Kul Tigin

Kul Tigin (Old Turkic:, Kultegin, (闕特勒/阙特勤, Pinyin: quètèqín, Wade-Giles: chüeh-t'e-ch'in, AD 684–731) was a general of the Second Turkic Khaganate. He was a second son of Ilterish Shad and the younger brother of Bilge Kagan.

During the reign of Mochuo Kagan, Kul Tigin and his older brother earned reputation for their military prowess. They defeated Kyrgyz, Turgesh, and Karluks, extending the Kaganate territory all the way to the Iron Gates (modern day Derbent in Dagestan). They also subjugated all nine of the Tokuz Oguz tribes.

Upon the death of Mochuo Kagan, Mochuo's son attempted to illegally ascend to the throne, defying the traditional Lateral succession law, but Kül-Tegin refused to recognize the takeover. He raised an army, attacked, and killed Mochuo's son and his trusted followers. He raised his elder brother Mojilian, who took the title Bilge (The Wise) Kagan, and took the title of Shad, an equivalent of commander-in-chief of the army for himself.

In 731 Kül-Tegin fell ill and died. A stele in memory of Kul Tigin, which included inscriptions in both the Turkic and Chinese, was erected at his memorial complex at the present site of Khöshöö-Tsaidam-2. Kül-Tegin is also mentioned in the inscription erected in memory of his older brother Bilge Kagan at the neighbouring site of Khöshöö-Tsaidam-1.

Prince Kül-Tegin descended from the Gold (Kagan's) clan of the ancient Türkic dynastic tribe Ashina (Hot.-Sak. blue) called Shar-Duly (Middle Persian zarr duli "Golden bird Duli", i.e. "Golden/Red Raven"). All royal Oguzes traced their descent from this mythical bird Dulu/Tulu. The headdress on the glabella part of Kül-Tegin sculpture in the Husho-Tsaidam enclave (Orkhon, Northern Mongolia) carries a bird with wings spread like an eagle, personifying a Raven.