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'.