AcknowledgmentsMap of the Second Türk EmpireThe Ruling Lineage of the Second Türk Empire (682–745 AD)AbbreviationsIntroduction 1 History of the Early Türks 2 Overview of Political and Social Conditions on the Steppe 3 Previous Research 4 Questions and Sources 5 Why a New Edition of the Old Turkic Inscriptions? 6 Notes on Calendar 7 Notes on Transcribing Chinese Characters1 Revival of Power 1 Unsuccessful Rebellion 2 Successful Uprising Led by Kutluğ 3 The Base of the Türk Rebels: Çuğay Mountain and Black Sand 4 Ashide Yuanzhen and Bilge Toñukuk 5 Campaigns of the Türk Army 6 Return to Ötüken 7 The Türk Campaign against Shandong 8 The Tripartite Alliance against the Türks 9 The Türk Campaign against the Kırkız 10 Toñukuk’s Isolation in the Army 11 The Westward Campaign of the Türks 12 When Did Élteriş Kağan Pass Away?2 Years of Warfare 1 Honeymoon between the Türks and China 2 The Kıtañ Rebellion against China 3 The Intervention of the Türks 4 The Türk Requirements for Military Aid 5 The Winner of the Kıtañ-China War: The Türks 6 Breakdown of the Türk-China Negotiations 7 The Türks’ Second Wave of Attacks on China 8 The Türks’ Victory over Çaça 9 The Construction of Three Strategic Citadels 10 The Involvement of the Türgiş and Kırkız 11 Resumption of the Türk-Tang Marriage Negotiations 12 The Türk Campaign against the Kırkız and Türgiş 13 Suspension of the Türk-Tang Marriage Negotiations 14 The Rise of the Tatabı 15 The Fruits of the Türk-Tang Marriage Negotiations 16 The Béş Balık Battle 17 Kapğan Kağan’s Last Attempt 18 Risk of Collapse 19 The Türk-Oğuz War3 Compromise and Negotiation 1 Bilge Kağan’s Enthronement 2 Background of the Toñukuk Inscription 3 Swaying the Attitudes of the Small Regimes 4 The Türk Campaign against the Basmıl 5 Rebellion of the Sogdians in Altı Çub Soğdak 6 The Türks’ Foreign Policy 7 Establishment of the Kül Tégin Memorial 8 The Türk Campaign against the Tatabı 9 Bilge Kağan’s Death: A Murder Case4 Empire in Decay 1 Teŋri Teg Teŋri Yaratmış Türk Bilge Kağan (r. 734–740) 2 Teŋri Teg Teŋride Bolmış Türk Bilge Kağan (r. 740–741) 3 Collapse of the Second Türk EmpireConclusion 1 Reconstruction of the Chronology 2 Contextualizing the Old Turkic Inscriptions 3 Authorship of the Old Turkic InscriptionsAppendix: Old Turkic Inscriptions Notes on Transliteration, Transcription and Translation Bilge Toñukuk Inscription – Text Bilge Toñukuk Inscription – Translation Kül Tégin Inscription – Text Kül Tégin Inscription – Translation Bilge Kağan Inscription – Text Bilge Kağan Inscription – Translation The Chinese Text on Kül Tégin’s MemorialGlossary of the Old Turkic InscriptionsGlossary of the Chinese CharactersChronologyBibliographyIndex