On the Kabül Tegin-Shahs in Early Middle ages in Kabul valley

The formation of the Kabül Tegin-Shahs in the valley of Kabul in the early Middle Ages shows the increased activity of the Turkic ethnic groups in the region together with the local Indian and Iranian peoples. In our opinion, most likely, this position must have been due to the political activities of the Western Turkic Kaganate. Because, the written sources contain information on submission of Gibin/Kapisa (north of Kabul) to Western Turkic Kagan Tun-Yabgu. It is difficult to express a final opinion on the ethnicity of the Türk Shahi. They can be linked with the Ashina Turks through kinship with the dynasty of the Tokharistan Yabgu, the representatives of which were descendants of Thun Yabgu-Kagan. The reign of the Türk Shahi dynasty was established in the valley of Kabul, most probably not in the 660s, but a little earlier in the 630s-640s. Because, Hsüan-tsang, who visited these areas during his journey, carried out in 629-645, witnessed that the ruler in the valley of Kabul was a man of the Turks. Despite the fact that to the personality of Barhatekin, the first Turkic ruler of the Kabul valley, the attention was paid in the research works on this topic as early as the late nineteenth century, the scholars have not yet come to final conclusions about this person: who he was, when he lived, the years of his reign, etc. This name can be associated with the word baraq/haraq, which in ancient and modern Turkic languages has the meaning “a shaggy dog”. In addition, taking into account a very close resemblance to the legend of Barhatekin which Biruni renders in his book “India” in connection with the origin of the Turkic dynasty of Kabul, with the legend of the origin of the Ashina dynasty, it can be concluded that the origin of the Turkic dynasty of Kabul should be linked with the Ashina Turks. However, the information given by Biruni in his book “India”, is also the basis for the study of the Turkic dynasty that ruled in historic North India, divided into two branches. This dynasty can be divided into two branches: the eastern branch – Kabulshah’s – with the political center in Kabul and Gandhara/Kapisa and the western branch - Rutbili of Zabulistan and Ar-Ruhhadja (Arachosia).

Keywords

Kabül vadisi, Zabulistan, Toharistan, Kabül Tegin-Şahleri, Toharistan Yabguları