Tonyukuk

He conducted victorious campaigns against various Turkic and non-Turkic steppe peoples, such as Tölis, Xueyantuo, Toquz Oguz, Yenisei Kyrgyz, Kurykans, Thirty Tatar, Khitan and Tatabi as well as the Tang dynasty.

[6] The name is spelled as t1-o-ɲ-uq1-uq1 (𐱃𐰆𐰪𐰸𐰸‎) in the Old Turkic script, variously interpreted as Tunuquq, Tonuquq, Tuj-uquq, Toɲ Yuguq, Tujun-oq, Tojuquq, Tuɲoqoq with a number of suggestions for its etymology.

𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀Bilge𐱃𐰆𐰪𐰸𐰸Toñuquq𐰋𐰤bän𐰇𐰕𐰢özüm𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲Tabγač𐰃𐰠𐰭𐰀eliŋä𐰶𐰠𐰦𐰢qılıntım𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰚Türk𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣bodun𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲𐰴𐰀Tabγačqa𐰝𐰇𐰼𐰼körür𐰼𐱅𐰃ärti.𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀 𐱃𐰆𐰪𐰸𐰸 𐰋𐰤 𐰇𐰕𐰢 𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲 𐰃𐰠𐰭𐰀 𐰶𐰠𐰦𐰢 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰚 𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣 𐱃𐰉𐰍𐰲𐰴𐰀 𐰝𐰇𐰼𐰼 𐰼𐱅𐰃Bilge Toñuquq bän özüm Tabγač eliŋä qılıntım Türk bodun Tabγačqa körür ärti.I myself, wise Tonyukuk, born in Tabgach [i.e. Tang China] country.

However, Tonyukuk discouraged him from this by pointing out that their nomadic lifestyle was what made them a greater military power when compared to Tang dynasty.

[19][20][21][22] In 720 Tang chancellor Wang Jun proposed a plan to attack Bilgä Qaγan along with the Baximi, Xi, and Khitan.

His biography, achievements and advice for state administration were carved in the so-called Orkhon-Turkic script on two stele erected around 716 (before his death) at a site known as Bayn Tsokto, in Ulaanbaatar's Nalaikh district.

[24] Yuan era Uyghur official Xie Wenzhi (楔文質), as well as Korean Gyeongju Seol clan claimed descent from Tonyukuk.

[26] The Berlin Manichaean manuscript found in Qocho read as follows:[26] Then the wise Toñuk(uk) spoke as follows: The Turk (nation) is ruined and has lost its chance of (salvation).