Bumin Qaghan (,Kultegin’s Memorial Complex, TÜRIK BITIG also known as Illig Qaghan (Chinese: 伊利可汗, Pinyin: Yīlì Kèhán, Wade–Giles: i-li k'o-han) or Yamï Qaghan (, died 552 AD) was the founder of the Turkic Khaganate.
He was the eldest son of Ashina Tuwu (吐務 / 吐务).Ouyang Xiu et al., New Book of Tang, Cilt 215-II  He was the chieftain of the Turks under the sovereignty of Rouran Khaganate.馬長壽, 《突厥人和突厥汗國》, 上海人民出版社, 1957, (Ma Zhangshou, Tujue ve Tujue Khaganate), pp.
10-11. 陳豐祥
, 余英時, 《中國通史》, 五南圖書出版股份有限公司, 2002,  (Chen Fengxiang, Yu Yingshi, General history of China), p. 155.
Gao Yang, "The Origin of the Turks and the Turkish Khanate", X. Türk Tarih Kongresi: Ankara 22 - 26 Eylül 1986, Kongreye Sunulan Bildiriler, V. Cilt, Türk Tarih Kurumu, 1991, s.
731.Burhan Oğuz, Türkiye halkının kültür kökenleri: Giriş, beslenme teknikleri, İstanbul Matbaası, 1976, p. 147.
«Demirci köle» olmaktan kurtulup reisleri Bumin'e  He is also mentioned as "Tumen" (, , commander of ten thousand"Tumen" is used for expressing 10,000 and "Bum" is used for expressing 100,000 in Secret History of the Mongols, Larry Moses, "Legend by the numbers: The Symbolism of Numbers in the 'Secret History of the Mongols'", Asian folklore studies, Vol. 55-56, Nanzan University Institute of Anthropology, 1996, p. 95.)
of the Rouran Khaganate.
Early life
According to History of Northern Dynasties and Zizhi Tongjian, in 545 Tumen's tribe started to rise and frequently invaded the western frontier of Wei.
The chancellor of Western Wei, Yuwen Tai, sent An Nuopanto (Nanai-Banda, a Sogdian from Bukhara,Shing Müller, "Sogdian in China um 600 n. Chr.
Archäologische Zeugnisse eines Lebens zwischen Assimilation und Identitätsbewahrung", NOAG, Vol. 183-184, 2008. p. 123. ) as an emissary to the Göktürk chieftain Tumen, in an attempt to establish a commercial relationship.Li Yanshou (李延寿), History of Northern Dynasties, Vol. 99. Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian, Vol. 159.
In 546, Tumen paid tribute to the Western Wei state.
In that same year, Tumen put down a revolt of the Tiele tribes against the Rouran Khaganate, their overlords.
Following this, Tumen felt entitled to request of the Rouran a princess as his wife.
The Rouran khagan, Anagui, sent a message refusing this request and adding: "You are my blacksmith slave.
How dare you utter these words?"
Bumin got angry, killed Anagui's emissary, and severed relations with the Rouran Khaganate.Linghu Defen et al., Book of Zhou, Vol. 50. Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian, Vol. 164.
Christopher I. Beckwith, Empires of the Silk Road: a history of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the present, Princeton University Press, 2009, , p.
9. Anagui's "blacksmith" (鍛奴 / 锻奴, Pinyin: duàn nú, Wade–Giles: tuan-nu) insult was recorded in Chinese chronicles.
Some sources state that members of the Tujue did serve blacksmiths for the Rouran elite, and that "blacksmith slavery" may refer to a kind of vassalage that prevailed in Rouran society.Larry W. Moses, "Relations with the Inner Asian Barbarian", ed. John Curtis Perry, Bardwell L. Smith, Essays on Tʻang society: the interplay of social, political and economic forces, Brill Archive, 1976, , p.
65. Slave' probably meant vassalage to the Juan Juan confederation of Mongolia, whom they served in battle by providing iron weapons, and also marching with qaghan's armies.
Nevertheless, after this incident Bumin emerged as the leader of the revolt against Rouran.
thumb|Gokturk khaganate.
In 551, Bumin requested a Western Wei princess in marriage.
Yuwen Tai permitted it and sent Princess Changle(長樂公主) of Western Wei to Bumin.In the same year when Emperor Wen of Western Wei died, Bumin sent mission and gave two hundred horses.
The beginning of formal diplomatic relations with China propped up Bumin's authority among the Turks.
He eventually united the local Turkic tribes and threw off the yoke of the Rouran domination.
In 552 Bumin's army defeated Anagui's forces at the north of Huaihuang and then Anagui committed suicide.
With their defeat Bumin proclaimed himself "Illig Qaghan" and made his wife qaghatun.
"Illig" means Ilkhan (i.e. ruler of people) in Old Turkic.Talat Tekin, (1968), A Grammar of Orkhon Turkic, p. 58 According to the Bilge Qaghan's memorial complex and the Kul Tigin's memorial complex, Bumin and Istemi ruled people by Turkic laws and they developed them.Bilge kagan’s Memorial Complex, TÜRIK BITIG Death and family
Bumin died within several months after proclaiming himself Illig Qaghan.
He was married to Princess Changle of Western Wei.
Issue:
Ashina Keluo (阿史那科罗) - Issig Qaghan
Ashina Qijin (阿史那俟斤) - Muqan Qaghan
Taspar Qaghan
Ashina Kutou (阿史那庫頭) - Ditou Qaghan (appointed by Muqan Qaghan to be lesser khagan of eastern wing of Turkic Empire)
Mahan Tigin - Lesser khagan appointed by Taspar Qaghan
Rudan Qaghan (褥但可汗)
Böri Qaghan (步離可汗) - Lesser khagan of appointed by Taspar Qaghan
Legacy
He was succeeded by his younger brother Istemi in the western part and by his son Issik Qaghan in the eastern part.
In less than one century, his khaganate expanded to comprise most of Central Asia.
Notes
References
