The Türgesh name first appears in Chinese sources in 651, by which time the Turgesh dwelt in Ili Valley, and disappears after 766.

The Turgesh Kaganate seems to have come into existence towards the end of the seventh century, after a massive revolt against the Western Turkic khan, a Chinese puppet.

The Turgesh leader was Ushyly (Wushile), who titled himself Baga Tarkhan and led a strong army to victory, putting the puppet khan to full speed flight.

His power soon spanned from the present-day Zhetysu area to Turpan and Kucha.

Ushyly Kaghan had then decided to ally with Tang China and the Kyrgyz people to stem the rise of the Second Göktürk Empire, ruled by Khapghan Kaghan.

Turgesh and Göktürks/Türküts had clashed in 698 in a battle fought at Bolchu (in modern Dzungaria) where the latter side, led by Bilge Tonyukuk, prevailed: the Yabgu (Ruler of West) and Shad (Ruler of East) of the Turgesh were killed and Ushyly Kaghan himself had been taken prisoner and had to concede vassalage.

Eight years after this burning defeat, Ushyly died and was replaced by his son, Soko, who fought to retain independence from the Göktürks/Türküts.

He had been defeated in 701 in Transoxiana, southeast of Samarkand, again by Tonyukuk, and finally in 711, when he was killed at Bolchu against Kül Tigin and Bilge Shad as he was trying to strike an alliance with Tang China.

The Turgesh had been put under the rule of Bars Bek; as we know from the Orkhon Inscriptions, in those years the main subdivision in Kara (Black) and Sary (Yellow) Turgesh was established.

Soko's brother Chenu, perhaps sensing the impending disaster, had revolted even before the battle and fled to the court of Kapagan Kaghan.

Suluk's aim is to reconquer all of Transoxiana from the Arab invaders—his war is paralleled, much more westwards, by the Khazar empire.

In 721, Turgesh forces, led by Kül Chor, defeat the Caliphal army commanded by Sa'id ibn Abdu'l-Aziz near Samarkand.