Kangar union
Encyclopedia
Kangar union, was a Turkic state in the territory of the entire modern Kazakhstan
without Zhetysu. The ethnic name Kangar is a medieval name for the Kangly
people, who are now part of the Kazakh
, Uzbek
, and Karakalpak
nations. The Kangly (Qangly, Kang, Kangar, Kengeres, Kangdy, Kangarlyk, Kankalis) were a Turkic tribe known from the 2nd century BCE to past the 12th century CE. The Western Branch of Kangars after a defeat from Kypchaks of the Kimek Kaganate
attacked and defeated Bulgars
of the Khazar Kaganate
, establishing the Kangar state in Eastern Europe (840-990 CE). The capital of the Kangar union was located in the Ulytau mountains.
called population of ancient Khwarezm
with the ethnonym Kang, adding a Persian plural affix -ha Kangha. An alternate etymology is that the word kangly in Old Turkic meant "wagon, vehicle", and is homonymous with the name of the Kangly tribe. This etymology is suggested by Turkic translations of Sanskrit texts, where Sanskrit words for "vehicle" and "chariot" were always translated with a word qanγli
The Chinese Kangju
, and the Kengeres' of the Orkhon inscriptions
were known in the Islamic word and in the west as Bajanaks (Lat. Besenyo, Greek Patzinacs, Slavic Pechenezi, Pechenegs) whose self-designation was Kangar. Constantine Porphyrogenitus wrote that "Kangar" meant nobleness and bravery.
. They repulsed Chinese from the southern Kazakhstan
and Syr Darya
cities. The Syr Darya cities retained their autonomy. The Oguzes
in the southern Kazakhstan
, Kimaks
in the Irtysh River valley, Cumans
in Mugodjar, and Kypchaks in the northern Kazakhstan became the vassals of the Kangar union.
At the end of the 7th century the Syr Darya cities rebelled and formed an alliance with the Sogdiana
. The revolt was successful, but the Moslem Arab
armies attacked Sogdiana from the south. The revolt has waned, and Kangars consented to the continued autonomy of the Syr Darya cities.
confederation and the city of Tashkent
seceded from the Kangar union. The Arabs continued raiding Sygnakh, Khojent (Jend, Jent), Iasi
, and other rich Kangar cities.
After the Arabs captured Sogdiana
, they attacked the Kangar cities along the Syr Darya. The Arabs captured the southern Kazakhstan
, and the Oguz confederation
took control over the other Kangar cities along the Syr Darya. The Oguzes formed an alliance with the Kimak Kaganate
. The Kangar Union dissolved. The western branch of the Kangars, known in the west under the name of their allied tribe of Pechenegs, captured the lands of the Khazar Kaganate
, and created a Kangar successor state in the Eastern Europe.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
without Zhetysu. The ethnic name Kangar is a medieval name for the Kangly
Kangju
Kangju was the name of an ancient people and kingdom in Central Asia. It was a nomadic federation of unknown ethnic and linguistic origin which became for a couple of centuries the second greatest power in Transoxiana after the Yuezhi....
people, who are now part of the Kazakh
Kazakhs
The Kazakhs are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia ....
, Uzbek
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
, and Karakalpak
Karakalpaks
The Karakalpaks are a Turkic speaking people. They mainly live in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya and in the delta of Amu Darya on the southern shore of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan. The name "Karakalpak" comes from two words: "qara" meaning black, and "qalpaq" meaning hat...
nations. The Kangly (Qangly, Kang, Kangar, Kengeres, Kangdy, Kangarlyk, Kankalis) were a Turkic tribe known from the 2nd century BCE to past the 12th century CE. The Western Branch of Kangars after a defeat from Kypchaks of the Kimek Kaganate
Kimek Khanate
The Kimek Khanate, also spelled Kimäk Khanate and Kimak Kaganate was a prominent medieval Turkic state formed by the Kimek and Kipchak people in the area between the Ob-Irtysh....
attacked and defeated 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....
of the Khazar Kaganate
Khazars
The Khazars were semi-nomadic Turkic people who established one of the largest polities of medieval Eurasia, with the capital of Atil and territory comprising much of modern-day European Russia, western Kazakhstan, eastern Ukraine, Azerbaijan, large portions of the northern Caucasus , parts of...
, establishing the Kangar state in Eastern Europe (840-990 CE). The capital of the Kangar union was located in the Ulytau mountains.
Etymology
A modern interpretation of the etymology is that ethnonym Kangar consists of two roots, Kang/Kang (Qang/Qang), a Turkic for "father, primogenitor", and ar "people, men", AvestaAvesta
The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...
called population of ancient Khwarezm
Khwarezm
Khwarezm, or Chorasmia, is a large oasis region on the Amu Darya river delta in western Central Asia, which borders to the north the Aral Sea, to the east the Kyzylkum desert, to the south the Karakum desert and to the west the Ustyurt Plateau...
with the ethnonym Kang, adding a Persian plural affix -ha Kangha. An alternate etymology is that the word kangly in Old Turkic meant "wagon, vehicle", and is homonymous with the name of the Kangly tribe. This etymology is suggested by Turkic translations of Sanskrit texts, where Sanskrit words for "vehicle" and "chariot" were always translated with a word qanγli
The Chinese Kangju
Kangju
Kangju was the name of an ancient people and kingdom in Central Asia. It was a nomadic federation of unknown ethnic and linguistic origin which became for a couple of centuries the second greatest power in Transoxiana after the Yuezhi....
, and the Kengeres' of the Orkhon inscriptions
Orkhon inscriptions
"Orkhon inscription" may refer to:*two monuments in the Orkhon valley, see Khöshöö Tsaidam Monuments*inscriptions in the Old Turkic "Orkhon alphabet" in general, see Old Turkic epigraphy...
were known in the Islamic word and in the west as Bajanaks (Lat. Besenyo, Greek Patzinacs, Slavic Pechenezi, Pechenegs) whose self-designation was Kangar. Constantine Porphyrogenitus wrote that "Kangar" meant nobleness and bravery.
Independence
After the capture of Zhetysu by the Chinese, Kangars become independent from the Turkic KaganateGöktürks
The Göktürks or Kök Türks, were a nomadic confederation of peoples in medieval Inner Asia. Known in Chinese sources as 突厥 , the Göktürks under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan The Göktürks or Kök Türks, (Old Turkic: Türük or Kök Türük or Türük; Celestial Turks) were a nomadic confederation of...
. They repulsed Chinese from the southern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and Syr Darya
Syr Darya
The Syr Darya , also transliterated Syrdarya or Sirdaryo, is a river in Central Asia, sometimes known as the Jaxartes or Yaxartes from its Ancient Greek name . The Greek name is derived from Old Persian, Yakhsha Arta , a reference to the color of the river's water...
cities. The Syr Darya cities retained their autonomy. The Oguzes
Oghuz Turks
The Turkomen also known as Oghuz Turks were a historical Turkic tribal confederation in Central Asia during the early medieval Turkic expansion....
in the southern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, Kimaks
Kimek Khanate
The Kimek Khanate, also spelled Kimäk Khanate and Kimak Kaganate was a prominent medieval Turkic state formed by the Kimek and Kipchak people in the area between the Ob-Irtysh....
in the Irtysh River valley, Cumans
Cumans
The Cumans were Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. After Mongol invasion , they decided to seek asylum in Hungary, and subsequently to Bulgaria...
in Mugodjar, and Kypchaks in the northern Kazakhstan became the vassals of the Kangar union.
At the end of the 7th century the Syr Darya cities rebelled and formed an alliance with the Sogdiana
Sogdiana
Sogdiana or Sogdia was the ancient civilization of an Iranian people and a province of the Achaemenid Empire, eighteenth in the list on the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great . Sogdiana is "listed" as the second of the "good lands and countries" that Ahura Mazda created...
. The revolt was successful, but the Moslem Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
armies attacked Sogdiana from the south. The revolt has waned, and Kangars consented to the continued autonomy of the Syr Darya cities.
Fall of the Union
At the beginning of the 8th century the OghuzOghuz
Oghuz may refer to:*an early Turkic word for "tribe", see Oghuz * Oghuz languages, a major branch of the Turkic language family.* Oghuz Turks, the Turkic groups speaking Oghuz languages* Oghuz Khan, a legendary and semi-mythological Turkic khan....
confederation and the city of Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
seceded from the Kangar union. The Arabs continued raiding Sygnakh, Khojent (Jend, Jent), Iasi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, and other rich Kangar cities.
After the Arabs captured Sogdiana
Sogdiana
Sogdiana or Sogdia was the ancient civilization of an Iranian people and a province of the Achaemenid Empire, eighteenth in the list on the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great . Sogdiana is "listed" as the second of the "good lands and countries" that Ahura Mazda created...
, they attacked the Kangar cities along the Syr Darya. The Arabs captured the southern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, and the Oguz confederation
Oghuz Yabgu State
Oguz Yabgu State , was a Turkic state, founded by Oguz Turks in 766 CE, located geographically in an area between the east coasts of Hazar Sea and Aral Sea...
took control over the other Kangar cities along the Syr Darya. The Oguzes formed an alliance with the Kimak Kaganate
Kimek Khanate
The Kimek Khanate, also spelled Kimäk Khanate and Kimak Kaganate was a prominent medieval Turkic state formed by the Kimek and Kipchak people in the area between the Ob-Irtysh....
. The Kangar Union dissolved. The western branch of the Kangars, known in the west under the name of their allied tribe of Pechenegs, captured the lands of the Khazar Kaganate
Khazars
The Khazars were semi-nomadic Turkic people who established one of the largest polities of medieval Eurasia, with the capital of Atil and territory comprising much of modern-day European Russia, western Kazakhstan, eastern Ukraine, Azerbaijan, large portions of the northern Caucasus , parts of...
, and created a Kangar successor state in the Eastern Europe.
See also
- Gumilev L.N., History of Hun People, Moscow, 'Science', (In Russian) Ch.11.
- Kadyrbaev A.Sh. Chinese sources of Mongolian epoch about foreign political relations of Kazakhstan Türkic nomads (Kypchaks-Kangly) with peoples of Central Asia and Far East//Society and state in China. Moscow, 1982, (In Russian)
- Zuev Yu.A., Early Turks: Essays on history and ideology, Almaty, Daik-Press, 2002, (In Russian), ISBN 9985-441-52-9
- Western Kangars
- KangjuKangjuKangju was the name of an ancient people and kingdom in Central Asia. It was a nomadic federation of unknown ethnic and linguistic origin which became for a couple of centuries the second greatest power in Transoxiana after the Yuezhi....
- Senior Juz