Xueyantuo

The Xueyantuo (薛延陀) (Seyanto, Se-yanto, Se-Yanto) or Syr-Tardush were an ancient Tiele Turkic people and Turkic khanate in central/northern Asia who were at one point vassals of the Gokturks, later aligning with China's Tang Dynasty against the Eastern Gokturks. Xueyantuo started from Selenga River/Xueyanhe River (薛延河江/偰輦河江), so tribe name is Seyanto/Xueyantuo (薛延陀), Chinese Han character undergo considerable revision by rise and fall of Chinese Dynasty, so have many name as Xueyantuo, Xueyanhe, Xienianhe, Seyanto, Selenga, Selyanha, etc.

History

Initially the Xue and the Yantuo were two separate tribes. The Xue appeared earlier as Xinli but were not referred to again until the 7th century. After Yishibo, the Xueyantuo founded a short-lived Qaghanate over the steppe under Zhenzhu Khan, his son Duomi Khan and nephew Yitewushi Khan, the last of which eventually surrendered to the Chinese.

On March 27, 630, the Xueyantuo allied with the Chinese to defeat the Eastern Qaghanate in the Yin Mountains. Illig Qaghan escaped, but was handed over to the Chinese by his subordinate qaghan on May 2.