Yujiulü Hulü (Chinese: 郁久閭斛律; pinyin: Yùjiǔlǘ Húlǜ) (died 414) was an early 5th century ruler of the Rouran, a confederation of nomadic tribes in Mongolia with the title Aikugai Khagan (Chinese: 藹苦蓋可汗; pinyin: Ǎikǔgài Kèhán; lit. 'Khagan with fine qualities').[1]

Yujiulü Hulü
Khagan of Rouran
Reign410–414
PredecessorYujiulü Shelun
SuccessorYujiulü Buluzhen
DiedMay 414
SpousesPrincess Lelang (樂浪公主) of Northern Yan
Regnal name
Aykugai Khagan (藹苦蓋可汗)
Khagan with fine qualities
HouseYujiulü clan
FatherYujiulü Mangeti
ReligionTengriism

Marriage to Northern Yan princess edit

There is historical indication that Yujiulü Hulü (郁久閭斛律) began his rule in May 410 and, the following year, offered a tribute of three thousand horses to the Northern Yan ruler Feng Ba,[2] with a request to marry Feng Ba's daughter, Princess Lelang (樂浪公主), who was probably the daughter of Feng Ba's wife, Princess Sun. Feng Ba's brother, Feng Sufu, suggested refusing the request and sending the daughter of one of Feng Ba's concubines instead, but Feng Ba was apparently convinced that an alliance with Rouran would be beneficial to his state, and agreed to give Princess Lelang in marriage to Yujiulü Hulü in 411.[2]

Deposition and exile edit

In 414, the fourth year of his rule, as he was, in turn, about to oversee the marriage of one of his own daughters to Feng Ba, he was confronted by his nephew Yujiulü Buluzhen (郁久閭步鹿真) who told him that his daughter was still small and was about travel far away; as she may get sick with longing, it would be necessary to send the daughters of the nobleman, such as Shuli (樹黎) and Wudeyan (勿地延) with her. Hulü not agreeing with him, Buluzhen told Shuli and others that Hulü was thinking of giving their daughters as a dowry for his daughter to a distant, alien state. In the wake of news Shuli, among other noblemen, entered into a conspiracy with Buluzhen. Some warriors were set up behind the Hulü's yurts at night and arrested him with his daughter. As result, Yujiulü Buluzhen was set up as khagan, with Shuli (树黎) as chancellor.[3]

Meanwhile Buluzhen sent Yujiulü Hulü and his daughter to Northern Yan. Feng Ba treated him as an honored guest and, as originally planned, took Yujiulü's daughter, Zhaoyi (昭仪), as a concubine.[2] Yujiulü Hulü requested that Feng Ba send an army to escort him home and, in May 414, Feng Ba, with some reluctance, gave him an escort commanded by general Wan Ling (萬陵) who, according to the account, returned after having killed Yujiulü Hulü along the way.

References edit

  1. ^ Kradin, Nikolay N. (2005). "From Tribal Confederation to Empire: The Evolution of the Rouran Society". Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 58 (2): 149–169. doi:10.1556/AOrient.58.2005.2.3. ISSN 0001-6446. JSTOR 23658732.
  2. ^ a b c Asia major. Princeton University Press. 1997. p. 105. Retrieved 19 September 2011. Original from the University of California
  3. ^ Book of Wei, vol. 103
Preceded by Khagan of the Rouran
410–414
Succeeded by