Qapaghan Qaghan


Qapaghan Qaghan or Qapghan Qaghan was the second Khaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate during Wu Zetian's reign and was the younger brother of the first kaghan, Ilterish Qaghan.

Name

His personal name Mochuo is Chinese transcription of his Turkic name Bögü, meaning "wise". The same name occurs in the Sogdian version of the Karabalsagun inscription. He used the name Bögü Chor Shad during Ilterish's reign. His regnal name Qapaghan comes from the Old Turkic verb "kap-" meaning "to conquer", which the derivative Qapaghan means "the Conqueror".

Early years

He was born around 664. In 681, he assisted his brother, Ilterish Qaghan, in a revolt against Tang dominion, and succeeded in reviving the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
In 689, he led a raid to frontier areas. In reaction, Empress Wu sent Huaiyi to fortify. He advanced to Zi River but did not encounter Tujue forces. He erected a monument at Chanyu Tower before withdrawing.

Reign

In 692, he succeeded his brother as khagan. His succession was seen as usurpation in China.
In 694, Qapaghan attacked Ling Prefecture, and Wu Zetian commissioned Huaiyi, assisted by the chancellors Li Zhaode and Su Weidao, to defend against Qapaghan attack, but before the army could set out, Qapaghan withdrew, and therefore Huaiyi's army never launched.
In summer 696, The Khitan chieftains Li Jinzhong and Sun Wanrong, brothers-in-law, angry over the mistreatment of the Khitan people by the Zhou official Zhao Wenhui, the prefect of Ying Prefecture, rebelled, with Li assuming the title of Wushang Khan. Armies that Wu Zetian sent to suppress Li and Sun's rebellion were defeated by Khitan forces, which in turn attacked Zhou proper. Khagan encouraged the Khitan's Li-Sun Rebellion to eventually attack and plunder successful Khitan on their rear, to his full benefit.
Meanwhile, Qapaghan Qaghan offered help and yet was also launching attacks against Zhou and Khitan—including an attack against Khitan base of operations during the winter of 696, shortly after Li's death, that captured Li's and Sun's families and temporarily halted Khitan operations against Zhou. Sun, after taking over as khan and reorganizing Khitan forces, again attacked Zhou territory and had many victories over Zhou forces, including a battle during which Wang Shijie was killed. Wu Zetian tried to allay the situation by making peace with khagan at fairly costly terms—the return of Turkic people who had previously submitted to Zhou and providing Turks with seeds, silk, tools, and iron. In summer 697, Qapaghan launched another attack on Khitan's base of operations, and this time, after his attack, Khitan forces collapsed and Sun was killed in flight, ending the Khitan threat. Empress Wu gave him the title Ilterish Da Chanyu, Ligong Baoguo, Generalissimo of the Left Guards as well as Duke of Guiguo and Qianshan Khagan, literally meaning "Good moving khagan" in 695.
After securing Chinese border, in winter, he turned his attention to further expansion to north, notably subjugating Yenisei Kyrgyz and killing their khagan. While preparing an attack on Turgesh forces, his khatun died, so invasion had to be called off.
In 698, Qapaghan demanded a Tang dynasty prince for marriage to his daughter, part of a plot to join his family with the Tang, displace the Zhou, and restore Tang rule over China under his influence. When Wu Zetian sent a member of her own family, grandnephew Wu Yanxiu, to marry Qapaghan's daughter instead. Zhang Jianzhi opposed, stating, "In ancient times, no Chinese imperial prince had ever married a barbarian woman as his wife." This opposition drew displeasure from Wu Zetian, as she wanted peace with Turks, and she demoted Zhang to be the prefect of He Prefecture. Khagan nevertheless rejected the prince. He had no intention to cement the peace treaty with a marriage; instead, when Wu Yanxiu arrived, he detained Wu Yanxiu and then launched a major attack on Zhou, advancing as far south as Zhao Prefecture. He created Chinese general Yan Zhiwei as Southern Khagan persuaded Yan to help invade cities of Zhaozhou and Dingzhou. Zhou general Murong Xuanjiao also submitted to Qapaghan with 5000 soldiers.
In August 698, Qapaghan attacked Dingzhou, captured and killed its governor Sun Yangao, burning the city alongside. Wu Zetian angered to the point that she issued a proclamation that if anyone killed the khagan would be granted title Prince. She subsequently renamed him Zhanchuo as a play on his name Mochuo.
In September, Zhaozhou was also attacked, deputy governor Tang Boruo handed over the keys and governor Gao Rui was immediately executed.
In October, khagan let Yan Zhiwei to go back to China, who was captured and executed on charges of treason.

Reforms

In 699, he appointed his younger brother Ashina Duoxifu as Tölös shad, meaning governor eastern wing, his nephew Ashina Mojilian as governor of western wing with each of them commanding 20000 men, also putting his son Bögü as their overseer, creating him as lesser khagan. He was also given command of Onoq with 40000 men.

Later reign

In 703, he sent Tonyukuk for another marriage proposal. Wu Zetian accepted the proposal; in exchange, Wu Yanxiu was released on khagan's order. However, Emperor Zhongzhong's accession changed political climate.
In 705, Tujue forces commanded by Mojilian entered Lingwu, defeating Shazha Chongyi, he was dismissed from service. Angered Zhongzhong declined marriage proposal and proclaimed prize for anyone willing to kill khagan.
In 711, khagan sent a marriage proposal to Ruizong, this time intending to marry a Tang Princess. Emperor Ruizong accepted and created a daughter of Li Chengqi, the Princess Jinshan. Excited khagan sent his son Ashina Yangwozhi to Changan. However, the decision was soon reversed by newly enthroned Xuanzong.
Later that year Turgesh forces were crushed by Tonyukuk in Battle of Bolchu. Certain Bars Beg was appointed chief of Turgesh and married Mojilian's daughter. In 713, Karluks were defeated by combined forces of Kapaghan, Mojilian and Kul Tegin.
In 714, February Inel, Tonga Tegin and khagan's brother-in-law Huoba Elteber Ashibi attacked Beiting, during the siege Tonga Tegin was killed, while Ashibi fled to Tang in fear, where who would be renamed Huoba Guiren and created a general.
In 715, due to his cruelty, some his men and a number of tribes, including his Korean son-in-law Gao Wenjian and Ashide son-in-law Ashide Hulu submitted to Tang. Rebellions of tribes followed later.

Death

Khagan was on his way back from suppressing the revolting Tiele tribes of Huihe, Tongluo, Baixi, Bayegu and Pugu, was ambushed killed by a Bayegu tribesman named Xiezhilue on July 22, 716 while passing through a forest. His severed head was sent to Changan.

Family

According to Cuisenier, he married El Bilga Khatun, a widow of his brother. He had a number of issues: