[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate) › [Ṭabaqāt-i Nāṣirī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri) › [Tabakat-i-Nasiri](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty) › 247 # The Nāṣirī Generations 247: III. Aghuz Khan Tabakat-i-Nasiri 247 - **Language:** English ### III. Aghuz Khan ### [247.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.1) Aghuz Khan—also written Aghuz, which is equally correct, and by the Fanakati, Ughuz—having succeeded to the authority, for a space of two or three years, but, according to some of the best of the Histories this account is taken from, for seventy-two or seventy-three years \[seventeen years are more probable\], waged war with his paternal and maternal uncles and other kinsmen and their dependents, and his own tribe, and, at length, succeeded in compelling the greater part of them to return to the true faith, and those who would not he treated with the utmost rigour. His uncles, however, with their dependents, and some of his father's likewise, fled from his territory farther to the east, to the borders of Chin, and sought protection from the Malik of the Tatar I-mak. He aided them with his forces, and they marched against Aghuz Khan, but, being filled with fear and terror of him, they were put to the rout. Aghuz Khan pursued them, and even penetrated to the frontiers of Chin, and subdued part of that clime likewise. How this will agree with the Chinese annals remains to be seen, but, as one of his uncles was named Kin Khan, this may possibly account for the Kin — who are styled “Kin Tartars,” but, perhaps, more correctly, should be Kin Mughals — in the farther east, who subsequently conquered Northern China. ### [247.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.2) After this, such was his power, and the awe he was held in, that many ulus or tribes of the Tattar I-mak, as well as that of Mughal, became subject to him. He also brought under his sway the city of Talash, and Sairam or Siram to the frontiers of Bukhara. He adopted wise laws and regulations, and assigned names to several Turkish tribes \[i. e. his own Mughal I-mak and such of the Tattar I-mak as had acknowledged his sway\], by which names they are known still, such as I-ghur — ایغور — \[an offshoot of Mughal Khan’s family\] which signifies “coming to one’s aid” and “making a compact,” they having been the first to join him when his father resolved to take his life; Kankuli — قنقلی — which is also written Kanghuli — قنغلی — and Kanghuli — قانغلی — and Kankuli — قانقلی — which means a wheeled-carriage or cart, which they, on a certain expedition, invented, when the booty was so immense that there was difficulty in removing it. They are still to be found on the banks of the Sihun and parts adjacent. Abu-l-Ghazi says kankul — قنقلی — signifies the creaking of a wheel; Kabchak — قبچاق — which is also written Khafchak — خفچاق — and Kafchak — قفچاق — the meaning of which, it is said, is derived from قبوق or قبوک — signifying a tree hollow in the trunk. One of the conflicts in which Aghuz Khan was engaged was with It-barak, and Aghuz was overthrown, and had to retire into a delta, but seventeen years after he finally overcame him. ### [247.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.3) There was with his forces, on that occasion, a pregnant woman — the Mughals and Tattars used to take their wives with them in war — whose husband had been killed in that affair, and, being taken in labour, she took shelter within the trunk of a hollow tree which happened to be there, and gave birth to a son. Aghuz, hearing of it, took pity on her, as her husband had been slain in his defence, and adopted the boy, and gave him the name of Kabchak because he was born in a hollow tree. When he grew up, Kabchak was sent into the tract of country called Tamak, to guard that frontier, and it got the name, in course of time, of دشت قبچاق or plain of Kabchak. The next to whom he assigned a name were the Karluks — قارلوق — also قارلق — Karlugh, — Karluk — قارلوغ — and Karlugh — قارلغ — and the circumstance which gave rise to it was this. Aghuz Khan, returning from an expedition into the eastern parts of I-ran Zamin, was passing the borders of Ghur and Gharjistan on his way back to Turan. It was the depth of winter, and he therefore commanded that his followers should not loiter on the line of march because of the dangerous state of the route by reason of the frost and snow. Some few of his followers however — men of one family — did loiter, and soon found themselves unable to come up with the main body until a considerable time afterwards — some say Aghuz was on his way into I-ran Zamin, and that the loiterers did not rejoin him until the following spring. ### [247.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.4) After punishing them he gave them the nick-name of Karlugh, which word, in Turkish, according to my authorities, signifies “the father of snow,” i. e. “pertaining to snow,” but here, “detained by the snow,” which name their descendants, who formed focus of the people of Islam, and orbit of the possessors of religion; and, as from the extremity of the territories of but, as they were not Tajziks \[Can the term Sarik — or Sarigh — applied to the Tajziks by the Turks, signifying poor-spirited and the like, be the derivation of Sart? The Uzbaks call traders, and citizens, and people of the towns generally, Sarts, while others style them Bukhars\], those people styled them Turk-manind, and Turk-man, the both terminations, manind and man, signifying, like, similar, &c. In this tradition, Khwarazm or the northern tracts between the Sihun and the Jihun, and not Khurasan, must be meant, because most authors agree that it was many centuries after the time assigned to Aghuz Khan before any Turk-mans made their appearance west of the Jihun or Oxus, which, by two channels, then fell into the Caspian. See note page 374. Some traditions assert that the Turk-mans have neither connexion nor affinity with the Turks, and that they are altogether of a different race, which is tolerably correct, since they are not descended from Turk, but his brother. ### [247.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.5) The Kankuli tribes dwelt in the same tracts as the Turk-mans for some time, in the sandy desert, but, on a great movement among the latter, and some of them taking up their residence in towns and villages, the Kankulis left them, and pitched their tents about the Talash river, and Issigh-Kol, or the Issigh Lake, but the greater part of those who continued there were massacred by the Chingiz Khan on account of their relationship by marriage to the Khwarazmi Sultans. The movement of the Karlughs is connected with that of the Ghuzz already mentioned in note page 374, which see. The other tribes of the Turks, not being so much mixed up with the events of Western Asia and frontiers of Hind, at the period of our author's history, need not be referred to here, as the details would make this account much longer than necessary. ### [247.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.6) To return to Aghuz Khan. He, having returned to his original yurat, "which was Kar-Tagh and Ur-Tagh," after his great expeditions and proposed conquests, gave a mighty feast, to which all the chiefs and principal men of all the tribes were summoned, and, at which, 90,000 sheep and 900 mares were consumed, besides other dainties, and a vast quantity of kamyz, and other strong drinks. He assigned yurats and names to all the different tribes \[under his sway\], made laws and regulations, and organized armies into the various divisions, as subsequently continued to be observed. He occupies much the same position and celebrity among the Mughal I-mak, as Jamshed among the I-ranis. According to Abu-l-Ghazi, he was contemporary with Gaiu-murt and his son Hushang, but, as he said the very same thing previously with respect to Tutag or Tunag, son of Turk, we may doubt his accuracy upon other subjects. ### [247.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.7) One day, Aghuz Khan, attended by his six sons, went out on a hunting excursion, when the latter found a golden bow and three golden arrows which they brought to their father. He gave the bow to the three eldest, and the arrows to the three youngest. The former divided the bow into three portions, for which reason they were styled Baruk-uki — and Buj-uki — from Baruk-uk or Buj-uk, which is said to mean "broken bow," but, more probably, "sharers of the broken bow;" and the three youngest were styled Udz-uki — and Uj-uki — from Udz-uk or Uj-uk, signifying "three arrows." On this account, the Baruk-uki are greater in degree than the Udz-uki, in the same manner as the bow represents sovereignty, while the arrows refer to the Chin, Turkistan, Mawar-un-Nahr, Tukharistan, Zawul, sovereign’s representatives and lieutenants. On all state occasions, and in war, the right hand, which the Turks call baran ghar— or barankar — and the succession to the sovereignty, was assigned for ever to the Badz-uki, and the left hand, or juwanghar— or juwankar — to the Udz-uki, with the lieutenancy and command of the soldiery. After having ruled for 116 years, Aghuz Khan died, leaving the sovereignty to his eldest son, Kun or Kun. ### [247.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.8) The six sons of Aghuz Khan are named; 1. Kun — or Kun — which signifies sun, 2. Ae or A-i — 3. Yal-duz— Yul-duz— Yul-duz— or I-yal-duz — star, who were the eldest or Badz-uki; and 4. Kuk — or Kuk — sky, 5. Tagh — or Tagh — and Dagh— \[Turks use t where ’Ajamis use d, and substitute b where the latter use f\] mountain; and 6. Tingiz — sea, but probably lake, and this name is still used for the great lake known as the Bal Kash, or the Tingiz. From these six sons descended twenty-four sons, and, according to some historians, each had four sons, while some others say that each of the brothers had six sons, but this last seems an error. Abu-l-Ghazi states that each of the six brothers had four legitimate sons, and also four natural sons, which appears from the very even numbers to be doubtful and improbable, and is totally contrary to other writers, thus making them forty-eight in all; but, farther on, he again contradicts his own words. The Akbar Namah of Abu-l-Fazl, contrary to all others, asserts that Aghuz’s sons and sons’ sons are twenty-four in all, and that “the whole of the Turk-mans” are descended from these patriarchs or great men. This statement does not give us a very favourable opinion of that writer’s knowledge of his subject, and, if all these six sons’ descendants were Turk-mans, where does he manage to get a Mughul pedigree for his master from? This is what my Akbar Namahs have: what other Akbar Namahs may contain I am unaware. ### [247.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247.9) The Fanakati says that “Ughuz Khan sent some of his sons and kinsmen, with a body of forces, into the parts more to the east, now called Mughulistan,” which statement I shall have to refer to again farther on. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tabaqat-i-nasiri~en-raverty.247) · Pramāṇa