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Kipchaks, also known asQipchaqs,Cumans orCuman–Kipchaks, were a group of prominentTurkicnomads in theMiddle Ages.
The Kipchaks played a significant role inEurasian history from approximately the 9th to the 13th century. Originally hailing from theCentral Asiansteppes,[clarification needed] the Kipchaks spread across a vast area from theVolga River to theDanube, leaving a lasting impact onmedievalEastern Europe and theMiddle East.
The Kipchaks are believed to have originated in the region north of theAral Sea, near present-dayKazakhstan. They were part of a broaderTurkicmigration across theEurasian steppes that began in the earlymedieval period.
By the 10th century, the Kipchaks had settled in the western steppes, where theyallied and clashed with neighboringtribes, such as theKhazars andPechenegs. By the late 11th century, they were known in various historical sources asCumans in Europe, who formed a loosely organizedconfederation known as the Cuman–Kipchak confederation.
The Kipchaks frequently came into conflict with theKievan Rus'principalities to thenorthwest and the Khwarezmian Empire to thesoutheast. These encounters ranged fromtrading interactions to outrightwarfare, with Kipchak forces often acting asmercenaries for regional powers.
However, the most significant challenge the Kipchaks faced was from theMongol Empire. In the early 13th century, the Mongols launched a series of devastatinginvasions into Kipchak territories, eventually defeating them around 1237–1240 and bringing their territory under Mongolcolonization.
Many Kipchaks fled westward following the Mongol invasions, seeking refuge in Eastern European territories, where theyallied with regional polities or were integrated into them. Some were taken ascaptives toEgypt, where they served assoldiers in theMamluk Sultanate. Kipchak soldiers played a vital role in the Mamlukarmy, ultimately rising to positions of power, and even establishing a Kipchak-dominated ruling elite in the MamlukSultanate.
Kipchak society was highly mobile and structured aroundclans and tribalalliances. Like many other nomadic cultures, they were skilledhorsemen,archers, and warriors. Theireconomy was primarily based onanimal husbandry, particularly the raising ofsheep,cattle, andhorses.
This supported their nomadic lifestyle. The Kipchaks were skilledcraftsmen, producingleather goods,textiles, and other tradeable items. The Kipchaks adhered to ashamanistic belief system rooted in thenatural world, though they later came into contact withIslam andChristianity through their interactions with neighboringstates.
Some Kipchaksconverted to Christianity underByzantine influence, while others adopted Islam, especially after their integration intoMuslim polities such as the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt.
The Kipchaklanguage, a branch of the Turkiclanguage family, influenced many languages across Eastern Europe, particularly during their interaction with neighboring states. Over time, the language contributed to the development of various Turkicdialects spoken across the region, including languages still spoken in modernRussia andCentral Asia, such as Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Tatar.
Today, the Kipchaks'legacy endures in theethnic andlinguistic makeup of regions they once dominated. The Kipchak identity was eventually absorbed by other Turkic andSlavic groups, but their influence can still be observed in the cultural traditions, languages, and historical records of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
