Tarkhun

Tarkhun
King of Samarkand
Coin of Tarkhun.[1]
Reign700–710
PredecessorMastich-Unash
SuccessorGurak
BornSamarkand, Sogdia
DynastyIkhshids
ReligionZoroastrianism

Tarkhun (Chinese: 突昏 tū-hūn, died 710) was a Sogdian ruler (Sogdian: ikhshid) of Samarkand from somewhere 705–707 to 710.[2] After receiving the news of the capture of Bukhara by the Umayyad general Qutayba ibn Muslim in 709, Tarkhun sent envoys to the latter and acknowledged the authority of the Umayyad Caliphate. His two sons had to be kept at the Umayyad court as hostages.[3]

However, one year later, Tarkhun was overthrown by a local rebellion because of his pro-Muslim policy, and was succeeded by another Sogdian prince named Gurak, who had Tarkhun imprisoned. Tarkhun shortly after committed suicide. His two sons, however, managed to flee to the court of another Sogdian ruler named Divashtich at Panjikant, where they were treated honorably.

The accession of Tarkhun is reported in the Chinese chronicles of the Tang Huiyao: "During the years of Shenlong (705-707), Ninieshishi [Mastich-Unash (698-700)] died. And his son Tarkhun was put on the throne".[4] It is also reported in the New Book of Tang: "After his death Mastich-Unash succeeded him. After the death of Mastich-Unash, the people chose Tarkhun as King".[5]

Sources

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  • Al-Tabari, Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir. The History of al-Tabari. Ed. Ehsan Yar-Shater. 40 vols. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1985–2007.
  • Gibb, H. A. R. (1923). The Arab Conquests in Central Asia. The Royal Asiatic Society.
  • Wellhausen, Julius (1927). The Arab Kingdom and its Fall. Translated by Margaret Graham Weir. Calcutta: University of Calcutta. OCLC 752790641.
  • Wang Pu, Institutional History of Tang唐会要,volume 99.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Fedorov, Michael (2007). "ON THE PORTRAITS OF THE SOGDIAN KINGS (IKHSHĪDS) OF SAMARQAND". Iran. 45: 153–160. doi:10.1080/05786967.2007.11864723. ISSN 0578-6967. JSTOR 25651416. S2CID 194538468.
  2. ^ Wang, Pu. Institutional History of Tang.
  3. ^ Conference, European Society for Central Asian Studies International (2004). Central Asia on Display: Proceedings of the VIIth Conference of the European Society for Central Asian Studies. LIT Verlag Münster. p. 257. ISBN 978-3-8258-8309-6.
  4. ^ Tang Huiyao Book 99 (唐会要 卷九十九): "神龙中泥涅师师卒,又册其子突昏" "During the years of Shenlong (705-707), Ninieshishi died. And his son Tarkhun was put on the throne" in "唐会要/卷099 - 维基文库,自由的图书馆". zh.wikisource.org (in Simplified Chinese).
  5. ^ In New Book of Tang, Book 221. 新唐书/卷221下: "高宗永徽时,以其地为康居都督府,即授其王拂呼缦为都督。万岁通天中,以大首领笃娑钵提为王。死,子泥涅师师立。死,国人立突昏为王。开元初,贡锁子铠、水精杯、码瓶、驼鸟卵及越诺、侏儒、胡旋女子。其王乌勒伽与大食亟战不胜,来乞师,天子不许。久之,请封其子咄曷为曹王,默啜为米王,诏许。乌勒伽死,遣使立咄曷,封钦化王,以其母可敦为郡夫人。" "In the Yonghui era (650–655 CE) Emperor Gaozong named Wartramuka as Governor of Kangju. In the Wansui Tongtian era (696-697 CE) Wu Zetian ordained the great leader Tukaspadak as King. After his death Mastich-Unash succeeded him. After his death, the people chose Tarkhun as King. (...) Then King Ghurak lost in war against the Arabs, came to plead for help, but the Emperor refused. Later, he asked for his son Turgar to be ordained King, which was accepted...." in "新唐书/卷221下 - 维基文库,自由的图书馆". zh.wikisource.org (in Simplified Chinese).
Preceded by
Mastich-Unash
Ikhshid of Samarkand
700–710
Succeeded by