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The Esegel Enigma

An academic exploration into the origins, linguistic debates, and historical trajectory of a pivotal Oghur Turkic tribe.

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Defining the Esegel

Dynastic Tribe

The Esegel, also known by variations such as Izgil, Äsägäl, Askel, Askil, and Ishkil, were a significant Oghur Turkic dynastic tribe during the Middle Ages. Their historical trajectory saw them eventually join and assimilate into the broader population of Volga Bulgaria.

Eurasian Presence

Numerous historical records, documented across various languages and regions spanning Eurasia, attest to the existence of the Esegel. These sources provide a rich, albeit complex, tapestry of information, leading to a multitude of transliterations and interpretations of their name.

Historical Context

As an Oghur Turkic group, the Esegel were part of a larger linguistic and cultural sphere that played a crucial role in the formation of early states and confederations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Their eventual integration into the Volga Bulgar polity signifies a key moment in the ethnogenesis of the region.

The Name: Etymological Pathways

Proposed Origins

The etymology of the name "Esegel" and its variants is a subject of considerable scholarly discussion, with several prominent theories attempting to decipher its linguistic roots:

Finnish linguist M. Räsänen proposed a Uralo-Altai etymology, suggesting the name derives from Es-kil or Es-gil, potentially meaning "Old city." This interpretation links the name to ancient settlements or centers of power.

András Róna-Tas posited an Iranian origin. He suggested that the Western Old Turkic forms Askil and Äsägäl could stem from the phrase häyaka arya, interpreted as "the very aliens." This is supported by a potential cognate in Ossetian, æcæglon.

Maria Magdolna Tatár critically examined Róna-Tas's hypothesis. She disagreed that the Ossetian term was cognate with Äskäl, arguing that the Hungarian endonym Székely might have developed from Äskil through specific sound changes in a foreign source language, rather than directly from the Ossetian term. Tatár reconstructs the original endonym as *Äskil, incorporating the Turkic plural suffix -GIl and the Iranian tribal name As. She theorizes that the As, originally part of the Massagetae, later joined the Alans, split off, allied with the Turks, became Turkicized as Äskils, and subsequently became adversaries of the Second Turkic Khaganate. Tatár concludes that if Székely indeed derived from Äcägäl (even in a Turkic context), then the Volga Bulgarian Äskils and the Székelys must have different origins, as Äcägäl is not the source of Askil.

Chinese Records and Distinctions

Scholarly interpretations of Chinese sources reveal further complexity:

Yury Zuev distinguished between Izgil and Igil. He identified Izgil (rendered in Chinese as Axijie) as a Western Turkic (Tujue) tribe, while Igil (rendered as Xijie) was identified as a Tiele tribe. Zuev controversially linked the Igils to the Bulgarian clan Uokil and the Indo-European-speaking Augaloi found in Transoxania.

Zuev also proposed connections between Izgil and the Äxijie of the Nushibi confederation within the Western Turkic Khaganate. Furthermore, he noted the Xionite personal name Askil/Askel mentioned by Theophanes the Confessor in 563 CE, referring to the king of the Hermihions.

Lev Gumilyov initially associated the Izgils with the Sijie tribe of the Toquz Oghuz confederation. He later revised this identification, linking the Izgils to the Xijie, another Tiele tribe.

Historical Testimonies

Arab and Persian Accounts

Several key medieval Arab and Persian sources mention the Esegel, often in the context of the Volga Bulgars:

  • Ibn Fadlan (c. 921-922 CE): The Arab ambassador Ahmad ibn Fadlan documented the presence of the Askel tribe on the banks of the Volga River. He listed them alongside the main Bulgar groups, Suvars, Bersula, and Barandzhar.
  • Ahmad ibn Rustah (c. 982 CE): This Persian geographer identified Esegel as one of the three primary branches of the Volga Bulgars, alongside the Bersula and the Oghuz.
  • Persian "Geography" (c. 982 CE): This text names the Ishkils as one of three Bulgarian tribes engaged in frequent internal conflicts.
  • Gardizi (mid-11th century): The author of Zain al-ahbar noted that the Eskels, who belonged to the Bulgars, were situated between Bulgar and Magyar territories, identifying the Magyars as also being a Turkic tribe.

Byzantine and Chinese Records

Evidence also emerges from Byzantine and Chinese historical records:

  • Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus: The Byzantine Emperor recorded the endoethnonym of the "Magyar Turks" as Savartoiaskaloi, suggesting a composite identity involving the Savart (Suvar/Sabir) and Eskel groups.
  • Chinese Annals (New Book of Tang, 651 CE): These records list the Äxijie (identified by Zuev with Esegel) as one of the five prominent western tribes of the Western Turkic Khaganate. The leader, Kül-Irkin, is described as exceptionally prosperous and commanding tens of thousands of soldiers.
  • Theophanes the Confessor (c. 563 CE): Mentioned a Xionite personal name Askil/Askel in relation to the king of the Hermihions, a tribe near the ocean, who sent ambassadors to Constantinople.

Archaeological Clues

Archaeological findings suggest the existence of ancient city ruins attributed to the Askel tribe in the location known as Ashli, providing a potential physical anchor for their historical presence.

Scholarly Debates and Connections

Linking Tribes and Peoples

The precise affiliations and relationships of the Esegel with other historical groups are subjects of ongoing academic debate. Key points of discussion include:

  • Western Turkic Khaganate: Zuev's identification of Izgil with the Axijie tribe, part of the Nushibi confederation within the Western Turkic Khaganate, places them within a major Turkic political entity of the 7th century.
  • Tiele and Toquz Oghuz: Gumilyov's earlier associations of Izgils with the Sijie (Toquz Oghuz) and Xijie (Tiele) tribes highlight potential connections within broader Turkic tribal networks.
  • Chigils: While some scholars, including Ögel, linked Sijie, Axijie, and Izgil to the Chigils, Zuev noted that the Chigils (identified with the Chuyue) were not part of the "Ten Arrows" union, unlike the Axijie, suggesting a distinction.

The Székely Question

One of the most debated aspects is the potential connection between the Esegel and the Székely people of Hungary:

Zuev proposed that the Esegel (or Eskels) merged with the Magyars (Hungarians) and that the ethnographic group known as the Székely are their descendants. This theory suggests a significant contribution of Turkic elements to the formation of the Székely identity.

Conversely, András Róna-Tas rejected the identification of Esegel with Székely. He also dismissed the proposed link between Esegel and Chigils, citing both historical and phonological grounds that challenge these connections.

Integration and Legacy

Joining the Volga Bulgars

The historical consensus indicates that the Esegel, as an Oghur Turkic tribe, eventually became integrated into the larger ethnopolitical entity of Volga Bulgaria. This assimilation process likely occurred over an extended period, contributing to the cultural and demographic makeup of the Bulgar state.

Enduring Influence?

While the specific identity of the Esegel as a distinct tribal unit faded over time due to assimilation, scholarly debate continues regarding their potential long-term influence. The theories connecting them to the Székely people, though contested, underscore the enduring quest to trace the complex migrations and interactions of ancient Turkic groups across Eurasia.

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References

References

  1.  Golden P.B., "Khazar studies. Historico-philological inguiry into the origins of the Khazars", Vol. 1, Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1980
  2.  Räsänen M. "Uralaltaische Wortforschungen" // STUDIA ORIENTALIA, 18–3, 1955, p. 5, in Golden P.B., "Khazar studies", p. 241
  3.  Golden, Peter B. (1992). An Introduction to the History of the Turkic People. Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden. p. 143
  4.  Old Book of Tang, Vol. 199b Tiele
  5.  Tongdian vol. 199 "Beidi 6: Tujue B"
  6.  Old Book of Tang vol. 194 "Tujue B: Western Tujue"
  7.  Old Book of Tang, Vol. 199b Tiele
  8.  Blažek, V. & Schwartz, M. "Tocharians: Who they were, where they came from, and where they lived" in Tocharian Studies: Works 1 (2011), p. 119
  9.  Róna-Tas, András "Bayan and Asparuh. Nine Notes on Turks and Iranians in East Europe", Turcologia 105, Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden (2016). pp. 65-78
  10.  Zuev (2002) Early Turks: Essays of history and ideology, Almaty, Daik-Press, 2002, p. 145, 250
  11.  Old Book of Tang, Vol. 194b
  12.  Ouyang Xiu, "Xin Tang shu (History of Tang dynasty", 618–907, New Edition)], Peking, Bo-na, 1958, Ch. 215b, p. 1506, f. 56
  13.  Kovalevsky A.P. "Ahmed ibn Fadlan's book on travel to Volga in 921–922", Kharkiv, 1956, p. 139 (Translation)
  14.  Minorsky V., "Hudud al-'Alam" (The regions of the World, London, 1937, p. 162)
  15.  Bartold W., "Extracts from Gardizi composition "Za ahbar" //Collection of Works, vol. 5. Moscow-Leningrad, 1973, p. 37, 58
  16.  Róna-Tas, András. "Bayan and Asparuh. Nine Notes on Turks and Iranians in East Europe", Turcologia 105, Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden (2016). pp. 65-78
A full list of references for this article are available at the Esegel Wikipedia page

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