ON THE KABUL TEGUN-SHAHS IN EARLY MIDDLE AGES IN KABUL VALLEY

İLK ORTA ÇAĞLARDA KABÜL VADİSİNDA BULUNAN KABÜL TEĞİN-ŞAHLERİ SÜLALESİ ÜZERİNE

Abstract

The formation of the Kabül Tegin-Shahs in the valley of Kabul in the early Middle Ages shows the increased activity of the Turkic ethnic groups in the region together with the local Indian and Iranian peoples. In our opinion, most likely, this position must have been due to the political activities of the Western Turkic Kaganate. Because, the Chinese chronicles also contain information that Gibin (Kapisa) was annexed to the Western Turkic Kaganate by Tung yabgu-hagan . The reign of the Türk Shahi dynasty was established in the valley of Kabul, most probably not in the 660s, but a little earlier in the 630s-640s. Because, Hsüan-tsang, who visited these areas during his journey, carried out in 629-645, witnessed that the ruler in the valley of Kabul was a man of the Turks. Despite the fact that to the personality of Barhatekin, the first Turkic ruler of the Kabul valley, the attention was paid in the research works on this topic as early as the late nineteenth century, the scholars have not yet come to final conclusions about this person: who he was, when he lived, the years of his reign, etc. This name can be associated with the word baraq/haraq, which in ancient and modern Turkic languages has the meaning “a shaggy dog”. In addition, taking into account a very close resemblance to the legend of Barhatekin which Biruni renders in his book “India” in connection with the origin of the Turkic dynasty of Kabul, with the legend of the origin of the Ashina dynasty, it can be concluded that the origin of the Turkic dynasty of Kabul should be linked with the Ashina Turks. However, the information given by Biruni in his book “India”, is also the basis for the study of the Turkic dynasty that ruled in historic North India, divided into two branches. This dynasty can be divided into two branches: the eastern branch – Kabulshah’s – with the political center in Kabul and Gandhara/Kapisa and the western branch - Rutbili of Zabulistan and ArRuhhadja (Arachosia). Тhe name of this Turkic dynasty is mentioned in Chinese sources in the form of Tegin (Chin. T’e-chin) and Tegin Shah (Chin. T’e-chin Shai) and in Arab sources as Kabulshah’s, Kabulanshahi, Shah, Shokhi or Türk Shahi. Domains of this dynasty with the center in Kabul included such areas as Kapisa, Gandhara, Peshawar, Udhabandapur, Udiana (Swat) and Lampaka (Lamgan). The coming to power of the Kabül Tegin-shahs in the first half of the 7th century in the valley of Kabul and strengthening of activity at this time of the Turkic ethnic groups in the socio-economic and political life of the region is likely to be associated with political activities of the Turkic Kaganate. Because the information about the conquest of these territories by Turks is also reflected in the Chinese chronicles. As noted in the chronicle of “Tang Shu”, the Western Turkic ruler Tun yabgukagan (618-630) during his reign subdued to the Kaganate Bosi (Fars/Iran) and Gibin / Kapisa (north of Kabul). Hsüan-tsang, carried out in 629 -645 his journey to India through Central Asia, in the 630s, moving from Tokharistan through the valley of Kabul toward the land of India, was a witness to the fact that the power of Tuk’ue (Ashina Turks) only began to spread in the area. It means that when the pilgrim returned from India (640s), among the areas of the region he visited the domain of Fulishisitanna, while mentioning that its ruler was a man of the Turks. According to Biruni, the first Turkic ruler of the Kabul valley is Barhatekin. Despite the fact that to the personality of Barhatekin, the attention was paid in the research works on this topic as early as the late nineteenth century, the scholars have not yet come to final conclusions about this person: who he was, when he lived, the years of his reign, etc. This name can be associated with the word baraq/haraq, which in ancient and modern Turkic languages has the meaning “a shaggy dog”. Kabül Tegin-shahs dynasty can be divided into two branches: the eastern branch – Kabulshah’s – with the political center in Kabul and Gandhara/Kapisa and the western branch - Rutbil of Zabulistan and ArRuhhadja (Arachosia). If we compare the share of information about these branches available in the historical sources, it is considered that the there is much more information on the western branch of the dynasty. Because thanks to the recording in the Arabian sources the main battles that took place in Seistan between Arab commanders and Rutbil of Zabul, more information on the history of this branch reached us. The history of Kabulshah’s can be restored mainly due to the information given by Biruni in his book “India”. A Kabül Tegin-shahs that ruled in Zabul since 680s, was the Rutbil dynasty. According to the information of Hsüantsang in neighboring to Kabulistan lands (Ghazni, Bamyan, Kapisa and Gandhara) local dynasties ruled at that time. The appearance of the Kabül Tegin-shahs dynasty in Kabul valley most likely was due to the political activities of Tokharistan Yabgus in the region. Because in the sources there are some indications that the Kabul valley was subordinate to the Tokharistan Yabgus. In particular, the Chinese historical encyclopedia Tse Fu-Yuan-gui (“Primal turtle of Imperial Library”) among the vassal lands being under the authority of the Tokharistan Yabgus, contains mentioning of Si-yu (Zabulistan) and Gi-bin (Kapisa-Gandhara). Ruling of the Turkic dynasty as a branch of the Kabül Tegin-shahs state appeared also in Zabulistan (environs of Ghazni). In the 680-s or a little earlier, one of the Kabulshah’s princes, defeated in the struggle for the throne, fled south to Zabulistan and established his own independent governance there. The sources contain an indication that the rulers of Zabul descended from Kabul Tegin-shahs. In particular, the Chinese pilgrim of Korean origin Hoi Chao provides information about the governor of Zabul that he was a nephew of the Turkic ruler of Kabul – Khorasan Teginshah. In particular, the rulers of Zab

Özet

İlk orta çağlarda Kabül vadisinda Kabül Tegin-Şahleri sülalesinin oluşması işbu bölgede mahalli hint ve iranlı topluluklarla beraber türk topluluklarının faal olmaya başladığını gösteriyör. Buyuk ihtimalle bu durum bizim düşünçemize göre işbu bölgede Batı Türk kağanlığı'nın siyasal faaliyetiyle bağlantılı olabilir. Kabül Tegin-Şahleri'nın etnik menşei hakkında kesin bir sonuça varmak zor. Çünkü çin kaynaklarında Batı Türk kağanı Tun Yabgu-Kağan'ın Ki-pin / Kapisa'yi (Kabül'ün kuzeyi) işgal ettiği hakkında bilgi yer almış. İlk orta çağlarda Kabül vadisinda Kabül Tegin-Şahleri sülalesinin oluşması senesi 660 yıllar değil, belki biraz erken 630/640 yıllar olabilir. Çünkü çinli rahip Hsüan-tsang 629-645 yıllarda işbu bölgeye ayak basarken, Kabül vadi'sinde yönetici Köktürklerden olduğuna şahit olmuştur. Kabül'ün ilk türk yöneticisi Barhatekin hakkında ?IX yüzyıl sonundan itibaren işbu probleme araştırmalarda yer verilmesine rağmen, şimdiye kader onun kim olduğu, ne zaman yaşadığı, yönetim senesi ve v.s hakkında kesin bir çözüm yok. İşbu adın kökünü türk dillerinde "uzun tüylü köpek" manasını veren baraq/haraq kelimesiyle bağlamak mümkün. Şununla beraber, Biruni'nin 'Hindistan' eserinde yer alan ?abül'daki türk sülalesinin oluşumu hakkındaki Barhatekin efsanesinin esasi Köktürk ?şina hanedanının ortaya çıkması hakkındaki rivayetle çok benzer olduğuna baksak Kabül Tegin-Şahleri sülalesinin menşei Köktürk ?şinalarla bağlantılı olması mümkün denilen sonuça geliyöruz. Berunî'nin işbu malumatları Kuzey Hindistan'da Erken Orta Çağlarda yönetimde bulunan Türk asıllı hanedanı iki dala taksim ederek incelemeye esas verir. İşbu hanedanın iki ayrı dalı: Doğu dalı - hakimiyet merkezi Kabül ve Gandhara/Kapisa olan Kabül-Şahlar, Batı dalı ise Zabülistan ve ar-Ruhhac (Arahosia)'deki Rutbiller (Elteberler)dir. Sülalenin adı Çin kaynaklarında T'ê-chin (Tegin) veya T'ê-chin Shai (Tegin-Şah), Arap dilli kaynaklarda Kabul-Şâh veya Kabulan-Şâh, bazen şâh, şâhî ya da Türk-Şâhî olarak geçer. İşbu sülale yöneticıleri Kapisa, Gandhara, Peşaver, Udhab?ndapur, Udyana (Swat) ve Lampaka (Lamgan) bölgelerini idare ediyorlardı