Editing Tonyukuk (section)

== Life ==
=== Early years ===
[[File:Turkic Gold Belt Ornaments (35671983336).jpg|thumb|Gold belt ornaments, Tonyukuk ritual place, Tov, Erdene.<ref>{{cite web |title=National History Museum of Mongolia |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/142086940@N03/48761143791/in/album-72157718782605608/ |date=7 September 2019}}</ref>]]
He was born around 646, near [[Tuul River]] in [[Ashide]] tribe. He fled the [[Tang dynasty]] in 679 and joined [[Ilterish Qaghan|Elteriš]] in 681.

{{fs interlinear|𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀 𐱃𐰆𐰪𐰸𐰸 𐰋𐰤 𐰇𐰕𐰢 𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲 𐰃𐰠𐰭𐰀 𐰶𐰠𐰦𐰢 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰚 𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣 𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲𐰴𐰀 𐰝𐰇𐰼𐰼 𐰼𐱅𐰃|Bilge Toñuquq bän özüm Tabγač eliŋä qılıntım Türk bodun Tabγačqa körür ärti.||I myself, wise Tonyukuk, born in [[Tuoba#Legacy of the Tuoba/Tabgach name|Tabgach]] [i.e. [[Tang dynasty|Tang China]]] country. (As the whole) Turk people was under Chinese subjection.<ref>Atalay Besim (2006). Divanü Lügati't Türk. [[Turkish Language Association]], {{ISBN|975-16-0405-2}}, p. 28, 453, 454</ref><ref>Aydın 2017, p. 104</ref>|lang=otk|indent=3}}

Chinese sources state that Tonyuquq's name was "Yuanzhen," and he learned all Chinese traditions and was aware of the gaps in the borders and the Chinese wall. While he was supervising the surrendered clans in [[Protectorate General to Pacify the North|Chanyü military governorship]], he was dismissed and jailed by the military governor Changshih.<ref>Taşağıl 2004, p. 63</ref>

=== During Elteriš's reign ===
Although he lost early wars against [[Xue Rengui]], he was formidable force in establishing Turkic Khaganate. In 687, another invasion of [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] by Elteriš and [[Ashide Yuanzhen]] began.  [[Wu Zetian|Empress Dowager Wu]] commissioned the ethnically [[Baekje]] general [[Heichi Changzhi]], assisted by Li Duozuo, to defend against Turkic attack and they were able to defeat Turk forces at Huanghuadui (modern day [[Shuozhou]], [[Shanxi]]) causing Turk forces to flee.

=== During Qapγan's reign ===
[[File:Bilge Tonyukuk - Orkhon Inscriptions.jpeg|thumb|The [[Tonyukuk inscriptions]].]]
In 703, he was sent by qaγan for marriage proposal to the [[Zhou dynasty (690–705)|Wu Zhou dynasty]]. [[Wu Zetian]] accepted the proposal, in exchange Wu Yanxiu was released on khagan's order. However, [[Emperor Zhongzong of Tang|Emperor Zhongzhong]]'s accession changed political climate. Marriage was cancelled.

In 712, he commanded Tujue army during [[Battle of Bolchu]] which proved disastrous for [[Turgesh]] army.

=== During Inäl's reign ===
He was not in active politics during [[Inel Khagan|Inäl]]'s reign and accepted him as a legitimate ruler.<ref>Dobrovits,M.:“[http://www.turkdilleri.org/turkdilleri/sayilar/tda18/MDobrovits.pdf Textological Structure and Political Message of  the Old Turkic Runic Inscriptions]”, Talât Tekin Armağanı, Türk Dilleri Araştırmaları 18 (2008), 149–153.</ref> Although this did not cost him his life and was spared, perhaps because of his great authority and his age. Another reason would the fact that he was Bilge Qaghan's father-in-law.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia|volume=1|author=Denis Sinor|page=312|year=1990}}</ref>

=== During Bilgä's reign ===
In 716 he was appointed to be Master Strategist (Bagha Tarkhan) by his son-in-law [[Bilge Khagan|Bilgä Qaγan]].

Chinese sources state that Bilgä Qaγan wanted to convert to [[Buddhism]], establish cities and temples. However, Tonyukuk discouraged him from this by pointing out that their nomadic lifestyle was what made them a greater military power when compared to [[Tang dynasty]].<ref>Denis Sinor (ed.), ''The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia'', vol.1, Cambridge University Press, 1990, {{ISBN|978-0-521-24304-9}}, 312–313.</ref> While Turks' power rested on their mobility, conversion to Buddhism would bring pacifism among population. Therefore sticking to [[Tengrism|Tengriism]] was necessary to survive.<ref>''[[Wenxian Tongkao]]'', 2693a</ref><ref>''[[New Book of Tang]]'', [https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%96%B0%E5%94%90%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7215%E4%B8%8B vol 215-II]</ref><ref>Golden 2002, p. 9</ref><ref>Ercilasun 2016, pp. 295–296</ref>

In 720 Tang chancellor [[Wang Jun (Tang chancellor)|Wang Jun]] proposed a plan to attack Bilgä Qaγan along with the [[Basmyl|Baximi]], [[Kumo Xi|Xi]], and [[Khitan people|Khitan]].<ref>''[[Old Book of Tang]]'', Vol. 194-I</ref> [[Emperor Xuanzong of Tang|Emperor Xuanzong]] also recruited [[Qapaghan Qaghan|Qapγan Qaγan]]'s sons Bilgä Tegin and Mo Tegin, [[Yenisei Kyrgyz]] Qaγan Qutluğ Bilgä Qaγan and Huoba Guiren to fight against Tujue. Tonyukuk cunningly launched first attack on Baximi in 721 autumn, completely crushing them. Meanwhile Bilgä raided [[Gansu]], taking much of the livestock. Later that year [[Khitan people|Khitans]], next year [[Kumo Xi|Xi]] were also crushed.

He died around 726.