The Cumans, also known as "Polovtsians", were a Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman–Kipchak confederation. Their homeland covered parts of present-day southern Russia and neighbouring countries, in the 10th to 13th century.Robert Lee Wolff: "The 'Second Bulgarian Empire.' Its Origin and History to 1204" Speculum, Volume 24, Issue 2 (April 1949), 179; "Thereafter, the influx of Pechenegs and Cumans turned Bulgaria into a battleground between Byzantium and these Turkish tribes..."
People of Cuman descent Qutb-ud-din Aibak - founder of the Delhi sultanate. Khan Boniak/Bonyak/Boniek/Bongek/Maniak. Boniak was a khan during the time of Sharukan. He was called "the Mangy" by Russians. He led invasions, together with Togortac, on Kievan Rus’ in 1096, 1097, 1105, and 1107. In 1096 Boniak attacked Kiev, burned down the princely palace in Berestove, and plundered the Kiev Monastery of the Caves. In 1107 he was defeated by the Kievan Rus’ princes' forces near Lubny. He led the invasions, together with Togortac, on Kievan Rus. He is mentioned for the last time in the Primary Chronicle in 1167, when he was defeated by Prince Oleg I of Chernigov. Boniak is often represented as a sorcerer in Rus' folklore. Taz (meaning 'bald'), brother of Boniak. He perished at the battle on the Sula River, along with Sugr. Khan Köten Sutoiovych (Kuthen/Kotian/Kotony/Zayhan or Jonas), son of Khan Konchek. He is Mstislav Mstislavich's father-in-law. Köten was of the Terteroba clan. He participated in the power struggles between the princes of Kievan Rus' in 1202, 1225 and 1228. After the defeat by the Mongols in 1222, he convinced the princes of Kievan Rus' to forge an alliance against the Mongols. He fought in the war against the Mongols (allied with the Russians) in the Battle of Kalka River, where the Rus'-Cuman alliance was defeated. In 1238 he was again defeated by Batu Khan on the Astrakhan steppes. Afterwards, Köten led 40,000 "huts" (families) (around 70 - 80,000 people) to Hungary (to escape from the Mongols), where he was later assassinated. The Cumans then left Hungary, pillaging along the way and migrated to the Second Bulgarian Empire. Some of the Cumans were later asked to come back to Hungary and help rebuild it after Mongol devastation. He was possibly the most notable of Cumans (together with Baibars). Köten was from the Terteroba clan that ruled Cumania in the late 11th century, as well as in the mid-13th century. Khan Köten's daughter, married Mstislav Mstislavich, Prince of Halych (r. 1219–1228). Khan Köten's second daughter, married Narjot de Toucy. After her husband died, she became a nun. Khan Konchak (Konchek, Kumcheg - meaning 'trousers') Otrakovich, his daughter married Igor's son, prince Vladimir III Igorevich of Putivl. He was involved in wars and raids with the Russians (Prince Igor), along the Ros River, where the Cumans attacked towns belonging to the Olgovichi (the ruling dynasty of Chernigov). He defeated Igor Svyatoslavich, prince of the Principality of Novgorod-Seversk, the tale of which is immortalized in the Rus' epic The Tale of Igor's Campaign. He united the western and eastern Cuman-Kipchak tribes. Konchakovna (also known as Svoboda), daughter of Khan Konchek, married prince Vladimir III Igorevich of Putivl (son of Igor Svyatoslavich) in 1188. Yuri, son of Khan Konchek. His name may indicate his conversion to Christianity.The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia, Volume 1 (2008), Denis Sinor, pg 282 Khan Kobyak/Kobiak/Kopyak/Köpek ("dog" in Turkish), one of the leaders of Crimea. He was involved in wars and raids against Prince Igor, along the Ros River, where the Cumans attacked towns belonging to the Olgovichi (the ruling dynasty of Chernigov). He also participated with Khan Konchak in an assault on Kievan Rus’. Kobiak, Khan Konchak and other notable were routed and captured on the Khorol River in 1183/1184. He had an alliance with Igor in his feud with the son of Rostislav I.The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia, Volume 1, Denis Sinor, pg 283 IIziaslav Vladimirovich, son of prince Vladimir III Igorevich and Konchakovna (Svoboda). He was prince of Terebovl in 1210. Isac and Daniel, sons of Kobiak. Chilbuk: chieftain, captured Igor of Novgorod-Seversk Roman, son of Kza, chieftain, captured Vsevolod of Kursk. Khan Gzak/Gza/Kza/Koza, chieftain, father of Roman. Khan Gzak was a rival of Khan Konchek.He attacked Putyvl where Prince Igor Svyatoslavich's army is destroyed; the prince gets wounded and captured with his son and brother. This tale is immortalized in the Rus' epic The Tale of Igor's Campaign and in Alexander Borodin's opera Prince Igor. Kopti, chieftain, captured Vladimir. Eldechyuk: chieftain, captured Svyatoslav of Rilsk. Toksobich, Kolobich, Etebich, Tetrobich - Russian versions of Cuman-Kipchak chieftains captured in battle, may be any of the above forementioned or other individuals entirely. The Cuman-Kipchak base name would most likely be the equivalent of - Toks(o), Kolo, Ete, Tetr(o). Lavor/Ovlur/Vlur, possibly a kinsman, aided Igor in his escape. Sharokan/Sharohan/Sharukan, (Cuman-Kipchak base name Sharu/Sharo), chieftain, Konchak's grandfather, who had been defeated by the Russians in a great battle on the Sula River in 1107. Called "the Old" by Russians. Khan Ayepa, son of Osen, father in law of Yuri Dolgorukiy (a Russian Rurikid prince and founder of Moscow). His daughter married Yuri Dolgorukiy. Khan Ayepa attacked Volga Bulgaria, perhaps due to an instigation of his son in law. The Bulgars in turn poisoned Ayepa and the other princes, all of which died.The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia, Volume 1, Denis Sinor, pg 240 Prince Andrei I of Vladimir (Andrey Bogolyubsky). He was the son of Yuri Dolgoruki, who proclaimed Andrei a prince in Vyshhorod (near Kiev). His mother was a Polovtsian/Cuman princess, khan Aepa's/Ayepa's daughter. Andrey is beatified as a saint in Russian Orthodox Church. He was known in the West as Scythian Caesar. Toglyy: Cuman chieftain during time of Igor's imprisonment.Robert Craig Howes, The tale of the campaign of Igor: a Russian epic poem of the twelfth century, p.8. Sokal, Cuman chieftain who obtained a major victory against Rus' in 1061.Spinei, The Romanians and the Turkic Nomads, p. 116. Kutesk, headed the Cuman (Or rather Pecheneg) attack on Hungary in 1085-1086, coming into Hungary by a north-east route, possibly via Verecke pass.Laurențiu Rădvan, At Europe's Borders: Medieval Towns in the Romanian Principalities, p.117. He may be synonymous with the Hungarian version of Cselgü. Boricius, Cuman chieftain in Hungary, of the 4th rank of Cuman political hierarchy.Florin Curta, Roman Kovalev, ["The” Other Europe in the Middle Ages: Avars, Bulgars, Khazars and Cumans], p.423. Jiajak Jaqeli, empress consort of Alexios II of Trebizond. Jiajak (meaning 'flower') was daughter of Beka I, the Cuman atabeg of Samtskhe. The Jaqelis held the Georgian feudal office of Eristavi, which could be "governor of a region" or an "army-commander". Etrek/Otrok/Atraka, son of Sharokan/Sharohan/Sharukan. Otrok withdrew to the north Caucasian steppes due to the aggressive policies of Vladimir II Monomakh, grand prince of Kievan Rus'. Thereafter, in 1118, 40,000 Cuman troops under Otrok entered the service of the Georgian king David IV of Georgia, where they helped to make Georgia the most powerful kingdom in the region.Victor Spinei, The Romanians and the Turkic Nomads North of the Danube Delta from the Tenth to the Mid-thirteenth Century, p.153. Princess Gurandukht, daughter of Khan Otrok of the Cumans. She married king David IV of Georgia in 1107. The marriage occurred years before the recruitment of around 40,000 Cuman-Kipchaks in the Georgian service. Gurandukht is a Persian name; her original Turkic name is unknown as are the details of her life. The chronicler of king David IV praises Gurandukht's virtues and points out that the marriage helped David to secure the transfer of the Cuman-Kipchak families as allies of the Georgian crown, which in turn helped to make Georgia the most powerful kingdom in the region. Vakhtang, born in 1118, son of King David IV of Georgia and the Cuman princess Gurandukht, daughter of Khan Otrok. He was involved in an attempted coup against Demetrius I of Georgia, his brother and heir apparent. Vakhtang was captured, blinded and cast in prison where he apparently died shortly afterwards. Sirchan, son of Sharokan/Sharohan/Sharukan. Eltut, brother to Konchak/Konchek, died when the Chernigovian-Cuman army was defeated in 1180. Sevinch, son of Khan Boniak/Maniak. Sevinch helped Yuri Dolgorukiy, grand prince of Kiev, in 1151, in his struggles against other princes in the south. According to the Rus sources, Sevinch expressed his desire to "plant his sword in the golden gate of Kiev as his illustrious father had done." Yurgi/Yuri, occidental name of Konchak/Konchek's son, died against the Mongols at the Battle of Kalka River. He and his father Khan Konchek tried to create a more cohesive force out of the many Cuman tribes. His Russian name may indicate his conversion to Christianity. Asalup, his daughter married Igor's grandfather, Oleg. Girgen, his granddaughter was Igor's stepmother. Zeyhan/Zehanus, possible murderer of Ladislas IV. Turtel/Tort-oyul, meaning "five sons" possible murderer of Ladislas IV. Menk/Manj/Mäŋ, meaning "birthmark", led Béla IV's troops in 1264 against Béla's own son, Duke Stephen. Begovars (r.: Bey-bars), Cuman chieftain who led the Cumans that helped King Béla IV of Hungary with his attack on the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia in 1229. It is plausible that he is identical with Bortz (also Boricius). Tortel/Tortul, one of the murderers of King Ladislaus IV in 1290. "Five" according to András Pálóczi-Horváth, "four" according to "Kinship in the Altaic word". Uzur: a member of the Great Council at Teteny which settled the provisions of the law of 1279 regarding Cuman settlement. In preparatory discussion for this, Cuman interests were represented by Uzur and Tolon. Tolon, meaning "full moon", participated with Uzur in the preparatory discussion for the Great Council at Teteny which settled the provisions of the law of 1279 regarding Cuman settlement. Alpra/Al-bura (meaning "tawny colored camel", supreme Cuman commander of the 1260s and 70s, who in 1273 King Charles of Sicily admonishes to stay loyal to the Hungarian crown after the death of King Stephen. Arbuz [meaning "watermelon" according to Palóczi and Rásonyi, a less accepted theory connects it to Turkic "arva-" (to cast a spell, to do magic); Kipchak "arba-" + deverbal (noun or adjective forming) suffix "-ış" or "-uş"], possible murderer of Ladislaus IV. Kemenche, meaning "little bow", possible murderer of Ladislas IV - assassination attempt on the king of Hungary; he was caught and executed. Kutlu Aslan (happy lion in Turkish) - involved in Kubasar's coup. Kitzes, chief of the Cumans that were in a war against the Byzantine Empire. He fought a battle against emperor Alexios I Komnenos with a body of 12,000 Cumans.Paul Stephenson, Byzantium's Balkan Frontier: A Political Study of the Northern Balkans, 900-1204, p.104. The Cumans lost the battle; Alexios had the mountain passes sealed and either massacred or captured the Cuman forces who had refused to submit.Florin Curta, Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250, p.302.