Oghuz Yabgu State

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Oghuz Yabgu State

Oguz Yabgu State in Kazakhstan, 750-1055
Capital Yangikent
Languages Turkic
Religion Tengriism, Islam
Political structure Kaganate
Historical era 8th–11th centuries
 -  Established 750
 -  Disestablished 1055
History of the Turkic peoples
History of the Turkic peoples
Pre-14th century
Turkic Khaganate 552–744
  Western Turkic
  Eastern Turkic
Avar Khaganate 564–804
Khazar Khaganate 618–1048
Old Great Bulgaria 632–668
  Volga Bulgaria
Turgesh Khaganate 699–766
Uyghur Khaganate 744–840
Kara-Khanid Khanate 840–1212
  Western Kara-Khanid
  Eastern Kara-Khanid
Pecheneg Khanates
Kimek Khanate
Kipchak Khanates
Oghuz Yabgu State
Shatuo Dynasties 923–979
  Later Tang
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Ghaznavid Empire 963–1186
Seljuq Empire 1037–1194
Khwarazmian Dynasty 1077–1231
Seljuq Sultanate of Rum 1092–1307
Delhi Sultanate 1206–1526
  Mamluk Dynasty
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  Tughlaq Dynasty
Cairo Sultanate 1250–1517
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The Oguz Yabgu State (Oguz Il, meaning Oguz Land, Oguz Country, 750–1055) was a Turkic state, founded by Oguz Turks in 766, located geographically in an area between the coasts of the Caspian and Aral Seas. Oguz tribes occupied a vast territory in Kazakhstan along the Irgiz, Yaik, Emba, and Uil rivers, the Aral Sea area, the Syr Darya valley, the foothills of the Karatau Mountains in Tien-Shan, and the Chui River valley. Most compactly, Oguzes lived near the Aral Sea, in the northern Caspian Sea area, and along the lower course of the Syr Darya. The Oguz political association developed in the 9th and 10th centuries in the basin of the middle and lower course of the Syr Darya and adjoining modern western Kazakhstan steppes.




Early history[edit]


In 766, after Karluks overran the Turgesh Kaganate in Zhetysu, Karluk tribes formed a Khanate centered there under the rule of a Yabgu, and they occupied and transferred their capital to Suyab. By that time the bulk of the Uch-Karluk (Three Karluks) confederation had left the Altai, and the supremacy in Zhetysu passed to the Karluk tribes. After the Oguz confederation lost a struggle with Karluks for leadership in the Turgesh Kaganate, a significant part of Zhetysu Oguzes left to the Karatau Mountains foothills and the valley of the Chu River in the Issyk Kul basin.


The state was founded in Eni-Kent which was an Oguz yayla (summer village). Oguz Il extended from "Issyk Kul and Almalyk, in the south, to Sairam, in the west, to the city of Yangikent, which stands at the mouth of the river Syr (Syr-darya), and to the Kara-Kum (desert)".[4] The capital of the Oguz Il was variously spelled Eni-Kent, Yangikent, Djanikand, Yenikent, Yanikand, all meaning New City, and also in Arabic literature al-Kariya al-Hadisa and in Persian literature Deh-i Hay; presently it is a Central Asian ghost town Jankent.


Political history[edit]


In 965 the Oguz State allied with the Kievan Rus in a war against the Khazar Kaganate. In 985 the alliance with Kievan Rus inflicted a defeat on the Volga Bulgaria, which increased the political power of the Oguz State.

At the turn of the 10th-11th centuries popular uprisings broke out against excessive taxation in the state. The revolts became especially strong in the second half of the 10th century, during the rule of Ali Yabgu. The split between the ruling Oguzes and Seljuk branch of Oguzes turned out to be detrimental to the state. The upheaval was used by the Seljuk branch, who led the uprising and took Jend, but soon they were forced to leave the Jend area.

During the reign of the last Oguz Yabgu Shahmalik the state rebounded. In 1041 Shahmalik Yabgu conquered Khorezm form the Ghaznavids, but two years later he was captured by the Seljuk forces and executed. Shahmalik Yabgu was the last ruler of the Oguz State.

The internal turmoil and fighting with the Seljuks weakened the Oguz State. The weakened state fell under the onslaught of the Kipchak tribes from the Kimak Kaganate. Under the pressure of the Kipchaks, the two branches of the Oguz people split, a significant part of the Oguzes went to Eastern Europe, and the Seljuk Oguzes left toward Asia Minor. Another part of the Oguzes fell under the rule of the Karahanids and Seljuk rulers of Khorasan. The remnants of those Oghuz defeated by the Kipchaks subsequently dissolved among the Turkic-speaking tribes of Dasht-e-Kipchak. The Oguz tribes contributed to the formation of many of today's Turkic peoples.

In the 11th century started Oguz migration to the Persia and Near East. The movement was headed by the head of the Kanyk tribe Togrul bek and Chagry bek, the Selcuk's grandchildren, after whom were named the Oguz tribes involved in the migration. In 1025 a part of the Seljuks settled in the territory of the modern Turkmenistan centered on the city of Nysa. In 1034 - 1035 they were joined by Togrul bek subjects. In 1038-1040 Seljuks fought against Ghaznavids and captured Nishapur. Subsequently, they were able to create a huge state, which consisted of Asia Minor, Persia, and parts of the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The Oguz Il state existed for three centuries. Another Turkic budun (people, tribe, laymen) Kipchaks and Kimeks of the Kimek Kaganate ended the state by the 12th century. By that time, Selçuk Bey and his Kınık tribe (boy) headed to Persia to found their own Muslim state, which in the future would become the Great Seljuq Empire, and a part of the state population moved eastward to the N.Pontic areas.

Political system[edit]




The main religion was the traditional Tengrism, and later Islam.

Ethnic composition[edit]




Preceded by
Jeti-su Oguz confederation
Oguz Il state
8 c. – 12 c.
Succeeded by
Seljuq Empire