In accordance with the general definition, the state is a high social order with the joint enforcement of the powers and authorities of legislation and the power of execution of this legislation. However, the power of legislation should be recognised as a "legal" power by those who are considered as the subjects. Otherwise, there would be only oppression rather than a state under these circumstances. There were various types of sovereignty in the states recognised as a legal body in accordance with the communities. It is possible to divide these sovereignty types into three sections: traditionalist, charismatic, and legal sovereignties.
The conception of the ancient Turkish sovereignty can be considered as of the charismatic type (based on God's gift). All the documents indicate that the right of sovereignty was endowed to the Turkish ruler by the God. The title of the Asian Hun empire was : "Tanhu, the holy of the God that was enthroned by the Sky-God, the sun and the moon". The khans of the Gok-Turk State were described as follows: "Turk Bilge Khan that resembles to the God and that have resided with the God", "the God enthroned by father khan and my mother hatun", "I became the khan upon the God's will and through my holy character", etc. The titles of the Uighur Khans indicate the same characteristics. The ruler of the Danube Bulgarians was also enthroned by the God.
Considering that the news provided by Ibn Fadlan was accurate, the Khazar Khan was isolated from the people and he led a lifestyle nearly "like God". Since the Steppe Turkish ruler was endowed with the kut (divine power) and ülüg (luck), he could ascend the throne. As it can be understood from the historical records, the concept of political power was expressed with the term of "kut" (divine power) in the ancient Turkish states.
Therefore, the term of kut (divine power) was considered as one of the most ancient cultural words of the Turkish language (that existed for nearly 2200 years). The theoretical concept of this term (in other words, the quality of political power in Turks) was explained in the famous policy book of Kutadgu-Bilig. Accordingly, "The nature of kut (divine power) is the service and the execution of justice the virtues and the luck are dependent on the kut the way that goes to the bey governorship (ruler sovereignty) passes through kut
Everything is under the domination of kut, all demands are realised by means of kut It is a holy thing Bey, you did not came to this power upon your own will and strength, you were endowed with this power by the God The God endows the power to the rulers " (Kutadgu-Bilig). Accordingly, there are significant differences observed despite the general conviction that the charismatic sovereignty was dominant in the ancient Turks. Although the communities that depended on the charismatic legitimacy were the religious communities, the Turkish political unions did not have any religious characteristics. There was not any Turkish State that was governed by the Prophets or saints. Turkish rulers were not considered as an exceptional creature beyond human being. Both the ruler and the people were aware that he was an ordinary person (inscriptions). The conception of Kut (divine power) in the Turks would not actually give the opportunity for an indefinite domination. The power and authority of government were restricted with specific conditions.
The principal conditions included the feeding and clothing of the people, the collection and reproduction of the nation and the establishment of the state of peace (inscriptions). In the course of the big feasts that were considered as the symbols of the sovereignty in the Turks (the Eastern Turks called these feasts as Toy, and the Bulgarian Turks called them as içme-d(y)eme. The word of şoyle and şulen are the Mongolian words), the dining table of the khan was generally open to public and it was the symbolic expression of this sovereignty. "Ask the people whether they are hungry or not
Be generous: How can be a governor called as a ruler if he does not eradicate the word of poor from his subjects?"
The work of Kutadgu-Bilig classified the demands of the people from the ruler -a) the economical stability, b- Fair laws, c-Public order. Then, it was stated that "Hey Ruler, first of all, provide these rights of the people and then, you can expect your right from them!" "Bey, make good laws, and act in compliance with these laws so that your people will obey to you!". In case that the Turkish rulers could not perform these liabilities, he was dethroned from the power with the thought that his kut (divine power) was taken back by the God. The revolution against the young ruler, Inal Khan that took place in the history of the Gok-Turk State was based on this ground. On the other hand, the provisions of the töre (laws) were always taken into consideration in the course of enthronements for the sovereignty of the khanate.
Gok-Turk ruler, Ta-Po that died in the year of 581 bequeathed that Ta-Lo-pien would become the khan of the state. However, the state council rejected his khanate on the grounds that it was not in compliance with the laws. Therefore, the conception of the Turkish sovereignty was represented by the legitimate type based on the laws despite all its charismatic appearance in the beginning. However, the Turks had related the source of the political power with the God, in other words, they considered that the khan was responsible in the presence of the God. Therefore, the Turks had resolved the issue of "high authority" (Souverainete, Sovereignty) beyond the ruler that is expressed as the "self-determination" today in the most ancient periods due to their superior political cultures. Thus, they had saved the people from taking shelter in the personal moderation of the ruler.
As we have stated above, this type of sovereignty appeared in the "imperial" form with the form similar to that of the ancient Roma. This type of sovereignty gave the opportunity to the society to have a control over the performance of the government. There was a standing committee (advisory board or state council) in the Asian Hun State. Furthermore, there was a general public meeting that was organised in the desert of Ma-yi around the southern border of the country in the 9th month of each year. The general negotiations about the country affairs would be carried out in this meeting.
A similar institution in the European Hun Empire was called as Priskos, the "distinguished" or "elected" committee. The state council in the Gok-Turk State must have probably been a standing committee. Actually, it has been understood that not the issues about the military and political affairs and also the economical and cultural affairs were negotiated and resolved in this committee. The two affairs that were put on the agenda of this council by Bilge Khan were the surrounding of the cities in the Turkish country with the city walls like in China and the encouragement of the diffusion of Buddhism and Taoism within the country. These motions were rejected as a result of the opposition of Tonyukuk who was the famous "aygucı" (state counsellor). As it has been observed in the Uighur people, this council could elect the khans from the external sources out of the dynasty in case of necessities. There was also a "council of elders" in the Khazar State.
There was a "national assembly" in the Danube Bulgarian people. Similarly, Oguz Khan would organise a meeting with his attendants and the people that were invited. As a result of the people, the terms of "kengeştiler" and "kengeş" were expressed with the meaning of "putting the motions of the khan to the approval of the nation". This situation shows that the same tradition was maintained among Oguz people.