Cuman-Kipchak Confederation: Map & History
The name Cumania originated as the Latin exonym for the Cuman–Kipchak confederation, which was a tribal confederation in the western part of the Eurasian Steppe, between the 10th and 13th centuries.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The name Cumania originated as the Latin exonym for the Cuman–Kipchak confederation, which was a tribal confederation in the western part of the Eurasian Steppe, between the 10th and 13th centuries. The confederation was dominated by two Turkic nomadic tribes: the Cumans and the Kipchaks. Cumania was known in Islamic sources as Dasht-i Qipchaq which means "Steppe of the Kipchaks" or "Kipchak Plains" in Persian, and al-Qumāniyīn (القمانيين) which means "The Cumans" or "The Cuman people" in Arabic. Russian sources have referred to Cumania as the "Polovtsian Steppe", or the "Polovtsian Plain".
Cuman-Kipchak Confederation in Depth
History and political interactions
By the 11th and 12th centuries, the nomadic confederacy of the Cumans and (Eastern) Kipchaks (who were a distinct tribe with whom the Cumans created a confederacy, although other sources say that Cumans and Kipchak are simply different names for the same tribe) were the dominant force over the vast territories stretching from present-day Kazakhstan, southern Russia, Ukraine, to southern Moldavia and eastern Wallachia in present-day Romania. Considering the nomadic way of life of these peoples, these frontiers can be regarded only as approximate; hence there were various definitions of what Cumania meant over the course of time.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Cumania (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cuman-Kipchak Confederation: Key Facts
| Founded | 10th century |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1241 |
Facts from Wikidata Q1122052 (CC0).
Cuman-Kipchak Confederation Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 315 km² in 1060 CE.
Cuman-Kipchak Confederation: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Cuman-Kipchak Confederation exist?
The Cuman-Kipchak Confederation is dated to 1056 CE – 1065 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Cuman-Kipchak Confederation?
The capital of the Cuman-Kipchak Confederation was Sarai.
How large was the Cuman-Kipchak Confederation at its peak?
At its peak in 1060 AD the Cuman-Kipchak Confederation covered about 315 km².
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