Life

Tardu was the second yabgu of the Western wing of Turkic Khaganate and second khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate. He was the son of Istemi Yabgu. The Turkic Khaganate was a vast khaganate (empire); from Manchuria and the Great Wall of China to the Black sea. It was impossible to govern the whole khaganate from a certain capital. So while the eastern part was directly ruled by the khagan (emperor), the western part was governed by the yabgu (warlord) on behalf of the khagan. The capital of the west was Ordukent. Istemi, who was the khagan's brother, was the first and Tardu was the second yabgu.

Civil War and First Göktürk-Sui War

Tardu became the yabgu in 575. That year, he met the Byzantine ambassador Valentinius. Being a very ambitious yabgu, he was planning to seize power in the entire khaganate. While the east part of the khaganate suffered from civil war, Tardu was waiting for a suitable moment to realize his plans. After the Battle of Blarathon in 591 in Sassanid Persia, Bahram Chobin who was a short-term Sassanid emperor, sought asylum in Western Turks. A spy named Sun-Sheng, who was friends with Ishbara Qaghan, went hunting with him, and discovered the country's borders, military power and geographical structure one by one. He presented what he had learned as a report to Emperor Wen of Sui. The most important part of this report was that the Turks can only be destroyed by civil wars! Thereupon, while the Apa Qaghan rebellion was still going on, Emperor Wen sent an envoy to Tardu. Emperor said that he deserved the throne and was stronger than Ishbara. At the same time, he sent an envoy to Ishbara's brother Bagha and started to incite him against his brother. Ishbara was not stupid. He heard all those. Therefore, he said that he would prepare his army and make the biggest attack in Göktürk history against the Sui Dynasty. He also summoned other nobles in the country, including Apa Qaghan, to this army. Apa, on the other hand, had agreed to become governor in the north. Tardu, Bagha Apa and Ishbara had prepared and set out for the land of Sui. The country of Sui suffered heavy losses in the face of this unexpected attack. There was no land that was not burned or looted in Northern Sui. The Göktürks captured many cities and castles in the north. Ishbara was now close to the capital Chanan. The Sui capital was besieged. However, Emperor Wen's efforts of discord and treachery were not in vain. Tardu took his armies and left the war for no reason. And a rebellion started in Turkic Khaganate. Ishbara, on the other hand, had to leave the war unfinished and return.

Western Turkic Khaganate

Tardu Qaghan first rebelled and established a state in the west called the Western Turkic Khaganate. Apa Qaghan revolted again. Ishbara defeated him, but Apa fled and took refuge in Tardu. Serious uprisings continued in the west of the country. Ishbara was so helpless that she made peace with the Sui Emperor and sought his help. Emperor Wen's treacherous plans were going very well. Emperor Wen now saw Ishbara as a needy person. He thought that he wasn't a threat anymore and sent him help. With this help, Ishbara defeated Apa again.

Third Göktürk-Sui War

Tulan Qaghan became the new khagan in 588 after the unexpected death of his uncle Bagha Qaghan. Meanwhile, the Sui Dynasty destroyed the southern Chinese states and began to rule China alone. Some statesmen from the states in the south fled to Göktürk lands to take shelter to Tayi, the Chinese princess wife of Tulan Qaghan. Tayi also wanted to dethrone Sui Emperor Wen and become empress himself. She tried to persuade Tulan Qaghan to start a war for this. However, the Sui Dynasty learned about these events and wanted Tayi to die. Tulan, who did not have much power, killed his wife in order not to start a war. However, Emperor Wen still didn't trust Tulan. He said that Yami, who was the governor in the north and brother of Tulan, would take support for the throne. Tulan Qaghan was enraged and no longer wanted to seek help from the Sui Dynasty for the civil war. Instead, he allied himself with Tulan Qaghan, ruler of the Western Turkic Khaganate. After suppressing the Yami Qaghan rebellion, Tulan and Tardu felt it was time to attack the Sui Dynasty. That's why he attacked Sui lands again with Tardu Qaghan. But this was a futile effort. Tardu and Tulan failed to defeat the much stronger Sui Dynasty and retreated. It was Yami who profited the most from this war. Tulan's brother Yami was proclaimed Qaghan by Emperor Wen. Sui was unequivocally supportive of Yami.

Death

In 599 Tardu declared himself to be khagan of the united khaganate (east and west). But his new status was not recognised widely. Probably to persuade the kurultai, he began a campaign against China. But unlike the Turks of the eastern part, his target of the campaign was too far away and his army suffered intensely from the poisoned water wells during the long expedition through the steppe. Finally, he had to retreat without serious combat, but this defeat was disastrous for him. After a rebellion of his subjects, he disappeared (was likely killed) in 603 or 604.