Tuyuhun Kingdom

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Asia in 565 AD, showing Tuyuhun and its neighbors.

The Tuyuhun Kingdom (traditional Chinese: 吐谷渾, also known as 'A-zha in Tibetan, Henanguo 河南國 and Bailan 白蘭 in China) was a kingdom ruled by a powerful nomadic tribe in the Qiling mountains and upper Yellow river (ranging across the current south Qinghai, south Gansu, and north-west Sichuan PRC provinces). It seems to have been established in 285 by tribes related to the Xianbei, and flourished from the 4th-7th centuries. Its power was weakened and the tribe forced to submit to China by forced of the Tang dynasty in 634. What remained was eventually wholly destroyed in 670 by rising Tufan Empire (Tibetan Empire).

1 Beginnings and Golden Age
2 The defeat of 634 and subsequent decline
3 Rulers
4 Links

[edit] Beginnings and Golden Age

The tribe was named after its founder, Murong Tuyuhun (慕容吐谷渾), an older brother of the Former Yan's ancestor Murong Hui. Their tribe was organized around 285 by Murong Tuyuhun.

The tent-dwelling Tuyuhun were experts in horse breeding, but also practiced agriculture. As a realm just between the Chinese empires in the east (Northern Wei, and the Southern Dynasties) and other steppe tribes such as the Rouran and the Gaoche, the Tuyuhun acted as envoys and traders, while many Buddhist missionaries and travelers crossed their country.

In the 6th century, the Tuyuhun chieftain, Murong Kualü, adopted the title of Khagan (可汗) and challenged the armies of the Chinese empire.

[edit] The defeat of 634 and subsequent decline

Tang campaign

The rise of the Tang Dynasty and, soon after, Emperor Tang Taizong's campaign led to a comprehensive defeat in 634, which allowed the Tang to control and administer the Tuyuhun territory. They did this by installing khagans of their choice. The authority of the Tuyuhun was shaken, the tribe, caught between new Tang Empire in the East and the rising Tufan Empire (Tibetan Empire) to the south-west, submitted the following year 635.

Tufan pressure

Tufan nomadic groups exerted continuous pressure on Tuyuhun from the south side while diplomatic envois kept Tang neutral, in that the Tufan sent presents regularly Chang'an as symbols of submission. In 663 the Tibetan Tufan empire destroyed the Tuyuhun capital Fuqi (伏俟) (west of Qinghai Lake) and quickly came to Chang'an to apoligize and explain that this attack was not a revolt, nor an attack on the Chinese Empire, but simply a Tuyuhun-Tufan dispute (both vassal of Tang), which had now ended. By 670, profiting from a moment of internal instability at Chang'an, Tufan openly attacked Tuyuhun despite Tang's opposition. By 672 Tuyuhun lands were seized by the Tufan, and the last Tuyuhuns escaped to the north and were resettled by the Tang government in the areas of modern Ningxia and northern Shaanxi. The last Tuyuhun khagan, Murong Nuohebo, became a Tang Dynasty general.

[edit] Rulers

Temple names	Regal names	Family names and given name	Durations of reigns	Era names and their according durations
Chinese convention: for those who have unique regal names, use regal names; otherwise, use family name and given name, or use given name + "Khan"
Did not exist	Henan Wang (河南王)	慕容吐谷渾 Mùróng Tǔyùhún	284-317	Did not exist
Did not exist	Henan Wang (河南王)	慕容吐延 Mùróng Tǔyán	317-329	Did not exist
Did not exist	Tuyuhun Wang (吐谷渾王)	慕容葉延 Mùróng Yèyán	329-351	Did not exist
Did not exist	Tuyuhun Wang (吐谷渾王)	慕容碎奚 Mùróng Suìxī	351-371	Did not exist
Did not exist	Bailan Wang (白蘭王)	慕容視連 Mùróng Shìlián	371-390	Did not exist
Did not exist	Tuyuhun Wang (吐谷渾王)	慕容視羆 Mùróng Shìpí	390-400	Did not exist
Did not exist	Da Chanyu (大單于)	慕容烏紇褆 Mùróng Wūgētí	400-405	Did not exist
Did not exist	Wuyin Khan (戊寅可汗)/ Da Chanyu (大單于)/ Wu Wang (武王)	慕容樹洛干 Mùróng Shùluògān	405-417	Did not exist
Did not exist	Bailan Wang (白蘭王)	慕容阿柴 Mùróng Āchái	417-424	Did not exist
Did not exist	Hui Wang (惠王)/ Longxi Wang (隴西王)	慕容慕璝 Mùróng Mùguī	424-436	Did not exist
Did not exist	Henan Wang (河南王)	慕容慕利延 Mùróng Mùlìyán	436-452	Did not exist
Did not exist	Henan Wang (河南王)/ Xiping Wang (西平王)	慕容拾寅 Mùróng Shíyín	452-481	Did not exist
Did not eixst	Henan Wang (河南王)	慕容度易侯 Mùróng Dùyìhóu	481-490	Did not exist
Did not exist	Did not exist	慕容伏連籌 Mùróng Fúliánchóu	490-540	Did not exist
Did not exist	Khan	慕容夸呂 Mùróng Kuālǔ	540-591	Did not exist
Did not exist	Khan	慕容世伏 Mùróng Shìfú	591-597	Did not exist
Did not exist	Busabo Khan (步薩鉢可汗)	慕容伏允 Mùróng Fúyǔn	597-635	Did not exist
Did not exist	Zhugulüwugandou Khan (趉故呂烏甘豆可汗)/ Daning Wang (大寧王)/ Xiping Jun Wang (西平郡王)	慕容順 Mùróng Shùn	635	Did not exist
Did not exist	Wudiyebaledou Khan (烏地也拔勒豆可汗)/ Heyuan Jun Wang (河源郡王)	慕容諾曷鉢 Mùróng Nuòhébō	635-672	Did not exist