| Niri Qaghan | |
| Reign: | 587-599 |
| Predecessor: | Apa Qaghan |
| Succession: | Qaghan of the Western Turkic Khaganate |
| Successor: | Heshana Khagan |
| Spouse: | Lady Xiang (向氏) |
| Issue: | Heshana Khagan |
| Royal House: | Ashina |
| Father: | Yangsu Tegin |
| Death Date: | 599 |
| Religion: | Buddhism |
Niri Qaghan (;, probably Rouran: nı̣rı̣ qaγan) was a ruler of the Western Turkic Khaganate.[1]
He was the grandson of Muqan Qaghan through Yangsu Tegin. He had a younger brother named Poshi Tegin (婆實特勤). He was enthroned by his supporters in 587 as Western Turkic Khagan, succeeding his uncle Apa Qaghan according to Book of Sui. His father was probably dead by this time.[2] Princess Qianjin tried to forge an alliance with him by 593,
According to Christoph Baumer he ruled from 579 to circa 602/03. Baumer notes that the better-documented Tardu ruled from 575 to 603.[3] According to de La Vaissière, the unnamed Turkic ruler who was in correspondence with Emperor Maurice was Niri.[4] Takashi Osawa dismissed these claims, saying Chinese authors recorded earlier events at a very late time. According to him, Niri died in spring or summer of 598 during a battle against the Tiele and his second funeral ceremony could be held in autumn or winter of the year of 599 at the latest.
His Chinese wife Lady Xiang (向氏) was married to his brother Poshi Tegin (婆實特勤) after his death and was sent by Heshana Khagan as ambassadors to China during end of the Kaiyuan era.[5] He was survived by his sons Heshana Khagan and Kuta Shad .
His memorial complex and statue which was found in 1953 in Zhaosu County, Xinjiang. Later, inscriptions were found at the west part of the stone statue.Sogdian text was read by Yutaka Yoshida (Kyoto university),[6] and later by Takashi Osawa (Osaka University)[7] [8] De La Vaissere associated his name with Niri Khagan read in the inscription of Hüis Tolgoi.[9] Lev Gumilev erraneously associated him with Parmuda figure found in Iranian stories about Bahram Chubin and Sawa and connected him to governorship of Paykend. Shamsuddin Kamoluddin also argued that Niri Khagan was identical to El-Tigin found in Persian and Arabic sources.[10]