Overview
Tuhuoxian, recorded in Chinese sources under this regnal title and identified with Kut Chor, was a son of the great Türgesh qaghan Sulu. After his father's murder in 738, a faction opposed to the murderer, Baga Tarqan, raised him as qaghan. His reign lasted about a year and ended in 739, when he was overthrown in the civil war that broke the khaganate apart.
Rise to Power
When Baga Tarqan (Kül Chor) murdered Sulu in 738, the Türgesh split into rival camps. Sulu's supporters raised his son as qaghan under the title Tuhuoxian, setting him against his father's killer.
Rule and Achievements
- Was raised as qaghan in 738 by the faction loyal to his father's line
- Became the figurehead of one side in the civil war between the Black and Yellow Türgesh
- Was overthrown in 739 by Baga Tarqan, who had allied himself with Tang China
Legacy
Tuhuoxian's brief reign shows how a succession crisis invites outside powers in. The struggle between Sulu's son and Sulu's murderer was decided not by the Türgesh themselves but by the support each side could win from the Tang. Within five years the Tang had executed the victor as well, and the khaganate never regained its independence.