Istämi

Istämi
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	室點密
Simplified Chinese	室点密
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shìdiǎnmì Wade–Giles Shih4-tien3-mi4
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese	瑟帝米
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Sèdìmǐ Wade–Giles Se4-ti4-mi3
Old Turkic name
Old Turkic	Estemi qaγan

Istämi was the ruler of the western part of the Göktürks, the Western Turkic Khaganate and dominated the Sogdians. He was the yabgu (vassal) of his brother Bumin Qaghan in 553 AD. His son was Tardu.

Activities

During his rule Istami established diplomatic relations with the Persian and Byzantine Empires, defeated the Hepthalites, and acted as an elder statesman during the disintegration of the eastern half of the empire. We know a great deal about him from the diplomatic missions of the Byzantine Empire.

As the brother of Tuman he ruled the far-western region of their khanate. His son was Tardu. As a Yabghu, he was autonomous and had de facto sovereignty while officially recognizing the authority of the qaghan. After Khushu’s death he arranged the division of the territory into three realms east, central, and west and distributed them between Jotan, Arslan, and Shetu, respectively.

İstemi and İstemihan are Turkish given names honouring him.

See also

• Tardu
• Turksanf

Footnotes

Istämi Ashina Clan
Preceded by none	Yabgu of the Western Turkic Khaganate 553 - 575	Succeeded by Tardush Qaghan