Esegel
Encyclopedia
Esegels were a, possibly,Turkic dynastic tribe that in the Middle Ages joined the Itil Bulgaria
state and were assimilated to Bulgars
; or was possibly a Bulgar tribe all along, as mentioned by Ibn Fadlan. Numerous records about Esegels in the sources in many languages, in connection vith many historical subjects, and across the span of the Eurasian steppes left numerous variations of their name. M.Räsänen suggested Uralo-Altai etymology of this word: Es-kil, Es-gil "Old city", which may conflict with the older Chinese phonetization pinyin: Asijie.
Esegels were mentioned in the Chronography of Theophanes the Confessor
(760-818): "the same month (July of 563) ambassadors of Askil/Askel, the king of Hermihions
(Greek Ερμηχιονιονων; Lat. Ermechionorum), a tribe living among barbarians near the ocean, came to Constantinople".
A Chinese annalistic account in 651 CE of the Western Turkic Kaganate Western Wing (on-shadapyt, Ch. Nushibi
弩失畢) division onto 5 tribes listed Esegels with a notation that the leader of first tribe Qiue-syjin "was most prosperous and strong, the number of his soldiers reached several tens of thousands". The leaders of the 5 tribes were listed as follows:
Esegels may have had connection with the Middle Asia
n tribe Chigil
or Ishkil
.
Esegel presence in Itil (Volga) Bulgaria in 9th-10th centuries was also mentioned by Ibn Fadlan. Report of the ambassador Ahmed ibn Fadlan, who visited Itil (Volga) banks in the 921-922, mentioned the Bulgarian tribe Askel.
Among other writers who mentioned Esegels, the Persian “Geography“ of 982 named Ishkils as one of three Bulgarian tribes, who were constantly conflicting among themselves. Gardizi, the author of the composition Zain al-ahbar (mid 11th c.), wrote: "Between possessions of Bulgars and possessions of Eskels, who also belong to Bulgars, is a Magyar area. These Magyars are also a Türkic tribe". Constantine Porphyrogenitus wrote that endoethnonym of the "Magyar Türks" was Savartoiaskaloi, i.e. Savart (Suvar/Sabir) and Eskel. Yu.A.Zuev summarized that It is held that Eskels (Esegels) merged with Hungarians (Magyars). The ethnographic group Sekei (written form Szekler) are recognized as their descendants. Esegels left a prominent trace in the Northern and Western Europe as last and first names, mostly in the form "Askel".
Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria, or Volga–Kama Bolghar, is a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now Russia.-Origin:...
state and were assimilated to Bulgars
Bulgars
The Bulgars were a semi-nomadic who flourished in the Pontic Steppe and the Volga basin in the 7th century.The Bulgars emerge after the collapse of the Hunnic Empire in the 5th century....
; or was possibly a Bulgar tribe all along, as mentioned by Ibn Fadlan. Numerous records about Esegels in the sources in many languages, in connection vith many historical subjects, and across the span of the Eurasian steppes left numerous variations of their name. M.Räsänen suggested Uralo-Altai etymology of this word: Es-kil, Es-gil "Old city", which may conflict with the older Chinese phonetization pinyin: Asijie.
Esegels were mentioned in the Chronography of Theophanes the Confessor
Theophanes the Confessor
Saint Theophanes Confessor was a member of the Byzantine aristocracy, who became a monk and chronicler. He is venerated on March 12 in the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church .-Biography:Theophanes was born in Constantinople of wealthy and noble iconodule parents: Isaac,...
(760-818): "the same month (July of 563) ambassadors of Askil/Askel, the king of Hermihions
Xionites
Xionites, Chionites, Chionitae, , Hunni Xionites, Chionites, Chionitae, (Middle Persian: Xiyon, Avestan: Xiiaona, Sogdian:xwn), Hunni Xionites, Chionites, Chionitae, (Middle Persian: Xiyon, Avestan: Xiiaona, Sogdian:xwn), Hunni (Pahlavi:Huna, Yun or Xūn (獯), were a nomadic tribe prominent in...
(Greek Ερμηχιονιονων; Lat. Ermechionorum), a tribe living among barbarians near the ocean, came to Constantinople".
A Chinese annalistic account in 651 CE of the Western Turkic Kaganate Western Wing (on-shadapyt, Ch. Nushibi
Nushibi
Nushibi was a Chinese collective name for five tribes of the right wing in the Western Turkic Kaganate, and members of On oq confederation found in the literature about the Western Turkic Kaganate as Ten arrows Türks...
弩失畢) division onto 5 tribes listed Esegels with a notation that the leader of first tribe Qiue-syjin "was most prosperous and strong, the number of his soldiers reached several tens of thousands". The leaders of the 5 tribes were listed as follows:
| Chinese pinyin | Türkic name | Tribe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asijie Qiue-syjin | Ezgil Kül-erkin | Ezgil |
| 2 | Geshu Qiue-syjin | Kashu Kül-erkin | Kashu |
| 3 | Basaigan Tun-shabo(lo)-syjin | Barskhan Tun-ashpa(ra)-erkin | Barskhan |
| 4 | Asijie Nishu-syjin | Ezgil Nizuk-erkin | Ezgil |
| 5 | Geshu Chuban-syjin | Kashu Chopan-erkin | Kashu |
Esegels may have had connection with the Middle Asia
Middle Asia
Middle Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west, to Mongolia in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north. The geographical term has appeared sometime prior to the 20th century in the Russian Empire and was closely associated with the Russian Turkestan and the...
n tribe Chigil
Chigils
The Chigil were a Turkic tribe known from the 7th century CE as living around Issyk Kul lake area. They were considered to be descended from two of the "Six Chuy tribes" of the Chuban, the Chuyue and Chumi. They are known to have been speakers of the Oghuz group of the Turkic...
or Ishkil
Chigils
The Chigil were a Turkic tribe known from the 7th century CE as living around Issyk Kul lake area. They were considered to be descended from two of the "Six Chuy tribes" of the Chuban, the Chuyue and Chumi. They are known to have been speakers of the Oghuz group of the Turkic...
.
Esegel presence in Itil (Volga) Bulgaria in 9th-10th centuries was also mentioned by Ibn Fadlan. Report of the ambassador Ahmed ibn Fadlan, who visited Itil (Volga) banks in the 921-922, mentioned the Bulgarian tribe Askel.
Among other writers who mentioned Esegels, the Persian “Geography“ of 982 named Ishkils as one of three Bulgarian tribes, who were constantly conflicting among themselves. Gardizi, the author of the composition Zain al-ahbar (mid 11th c.), wrote: "Between possessions of Bulgars and possessions of Eskels, who also belong to Bulgars, is a Magyar area. These Magyars are also a Türkic tribe". Constantine Porphyrogenitus wrote that endoethnonym of the "Magyar Türks" was Savartoiaskaloi, i.e. Savart (Suvar/Sabir) and Eskel. Yu.A.Zuev summarized that It is held that Eskels (Esegels) merged with Hungarians (Magyars). The ethnographic group Sekei (written form Szekler) are recognized as their descendants. Esegels left a prominent trace in the Northern and Western Europe as last and first names, mostly in the form "Askel".