Origin of Pachenegs
Pachenegs are the first Turkish tribe of the last great immigration wave from Middle Asia to west (9th 11th centuries). They were one of the masses included in Gok-Turk country. Probably they lived near Isik lake-Balkas to constitute some of On-oks (Turgishes) and after dissolution of Gok-Turk country (in mid-7th century) maybe because of strengthening of Karluk state, had to withdraw to Western Siberia because of Oghuz movement toward Seyhun river (2nd half of 8th century). Kasgarli Mahmud's indicating Pachenegs as an Oghuz tribe shows Oghuz-Pacheneg conflicts and neighborhood. For Byzantium emperor K. Porphyrogennetos, a squadron of Pachenegs, who had to withdraw to west due to Oghuz pressure stayed with Oghuzes (Oghuz Pachenegs), who are supposed to be the "Pachenegs" in the Oghuz lists of Kasgarli
The country of Pachenegs
Pachenegs, who were cited as "Patzinak" (Byzantium), Pecenaci, Pacinacae, Pezengi, "Bissenus" (Latin), "Peçenyeg" (Russia), "Badzinag" (Armenia), "Beşenyö" (Hungary) in various sources, went to Don-Kuban environs replacing Hungarians they forced out of their country by crossing Volga in crowded masses in the first half of 9th century in which they were in the vicinity of Cim and Yayık (Emba and Ural) rivers, probably because they could not stand the Hazar-Oghuz alliance which revealed because they jeopardized security of Eastern trade ways of Hazars by their raids. (about 860-880). This was the first movement of great migration. Behing Pachenegs ("Turk Pacheneg") who drove out Hungarians, there were Oghuzes, and behind them, Kipchaks were heading towards the west from northern Black Sea. There was Kimeks further behind toward Siberia. Pachenegs spread to the steppes extending from Don river to west Dnieper by driving out Hungarians in Etel-Küzü in 889-893. In D.
Admminstrando Impeno (about 948-952), issued by emperor K. Porphyrogennetos, showed that Pachenegs constituted a tribe with following clans. Ertim (Erdem, Leader; Bayça, then Yavdı), Çor (Leader: Kügel, then Küerçi), Yula (leader: Korkut-an, then Kabukşın), Kü hey (leader: îpa, then Suru), Karabay (leader: Kaydu+m), Tolmaç (leader: Kortan, then Boru), Kapan (leader; Yazı), Çoban (leader; Bata+n then Bula). Three of them (Ertim, Çor and Yula), which were referred to as "Kangar" which meant "brave" in Turkish, were listed as follows, being at the shore of rivers discharging to the Black sea in mid-10th century: Çoban (Don), Tolmaç (in the region where Don discharged to the sea), Külbey (Donetz), Çor (Dnieper's east), Karabay (between Dnieper-Bug), Ertim (Dnyes ter), Yula (Prut), Kapan (mouth Tuna). The first three, Uzes, Hazars, Alans were in contact with Cremia region, and had borders with Yula "Turkey" (Hungary) and Tuna Bulgarians. Some of the clan names are some old Turkish titles: (Yula, Çor, Kapan=Khan, Kul, Bey) and comprise colors with names of leaders: Küerçi=sky, blue; Kahuşkın = color of bark=pale, yellowish; Sulu=ash color; Boru=grey; Yazı=dark (steppe color); Bula=piebald; Yavdı-bright. It is possible that such colors which each tribe corresponds to as their own name in our source may show that each tribe had different colors of horses or that each tribe had different colors of flags.
In Pachenegs, the clan number of which reached 13 in 13th century has the following person names: Aba, Balçar, Bator, Bıçkılı, Yeke, îl- beğ, Kure, Karaca, Temir, Teber, Sol. In addition, the following are names of castles pertaining to Pachenegs. Salma, Saga, Kerbahg. Name of four Pacheneg castles could not be found out yet. It was concluded that those words were rather Kipchak language type, not Pacheneg.
Pachenegs remained within the framework of only clan organization under their own leader during their histories, and could not establish a state (II) unity order, however, knew how to act together and in cooperation in war and defense times (Like Kipchaks and Uzes).
Russian and Byzantium Political Relations with Pachenegs
Kiyef Russian Knez Country was the neighboring country of Pachenegs with whom they had the longest borderline. In Knez igor times in 915, they launched the first Pacheneg raid on this land, and until 1036, in which Pachenegs lived side by side with Russians, they repeated their raids for 121 years, 11 raids being of big scale. As to Russian historians, Pachenegs were looting Russian towns, and taking people captive. Although the yearbooks are full of similar complaints, the hostility mostly was brought about by Russian aggressions or their defending Pacheneg enemies. Sometimes Pachenegs were called by Knezes fighting each other in Russian Territories. Once Igor applied to Pachenegs in Crimea expedition in 944.
Pacheneg-Russian struggles waged in Knez Svyatoslov times (946-972), who had the qualifications of a Pacheneg leader since he was brought up with Pacheneg modal and whom Russians thought was like "Alexander the Great". Pachenegs besieged Kiyef in 968 and at last, forced and defeated Svyatoslav turning back from war against Byzantium in rocky places in lower Dnieper. The struggle became violent during the period of Knez Vladimir too (972-1015), because Russians entered Pacheneg land and tried to establish fortified positions. Pachenegs responded to those attempts (992, 996, 1015). Pachenegs, who are understood to have established relations with Poland king Boleslavv I (992-1025) could so prevent Russians from descending to Black sea like Hazars and Kipchaks later on. This was in compliance with Byzantium interests. Emperor K. Porphyrogennetos wrote in his book that "It is necessary to get on well with Pachenegs".
Pacheneg-Byzantium friendship started in 915 because of the will of emperor Konstantinos Porphyrogennetos who needed military support against Russians and Danube Bulgarians by mediation of his commander Khersones in southern Crimea. They sent envoys and gifts to Pacheneg leaders from Istanbul frequently Commercial activity between the sides was vivid. They sold vax, glue, precios skin etc. against clothes, spices, paint and ornaments and jewels which Pacheneg women were much fond of. But the Pachenegs were not at ease. Uzes (Oghuzes), who drove them from their country beyond Volga were advancing toward the west and increasing their pressure on Pacheneg eastern front in the vicinity of Oka-Sura where they came from.
At last, some of the Pachenegs went to Hungary and settled down there between 942 and 970, and the main mass began to shift toward west gradually. In the first quarter of 11th century, it was seen that Pachenegs were declining towards Dniester and today's Besarabya. Russians were the ones to avail themselves of this situation which weakened Pacheneg domination very much. Knez Yaroslav, blew a heavy strike on Pachenegs in the war in the vicinity of Kiyef with his army fortified with Normans, Slovens, and Novgorods (1036). Pachenegs were merely ignored, the political relations were ceased.
On the other hand, since Emperor Basileos the 2nd ("Bulgarokton") solved the Bulgarian problem and no more needed foreign assistance, the contacts between the Empire and Pachenegs in "state level" had ended. Such condiiton drew Pacheneg raids on Balkans (1026, 1035, 1036). Bulgaria, Macedonia, Thrace were destroyed. However, for Byzantine historian Kedrenos (11th Century), Pachenegs "who occupied the southern area of Danube from Dnieper river to Pannonia (Western Hungary)", in some time started a conflict between 11 clans of Pachenegs leaded by Turak and other leader Kegen who claimed dominance (10ı8), which resulted in taking refuge of the latter in Byzantium.
Kegen accepted Christianity and Turak was taken captive in the war and became a Christian. After that, although on one hand the struggle between Pachenegs and Byzantium continued, on the other hand, Pacheneg masses were populated in Byzantium borders (Bulgaria) as guardians and many Pachenegs served in Byzantine army and such paid soldiers whose number increased particularly after 1048 were sent to Anatolia against Seljukians. However, 15.000 pacheneg horsemen brought to Uskudar side by order of Konstantinos Monomakhos did not accept such duty according to Byzantine sources (Kedrenos, Zonaras), and since the ships in the bosphorus were intentionally lifted, swam on their horses across the Bosphorus, landed on Rumelia, and turned back to Danube (1050), and then some of the Pacheneg forces in Byzantine army took Seljukian side in Malazgirt battle in 1071.
The reason of the civil war among Pachenegs was their failure to resist Uzes who constantly drove them out but whom themselves had to cross Danube in 1048 because of Kipchaks. This nation which was called directly "tork" (=Turk. And in other forms Torky, Toruky etc. rarely Torkmen= Turkmen. There is no "ü" letter in Russian) and as "Uz" in Byzantine sources are a part of Oghuzes and occupied the place where Pachenegs lived beyond Volga by driving them out of there (860-870) and then shifted toward the west. Although Russian historians recorded that some "Tork" people took part in the expedition by Knez Vladimir against Itil Bulgarians in 9985 (probably because of alliance of Kiyef Knez country and Oghuz Yabgu state), their immigration to Kiyef Knez country bourder should have occurred after Pachenegs disappearance in Russia being defeated in 1036. This is because in Russian chronicles contain such qualification of Torks in 1054.
1048 movement shows that true Uz mass was spread to Dnieper region as far as southern Kiyef Russia. However, Russian Knezes managed to drive Uzes away from their region. Crowded Uzes who withdrew to West being defeated on the sudden attack in 1060 (600 thousand people as to Byzantine historian Attaleiates) crossed Danube by breaking Byzantium and Bulgarian resistance in 1065 and looted Thrace and Macedonia after Pachenegs, and advanced to Salonika and even Paleponezos. Such unexpected event made Western world curious and afraid. However, this rapid invasion could not turn to be an occupation. The attacks of Pachenegs, who wanted to take revenge as well as contagious diseases Uzes caught resulted in perishing of Uzes. The remaining people attempted to raid on Hungary (1068), but could not succeed. Uz remnants, not comprising a force any more, were partially admitted to Byzantine army and partially were distributed to various regions. Those who turned back to Southern Russia were settled down around Kiyef.
We see that Pachenegs, who passed to Balkans because of Uz pressure, and fought violent and successful wars against Byzantium between 1050 and 1051, recovered themselves. As a matter of fact, their violent conflicts against Byzantium also continued in emperor Aleksios 1 Kommenos period (1081-1091) and such wars, as attracted attention of some investigators, facilitated conquest of Anatolia by Seljukians.
Pacheneg leader Çelgil'nuti, after advancing as far as Luleburgaz together with Hungarian King St. Laszlö and his forces, got injured and died (1086) upon which Pachenegs routed under leadership of Tatus and with their armies fortified with Kipchaks the Byzantine army under command of Emperor Aleksios in 1087 in Derster Silistre).
In the wars between 1088 and 1090, Byzantine forces under Emperor's command were defeated again and again and they dominated on Thrace as far as Edirne and Kesan., and approached Cekmece in late 1090's. Byzantine Empire lived one of the most worst moments of its history. This was because Pachenegs were in cooperation with people of their tribe in Anatolia. Izmir Bey Çakan, who dominated Aegean Sea by having conquered some of the islands with his strong navy for a period of nearly 10 years and who was from Cavuldur clan of Oghuzes could manage to contact with Pacheneg leaders to conquer Istanbul. The condition of Byzantium between Pachenegs in Edirne, Cakan's navy in Aegean Sea, and Seljukians on Marmara coasts in 1091 spring resembled the very days before conquest of Istanbul by Fatih.
The Emperor had started applying European Christian world which moved them as soon as possible. Although Aleksios could not get necessary help from the West on time, he could manage to save himself from the situation endangering his empire at Turkish hands. He agreed with the leaders of Kipchaks called Tııgorkan (or Tugor Khan) or Bonek (Bonyak) who followed Uzes as far as Balkans and made him attack on Pacheneg forces headquartered on the coast of Meric river in Lebunium (Omurbey position) waiting for Cakan's approaching the coasts. Pachenegs were totally overwhelmed on raid of 40 thousand Kuman spahids (29 April 1091). The remaining Pachenegs were seperated and thus arrived at the end of their political histor. Those who went to Hungary were inhabited near Peste and Ferto provinces. Some of them mingled with Oghuzes and Kipchaks. The ones staying in Balkans were mostly inhabited along Vardar riiver. It is said that Meglino-Ulahs in Macedonia and Sop-Bulgars around Sofia are of Pacheneg origin. Some local names and folk myths enliven the memories of Pachenegs in Anatolia, Serbia, Russia, Hungary and Caucasus.
It was found out by Gy. Nemeth who read the epitaphs in Turkish in Gok-Turk alphabet on golden pots of famous Nagy Szent Miklos treasure which was found in Middle Hungary. In addition, Perescepine treasure found in Poltava of southern Russia is considered to be Pachenegs'.
Historical Role of Pachenegs
As from 870, the area between Don and Dnestr rivers, were occupied by Pachenegs including some of Crimea. The area occupied by Pachenegs was as far as Kiyef vicinity in the south; they remained in the steps to the south of Black sea for a period so long as 150 years. This Turkish nation could not rise more than a union of tribes, that is, they could not found a state, but played an important role in world history. Their going to today's Hungary from Azak sea caused presence of a Finnish-Ugor nation mingled with Turkish people in Middle Europe.
The most important aspect after that is that the Pachenegs occupied some of Lower Dnestr and Danube regions and some of Dakya, separated Western Slavs and Southern Slavs as a result of their occupying Transilvania and Tisa-Danube region.
Therefore, the most important outcome of Pachenegs' movement toward west was ceasing of connections between Slav world. There is no need for additional explanation of the significance of this event for later Turkish, Hungarian and German history.
The third role of Pachenegs was that they stopped Slav expansion which tended to go South to Black Sea coasts from Kiyef. This Turkish tribe played the role of the greatest and strongest barrier against Russians (who were not Scandinavian any more and became Slavs), which prevented their going further south from Kiyef.