the Göktürks: Founders of First Turkic Empire

In The Göktürks: Founders of the First Turkic Empire, Elliot Rowan brings to life the steppe power that reshaped Inner Asia in the sixth and seventh centuries. Across the vast grasslands of Mongolia and Central Asia, the Göktürks united nomadic tribes under a single authority, creating the first empire to bear the Turkic name and extending their influence from the Altai Mountains to the borders of Persia and China. Drawing on Chinese sources such as the Sui Shu and Jiu Tang Shu, along with the inscriptions of the Orkhon Valley, Rowan reconstructs a world defined by mobility, power, and memory. Stone monuments carved on the open steppe preserve the voices of Göktürk rulers, while archaeological remains reveal a culture rooted in horsemanship, craftsmanship, and deep ties to the land. Rowan traces the structure of Göktürk rule, their expansion across Eurasia, and their control of key trade routes that connected distant civilizations. Through diplomacy and warfare, they became central players in the networks linking China, Central Asia, and beyond. More than the story of a lost empire, this book shows how the Göktürks shaped the foundations of Turkic identity and influenced the course of Eurasian history. Their empire faded, but their legacy endured in the traditions, languages, and political structures that followed.

Pagina's: 166, Paperback, Independently published