Khan's Den: Turkic and Steppe History

Emre-E. Yavuz

This is the story of the old Turkic steppe empires, told from the ancient sources. Who the Göktürks were, where the house of Ashina came from, how a people of smiths in the Altai built an empire from Manchuria to the Volga within a single generation, and who ruled the steppe before and after them. Every episode follows one chapter of that history in three acts. The sources speak for themselves: Chinese annals in the original Chinese, Old Turkic inscriptions in their own words, each in its own voice, with the English translation over them. Nothing is invented: no dialogue, no number, no name that a source does not give. And every episode ends with Set in Stone, where we look at what holds, what is reconstructed, and where the historians still disagree. KHAN’s DEN Podcast is produced by Emre-E. Yavuz. It is the official podcast of his Turkic Atlas, an encyclopedia of the old Turkic steppe empires from the Xiongnu to the Kirghiz of the Yenisei, with the source behind every statement, maps of the empires as they rose and fell, and a chronology year by year. In English, Turkish, German, Spanish and Japanese. https://turkicatlas.org

  1. 2d ago

    Tengrism, Shamanism & Animism: Key Differences in Turkic History

    What is the difference between Tengrism, shamanism and animism? Explore three often-confused concepts through the beliefs, rituals and historical sources of the Turkic peoples and the Eurasian steppe. Shortly before the year 600, readers in Constantinople learned that the Turks honoured fire, air, water and earth, worshipped the maker of heaven and earth, and had priests who foretold the future. Rather than a contradiction, this account offers a starting point for understanding three overlapping layers of faith. This documentary examines Ibn Fadlan's encounters with the Bashkirs and Oghuz, the shaman Diwan's rise and fall among the Rouran, the execution of Lars Nilsson in Lapland in 1693, the Orkhon inscriptions of the Göktürks, and the words of the Great Khan Möngke. Key themes Animism: A world full of spiritual lords, from the twelve lords of the Bashkirs to the sacred rocks of Futami. Shamanism: The mediator between worlds, from the Evenk origins of the word to Uyghur weather magic in 765. Faith and persecution: Lars Nilsson, as far as is known the only Sámi in Sweden executed for his faith. Spiritual and political power: Diwan among the Rouran and Teb Tenggeri alongside Genghis Khan. Tengrism: Heaven's role in enthroning the khan, with no mediator standing between them. Overlapping beliefs: Why these concepts can be understood as three layers of one faith rather than three separate religions. Sources: Theophylact Simocatta, Historiae VII 8; Ibn Fadlan, Risala (ed. Dahhan 1959); Xin Tang Shu 217下; Jiu Tang Shu 194上 and 195; Wei Shu 103; Zhou Shu 50; Sui Shu 84; Secret History of the Mongols §§ 244–246; William of Rubruck, Itinerarium XXXIII–XXXIV (ed. Wyngaert 1929); Kül Tegin and Tonyukuk inscriptions; Kutadgu Bilig; Edward B. Tylor, Primitive Culture (1871); Mircea Eliade, Le chamanisme (1951); and, for Lars Nilsson, the Arjeplog court records of 1691–1693 and the judgment of the Svea hovrätt (1692). On-screen quotations follow the wording of the sources. Historical photographs and engravings are documented in the image credits. All other images and scenes were created with AI. Maps © Emre-E Yavuz 2026. 00:00:00: Introduction00:01:24: Animism: A World Full of Lords00:04:56: Shamanism: The Mediator00:07:51: The Drum in the Fire00:09:49: When the Mediator Rules00:13:07: Tengrism: Between Heaven and the Khan Stood No One00:17:03: All at Once00:18:25: The Fingers of One Hand #TurkicHistory #Gokturks #SteppeHistory #Tengrism #shamanism #animism #Turkicreligion #Eurasiansteppe #Göktürks #Orkhoninscriptions #IbnFadlan #Bashkirs #Oghuz #Uyghurs #Rouran #Diwan #LarsNilsson #Sámihistory #TebTenggeri #GenghisKhan #MöngkeKhan See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6ae238e45c9368aee1cad26f Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Tengrism, Shamanism & Animism: Key Differences in Turkic History
  2. Oct 23

    Xiongnu Culture and Religion: Tengri, Shamans and the Skull Cup

    Around 43 BC, two Chinese envoys joined the Chanyu of the Xiongnu on a hill in present-day Mongolia. They sacrificed a white horse and drank its blood from a cup made from a king’s skull, calling on Heaven to punish whoever broke their oath. What did the Xiongnu believe? Explore their religion, culture and daily life through Chinese chronicles and archaeological discoveries, from sacred oaths and shamanic rituals to elite tombs filled with silk. Discover Chengli, the Heaven recorded by Chinese chroniclers, and its connections to Tengri and later Göktürk traditions. In this episode: The oath at the Nuoshui: a white horse, a sacred sword and a king’s skull cup. Chengli Gutu Chanyu: the title “Son of Heaven” and its connection to Tengri. Sacrificial assemblies honoring ancestors, Heaven, Earth and spirits, and the golden figure associated with the king of Xiutu. Shamans, the curse against Han general Li Guangli and spirits speaking in the name of a dead Chanyu. Everyday life on the steppe: horses, bows, herds, border markets and the fortified settlement of Ivolga. Women and power: the Yanzhi, Wang Zhaojun and high-ranking women in Xiongnu burial sites. The tombs of Noin-Ula: silk, felt carpets, embroidery and a lacquer cup from Sichuan. Were the Xiongnu Turkic? Evidence from language, titles, genetics, the name Bagatur and shared religious traditions. Sources: Sima Qian, Shiji (chapters 110 and 123); Ban Gu, Han Shu (chapters 55, 61, 68, 94 and 96); Fan Ye, Hou Han Shu (chapter 89); Jin Shu (chapter 95); Alexander Savelyev and Choongwon Jeong, “Early Nomads of the Eastern Steppe and Their Tentative Connections in the West,” Evolutionary Human Sciences 2 (2020), e20, CC BY 4.0. Archaeological and genetic research includes Miller et al. (2018), Lee et al. (2023) and Gnecchi-Ruscone et al. (2025). On-screen Chinese quotations follow the wording of the sources. Visual credits: The photograph of the Kül Tegin stele comes from the Finnish Orkhon expedition of 1890 (Heikel 1892, public domain). Other images and film scenes are AI-generated. Terrain flights: Elevation data from SRTM/GMTED via AWS Terrain Tiles; contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2023. A film by Emre-E Yavuz.Maps © Emre-E Yavuz 2026. 00:00:00: The oath00:00:50: Son of Heaven00:02:34: The assemblies and the golden man00:04:56: Shamans00:06:38: Life in the saddle00:08:42: The women of the steppe00:10:38: Tombs of silk00:12:25: The oath from the skull cup00:13:42: Were the Xiongnu Turkic? #Xiongnu #Tengri #Turkichistory #Göktürks #steppehistory #Xiongnureligion #Xiongnuculture #Chengli #Chanyu #shamans #skullcup #Nuoshuioath #Eurasiansteppe #ancientMongolia #Handynasty #LiGuangli #WangZhaojun #Yanzhi #Noin-Ula #Ivolga #Xiongnuarchaeology #Xiongnugenetics #Bagatur #Turkicorigins See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6adba156b4659aeaad6850db Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Xiongnu Culture and Religion: Tengri, Shamans and the Skull Cup
  3. Oct 21

    How the Xiongnu Outwitted Han China: The Traps of Baideng and Mayi

    How did the Xiongnu hold Han China in check for seventy years? Explore the steppe strategy, diplomacy and deception behind the siege of Baideng and the failed ambush at Mayi. In the winter of 200 BC, Emperor Gaozu, founder of the Han dynasty, spent seven days trapped on a snowy hill, surrounded by Modu's Xiongnu horsemen. Their horses were arranged by colour: white in the west, grey in the east, black in the north and chestnut in the south. This documentary follows the rivalry from Modu's rise to the costly wars that followed. Key themes: Modu's whistling arrow and the ruthless discipline of his riders. The Donghu's demands for a horse, a wife and land—and why Modu went to war over wasteland. The scout who warned Gaozu against advancing into a trap. The siege of Baideng, the gift to the Yanzhi and Gaozu's escape through the fog. Heqin marriage diplomacy, silk tribute and Modu's proposal to Empress Dowager Lü. Zhonghang Yue, the Han defector who advised the Xiongnu to distrust China. The Mayi ambush: 300,000 men and a watchtower that exposed the plan. Wei Qing, Huo Qubing and the high price of Han victory. Sources: Sima Qian, Shiji (chapters 99, 108, 110, 111 and 123); Ban Gu, Han Shu (chapters 52 and 94). Chinese quotations shown on screen follow the wording of these sources. Visuals and maps: Some images and all film scenes are AI-generated. Maps are based on the Turkic Atlas time map, with some neighbouring states adapted from Cliopatria (Seshat), CC BY 4.0, and relief based on Natural Earth. A film by Emre-E Yavuz.Maps © Emre-E Yavuz 2026. 00:00:00: Seven days on the hill00:00:50: The whistling arrow00:03:13: Horse, wife, land00:05:04: The man in chains00:06:51: Seven days on Baideng00:08:57: The bride and the letter00:11:40: The eunuch who did not want to go00:13:54: The trap of Mayi00:16:33: The war begins #Xiongnu #Modu #Turkichistory #Steppehistory #Göktürks #Handynasty #AncientChina #Baideng #SiegeofBaideng #Mayiambush #EmperorGaozu #Donghu #Heqin #EmpressDowagerLü #ZhonghangYue #WeiQing #HuoQubing #Han-Xiongnuwars #Steppewarfare #SimaQian See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6ad97cccb4659aeaad63ae6d Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    How the Xiongnu Outwitted Han China: The Traps of Baideng and Mayi
  4. Oct 16

    Erlik, Ülgen and Turkic Mythology: An Exploration of Gods and Legends

    The Turkic peoples' myths and deities extend beyond the Göktürks' known entities, Tengri, Umay, and the Yer-Su. Explore the realms of Kayra Khan, Ak Ana, and Erlik, the underworld lord, and tales of a moon-eating monster, a liver-stealing woman, and a mountain of iron. Delve into the primeval sea, the night sky with Yelbeğen, and Ulukayın, the tree of life. Discover the spirits of hearth and lake, the forest's call, and the legend of Ergenekon. The episode answers key questions: Did the Göktürks know these gods? What does their cosmos look like? What were the consequences of defying their rules? Key Topics: The Primeval Sea: Kayra Khan, Ak Ana, and Erlik's origins The Night Sky: Yelbeğen, Altınkazık, and Ülker The Tree of Life: Ulukayın and Beyterek Birth in the Tent: Albastı, Aysit, and Umay Hearth and House: İye spirits and Şahmeran The Call in the Forest: Arçura and Bayanay The White Deer: Shemo and the sea god's daughter Two Heroes, Two Monsters: Oghuz Khan and Tepegöz Ergenekon: The iron mountain legend The Mountain of Fortune: The Uyghurs' lost realm Explore Turkic history from original sources on TurkicAtlas.org. A film by Emre-E Yavuz, featuring maps © Emre-E Yavuz 2026. 0:00: The Three Powers: Tengri, Umay and the Yer-Su1:46: The Primeval Sea: Kayra Khan and Ak Ana3:50: The Night Sky: Yelbeğen, Altınkazık and Ülker6:20: The Tree of Life: Ulukayın and Kübey8:41: Birth in the Tent: Albastı11:08: Hearth, House and Lake: the İye and Şahmeran14:57: The Call in the Forest: Arçura and Bayanay16:57: The White Deer: Shemo and the Sea God18:49: Two Heroes, Two Monsters: Oghuz Khan, Basat and Tepegöz23:13: The Valley with No Way Out: Ergenekon25:16: The Mountain of Fortune: Kut Tag27:55: Back to the Stones: Tengri and the Kut #TurkicMythology #Erlik #Ülgen #Göktürks #KayraKhan #AkAna #Ergenekon #Tengri #Umay #Yer-Su See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6ad266cd294953c22e937ebc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Erlik, Ülgen and Turkic Mythology: An Exploration of Gods and Legends
  5. Oct 13

    Ötüken: The Sacred Forest No Khan Should Leave

    In 732, Bilge Khan warned future Turks with the words carved on his brother Kül Tegin's stone: "Türk people, you will die!" This warning was for those leaving Ötüken to head south. But what is Ötüken, without walls or palaces, and why did every steppe ruler crave it? Episode 5 explores the sacred forest of the Göktürks through their own inscriptions and Chinese chronicles: from the Rouran's walled city and throne struggles at Mount Dujin, to Tonyukuk's return, Bilge's caution against China’s allure, and the empires following the Göktürks. Holding Ötüken meant ruling the steppe, leaving it meant losing an empire. This Episode Covers: The stone warning: Bilge Khan’s words to unborn Turks The sacred forest: Ötüken's location and its significance The wall versus the forest: Rouran's Anagui and Bumin's 552 victory Throne struggles post-Taspar: Ishbara's forest departure Half a century under the emperor: Xueyantuo's fall at Yudujun Returning to Ötüken: Ilterish, Tonyukuk, and a new empire Bilge's caution: Trade welcomed, but no migration and the Chinese artists aiding stone construction Post-Göktürks era: Uyghurs at Ordu-Baliq and Kyrgyz and Karakorum 0:00: The Warning0:55: The Sacred Forest3:03: The Wall or the Forest5:07: Who Sits at Dujin7:33: Silk and Sweet Words9:40: Back to the Forest11:22: The Warning on the Stone13:59: After the Göktürks #Ötüken #BilgeKhan #Göktürks #TurkicHistory #SteppeRulers #SacredForest #Rouran #MountDujin #Tonyukuk #ChineseChronicles See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6ace72510921695c7bd9bce5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Ötüken: The Sacred Forest No Khan Should Leave
  6. Oct 11

    Episode 1: Origins of the Türk Ashina: The Wolf’s Children

    Discover the intriguing origins of the Ashina, the ruling house of the Göktürks. Chinese histories suggest three fascinating tales: a boy nurtured by a she-wolf in a secluded valley near Turfan, the wolf-born siblings from Suo, north of the Xiongnu, and 500 families escaping the Northern Wei in 439 to become Rouran smiths in the Altai. Listen as these stories are narrated directly from the sources in their original Chinese versions and ponder their historical significance. Key Moments00:00 The golden wolf on the standard00:59 Introduction02:45 Act I: The She-Wolf06:28 Act II: The Brothers of Suo10:22 Act III: Five Hundred Families14:13 The smiths of the Altai16:44 Set in Stone19:39 The cave of the forebears20:43 The Turkic Atlas Sources Quoted:Zhou Shu (Book of the Zhou), chapter 50Sui Shu (Book of the Sui), chapter 84Bei Shi, chapter 99, and Tongdian, chapter 197Wei Shu (Book of the Wei), annals of Emperor Taiwu For further reading, explore Yang et al. (2023), “Ancient genome of Empress Ashina”. Begin with the Ashina in the Turkic Atlas: https://turkicatlas.org/lineages/ashina/ Narrated by Dan Akers. 00:00: The golden wolf on the standard00:59: Introduction02:45: Act I: The She-Wolf06:28: Act II: The Brothers of Suo10:22: Act III: Five Hundred Families14:13: The smiths of the Altai16:44: Set in Stone19:39: The cave of the forebears20:43: The Turkic Atlas #Ashina #Göktürks #Chinesehistories #Turfan #Xiongnu #NorthernWei #Rouran #TurkicAtlas #she-wolf See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6acbcf4d0921695c7bbcc65a Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Episode 1: Origins of the Türk Ashina: The Wolf’s Children
  7. Oct 9

    Tengrism: Exploring the Ancient Turkic Religion

    In 711 at Bolchu, the wise Göktürk general Tonyukuk called upon Tengri as his horsemen charged the Türgesh army. But who was this Tengri, mentioned on Göktürk stones? Was Tengri a distant sky or a deity who elevated khans, granted empires, and reclaimed them? This episode delves into the faith of ancient Turks through their inscriptions and neighbor accounts—from Tengri and Umay to sacred spirits of earth and water, Erlik, Uçmag, and the World Tree. Known today as Tengrism, it was the original faith of all Turkic peoples. Highlights: ► The Battle of Bolchu and Tonyukuk's prayer to Tengri ► The heavens in Göktürk inscriptions and Chinese annals ► Kut, Umay, and the elevation of khans ► The Yer-Su, holy forest of Ötüken, and other sacred elements ► Rites under the sky, including purification by fire and ancestral offerings ► Discussions on temples and cities ► Uçmag, Erlik, and the World Tree: death and purification ► Tengri in various texts and among different Turkic groups Chapters: 0:00 The Battle of Bolchu 2:27 The God of the Turks 5:45 Kut and Umay 8:49 The Sacred Earth 11:40 Rites under the Open Sky 15:08 Whose Sky Is It Anyway? 18:50 Uçmag, Erlik and the World Tree 21:31 The Mountains of God Sources: Inscriptions of Tonyukuk, Kül Tegin, Bilge Khan, and others. Quotations follow Old Turkic texts. Neighboring state maps after Cliopatria, CC BY 4.0. Artwork by Vikki93, Mervearte, Alper Anayurdu, and Bartu İmamtorunu. Ötüken illustration by Emre-E Yavuz. 0:00: The Battle of Bolchu2:27: The God of the Turks5:45: Kut and Umay8:49: The Sacred Earth11:40: Rites under the Open Sky15:08: Whose Sky Is It Anyway?18:50: Uçmag, Erlik and the World Tree21:31: The Mountains of God #Tengrism #Göktürks #Tonyukuk #Tengri #Turkicreligion #Umay #Erlik #WorldTree #Göktürkinscriptions #ancientTurks See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6ac92c4ac4e68c30e39bf179 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Tengrism: Exploring the Ancient Turkic Religion
  8. Oct 6

    The Ancient Turkic Töre: A Journey through Law and Justice

    For over a millennium, between China and the Black Sea, there were peoples whose laws were never written down, yet their order amazed neighboring societies. A Greek residing with the Huns remarked to a Roman envoy that justice had a price in Rome. A khan of the Göktürks inscribed, "For the naked people I found clothing." This order was known as Töre. Topics Covered:▸ El and Töre: Realm and law on the Orkhon inscriptions▸ Laws unrecorded, documented by outsiders: Sima Qian on the Xiongnu, Zhonghang Yue at the Chanyu's court, Priscus at Attila's court▸ The Göktürks' four crimes in the Zhou Shu and the use of compensation for disputes▸ Widows, kin, the khan, and his people in works by Menander, al-Jahiz, and Ibn Fadlan▸ Life under Töre, the twelve-animal calendar, and nature's children Historical Journey:▸ The sacred land from Modu Chanyu to Bilge Khan, the 581 throne struggle, the oath, and the 630 loss of the realm▸ The comeback under Ilteriş and Bilge Khan's inscriptions about Töre Chapters:0:00 Cold Open0:51 El and Töre1:37 A Law Without Writing2:09 The Huns of Asia3:03 Zhonghang Yue4:15 The Greek at Attila's Court5:22 Four Crimes6:38 Widows and Kin7:36 The Khan and His People8:54 The Word and the Guest10:45 A Year Under the Töre11:44 Children of Nature13:16 The Sacred Land14:42 The Throne16:09 The Oath16:41 Loss and Return19:05 Ending Sources: Shiji, Zhou Shu, Sui Shu, Jiu Tang Shu, Priscus, Menander Protector, al-Jahiz, Ibn Fadlan, Juvayni, and the Book of Dede Korkut. Quotations follow Old Turkic texts. Maps © Emre-E Yavuz 2026. 0:00: Cold Open0:51: El and Töre1:37: A Law Without Writing2:09: The Huns of Asia3:03: Zhonghang Yue4:15: The Greek at Attila's Court5:22: Four Crimes6:38: Widows and Kin7:36: The Khan and His People8:54: The Word and the Guest10:45: A Year Under the Töre11:44: Children of Nature13:16: The Sacred Land14:42: The Throne16:09: The Oath16:41: Loss and Return19:05: Ending #TurkicTöre #Göktürks #Orkhoninscriptions #Xiongnu #Attila'scourt #OldTurkichistory See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6ac5381b89f23ac215879892 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    The Ancient Turkic Töre: A Journey through Law and Justice

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

This is the story of the old Turkic steppe empires, told from the ancient sources. Who the Göktürks were, where the house of Ashina came from, how a people of smiths in the Altai built an empire from Manchuria to the Volga within a single generation, and who ruled the steppe before and after them. Every episode follows one chapter of that history in three acts. The sources speak for themselves: Chinese annals in the original Chinese, Old Turkic inscriptions in their own words, each in its own voice, with the English translation over them. Nothing is invented: no dialogue, no number, no name that a source does not give. And every episode ends with Set in Stone, where we look at what holds, what is reconstructed, and where the historians still disagree. KHAN’s DEN Podcast is produced by Emre-E. Yavuz. It is the official podcast of his Turkic Atlas, an encyclopedia of the old Turkic steppe empires from the Xiongnu to the Kirghiz of the Yenisei, with the source behind every statement, maps of the empires as they rose and fell, and a chronology year by year. In English, Turkish, German, Spanish and Japanese. https://turkicatlas.org

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