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Kumans

The Cumans, also called Kumans or Polovtsy by their neighbors, were a nomadic Turkic people who dominated large parts of the western Eurasian steppe from the 11th to the 13th centuries. They spoke a Kipchak Turkic language and formed the Cuman-Kipchak confederation, a loose alliance of tribes extending from the Pontic steppes to the Volga region.

Origin and society: The Cumans inhabited the Pontic-Caspian steppe and neighboring areas. They were primarily pastoralists

Historical role: In eastern Europe they played a major role in regional politics, frequently clashing with

Migration and legacy: A substantial number of Cumans fled west after the Mongol invasions and settled in

and
horsemen,
engaging
in
trade
and
raiding
as
part
of
their
livelihood.
Their
social
structure
centered
on
Khans
and
tribal
banners.
They
lived
a
migratory
lifestyle
typical
of
steppe
communities,
relying
on
horses,
bows,
and
mobile
dwellings.
Kievan
Rus'
and
later
with
the
expanding
Mongol
and
Golden
Horde
empires.
They
sometimes
allied
with
Rus
princes
against
common
rivals
and
intermarried
with
neighboring
elites.
The
rise
of
the
Mongol
Empire
in
the
13th
century
disrupted
their
power,
and
many
Cumans
were
absorbed
into
or
displaced
by
Mongol
rule.
Hungary
and
other
parts
of
Europe,
where
they
were
granted
lands
and
sometimes
served
as
mercenaries
or
cavalry.
Over
time
they
assimilated
into
local
populations
and
religious
communities,
and
as
a
distinct
people
faded
by
the
late
medieval
period.
The
Cuman
language,
part
of
the
Kipchak
branch
of
Turkic
languages,
is
now
extinct,
though
it
left
loanwords
in
several
languages
and
influenced
regional
toponyms
and
ethnonyms.
The
name
survives
in
modern
references
to
Kun
or
Cumans
in
various
languages.