, Basmıls, who had established political relations with China since 649, were forced to obey again (704). In 709, Çiks and Azs (both were the eastern neighbors of Kirghizs) were linked to the kingdom by Bilge Khan. Kirghizs, who were getting prepared to rebel thinking that Gok-Turk armies were away, were defeated for the second time in Songa forest by Gok-Turk armies (710). Within the same year, Bayırkus in the vicinity of Tolga river were routed in Türgi-yargın Lake war. In 711, Turgiş forces were harmed near Bolçu and their khan, yabgu, şad were killed. Turgiş country and "Kara Turgiş" people were taken under dominance and one more Maveraunnehir expedition was conducted.
Kapagan Khan's intolerant harshness which went worse every day increased uneasiness and caused rebels in Turkish tribes. In 711, although Kara-Turgiş rebel was put down by Kul-Tegin in 711, Karluk rebel, which started in the same year and lasted for more than 3 years and got worse by joining of all On-oks as a result of Chinese incitements arose many difficulties. In these troublesome days when Emperor Çung-sung mobilized his armies in Kan-su states against Gök-Turks, Karluks and their allies, who were understood to have succeeded in going as far as Otuken from their country in Turkistan, could only be separated as a result of a violent war in Tamıg Iduk-başı with joint operation of Kapagan, Bilge and Kul-Tigin.
Some Karluk masses and others took shelter in China and were placed to San-yuan region. Tamıg Iduk-başı battle was won on time. Chine forces' intervention in favor of Karluks aiming at forcing Gok-Turks to fight in two fronts was prevented. Now it was necessary to eliminate Chinese preparations: A campaign was made on Beş-Balık, the colony center of China (714). Chinese sources state that the army commanded by Inal Khan and Tung-iç Tegin and the husband of khan's sister sieged Beş-balık. The epitaphs reveal that the city could not be captured as a result of this operation in which Bilge took part, but the assault of Chinese, who were content to have won a victory on the Turkish Tribes in Tokmak, against Gok-Turks was highly eliminated. However, the kingdom was going into chaos. The expressions on the epitaphs such as "When chaos happened during my uncle Khan's governance and when discord occurred among the people..." are enough to explain the situation. Azs and then Izgis were harshly routed (715). However, rebellions by Oghuzes caused deep injuries in the social structure of Gok-Turks and rocked the state since they comprised the main mass of the kingdom.
The most important consequence of this was that On-oklar country, that is, Karluklar in the western part of the country, Turgises and Maveraunnehir broke off the country. The epitaphs make us sense that Oghuz rebels-due to their proportion in the state-which initiated in fall of 714 were met with surprise. "Dokuz Oghuz tribe was my own tribe, since sky and earth mingled, they became enemy". In the Dokuz-oghuz expedition of Khan in 715 fall, the animals of defeated Oghuzes were killed. Bayırkus, one of Oghuz tribes, were harshly beaten in 716. However, this was the last victory of the victory series of Kapagan Khan, who had a rough personality and who did not rest for his whole life.
He was trapped by Bayırkus turning back to Otuken, confident of himself, and was killed by a soldier from Bayırkus who attacked him on 22 July 716. It is understood that they had contacts with China from that they had a Chinese messenger with them.
Even rumors have it that the decapitated head of Kapagan was taken to China by this messenger.