Originally a forest people, Basmyls eventually grew in importance and played a prominent role in the Turkic politics from the 6th century.
[4] In 720 CE, the dynastic Basmyl clan were reported to be concentrated at Beiting Protectorate, near Gucheng (Qitai), in the Bogda Shan range, and to be Ashina Turks (Ch.
[9] Marco Polo apparently mentioned them as "Argons" in a country called "Tenduc" (around Kuku-Khotan, or modern-day Hohhot), during the 13th century.
Following state administrative reforms in favor of the eastern part of the Kaganate, the Basmyls lost their position of primacy along with the tribes of Karluks, Yagma, Kipchaks, Chumi, Chuyue (from whom emerged Shatuo).
This was also a prosperous period; vassalage did not impose any obligations and was instead afforded Chinese luxuries provided as gifts, until the Tang emperors felt confident enough to introduce their own bureaucracy to supplant the rule of the traditional Türkic nobility.
The Chinese thought such an idea absurd, and ignored it in their acts, causing further problems on top of existing resentment of the greedy bureaucracy.
This 52-year period of relative quiet ended with the rise of the restored Eastern Turkic Kaganate, and its recapture of Dzungaria and the Dzungarian Basmyls by Kutlug and Kul Tegin.
[15] Under an unrealistic plan concocted in 720 in Chang'an, China against the Türkic Kaganate, the Kidans and Tatabi, and the south-western Dzungaria Basmyls were to simultaneously converge on the Bilge-kagan court from different directions.
Bilge-kagan's chancellor Tonyukuk developed a counter-plan, which involved facing the enemies one at a time, and the use of audacity and speed to compensate for their lack of forces.
At the beginning of the subsequent war, the Basmyls were the first allies to join the Türkic horde but failing to find any other coalition forces turned back.
By the time the exhausted men and horses of the Basmyls reached Bishbalyk, instead of rest and provisions they found an enemy waiting.
Likely written by a Basmyl resting behind the walls of the Bishbalyk fortress who was later probably ambushed and captured, this inscription is of dual interest as a historical document and a cultural monument.
[16] The Tang court offered Ozmysh-khan asylum whereupon he sent his son to China with five thousand covered wagons containing families, and fled his horde.
His brother Baimei-khan Kulun-beg was enthroned in his place, but most of the Türkic nobles joined in the election of the Basmyl leader Elterish (Ch.
[16] Al Marwazi mentioned that a chief named Basmyl was the namesake of one group among the Šārī, who were possibly Yellow Uyghurs.
The Tokuz-Oguz tribes were in a privileged position not only in respect to the tribal union, but also vis-a-vis the Basmyls and Karluks, who in battles were always "sent in front", because they were less valued and protected.
[10] In modern times, the Argyn tribe has been one of the main constituents of the Middle Juz sub-confederation in Kazakhstan, and are regarded as an integral part of the Kazakh people.
A similar location is given for the Basmyls in the early Middle Ages text Zizhi Tongjian: in Beiting Protectorate, on the Bogdoshan ridge in the Guchen area.