The Göktürk War of Independence (546-552)

In the early 6th century the Ashina Turks lived in the Altai mountains and worked iron for the Rouran Khaganate. In 546 the Tiele tribes marched against the Rouran. Bumin, the Turkic chief, met them on the way, defeated them and brought the Tiele under his rule.

After this service Bumin asked the Rouran khagan Anagui for his daughter's hand. Anagui refused and called him "my blacksmith slave". Bumin killed the Rouran envoy and broke with them, and in 551 he married a princess of the Western Wei dynasty, gaining an ally in China.

In 552 Bumin marched against the Rouran and crushed them. Anagui took his own life, and Bumin took the throne as Il Qaghan. He died the same year, and his son Muqan Qaghan destroyed the last of the Rouran by 555. The khaganate born of this struggle was the first state in history to bear the name "Türk".