Taspar Qaghan[1] or Tatpar Qaghan (Old Turkic: , Tatpar qaγan[2], 佗缽可汗/佗钵可汗, Pinyin: tuóbō kěhàn, Wade-Giles: t'o-po k'o-han) was the third son of Bumin Qaghan and Wei Changle (長樂公主), and the fourth khagan of the Turkic Khaganate (572–581).[3] Unlike his father and older brothers he embraced Chinese culture, especially Buddhism. He was converted to Buddhism[4] by the Qi monk Huilin, for whom he built a pagoda. Taspar's death marked the beginning of a long decline and subjugation of the Göktürks to China.
The third son of Tumen and fourth qaghan. Unlike his father and older brothers he embraced Chinese culture, especially Buddhism. He switched his alliance from Zhou to Qi and granted defeated Qi prince asylum. He was converted to Buddhism by the Qi monk Huilin (Jnagoupta), for whom he built a pagoda. He attacked Zhou repeatedly until they bought his goodwill with princess Zhou Tsienkien, whom they traded for the head of the Qi prince.
During his reign there was a veitable flood of Sogdian Manichiean refugees from Persia and Buddhist Refugees from Qi and Zhou. Both the result of pogroms. These Sogdians devised the Göktürk Runes to write the Turkic language, for translations of the sutras to Turkic. Notably the Nirvana Sutra.
Taspar's death created a dynastic crisis in the Khaganate. His Chinese wife Qianjin survived him, but Taspar bequeathed the throne of the Empire to Talopien, the son of his elder brother Muqan Qaghan. His bequest ran contrary to the traditional system of inheritance which demanded the throne to be passed to the son of the eldest brother, Ishbara. The council rejected the legality of Taspar's will and appointed Ishbrara as the next khagan. Talopien's faction did not recognize Ishbara and vice-versa. This crisis ultimately resulted in the civil war of 581-603, which greatly weakened the state.
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Taspar Qaghan
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| Preceded by Muqan Qaghan |
Khagan of the Turkic Khaganate 572–581 |
Succeeded by Interregnum |
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