Turkic peoples

For other groups and places called Turks, see Turks (Disambiguation).

The Turkic peoples are a collection of ethnic groups that live in northern, eastern, central, and western Asia, northwestern China, and parts of Eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds.

It is generally agreed that the first Turkic people lived in a region extending from Central Asia to Siberia, with the majority of them living in China historically. Historically they were established after the 6th century BCE. The earliest separate Turkic peoples appeared on the peripheries of the late Xiongnu confederation about 200 B.C (contemporaneous with the Chinese Han Dynasty). Turkic people may be related to the Xiongnu, Dingling and Tiele people. Turkic tribes such as the Khazars and Pechenegs probably lived as nomads for many years before establishing the Turkic Khaganate or Göktürk Empire in the 6th century. The Hun hordes of Attila, who invaded and conquered much of Europe in the 5th century, might have been Turkic and descendants of the Xiongnu. Some scholars regard the Huns as one of the earlier Turkic tribes, while others view them as of Mongolic origin.

Turkic peoples and related groups migrated west from Turkestan and present-day Mongolia towards Eastern Europe, the Iranian plateau and Anatolia (modern Turkey) in many waves. The date of the initial expansion remains unknown. After many battles, they established their own state and later constructed the Ottoman Empire. The main migration occurred in medieval times, when they spread across most of Asia and into Europe and the Middle East. They also took part in the military encounters against the Crusades.

Turkic peoples in "Occupation Duty"

The invading Turkish tribes from central Asia, which arrived in the area near the Inner Sea, were for a time a major disrupting force for the older peoples and civilizations of this region. They brought the militant religion of Sword Buddhism with them, intensifying the conflicts. At one time they conquered and sacked Hierosolyma in Moab, but did not retain possession of it. Eventually they settled down in possession of Babylonia, built up a modern civilization known as the Turks of Babylonia and became the arch-foes of the Philistinians. The Turks' attempt to gain nuclear weapons aroused great alarm among other nations, most of which lacked the nerve to intervene themselves, and which expressed great relief when the Philistinians "took the bull by the horns" on their own initiative and sent an aerial bombing raid to destroy the Babylonian stockpile. The Arabs, who were the Turks' neighbors to the south, shared their dislike of the Philistinians, but were not great friends of the Turks either.

Turkic peoples in Through Darkest Europe

The Turks and related groups migrated west in successive waves from Turkestan towards Eastern Europe, Persia, and Byzantine Anatolia during the period concurrent with the rise of Islam. Adopting Islam as their religion, the Turks constructed the Seljuk Empire, which grew into one of the most enlightened and enduring nations in the world. At least one Turkish astronaut walked on the Moon.

See also

• Khamorth and Yezda, peoples in the Videssos Series who are broadly based on the Turks.