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Oghuz Khagan epic (Oghuzname)
The epic of Oghuz Khagan, legendary ancestor of the Oghuz Turks, to whom Turkmens, Azerbaijanis and Turks trace their descent.
Oghuz Khagan is the legendary khagan of the Turkic peoples and ancestor of the Oghuz; in the epic his heroic deeds conquer the four corners of the world and unite his people.
His six sons — Sun, Moon, Star, Sky, Mountain and Sea — and their 24 sons are regarded as the ancestors of the 24 Oghuz tribes, to which the Turkmen tribes also trace their lineage.
Versions of the epic survive in manuscripts called Oghuzname, echoing the Book of Dede Korkut and the Seljukname, and in Turkmenistan the figure of Oghuz Khan is among the national symbols.
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Updated: October 3, 2026