Rouran

Rouran, also spelled Ruanruan, was a major nomadic confederation that formed the Rouran Khaganate on the eastern Eurasian steppe. It existed from roughly the 4th to the mid-6th century CE and was a dominant power in the region, frequently recorded in Chinese historiography as Ruanruan. The polity was ruled by a Khagan whose authority united multiple tribes under a centralized leadership.

Geography and society: The Rouran occupied a broad belt north of the Chinese heartland, including parts of present-day Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, southern Siberia, and eastern Kazakhstan. They practiced horse-centered nomadism and operated a large-scale pastoral economy, with extensive trade and interactions along Silk Road corridors.

Relations and conflicts: The Rouran had frequent conflicts with Northern Wei and other Chinese states, serving as both allies and adversaries at different times; they were a major power capable of projecting force along the steppe and into northern China.

Decline and succession: By the mid-6th century, the Rouran were weakened by internal strife and external pressure from the rising Göktürk Khaganate. Göktürk forces defeated them around 552–555 CE, leading to the collapse of the Rouran state. Some remnants or refugees are thought to have contributed to the formation of the Avar Khaganate in Europe, though the historical link is debated.

Language and legacy: The language of the Rouran is not securely attested; scholarly consensus generally places them among early Mongolic- or proto-Turkic-speaking populations on the eastern steppe. The Rouran are considered an important predecessor of later nomadic empires in Inner Asia, influencing neighboring states and the later Turkic and Mongolic polities.