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The Göktürk Khaganates. The Göktürk Khaganates were massive nomadic empires that dominated the Eurasian Steppe from the 6th to the 8th centuries CE. Originating in the Altai Mountains, they were the first steppe confederation to officially use the name Turk. This state matters because they controlled the immensely lucrative northern routes of the Silk Road, acting as key intermediaries between China, Persia, and the Byzantine Empire. They also created the Orkhon inscriptions, which are the oldest known written records of any Turkic language.
Their empire eventually split into distinct eastern and western halves due to intense internal dynastic struggles and deliberate Chinese interference. The Tang Dynasty briefly conquered them, but the Turks quickly rebelled and formed a second khaganate. This renewed state eventually collapsed under the combined weight of internal rebellions and attacks from rival nomadic groups like the Uyghurs. Their fall scattered Turkic tribes westward, fundamentally changing the demographics of Central Asia.