Qapaghan Qaghan

Qapaghan was the brother of Ilterish Qaghan and succeeded him. On Tonyukuk's advice he campaigned repeatedly into the China of Empress Wu Zetian, reached the Hebei plain and forced China to send silk, grain and tools every year.

Qapaghan defeated the Türgesh in the west and the Kyrgyz in the north and extended Göktürk power as far as Sogdia. But his harsh rule angered the subject tribes. In 716, returning from a campaign against the Bayirku, he was killed in an ambush. Kul Tigin then overthrew his son and made his own brother Bilge khagan.