Последний каган Восточного Тюркского каганата: Иллиг-каган

Last qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate

Illig Qaghan (Old Turkic: 𐰃𐰞𐰞𐰃𐰏𐰴𐰍𐰣; ), born Ashina Duobi , posthumous name Prince Huang of Guiyi (歸義荒王), was the last qaghan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.

He was a son of Yami Qaghan and his Tuyuhun wife Poshi (婆施). He was raised by the Tuyuhun general Külüg Tarkhan (胡祿達官). After coming of age, he was given the title Baghatur shad (莫賀咄設) and was assigned to rule the eastern parts of the empire.

He declared himself Illig Khagan after the death of his older brother Chuluo and married his brother's widow as well. He gave his nephew Ashina Shibobi the title of Tolis Qaghan afterwards and assigning him to his own former tribes. He continued his predecessors' pro Sui politics, supporting puppet emperors.

His first contacts with Tang were very hostile. In 621, Tujue forces attacked Fenyin and Xi territories, reaching as south as Yanmen in April. As a response, Turkic ambassadors were arrested in China and vice versa. In May, khagan's forces crushed Tang forces commanded by Li Shuliang (李叔良), Gaozu's cousin who died from arrow wounds after a month. In 625, khagan attacked Ling Prefecture (靈州, roughly modern Yinchuan, Ningxia). Emperor Gaozu sent the general Zhang Jin (張瑾) to resist Tujue with Wen Yanbo serving as Zhang's secretary general. When Zhang engaged khagan, however, he suffered a major defeat, and Wen was captured. As Wen was an important official, khagan put him under interrogation and asked him about the strengths and weaknesses of the Tang state. Wen refused to answer and khagan moved him to the Yin Mountains region. In 626, just 19 days after Emperor Taizong took the throne, Shibobi and Illig were just across the Wei River from Chang'an. Emperor Taizong, accompanied by Gao Shilian and Fang Xuanling, was forced to meet Tujue across the river and personally negotiate peace terms, including tributes to Eastern Turks, before Illig withdrew.

In 627 he attempted to levy horses from the vassal Tiele tribes after all his livestock died from a snowstorm. The Tiele revolted under a Xueyantuo coalition. Emperor Taizong of Tang wasted no time in allying with these Tiele and the Khitans in a joint attack. Illig was already facing internal dissent from the Göktürk generals jealous of the influence of Illig's Sogdian viziers. As response, khagan gave 100,000 cavalry to the command of Yukuk Shad to suppress revolts. However shad was defeated by Huige forces commanded by Pusa (菩薩) near Malie (near modern Gansu). Later, more generals of Tujue were defeated by the Xueyantuo. In 628 Kumo Xi tribes also rose in rebellion against Tujue. Eastern governor Ashina Shibobi was unsuccessful in defeating rebels, which made khagan angry and ordered him to be flogged and imprisoned for 10 days. His teacher Kulug Tarkhan also reported to take his own life upon sadness. He died single. Etmish Beg Ilterish Qaghan, founder of Second Turkic Kaghanate was a descendant of Illig Some scholars such as Vladimir Sychev suggest he was same person with Ashina Nishufu.