Overview
Yinan, of the Xueyantuo, led his people east into Mongolia as Eastern Türk power weakened. In 629 he declared himself qaghan, and the Tang emperor Taizong recognised him as Zhenzhu Bilge Qaghan, an ally against Illig. After the Eastern Türks fell in 630, he ruled the steppe from the Gobi to the Altai.
Rise to Power
He led a rising of the Tiele against Illig in 627–628 and was proclaimed qaghan in 629.
Rule and Achievements
- Allied with the Tang against Illig Qaghan in 629–630
- Ruled the Tiele tribes of the northern steppe from his camp on the Tula River
- Attacked the Türks resettled under Qilibi Qaghan in 641, forcing them back inside the Great Wall
- Was promised a Tang princess in 643, but Taizong called off the marriage
Legacy
Yinan died on 21 October 645. His sons Yemang and Bazhuo fought over the throne, and within a year the khaganate was gone.