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The Hephthalites, often referred to as the White Huns, were a Central Asian people who flourished from the 5th-8th centuries CE, forming a significant part of the Iranian Huns. Their empire, known as the Imperial Hephthalites, was notably powerful between 450 and 560 CE, extending from Bactria across the Tarim Basin to Sogdia and south through Afghanistan. Despite their expansion, they did not cross the Hindu Kush, distinguishing them from the Alchon Huns. This period was marked by victories such as over the Kidarites and expansions into various regions until their defeat by the alliance of the First Turkic Khaganate and the Sasanian Empire around 560 CE.
Post-defeat, the Hephthalites managed to establish principalities in Tokharistan under the suzerainty of the Western Turks and the Sasanians, until the rise of the Tokhara Yabghus in 625 CE. Their capital was likely Kunduz, located in present-day southern Uzbekistan and northern Afghanistan. Despite their defeat in 560 CE, the Hephthalites continued to play a role in the region, maintaining a presence in areas like the Zarafshan valley and Kabul, among others.
The collapse of the Hephthalite Empire in the mid-6th century led to their fragmentation into principalities. This era saw significant battles, including the notable defeat at the Battle of Gol-Zarriun against a Turk-Sasanian alliance. Despite initial setbacks, including leadership changes and challenges from the Sasanians and Turks, the Hephthalites' presence persisted in various forms across the region.
Their history saw further complexities with the separation of the Western Turkic Khaganate and subsequent conflicts with the Sasanians. By the late 6th century, Hephthalite territories began falling to the Turks, culminating in the establishment of the Tokhara Yabghus dynasty by 625 CE, marking a new phase in the region's political landscape. This transition ushered in the era of the Turk Shahis and the Zunbils, extending the legacy of Turkic rule in Central Asia and influencing the region's history well into the 9th century CE.