Sultan Satuq Bughra Khan

In 934, the Uyghur king, Satuq Boghra Khan, was one of the first "Turks" (he was also of Tocharian, paternal, origine) to convert to Islam. [Asian Mythologies, By Yves Bonnefoy, Wendy Doniger, Gerald Honigsblum, pg. 337] According to 12th century historian Jamal Qarshi's "History of Kashgar", Satuq was first taught about Islam by Nasr, a wealthy merchant from Bukhara. Nasr befriended the King of Kashgar, Satuq's uncle, and was granted special dispensation to build a mosque in the town of Artush just outside of Kashgar. It was here that Satuk would often come to watch the caravan's arrive. When Satuk saw Nasr and other Muslims observing their daily prayers he became curious and was instructed by them in the Islamic religion. When the King discovered that his nephew had become a Muslim he punished him by forcing him to build a temple. When he reached the age of 25 Satuq had gathered enough supporters from Kashgar and the Ferghana valley to over throw his uncle and establish Islam in Kashgar. Satuq Boghra Khan died in 955 and was buried in a mausoleum that can still be visited in Artush today. Over the next several centuries many Uyghurs in other oases such as Hami and Turpan followed, though conversion was not forced, and some (particularly the Yugurs) retained their existing religious beliefs. The Uyghurs ruled an independent kingdom, mixing Muslim and Buddhist populations, that stood until 1759, when the Manchu Chinese invaded and destroyed it.

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ee Also

* List of converts to Islam