Kingdoms of the Far East - Rouran Khaganate

Starting in the fourth century AD a general invasion of nomadic tribes began to overwhelm southern Central Asia and northern South Asia (a region which can be combined under the label of 'eastern Iran'). This wave of barbarian invasions is attributed to tribal confederations which originated on the Central Asian steppe to overwhelm longstanding Indo-Iranian populations (see feature link).

Claimed as being inner Asians, Turkic groups may in part be related to the Xiongnu, and can best be described as Turko-Mongolians (see map link, right, for more details about early Turks). The first fully-formed Turkic ethnic group was that of the 'Gök Türks' (or Göktürks). Semi-nomads who dwelt largely in Mongolia, they emerged into history in the early sixth century AD from obscure tribal origins.

However, they were preceded by the Rouran khaganate. In fact they took part in that khaganate's destruction to establish their own power. The Rouran are recorded in contemporary or near-contemporary Chinese works by many variations of that name. The list includes Datan, Huangrui, Heru, Ruirui, Ruru, and Tantan.

Of those, 'Datan' and 'Tantan' may or may not be personal names (Datan Khan ruled between 414-429). As for 'Ruru', there appears to be a level of scholarly agreement that this is the name for the Rouran core territory itself. Traditionally at least, Mugulü was the founder of the Rouran group, but that group may still have carried the Xianbei name during his lifetime.

This would appear to be in the fourth century AD, when these particular Xianbei were an enslaved part of the Tuoba tribe which also founded the Northern Wei, part proto-Mongolian and part early Turkic. Mugulü's son, Cheluhuihui, had a following - a population group - which referred to itself as 'Rouran'. This name was subsequently adopted on a wider basis and the Rouran were able to establish a khanate in the northern desert in the fifth century AD. This act followed a degree of fresh independence after the bulk of the Tuoba migrated southwards.

The Rouran language was proto-Mongolian, related to that of similar early northern nomads such as the Xiongnu and Donghu. The latter were direct Rouran ancestors, via the post-Donghu Xianbei people. Initially shamanists, they later converted to Buddhism.

From the end of the fourth century AD to the middle of the sixth, the Rouran succeeded the Xiongnu and Xianbei as a powerful force on the Mongolian plateau. Along with the Turkic Chi-Le they were active across the vast plain of north-western China, a time which coincided with the 'Sixteen Kingdoms' and 'Northern and Southern Dynasties' periods of Chinese history. Territory involved much of today's Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, as well as parts of Manchuria in north-eastern China, eastern Siberia, Xinjiang, and Kazakhstan.

Rulers were khans, a title which was descended from the 'chanyu' of the Xiongnu (very likely the same word, pronounced with a hard 'ch'). At its peak the khanate defeated the Tiele in territory around the River Tula. Its power spread from north to south across the Gobi Desert, reaching the River Selenge and the shores of Lake Baikal in the north, the northern foot of the Yin mountains in the south, and the Greater Khingan range to the north-east.

There it connected with Didouyu, now the area of the Xiwuzhumuqin Banner grassland region and Tongliao City in Inner Mongolia's Xilingol League (one of the three leagues of Inner Mongolia). To its south-east it bordered the Kumo Xi and Khitan (founders of the later Qara-Khitaï empire), along the River Xilamulun. It reached as far to the west as the Junggar basin, the Ili river basin (home of the now-sedentary Wusun), and Lake Balkhash.

At this utmost extent of its power on one occasion it was able to reach into the Tarim Basin, home to descendants of the Tocharians, and was able to force the nearby Wusun to submit. The khanate was eventually destroyed though. It was the subjugated Asen who were responsible, and they quickly created the Göktürk khanate to succeed the Rouran khanate.

After a short-lived and unsuccessful attempt to ensure the Rouran khanate's survival through a hurried list of elected successor khans, Rouran elements were absorbed or scattered. Some merged with the Shiwei who provided part of the basis for later Mongol identity.

Modern research has also raised the possibility that Rouran elements may have provided at least part of the basis for the first Avar khanate in Eastern Europe (see feature link for more on Avars). The rapid westwards expansion of the Göktürk empire across the steppe could have served to push Rouran remnants into the Pannonian plain at the steppe's westernmost point.

Like most of East Asia's pastoral nomad peoples, Rouran males would braid their long hair and shave part of the forehead. They lived in felt huts, today commonly known as yurts, migrating along the rivers with the change of season without any agriculture to support them. The Rouran had no script, instead noting important information as marks on wooden sticks.

Far East Kingdoms

Central Asia

Images and text copyright © all contributors mentioned on this page. An original king list page for the History Files.