Oghuz Yabgu State: Origin of Turkish Dynasties and Empires

The 8th-century steppes crackle with upheaval: the Abbasids convulse to the south, the Second Göktürk Empire lies in ruins to the east, and the Khazars solidify their grip on the Caucasus. In this forty-minute deep dive, we follow twenty-four restless Turkic tribes as they seize the Syr Darya basin, forge the loose confederation known as the Oğuz Yabgu State, and set the stage for empires that would command the Islamic world for the next millennium. From their first etched mentions in the Orkhon inscriptions to the legendary councils beneath the blue-topped yurt of the Yabgu, we trace how a nomadic union born of military necessity became the seedbed for the Seljuks, Karamanids, Ak Koyunlu, and ultimately the Ottomans. Along the way, discover how two dozen tribes—divided into the Gray and Three-Arrow branches—navigated rival Khaganates and how five key lineages (Kınık, Bayundur, Salur, Yıva, and Kayı) rose from tribal confederacies to dynastic founders. We’ll unpack the myth and reality of Oğuz Khan and Bayundur Khan, explore the Yabgu’s courtly titles and military hierarchy, and follow the great westward migration that reshaped Central Asia, Anatolia, and beyond. By episode’s end, you’ll see why the Oğuz legacy endures in modern Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and the Gagauz of Moldova—and how a frontier people’s martial spirit left an unforgettable mark on Eurasian history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices