The Impact of General Li Jing’s Military Thought on the Fall of the Eastern Türk Qaghanate

Yıl 2017, Cilt: 15 Sayı: 22, 41 - 52, 15.04.2017

Hayrettin İhsan Erkoç

https://doi.org/10.17518/canakkalearastirmalari.310548

Öz

The Eastern Türk Qaghanate seemed to enjoy the zenith of its power

during the 620s, until it suddenly weakened and fell within a very short time

between the years 627 and 630 because of ecologic, economic, military,

administrative and social problems. The death blow to this qaghanate

was struck by General Li Jing, who commanded a field army of the Tang

Dynasty of China and brought destruction upon it. Even though several

reasons caused the decline of this qaghanate, Li Jing’s military abilities

caused its final fall. A work titled Questions and Replies Between Tang

Taizong and Li Wei Gong, one of the Seven Military Classics of China,

is claimed to be a collection of dialogues between the Chinese emperor

Tang Taizong and his general Li Jing. While some scholars believe it to be

forged, others think that it is based on original drafts kept in the imperial

archives. This work is actually very significant as it contains the military

thought of Li Jing, but until now, it still has not been evaluated in the

studies focusing on Türk history. Thus, examining the general’s military

thought in this work also helps us to better understand how he managed to

defeat the Eastern Türk Qaghanate in the campaign of 630. In this study,

we have examined Li Jing’s military thought and we have compared his

statements in this work with his actions during the Türk campaign of 630

recorded in the Chinese sources. Our opinion is that because his statements

in this work coincide mostly with his actions during the campaign of 630,

the Questions and Replies is mostly based on original drafts that had only

a few later amendments to it.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Eastern Türk Qaghanate, Li Jing, Military Thought, Tang Taizong Li Wei Gong Wen Dui, Tang Dynasty

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