The Gokturks were a divided people. Justin I's conquests into thier homelands divided the tribes if the Gokturks. The People began to lose faith in Tengri, the Sky god, and began apostizing. Many adopted Zorastarism and some Chirstianity, but there were still many who had faith in Tengri. In 637, a man by the name of Ulgen Chuvash, claimed to be Tengri incarnate. He taught that through regular sacrifice and faithful devotion to Tengri (himself) that everyone would achive Salvation and live forever in the sky with him and Yer tanri, the goddess of the Earth. He also taught any Ancestors who achived salvation were also to be worshipped as dieties. There was much uproar in the lands of the Gokturks. The movement started out small, but began gaining members. Ulgen's Tribe began to assimilate and conquer its neighbors. There were many Wars with other Tribes, and great generals emerged. Koyasgh Umal, proved to be a very capable General for the Tengrist forces, and would defeat numericaly superior infedels with ease. In 648 Ulgen died, but his movement continued to grow. Tribal Priests all conviegned and named Uyghur Kashgar as tengrikut, or King of the followers of Tengri. He began preparing an army to take back lands that Persian and Chinese Kings had taken for themselves, and then expand the Domain of the Turks to the entire world. In 657, twenty years from the date Ulgen claimed to be Tengri Incarnate, the Gokturks were ready to wage Holy War.
This Drum depicts some of Ulgen's Teachings