Altai peopleThe Altai people (Altay-kiji), also the Altaians (Altaylar), are a Turkic ethnic group of indigenous peoples of Siberia mainly living in the Altai Republic, Russia. Several thousand of the Altaians also live in Mongolia (Altai Mountains) and China (Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang) but are not officially recognized as a distinct group and listed under the name "Oirats" as a part of the Mongols, as well as in Kazakhstan where they number around 200. For alternative ethnonyms see also Tele, Black Tatar, and Oirats.
KhakasThe Khakas are a Turkic indigenous people of Siberia, who live in the republic of Khakassia, Russia. They speak the Khakas language. The Khakhassian people are direct descendants of various ancient cultures that have inhabited southern Siberia, including the Andronovo culture, Samoyedic peoples, the Tagar culture, and the Yenisei Kirghiz culture. Despite the name, the Fuyu Kyrgyz language is not related to the Kyrgyz language, which is of Kipchak origin. The Fuyu Kyrgyz language is more similar to the Yughur language and the Abakan Turkic languages.
Altai RepublicThe Altai Republic (ˈæltaɪ; Altay Respublika; Алтай Республикасы; Respublika Altay, rjɪˈspubljɪkə ɐlˈtaj), also known as Gorno-Altai Republic, and colloquially, and primarily referred to in Russian to distinguish from the neighbouring Altai Krai as the Gornyi Altai (Горный Алтай), is a republic of Russia located in southern Siberia. It is a part of the Siberian Federal District, and covers an area of ; with a population of 210,924 residents. It is the least-populous republic of Russia and least-populous federal subject in the Siberian Federal District.
ChigilsThe Chigil (Chihil, and also (D)Jigil, Cihil, Chiyal) were a Turkic tribe known from the 7th century CE as living around Issyk Kul lake area. They were considered to be descended from the tribe Chuyue, who were of mixed Yueban-Western Turkic origins. Sinologist Yu. A. Zuev notes that the Chinese transcription of Chigil, 處月 Chǔyuè (Middle Chinese (ZS): /t͡ɕhɨʌx-ŋʉɐt̚/) may be calqued as "abode of the Moon [god]"; whereas 處密 Chǔmì (/t͡ɕhɨʌx-mɣiɪt̚/)) as "abode of the Sun [god]", for Chinese 密 transcribed Middle Iranian theonym Mihr, the all-seeing Zoroastrian deity of covenent, oath, and light, vaguely associated with the Sun.
BasmylThe Basmyls (Basmyl; Basmals, Basmils, Basmïl, , Middle Chinese ZS: *bɣɛt̚-siɪt̚-miɪt̚/mɣiɪt̚/miᴇ; also 弊剌 Bìlà, MC *bjiejH-lat) were a 7th- to 8th-century Turkic nomadic tribe who mostly inhabited the Dzungaria region in the northwest of modern-day China. Originally a forest people, Basmyls eventually grew in importance and played a prominent role in the Turkic politics from the 6th century. At one point Basmyls even overthrew the Second Turkic Khaganate's dynastic clan and briefly held the Khaganate with the help of Karluks and Uyghurs, who later turned against Basmyls.
KarakalpaksThe Karakalpaks or Qaraqalpaqs (ˈkærəkɑːlpɑːks,_-pæks; Qaraqalpaqlar, Қарақалпақлар, قاراقلپقلر), are a Turkic ethnic group native to Karakalpakstan in Northwestern Uzbekistan. During the 18th century, they settled in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya and in the (former) delta of Amu Darya on the southern shore of the Aral Sea. The name "Karakalpak" comes from two words: qara meaning "black" and qalpaq meaning "hat". The Karakalpaks number nearly 620,000 worldwide, out of which about 500,000 live in the Karakalpakstan region of Uzbekistan.
KanglyThe Kangly (康曷利; pinyin: Kānghélì; Middle Chinese (ZS): /khɑŋ-ɦɑt̚-liɪH/ or 康里 pinyin: Kānglĭ < MC-ZS: /khɑŋ-lɨX/; Karakhanid: قنكلى Kaγnï or قنكلى Kaŋlï, also spelled Qanglı, Kanly, Kangly, Qangli, Kangli or Kankali) were a Turkic people of Eurasia who were active from the Tang dynasty up to the Mongol Empire and Yuan dynasty. They may be related to the Kipchaks or Pechenegs, or they may have been a branch of the Kök Turks who were conquered by the Tang dynasty of China.
KurultaiKurultai (kʊrʊlˈtaɪ; ) was a political and military council of ancient Mongol and Turkic chiefs and khans. The root of the word is Proto-Mongolic *kura-, *kurija- "to collect, to gather" from which is formed khural meaning "meeting" or "assembly" in Turkic and Mongolian languages. Khuraldai, khuruldai or khuraldaan means "gathering" or, more literally, "intergatheration". From this same root arises the Mongolian word khurim (хурим), which means "feast" and originally referred to large festive gatherings on the steppe but is used mainly in the sense of "wedding" in modern times.
Turkic mythologyTurkic mythology refers to myths and legends told by the Turkic people. It features Tengrist and Shamanist strata of belief along with many other social and cultural constructs related to the nomadic and warrior way of life of Turkic and Mongol peoples in ancient times. Turkic mythology shares numerous points in common with Mongol mythology. Turkic mythology has also been influenced by other local Asiatic and Eurasian mythologies. For example, in Tatar mythology elements of Finnic and Indo-European mythologies co-exist.
ShaybanidsThe Shibanids or Shaybanids (Shayboniylar, دودمان شیبانیان) or more accurately the Abu'l-Khayrid-Shibanids were a dynasty, of Turko-Mongol origin, in Central Asia who ruled over most of modern-day Kazakhstan, much of Uzbekistan, and parts of southern Russia (including Siberia) in the 15th century. They were the patrilineal descendants of Shiban, the fifth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. Until the mid-14th century, they acknowledged the authority of the descendants of Shiban's brothers Batu Khan and Orda Khan, such as Öz Beg Khan.
