Zhenzhu Khan

Zhenzhu Khan (inčü qağan, 真珠可汗) (died October 21, 645), personal name Yi'nan (夷男), full regal title Zhenzhupiqie Khan (真珠毗伽可汗), was a khan of Xueyantuo, under whom Xueyantuo rose from being a vassal of Eastern Tujue to a mighty khanate ruling over northern/central Asia. During his reign, Xueyantuo largely aligned with China's Tang Dynasty, even though the two states were at odds at times, with the most serious dispute involving Tang's attempt to reestablish Eastern Tujue as a vassal state under the Qilibi Khan Ashina Simo—an attempt that eventually failed due to frequent incursions by Yi'nan's army against Ashina Simo. Throughout Yi'nan's reign, Xueyantuo remained powerful despite Tang attempts to curb its power, but after Yi'nan's death, a succession dispute between his sons, Bazhuo and Yemang (曳莽), led to Bazhuo's killing of Yemang and subsequent internal unrest. Further, Bazhuo attacked Tang, resulting in a major Tang retaliation campaign that, along with a revolt by the Huige, led to Xueyantuo's destruction in 646.

It is not known when Yi'nan was born, but it is known that he was the grandson of the Yiedie Khan Yishibo, who was the first ruler of the Xueyantuo, then a constituent tribe of the Chile confederation, which was then submitting to the rule of Eastern Tujue khans. It was said that at the time Yi'nan was initially Xueyantuo's ruler under Eastern Tujue's Jiali Khan Ashina Duobi, Yi'nan had 70,000 tents of people under him.

By 627, it was said that because of Ashina Duobi's misrule, several of the stronger members of the Chile, including Xueyantuo, Huige, and Bayegu (拔野谷), rebelled. Ashina Duobi sent his nephew Ashina Yugu to attack the Chile rebels with some 400,000 horsemen, but were defeated by an army of only 5,000 horsemen commanded by the Huige chieftain Pusa (菩薩). At the same time, Xueyantuo also defeated four Eastern Tujue generals, and Ashina Duobi could not respond adequately. Ashina Duobi then sent Ashina Yugu's brother, the subordinate Tuli Khan Ashina Shibobi (阿史那什鉢苾), against the Chile, but the Huige and the Xueyantuo both defeated Ashina Shibobi, causing him to flee. (Ashina Duobi's subsequent anger at and brief detention of Ashina Shibobi eventually led to Ashina Shibobi also rebelling and entering into an alliance with Tang.)

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