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Emperor Taizong of Tang (r. 626–649) of Tang dynasty China, after subjugating the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, began to exert his military power toward the Western Regions, then dominated by the Western Turkic Khaganate as well as a number of city-states loosely allied with them. In 640, Emperor Taizong sent the military commander Hou Junji to defeat and annex Gaochang—the first attempt by any Chinese dynasty to set up a permanent military and political presence in the region since Fú Jiān in the 4th Century.〔Bo Yang, ''Outlines of the History of the Chinese'', vol. 2, pp. 513-515.〕 In 644, after Yanqi—an ally in the campaign against Gaochang—turned against Tang and allied with the Western Turkic Khaganate, Tang's commandant at Gaochang, , attacked and captured Yanqi's king , but Yanqi subsequently escaped. In 648, the ethnically Turkic Tang general who was the second son of Shibi Khan, attacked both Yanqi (Karasahr) and Kucha (龜茲, Qiuzi in modern Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang), conquering both. Shule and Yutian then also submitted to Tang, allowing the dynasty to dominate the region until it was briefly seized by Tibet during the reign of Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong. == Background == (詳細はEastern Turkic Khaganate, the Western Turkic Khaganate did not pose a major threat to the Tang dynasty in the early years of Tang's existence, as it was farther from Tang territory and not attacking Tang. Moreover, the Western Turkic Khaganate constantly suffered from internal divisions and was unable to focus itself against the Tang. Its hegemony over the Western Regions therefore remained unchallenged by Tang. In turn, both the Western Turkic Khaganate itself and its vassal-allies in the region at times nominally submitted to Tang overlordship. For example, in 619, soon after Emperor Gaozu established the dynasty in 618 and was still battling for supremacy over China with a number of rival rulers, both the Western Turkic Khaganate's Tongyehu Khan Ashina Tong and Gaochang's king Qu Boya submitted tributes to him. In 625, Ashina Tong sought marriage with a Tang princess, and Emperor Gaozu initially agreed, but the Eastern Turkic Khaganate's Illig Qaghan Ashina Duobi was displeased about the potential of a Tang-Western Turkic alliance and warned Ashina Tong against it, such that the marriage never took place. In 626, Emperor Gaozu's son Li Shimin the Prince of Qin, who had been in an intense rivalry with his older brother Li Jiancheng the Crown Prince, ambushed and killed Li Jiancheng and another brother who supported LI Jiancheng, Li Yuanji the Prince of Qi, at Xuanwu Gate. He then effectively forced Emperor Gaozu to first create him crown prince and then pass the throne to him (as Emperor Taizong). After Emperor Taizong took the throne, in 628, Ashina Tong was killed by his uncle, Ashina Moheduo, who seized the throne (as Qulipiqie Khan). However, some of the people supported Ashina Tong's son Ashina Dieli as khan (as Siyehu Khan). Both sought aid and marriage from Tang, and Emperor Taizong declined both. Eventually, in 630, Ashina Dieli was able to defeat and kill Ashina Moheduo, again reuniting the Western Turkic Khaganate. Meanwhile, Gaochang's king Qu Wentai (Qu Boya's son and successor) made a visit to the Tang capital at Chang'an in 630-631, and was welcomed in grand ceremonies. In 632, Ashina Dieli, who had lost the support of his people due to his cruelty and suspicions, failed in an attack against Xueyantuo, and after the failure, his own substituent tribes Shebeidaguan (設卑達官) and Nushibi attacked him and forced him to flee to Kangju, and he soon died in exile. The people supported his cousin Ashina Nishu as Duolu Khan, and Ashina Nishu nominally submitted to Tang and received Tang titles. The situation continued after he died in 634 and was succeeded by his brother Ashina Tong'e (as Dielishi Khan). There was a further incident in 632 that contributed to the chilling of relations between Tang and Gaochang. The ancient town of Yanqi previously had a direct connection with China via a desert road, the subsequent closure of which forced Yanqi emissaries to travel through Gaochang, apparently aiding the Gaochang economy in doing so. In 632, Yanqi's king Long Tuqizhi requested that the desert road be reopened. Emperor Taizong approved of the request, leading to Gaochang resentment, and Gaochang attacked Yanqi, withdrawing only after pillaging. By 638, it was said that Ashina Tong'e had lost the hearts of the people, and the northern half of the khanate supported an Eastern Turkic prince, Ashina Yugu as Yipiduolu Khan. There were major battles between Ashina Tong'e and Ashina Yugu, but neither side was able to prevail, and therefore divided the khanate in two, with the Ili River serving as their boundary. The division continued after Ashina Tong'e died in 639 and was succeeded by his nephew Ashina Bobu (as Shaboluoyehu Khan). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Emperor Taizong's campaign against states of the Western Regions」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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