Sir-Kıvchak
Sir –Kıvchak was the name of a Turkic tribe mentioned in Orkhon inscriptions
Name
In the Khöshöö Tsaidam Monuments erected in 735 for Bilge Khagan, the name Sir follows the name Turk and precedes the other tribe names.[1] According to S.G.Klyashtorny and T.İ. Sultanov this shows the importance of Sir element in the Second Turkic Empire (681-744) [2] This opinion is further supported by the fact that In the Bain Tsokto inscriptions of 720s erected by Tonyukuk, the name Turk is mostly accompanied by the name Sir.[1]
Origin
After the defeat of the short lived Xueyantuo khanate, Sir people escaped to west. In 679-681 term they supported Turkic revolt against the Tang Empire in China. After the Turkic Empire was restored they took part in the formation of the new empire.
After the Turkic Empire
The Uighurs who replaced the Turkic Empire referred to Turkic Empire as Turk-Kıvchak.[2] in their monuments. Thus it seems that the names Sir and Kıvchak were used interchangeably and Kıvchak was the name Sir people assumed after the collapse of the Turkic Empire. The new name Kıvchak means "unfortunate" in Proto Turkic. This probably referred to the problems they encountered after the collapse of the empire. The remains of the Kıvchak people escaped to west to Kimek (or Yemek ) territory. The Kipchak people of the later era were undoubtedly the Kıvchak of the 8th century.
Other views
According to The Cambridge History of Inner Asia however, the identification of Sir people with the Kipchak is not well established.[3]
References
- 1 2 Muharrem Ergin:Orhun Abideleri, Boğaziçi Yayınları, İstanbul, 1980, p.33, p.52
- 1 2 S.G.Klyahtorny-T.İ.Sultanov:Türkün Üçbin Yılı, (translation by Ahsen Batur),Selenge Yayınları, İstanbul, ISBN 975-8839-03-9 p.127-129
- ↑ Denis Sinor: The Cambridge History of Inner Asia, Cambridge University, 1990, ISBN 0 521 24304 1 p.278