Biography
Family Background and Early Years
Suluk came from the Chebishi division of the Türgesh. The source states that “Suluk” was originally an official title meaning a commander of troops and was an honorific he received before becoming qaghan. The Türgesh were a branch of the former Western Turkic confederation and had originally belonged to the alliance of the Ten Tribes. At the beginning of the eighth century, the Türgesh rose under Suoge, also called Shouzhong, and became an important power in the Western Regions. In 711, the second year of the Jingyun era, Qapaghan Qaghan of the Second Turkic Khaganate attacked the Türgesh and Suoge was defeated and killed. After Qapaghan's army withdrew, the Türgesh Khaganate fell into disorder without a ruler. In this crisis Suluk, formerly a subordinate commander of Suoge, gathered the remnants and again brought the Türgesh tribes under command. The source describes him as skilled at conciliating his followers and generous toward them. As a result, the Ten Tribes of the former Western Turkic confederation gradually submitted to him. His following rapidly grew to two hundred thousand and he occupied extensive territory in the Western Regions.
Peace and War with the Tang
Soon after his rise, Suluk sent envoys to the Tang court to pay respects to Emperor Xuanzong. In 715, the third year of Kaiyuan, Emperor Xuanzong appointed him General-in-Chief of the Left Yulin Guard and Grand Military Commissioner of the Jinfang Circuit. In 716, after Qapaghan Qaghan was killed, tribes including the Xi, Khitan, and Bayegu submitted to the Tang. With support from Sogdians, Suluk proclaimed himself Bilge Qaghan but continued tributary relations with Tang. In 717, Ashina Xian, qaghan of the Western Turkic Ten Tribes, requested that the court mobilize Qarluq forces against Suluk, but Emperor Xuanzong refused. On May 18, 718, Emperor Xuanzong formally appointed Suluk General-in-Chief of the Left Yulin Guard, enfeoffed him as Duke of Shun, and made him Grand Military Commissioner of the Jinfang Circuit. On October 28, 719, Emperor Xuanzong invested him as Zhongshun Qaghan, formally recognizing his qaghanate status in the Western Regions. On December 3, 722, Emperor Xuanzong granted a daughter of Ashina Huaidao, qaghan of the Ten Tribes, the title Princess Jiaohe and married her to Suluk, bringing relations into a period of close alliance.
The favorable relationship did not last. In 726, the fourteenth year of Kaiyuan, Du Xian became Protector-General of Anxi. Princess Jiaohe sent an officer with more than a thousand horses to Anxi for sale and sent an envoy to announce her order to Du Xian. Du Xian was furious and said, “What right does the daughter of Ashina Huaidao have to issue orders to me?” He had the envoy beaten and detained. Heavy snow then fell and all the horses froze to death. On learning this, Suluk became enraged and sent troops against the Four Garrisons of Anxi. Du Xian happened to be in Chang'an for an imperial audience, and Zhao Yizhen was acting as Protector-General of Anxi. Zhao held the city while Suluk's troops, according to the source, plundered the people, livestock, and stores of the four garrisons, leaving only Anxi city intact. Suluk gradually withdrew only after learning that Du Xian had become a grand councilor, and later again sent tribute to Tang. On the second day of the intercalary ninth month of 727, the ruler of the Tibetan Empire and Suluk led allied forces in a siege of Anxi, but were defeated by Deputy Protector-General Zhao Yizhen. In 730, Türgesh envoys brought tribute to Tang. Because Suluk had repeatedly defeated Arab forces, the Tang court held celebrations for him. At Danfeng Tower, Türgesh and Turkic envoys disputed ceremonial precedence. Emperor Xuanzong ordered the Turkic envoys to sit on the eastern side and the Türgesh envoys on the western side.
After 734, relations between Suluk and Tang again deteriorated. On October 26, 735, the twenty-third year of Kaiyuan, the Türgesh attacked Beiting and Bohuan City in Anxi, citing the execution of a Türgesh envoy by Beiting Protector Liu Huan. The following year they were defeated by Beiting Protector Gai Jiayun. On the seventh day of the eighth month, Suluk sent his minister Ulu Tarkhan to request submission to Tang. The fighting continued for three years, leaving the Türgesh attacked from more than one direction and weakening the khaganate.
Wars with the Umayyad Caliphate
During Suluk's reign, he fought repeatedly against the Umayyad Caliphate and successfully blocked further Arab expansion into Central Asia for a time. In 724, the twelfth year of Kaiyuan, Suluk inflicted a major defeat on an invading Umayyad army in the Day of Thirst. In 731, the nineteenth year of Kaiyuan, he surrounded an Umayyad force in the Battle of the Defile. Although the source says he did not achieve complete victory, the Umayyad army suffered heavy losses; the source further states that this engagement received exceptionally detailed treatment in Umayyad-period historical accounts in regard to combat and casualties. In 737, the twenty-fifth year of Kaiyuan, Suluk again defeated Arab forces at the Battle of the Baggage. Between 723 and 724, he twice led troops to relieve Ferghana when it was attacked by Muslim forces and inflicted major defeats on them. As a result he acquired the epithet “Abu Muzahim,” which the source glosses as “charging bull.”
Later Years and Death
Early in his reign Suluk lived frugally and distributed all captured wealth among the tribes, thereby winning strong support. After marrying princesses associated with Tang, the Turks, and the Tibetan Empire, however, the source states that his lifestyle became extravagant. In his later years he also suffered paralysis and lost support. The tribe of the former qaghan Suoge was known as the Yellow faction and would not submit to Suluk's Black faction. In 738, Baga Tarkhan of the Yellow faction killed Suluk Qaghan. Tumodu then supported Suluk's son Kut Chor as Tuhuoxian Qaghan. From this point the Türgesh Khaganate moved into decline.