The Berendei

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

(Originially posted by me at October 21, 2004)
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I first read about this Turkic people in a short paragraph in Osprey's Attila and the Nomad Hordes, does anyone know anything about them?


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(Originially posted by karakhan at October 22, 2004)
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I first read about this Turkic people in a short paragraph in Osprey's Attila and the Nomad Hordes, does anyone know anything about them?

Never hear of them either.. can you give approximate time and region?

Sound like maybe caucasus Turks..


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(Originially posted by me at October 22, 2004)
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Ok, here is the passage:

The Berendei were another small people of Turkish origin who may have separated from the Oghuz or might have been more closely related to the Kipchaqs. They are mentioned in Russian chronicles from the late 11th century and, like some Pechenegs and Torks, settled along Russia's steppe frontier after being forced out by the Kipchaqs. Others fled into Hungary. It was in Russia, however, that these Berendei played their most significant role, providing many cavalrymen to the princes of Kiev and Pereiaslav on the lower Dnepr River. Here an almost feudal 'Black Hat' principality grew up with its own military aristocracy being accepted by the Russian elite on equal terms.

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(Originially posted by Temujin at October 22, 2004)
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interesting, so these Berendei people were actually the famous Chernye Klobuki (black hats) mercenaries of Kijew.


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(Originially posted by karakhan at October 22, 2004)
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sound like they might be relate to the Bolgar or Chuvash


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(Originially posted by Temujin at October 22, 2004)
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i do not agree, teh Bolgars and Chuvash lived east of the principality of Vladimir (Muscovy) ont eh edge of teh Taiga, but the Chernye Klobuki lived south of Kiev principality, there's no direct conenction...it seems they're more related to Pechenegs it seems. I'll check my books on medieval Russia that has mentioned them.


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(Originially posted by me at October 22, 2004)
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interesting, so these Berendei people were actually the famous Chernye Klobuki (black hats) mercenaries of Kijew.

You mean the Qaraqalpaqs?


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(Originially posted by Temujin at October 22, 2004)
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well, I have not yet figured out if they were the same people, at least they did not exist in the same timeframe and location AFAIK. however both names have basically the same meaning...

-edit-
Ijust read up the part on Chernye Klobuki in Dr. David Nicolles medieval Russian armies (1) book from oesprey, and he states that the Chernye Klobukie were the same as the Qara Qalpaks. they were Pecheneg, Tork and Berends, but the Torks were the main element.

[sarmat]

Chernye Klobuki is just the Russian translation of the Turkic "Karakalpak" which literally means "Black hats." The word Kolpak still exists in the Russian language BTW and means a cone-shaped hat.

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

Yes indeed, you are right

[Atabeg]

Next to Qaraqalpaqs

you also have the Karapapaks aka Terekemes of the Caucasus

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karapapak


mabey it was them?

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

What I heard about them is that they were a group of Turkmens who fled to Northern Caucasia following the Oirat/Kalmak Invasion in the 18th century. I am not sure how much true that is.

[Atabeg]

well the Karapapaks lived in ahiska next to the Ahiska Turks as far as I know thats south caucasus

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

Yes indeed, you are right.