Shetu Khan
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Ishbara (Ïshbara, Shapolo, Shaboüle, Efu-Khan, Shetu-Khan, 沙鉢略可汗) was the first son of Kara Khan, grandson of Tumen Il-Qaghan, and the fifth Qaghan of the Göktürk Empire. He was appointed by the high council as the legal resolution to the crisis created by his uncle Taspar Khan who willed the title Qaghan to his nephew Tuli (son of Muhan Khan). This act violated the traditional system of inheritance from oldest brother to youngest brother and oldest son to youngest. Immediately after his appointment, the legal basis of his power was contested by the Erstwhile heir Tuli, Taspar's younger brother Jotan, and the western yabghu Tardu. This highly unstable situation quickly became a smoldering civil war, which the Sui Chinese took advantage of in every way possible to weaken the Göktürks.
He married the princess Chein-Chin and accepted refugees from the Chen Dynasty, moves intended to legitimize his authority. One of the envoys in his wife's escort was the spy/ambassador Chang Sun-Sheng. He quickly befriended Ishbara, and spent many years with the Turks. His recommendations to the Sui Empire effectively devastated the Göktürks.
In order to end the civil war Ishbara finally accepted Sui sovereignty from ambassador Yu-Qingzhe. With the help of the Chinese he defeated his main rival, Tardu in 603 by poisoning the wells which his army needed to cross the desert into China. In the end Ishbara succeeded in saving the empire, albeit with vassal status. His reign marks the official split between East and West Göktürk empires. He willed the title to his brother Chulo-Hou.
