Koroğlu
Semi-mystical hero and bard of Turkic oral tradition.
Koroghlu is a semi-mystical hero and bard from Turkic tradition, believed to have lived during the 1500s. His name, in various Turkic languages, can mean "son of the blind," "son of ember," or "son of the clay" (with clay referring to death). His actual name varies by region: Rövşən in Azerbaijani, Ruşen Ali in Turkish, or Röwşen Aly in Turkmen—all derived from the Persian word for "light" or "bright."
The epic bearing his name is a heroic legend found mainly among the Oghuz Turks, though it has spread widely due to medieval migrations of Turkic groups across Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Asia Minor. As these groups mixed with other ethnicities, versions of the story emerged in Turkmen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Tajik, Azerbaijani, Turkish, Crimean Tatar, Georgian, Kurdish, and Armenian traditions. The tale typically follows a hero seeking vengeance for a wrong, often fighting against unjust rulers, and blends romance with a Robin Hood-like sense of chivalry. It was frequently set to music and performed at sporting events to inspire athletes. For generations, it was passed down orally by Turkmen "bagshy" narrators and by "ashik" bards in Azerbaijan and Turkey, with most written versions recorded in the 1700s.
In Turkmenistan, the epic is called *Görogly*, meaning "son of a grave," and holds a special place among Turkmen epics. It tells the story of the hero and his forty jigits (warriors), weaving together descriptions of major traditional events in Turkmen life. Prose sections narrate events, while poetic sections express the characters' feelings. The first chapter covers Görogly's miraculous birth, his heroic upbringing with his grandfather Jygalybek and aunt Gülendam, the raising of his winged horse Gyrat, the building of the Chandybil fortress, and the gathering of his warriors. Subsequent chapters tell of his marriage to the fairy-tale girl peri Agaýunus (whom he falls in love with in a dream), his revenge on Arab-Reýhan for kidnapping his aunt, the adoption of Ovez, and the rescue of Ovez from captivity. Heroic chapters describe battles with Arab-Reýhan, infiltrating enemy camps, attacks by the Sultan's troops, and the abduction of Ovez, as well as the adoption of Gorogly Hassan, a blacksmith's son. The cycle ends with Görogly's death, as he retires to a cave in old age.
Performers of *Görogly*, called dessanchy bagshy, use narration, singing, vocal im
- name
- Koroghlu (also Köroğlu, Görogly, Goʻr oʻgʻli)
- real_name
- Rövşən (Azerbaijani), Ruşen Ali (Turkish), Röwşen Aly (Turkmen)
- field
- Heroic legend, bardic tradition
- nationality
- Turkic peoples (Oghuz Turks)
- known_for
- Epic of Koroghlu, avenging wrongs, Robin Hood-like chivalry
Lore & Background
The name 'Koroghlu' means 'the son of the blind', 'the son of ember', or 'the son of the clay' in Turkic languages. His real name was Rövşən in Azerbaijani, Ruşen Ali in Turkish, or Röwşen Aly in Turkmen, a loanword from Persian meaning 'light' or 'bright'. The epic tells of his life and heroic deeds as a people's hero who struggled against unjust rulers, combining occasional romance with Robin Hood-like chivalry.
In the Turkmen tradition, the epic is called Görogly, meaning 'the son of a grave'. It tells the story of the hero and his forty jigits (warriors), with sections in prose alternating with poetry. The first chapter describes his miraculous birth, heroic education, raising the winged horse Gyrat, building the Chandybil fortress, and gathering warriors. Later chapters cover his marriage to a fairy-tale girl, revenge for his aunt's kidnapping, adoption of Ovez, and battles with enemies. The cycle ends with his death in a cave in old age.
In the Azerbaijani and Turkish tradition, a common theme is the hero defending his clan or tribe from outside threats. In many versions, Koroghlu earns his name from the wrongful blinding of his father, an act for which he takes revenge. He is portrayed as a bandit and an ozan (bard), and a number of songs and melodies attributed to him survive in folk tradition.
Reader's Guide
The Epic of Koroghlu holds significant cultural importance across Turkic peoples, particularly among Oghuz Turks. Due to medieval migrations of Oghuz Turks into Central Asia, South Caucasus, and Asia Minor, the epic spread widely, leading to Turkmen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Tajik, Azerbaijani, Turkish, Crimean Tatar, Georgian, Kurdish, and Armenian versions. It has been told for generations by bagshy narrators in Turkmenistan and fighter Ashik bards in Azerbaijan and Turkey, and was mostly written down in the 18th century.
In Turkmenistan, the epic plays a role in social functions, forming a basis for social interactions and transmitting common history and social values to younger generations. It is used as a tool for educating the young and strengthening national identity, pride, and unity. The epic portrays Turkmen people as compassionate, wise, generous, hospitable, and tolerant, emphasizing leadership, fearlessness, and loyalty. Knowledge and skills related to the epic—including music, poetry, narration, language, and traditional skills like breeding Akhal-Teke horses—are highly valued and constitute cultural identity.
The tradition is safeguarded through gatherings, wedding ceremonies, bagshy competitions, national and religious holidays, and international festivals. Bagshys teach and transmit the element to prospective performers, and each province has a 'house of bagshy' where masters gather to exchange ideas and broadcast performances. The Turkmen National Conservatory and specialized schools also facilitate learning of dutar skills before entering training with a master.
Did You Know?
- The name 'Koroghlu' means 'the son of the blind', 'the son of ember', or 'the son of the clay' in Turkic languages.
- In Turkmenistan, the epic is called Görogly, which translates as 'the son of a grave'.
- The epic has versions in Turkmen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Tajik, Azerbaijani, Turkish, Crimean Tatar, Georgian, Kurdish, and Armenian.
- Performers of the Turkmen version are called dessanchy bagshy and must master instruments like the dutar and gyjak.
More in Turkic mythology 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record