First Göktürk-Tang War

Illig Qaghan, who ascended the throne after his elder brother Chulu was poisoned in 619, first organized a plundering operation against the Tang Dynasty and replenished the state's treasury. He entered Tang lands with his army from all sides and began to plunder. The biggest livelihood of the Turks is plunder. This war continued until 625. However, there was a change of throne in the Tang Dynasty and Emperor Taizong replaced Emperor Gaozu. Illig Qaghan continued his attacks very fiercely. In 626, Emperor Taizong personally came to Illig Qaghan, who was successful in his attacks and won victories, and offered peace. Illig thought that he had enough plunder, accepted this peace offer and a peace treaty was signed.

Winter

The disaster that would bring the end of the Göktürks in 627 was not a Chinese state or any other enemy. It was winter. In 627, heavy snow fell in Central Asia and Göktürk lands and the weather was extremely cold. Even though winter was over and spring came after summer, it snowed even in summer. The famine resulting from this climate put the people and the army in a very difficult situation. The state had collapsed economically. Unfortunately, when Illig tried to fix this, he made things worse. He increased the taxes of the tribes affiliated to the Göktürks, that is, the people. First, the Turdushs, Uyghurs and Bayırkuls tribes, who were Turkic tribes, rebelled. Illig Qaghan tried to suppress these revolts but failed. Qaghan was helpless because he could not fight against the snow. The Turdushs further strengthened their rebel army and together with their leader Inan Qaghan established a new state in Central Asia, which is hostile to the Gokturks. After this famine that lasted until 630, everyone became an enemy to Illig Qaghan. Everyone had left him. But it was God, not him, who made the snow fall.

Second Göktürk-Tang War

The Tang Dynasty certainly knew that with the end of this falling snow, Illig Qaghan would be strengthened again. Already, Central Asia had passed into the hands of another Turkic state, the Turdush Khaganate. Only a small amount of lands remained in North China in the hands of Illig Qaghan and the Göktürks. The Tang Dynasty, which is also the Chinese state, wanted these lands and now they wanted to destroy Illig Qaghan and take revenge. Therefore, in 630, General Li-Ching set out with his sizable army to attack Illig Qaghan. Illig Qaghan, who now had almost no power left, could not even defend himself against this attack. He eventually lost his remaining army and was taken prisoner by the Tang army. Illig Qaghan was taken to the palace in the Tang capital as a prisoner of war. Emperor Taizong did not want to punish him. He wanted to appoint him as a Tang commander and make him governor. However, Illig Qaghan refused. He lived a captive life until 634 and died in 634. Although it is known that Emperor Taizong had a tomb built in his memory, this tomb has still not been found.