Kimek (Kimeg) people that lived in the western
section of the Turkish Homeland in the Middle Ages constitute an ancient and a large
Turkish nation. They had also established a state that survived since the middle of the
century VIII until the middle of the century XI. Although the history and lifestyle of
these people were of great importance for the researches about the Turkish history, they
have not been investigated thoroughly yet.
Resources
There are very rare
native historical resources in which Kimek people had lived. The archaeological researches
carried out in the region are insufficient and the literary historical resources have not
been obtained or found yet. There is not any information pertaining to Kimek Country.
Similarly, there cannot be found any information about Kimek people or the other tribes
connected to this tribal union within the inscriptions in the period of Kok-Turk state
(century VIII).
The foreign resources
pertaining to the neighbouring regions have not been scanned and reviewed in details. The
Chinese people had lived in the direction of northeast far away from them. However,
according to the records in the Palace Almanacs, we have observed that the Chinese people
were familiar with Kimek people. Within some ancient records that we have obtained so far,
there is some information in the Islamic geographical works pertaining to the centuries IX
and X. These data and information are not cited in an organised manner with details. They
are composed of a little knowledge compiled from the merchants and travellers.
Among the
geography works that were written in the Western Turkestan in the centuries of X and XI,
fairly comprehensive information was obtained from the work of "Hudûdül'-Alem"
(982) written by an unknown author and the work of "Zeynü'l Ahbar" (1050)
written by Abdülhayy Gerdizî. In addition, there are also some news about the preceding
century within these two works. In the following centuries, there are some information
obtained from the works titled as "Tebâyiü'l - Hayavân" (1120) written by Şerefüzzeman
Tahir Mervezi who was the Seljuk palace doctor, "Mücmelü't-Tevarih" (1126)
that was written by an unknown author and "Şecere-i Ensab" (1206) that was
written by Fahreddin Mübarek-shah.
However, all the
records within these works stated above do not provide sufficient information about the
historical events and the lifestyle in the Kimek country. Therefore, we do not have the
opportunity to reveal the clear history of Kimek people.
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