campaign campaign military campaign led dynasty general oasis state aligned campaign began ended january surrender forces following day siege soldiers tried recapture kingdom assistance defeated army background kingdom vassal western reign emperor king chinese provided court tribute successor chinese submitted vassal buddhist sect hosted buddhist monk arrived year supported oasis state marriage alliance ended tributary relationship court king renounced allied emperor responded military campaign led general besieged forces defeated kingdom captured king pro member royal family ruler new king deposed western turks soon western turks regained died brother chinese inherited throne king sent tribute court decided punish stance launching expedition kingdom expeditionary army cavalry supplied empire allies commander chief expeditionary army member eastern ruling family joined forces surrender served general leading campaign familiarity region ruler contributed success commanding campaigns prior recruitment general reigned years governing city deputy commanders general campaign soldiers organized columns army bypassed struck north moving territory possibly tribes allied oasis state army defeated entering king fled capital city tried find position eastern territories forces pursued king took captive executed forces defending consisting soldiers lured ambushed chased group horsemen employed encountered additional forces mounted surprise attack forces defeated retreated nearby kingdom captured king following day siege ending surrender forces january officers acting diplomat persuaded region surrender instead fighting led campaign installed protector general west headquarters protector general moved original location pursuit king lord traveled request help assassinated soldiers retook kingdom military assistance returned captured kingdom cities forced remaining cities surrender control established oasis state brother king chinese subject empire king taken capital prisoner execution punishment rebellion accordance law king pardoned released ritual emperor ancestors named commander militant guards left title received emperor aftermath retribution death ordered execution thousand inhabitants recorded destroyed great towns men women lands west seized terror defeat dispatched small force light cavalry led lieutenant ruled king threat invasion persuaded king visit court person expeditionary army replaced younger brother erected inscribed commemorate victory returned general captives men given kept imperial court sent clear vacuum power created absence reduced kingdom state civil war anarchy expedition killed king replaced cousin evidence military garrison stationed likewise king trip resulted garrison sent long claimed conquest established rule entire number inaccurate chinese sources linking expedition establishment garrisons comprised excavated texts abandoned attempt headquarters west assassination instead headquarters returned moved following army suppression local pro revolt died illness revolt gained loose states establish military garrisons states transferred new western reflecting fact regarded traditional establishment garrisons formal military dated defeat remained allied leader defeat later claimed fall led decline culture replacement chinese culture fact opposite true culture flourished seventh eighth centuries music popular capital movement musicians court later development came end dynasty relation earlier dynasty continued war reign successor conducted campaign led general western surrendered western turks defeated territories annexed retreated modern afghanistan revolt lost local revolts incursions regained lost garrisons having cut rest empire conquest corridor empire collapsed middle ninth century dynasty lacked means regain dominance ended
Tang campaign against Kucha