Kyrgyz Khaganate

Kyrgyz Khaganate
𐰴𐰃𐰻𐰴𐰕:𐰅𐰠
*Qïrğïz El*
Kyrgyz Khaganate 𐰴𐰃𐰻𐰴𐰕:𐰅𐰠; Qïrğïz El
840–925
	[800] SIND UYGHUR KHAGANATE GURJARA-; PRATIHARAS RASHTRA-; KUTAS PALA; EMPIRE CHAM-; PA NAN-; ZHAO TURK; SHAHIS TANG; DYNASTY SILLA Khitans Jurchens Tungus KARLUK; YABGHU Tatars CHENLA DVARA-; VATI SRIVIJAYA Kyrgyzs Paleo-Siberians Samoyeds Kimeks Tanguts Shatuos ABBASID CALIPHATE KHAZAR; KHAGANATE BYZANTINE; EMPIRE OGHUZ YABGUS TIBETAN; EMPIRE; [900] KARAKHANID; KHANATE Cumans KIEVAN; RUS' Pechenegs Kimeks Khitans KYRGYZ KHAGANATE QOCHO KHOTAN SAFFARIDS SAMANIDS SRIVIJAYA GURJARA-; PRATIHARAS RASHTRA-; KUTAS MULTAN ABBASID; CALIPHATE PALA; EMPIRE OGHUZ; YABGUS TANG; DYNASTY PAGAN DVARAVATI NAN-; ZHAO KHMER BYZANTINE; EMPIRE SILLA HINDU; SHAHIS; [1000] KARAKHANID; KHANATE Cumans KIEVAN; RUS' Pechenegs Kimeks KHITAN EMPIRE Kyrgyzs SRIVIJAYA QOCHO KHOTAN GHAZNAVID; EMPIRE HINDU; SHAHIS BUYIDS WESTERN; CHALUKYAS PALA; EMPIRE OGHUZ; YABGUS SONG; DYNASTY PAGAN DALI KHMER FATIMID; CALIPHATE BYZANTINE; EMPIRE GO-; RYEO; [1100] KARAKHANID; KHANATE KIEVAN; RUS' Cumans Pechenegs Kyrgyzs FATIMID; CALIPHATE GEORGIA XI XIA Jurchen Kimeks KHITAN EMPIRE QOCHO GHAZNAVID; EMPIRE CHOLA; EMPIRE WESTERN; CHALUKYAS PAGAN DALI KHMER MALAYU PALA; EMPIRE SELJUK; EMPIRE SONG; DYNASTY SULTANATE; OF RUM GO-; RYEO; 1215 KHWARAZMIAN; EMPIRE CUMAN KHANATES KIEVAN; RUS' MONGOL; CONFEDERATION Kyrgyzs KIPCHACKS QARA KHITAI QOCHO GHURIDS ZENGIDS ABBASID; CALIPHATE YADAVAS JIN; DYNASTY XI XIA SONG; DYNASTY PAGAN DALI KHMER AYYUBID; SULTANATE SULTANATE; OF RUM GO-; RYEO;
	Map of the Kyrgyz Khaganate in 860. Andrey Astaykin
Status	Khaganate (Nomadic empire)
Capital	A settlement around Uybat River; Ordu-Baliq (since 840); A settlement in Tuva, probably Kemičket (since 925); Khagan-Kirghiz (since the mid-12th century);
Common languages	Orkhon Turkic language (official); Old Turkic language;
Religion	Tengrism (official); Manichaeism (official after conquest); Buddhism; Nestorian Christianity;
Demonym	Yenisei Kyrgyz (Qïrğïz bodun)
Government	Monarchy
Khagan (īnāl)
• 693–711	Bars Bek (first)
• 711–758	Unknown khan(s)
• 758–795	Bilge Tong Erkin
• 795-847	Aču Khagan (as khagan after 840)
• 847–866	Ïnǧu Khagan
• 866–925	Unknown khagan(s)
• 925–1207	Unknown khan(s)
History
• Established	840
• Disestablished	925
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Second Turkic Khaganate
	Uyghur Khaganate
Liao dynasty

The Kyrgyz Khaganate (also Yenisei Kyrgyz Khaganate or Kirghiz Khaganate) was a Turkic khaganate centered in southern Siberia. After the defeat of the Uyghur Khaganate in the hands of the Kyrgyz in 840, they gained political prestige and, for a short period until the mid-10th century (c. 925), established a nominal supremacy on the steppe.

Many scholars have assumed that the Kyrgyz extended their control over the Mongolian Plateau after 840. However, as Michael Drompp observes, the Kyrgyz remained in their Yenisei homelands and there is no evidence of a permanent migration to the Tian Shan or beyond.

Peter Golden likewise emphasizes that their domination was nominal and military in character and that they did not establish a centralized empire like the Gökturks or Uyghurs. In another work, Golden stresses that their power was real enough to defeat the Uighurs, but they did not create a lasting empire. Their authority was limited to the Yenisei region. According to the Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia, their ascendancy did not translate into territorial expansion.