The Uighur State

The Uighurs, along with the Karluk and Basmil tribes in the Orkhon and Selenga regions, brought an end to the Second Turkic Khaganate. In the year 744, Kutluk Bilge Khagan established the independent Uighur State with its center in Ordu-Balık (Karabalgasun).


After the death of Bilge Khagan in 747, his son Moyen Chur succeeded him. During Moyen Chur's reign, the Türgish and Kyrgyz territories were brought under control, and the borders of the state extended to the banks of the Syr Darya River in the west. Following Moyen Chur, his son Bögü Khagan continued diplomatic relations with China and embraced the "Manichaeism" belief under the influence of China. "Manichaeism" was established as the official religion of the state, and temples dedicated to this faith were constructed.


Manichaeism, which encouraged the Uighurs to adopt a lifestyle of inactivity, abstaining from consuming meat, and avoiding warfare, led to a weakening of their warrior characteristics. However, in contrast, Manichaeism contributed to the progress of the Uighurs in the fields of science, art, and literature.


The Uighur State was significantly weakened by factors such as Baga Tarkan, famine, scarcity, epidemic diseases, Chinese intrigues, and internal unrest that emerged in subsequent periods. In the year 840, the capture of the city of Ordubalık by the Kyrgyz led to the collapse of the Uighur State.

After the collapse of the Uighur State, the Uighurs resettled in the Gansu region in northern China and established the Gansu Uighur State, also known as the Yellow Uighurs. Despite facing challenges in the political arena, the Gansu Uighurs adopted Buddhism and achieved success in the field of trade. However, in the year 1226, they were conquered by the Mongols. The Yellow Uighurs continue to live in Northwestern China to this day.

A portion of the Uighurs migrated to Inner Asia, settling in areas such as Bezeklik, Turfan, and the Tian Shan Mountains. Here, they established the Uighur State of Eastern Turkistan (Turfan). This state prospered economically due to its location along the trade routes of Central Asia. The Turfan Uighurs, who also developed in the fields of culture and art, had a significant influence on the Mongols in various aspects. Today, they reside in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, which is part of China.