Shikui Khagan, also Zik Khagan (r. 611–619 or possibly 610–617;610 from Christoph Baumer, History of Central Asia, volume two, 2014, page 198, apparently following Edouard Chavannes who translated from the Chinese. 611 may be from Gumilyov. Chinese: 射匱可汗; Middle Chinese: *ʑia-gwi; Middle Persian Zyk, ŽegÜnal, Orçun. (2014) of "Once Again on the Etymology of the Old Turkic Yaŋa ~ Yaŋan ~ Yagan 'Elephant'" Hacettepe University Journal of Turkish Studies Vol. 11 Issue 21, pp. 229-249. "Extended Summary" p. 3) was the third khagan of the Western Turkic Khaganate. He was the grandson of Tardu (575–603) through his son Tulu (都六).
Background The Western Turkic Khaganate in present-day Turkestan was founded as the result of the partition of the First Turkic Khaganate after the death of Tardu in 603. It was also called On Ok ("Ten arrows") referring to ten powerful tribes in the khaganate. Five tribes (called Duolu) to the northeast and five tribes to the southwest (called Nushibi) formed the two rival factions, the border line being the Ili River.
After partitioning Shikui Khagan was Tardu's grandson and governor of Chach (Tashkent)Baumer, same page, has him conquer Tashkent. Perhaps he conquered and became governor(?). Baumer also has him raid near Isfahan in 616-17 and 'incorporate the whole of the Altai'. He was expected to be enthroned after the death of Tardu. But the Dulu faction enthroned Ashina Daman (later known as Heshana Qaghan) who was a generation younger than Shekui. But Daman was a very inexperienced ruler and was a puppet of the Dulu clan. The Nushibi clan as well as Silk Road merchants who suffered from the increasing anarchy supported Shikuito throne in 611. When Daman affiliated partisans arrested a Chinese ambassador to Shekui, Shikuirevolted and Daman had to flee to Sui China where he was killed.L.N.Gumilev: Eski Türkler (tr: Ahsen Batur), İstanbul, 2002, Selenge Yayınları. . , p.199-200.
Shikuimaintained order in the khaganate and provided security on the Silk Road. His reign marks the beginning of Nushibi supremacy. In 618, he was succeeded by his brother Tong during whose reign Western Turkic Khaganate reached to apogee.
Coinage Shikui Khagan (as "Zik Khagan") is known from numismatics, especially a silver medallion issued in 616–617 in Isfahan after his victory over the Sasanids and the Hephthalites. His campaign led him deep into Iran, in the areas of Ray and Isfahan. The obverse of the coin portrays the ruler and bears the Pahlavi inscriptions GDH 'pzwn zyk ("the Victory, increase, Zik"), and MLK"n MLK''' ("king of kings"). The reverse displays an altar with fire, with attendants left and right. The iconography of the portrait is similar to that of the coinage of the Western Turk ruler Tong Yabghu Qaghan.
A seal is also known in his name, for the administration of the conquered territory. It is kept in the private collection of Forughi in Iran.Frye, 1971 It contains a Middle Persian inscription reading zyk hhn GDH ("Zik Khagan, victory") and the a runic inscription b(a)q(e)šeb qiy(ū)g(0)ŋkӣ'' ("Take care of your companions, home, village, gain a good name for yourself").
The coinage of Zik is considered as highly similar to that of the early Samanid ruler Mansur I, suggesting some kind of continuity.
References