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. 4d ago

    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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Oct 2

    Exploring the Asena Legend: Göktürks' Wolf Ancestry Revealed

    Above the khan's gate stood a golden wolf's head, a potent symbol from Chinese annals reflecting the Göktürks' remembrance of their origins. This origin story revolves around Asena: a boy saved by a she-wolf, a mysterious cave with a verdant plain, and ten sons birthing the Ashina dynasty. The episode delves into various versions of the legend, from the earliest account in the Zhou Shu (636), to the Sui Shu, and a later narrative where Asena departs the cave with her sons. Discover the tale of Suo, Ichinishidu's birth from a she-wolf, and the birth of Türk. Explore three genealogical lines in one chapter, the Gansu exodus in 439, and the significance of iron in the Altai. Visualize the fuli bodyguards, wolf-head standards, and Bugut stone wolf reliefs. Uncover insights from the Orkhon inscriptions about the wolf, the Wusun she-wolf in the Shiji, and the Cave of the Ancestors. Chapters:0:00 Cold open0:18 The Legend2:07 The Second Version2:39 The Third Version: Suo4:12 Three Descents4:37 Flight and Iron5:25 What Could Be Seen5:58 The Bugut Stone6:35 What the Stones Say7:03 The She-Wolf of the Wusun7:50 Heaven, Cave, Mountain8:36 Ending Explore more on TurkicAtlas.org, a digital encyclopedia of Old Turkic history. Created by Emre-E Yavuz. Maps by Emre-E Yavuz © 2026. 0:00: Cold open0:18: The Legend2:07: The Second Version2:39: The Third Version: Suo4:12: Three Descents4:37: Flight and Iron5:25: What Could Be Seen5:58: The Bugut Stone6:35: What the Stones Say7:03: The She-Wolf of the Wusun7:50: Heaven, Cave, Mountain8:36: Ending #Göktürks #AsenaLegend #TurkicHistory #WolfAncestry #AshinaDynasty #OrkhonInscriptions #BugutStone #Wusun See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6ac0700dd771ba0fa388c9d9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Exploring the Asena Legend: Göktürks' Wolf Ancestry Revealed
  7. Sep 30

    Decoding the Orkhon Inscriptions: The Göktürks' Voice

    “Let the Türk people not perish. Let them be a people again.” In 732, Bilge Khan inscribed these words in the Orkhon valley for his brother Kül Tegin. Alongside Tonyukuk's pillars, they form the longest texts where the Göktürks express their thoughts: from the empire's founding, years under Chinese rule, their new start with seventeen men, to their deity, Tengri. In this episode, discover: ▸ The steles of Kül Tegin (732) and Bilge Khan (734) on the Orkhon, Tonyukuk's pillars on the Tola, and the appearance of the memorial complexes with shrines, statues, and balbal rows. ▸ How Vilhelm Thomsen deciphered the script in 1893, with Wilhelm Radloff's first edition in 1895. ▸ The Old Turkic runic script: featuring around 40 signs, read right to left, with dual signs for many consonants. ▸ Tengri, Earth and Water, Umay, Kut and Töre: insights into belief from the stones and perspectives from younger sources on Tengrism. ▸ Ilterish's rise: from 17 to 70 to 700 men, forming an empire spanning Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and northeastern China. ▸ Bilge Khan's address to his people: the "sweet words" of the Chinese, the significance of the Ötüken forest, and the enduring legacy on stone. Chapters 0:00 Prologue 0:25 The Stones on the Orkhon 1:02 The Memorial Complex 1:54 The Decipherment 2:27 The Script 3:09 Tengri and Göktürk Cosmology 4:16 What the Stones Tell 5:17 The Speech to the People 6:20 Epilogue The quotations are from the inscriptions of Kül Tegin, Bilge Khan, and Tonyukuk, with some abridgment. Maps and scenes are modern interpretations, not archaeological finds. The stele's crown bears the ibex tamga of the Ashina. 0:00: Prologue0:25: The Stones on the Orkhon1:02: The Memorial Complex1:54: The Decipherment2:27: The Script3:09: Tengri and Göktürk Cosmology4:16: What the Stones Tell5:17: The Speech to the People6:20: Epilogue #OrkhonInscriptions #Göktürks #BilgeKhan #KülTegin #Tonyukuk #Tengri #OldTurkicscript #Tengrism #CentralAsianhistory See show notes: https://inlet.fm/khans-den/episodes/6abd4e86395295918fefcff3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Decoding the Orkhon Inscriptions: The Göktürks' Voice

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