https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6nchek_(Cuman)

Könchek (also spelled Konchak, Könchek, Končak, in Russian / Ukrainian: Кончак, died in 1187 [1]) was a Polovtsian khan of XII century.

Respectively son and grandson of the khans Otrok and Sharukan, he unifies in the second half of the XII century the polovts tribes of the east and made in the years 1170 and 1180 the war against Russian princes; taking advantage of their dissensions, he attacked the principalities of Kiev, Pereïaslavl and Chernigov. His raids were particularly destructive along the Sula River.

In 1171, Könchek allies with the prince of Novhorod-Siverskyi Oleg II Svyatoslavich, in fight against the other Russian princes but in 1184, during an attack led against the principality of Kiev, his troops was beaten near the Khorol River by the prince Sviatoslav III. The following year, Könchek defeats the prince Igor Svyatoslavich who is taken prisoner near the Kaiala River (possibly modern Kalmiius River [2]). This unfortunate campaign of Prince Igor against Könchek will become the subject of an epic poem, The Tale of Igor's Campaign .

Könchek died in 1187. His daughter Svoboda ("Liberty" in Russian) will marry in 1188 Vladimir III Igorevich, son of Prince Igor. His son Yuri will take part in 1203 taking Kiev as an ally of the prince Rurik Rostislavich who, chased from Kiev, recruited Polovtses to regain power.

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http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CK...

Konchak [Kon%C4%8Dak]. Khan of the Cumans. In the latter half of the 12th century Konchak united the tribes of the eastern Cumans, and in the 1170s and 1180s carried out a number of attacks on settlements in the Pereiaslav principality, Kyiv principality, and Chernihiv principality. The raids were particularly destructive along the Sula River. In 1171 and 1180–1 he aided the princes of Novhorod-Siverskyi in their internecine struggle for power with other Rus’ princes. In 1184 he and the Cuman khan Kobiak were routed on the Khorol River during an assault on Kyivan Rus’, but in 1185, at the Kaiala River, he defeated the forces of Prince Ihor Sviatoslavych, who was taken prisoner. Konchak proceeded to ravage the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, and to lay seige to Pereiaslav. The struggle of Ihor Sviatoslavych and the princes of Rus’ to repel Konchak is immortalized in the epic Slovo o polku Ihorevi.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 2 (1989).]

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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_of_Cuman_descent

Khan Konchak (Konchek, Kumcheg - meaning 'trousers') Otrakovich, his daughter married Igor's son, prince Vladimir III Igorevich of Putivl. He was involved in wars and raids with the Russians (Prince Igor), along the Ros River, where the Cumans attacked towns belonging to the Olgovichi (the ruling dynasty of Chernigov). He defeated Igor Svyatoslavich, prince of the Principality of Novgorod-Seversk, the tale of which is immortalized in the Rus' epic The Tale of Igor's Campaign. He united the western and eastern Cuman-Kipchak tribes.[6]

https://books.google.com/books?id=ST6TRNuWmHsC&pg=PA283&lpg=PA283&d...

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumans

In 1114 the Cumans launched an invasion, from the western Romanian Plain, into the Byzantine Balkans once more. This was followed up by another incursion in 1123/1124. In 1135 the Cumans again invaded the Kingdom of Poland. During the second and third crusades, in 1147 and 1189, crusaders were attacked by Cumans, who were allied to the Asen dynasty of the Second Bulgarian Empire, or who were in Byzantine service.[4]:124–128

Central, Southern and Eastern Europe, 1190 In alliance with the Bulgarians and Vlachs,[60][61] the Cumans are believed to have played a significant role in the Vlach-Bulgar Rebellion led by brothers Asen and Peter of Tarnovo, resulting in victory over Byzantium and the restoration of Bulgaria's independence in 1185.[62] Istvan Vassary states that without the active participation of the Cumans, the Vlakho-Bulgarian rebels could never have gained the upper hand over the Byzantines, and ultimately without the military support of the Cumans, the process of Bulgarian restoration could never have been realised.[7]:73[32] The Cuman participation in the creation of the Second Bulgarian Empire in 1185 and thereafter brought about basic changes in the political and ethnic sphere of Bulgaria and the Balkans.[7]:xii The Cumans were allies in the Bulgarian-Latin Wars with emperor Kaloyan of Bulgaria, who was descended from the Cumans. In 1205, at the Battle of Adrianople (1205), 14,000 Cuman light cavalry contributed to Kaloyan's crushing victory over the Latin Crusaders.[32] Cuman troops continued to be hired throughout the 13th and 14th century by both the Bulgarians and Byzantines.[15]

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KONCHEK, KHAN OF THE DONETS CUMANS

By 1160 Cuman raids into Rus' had become an annual event. These attacks put pressure on Rus' and affected trade routes to the Black Sea and Constantinople, in turn leading Rus' to again attempt action. Offensives were halted from 1166 to 1169, when Grand Prince Andrey Bogolybusky (c. 1111 - 1174), son of Khan Ayepa's daughter, took control of Kiev in 1169 and installed Gleb Iur'evich as his puppet. Gleb Iur'evich brought in "Wild Cumans" as well as Oghuz and Berendei units. Later, the prince of the Principality of Chernigov attempted to use KHAN KONCHEK'S army against Kievan Rus' and Suzdal. This Chernigov - Cuman alliance suffered disastrous defeat in 1180, with ELRUT, KONCHEK'S brother, dying in battle.

In 1183 Rus' defeated a large Cuman army and captured Khan Kobiak (Kobek), as well as his son and other notables. Subsequent to this KHAN KONCHEK concluded negotiations. KHAN KONCHEK, MUCH LIKE HIS SON KHAN KOTEN preceding the Mongol invasion, was successful in creating a more cohesive force out of the many Cuman groups, uniting the western and eastern Cuman - Kipchak tribes. KHAN KONCHEK also changed the old Cuman system of government whereby rulership went to the most senior tribal leader, INSTEAD PASSING IT ON TO HIS SON KOTEN.

Igor Svyatoslavich, prince of the Principality of Novgorod - Seversk, attacked the Cumans in the vicinity of the Kayala River in 1185 but was defeated. This battle became immortalized in the Rus' epic poem "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" and Alexander Borodin's opera "Prince Igor". The dynamic pattern of attacks and counterattacks between Rus' and the Cumans indicates that both the Cumans and the Rus' rarely, if ever, were able to obtain the unity needed to deal a fatal blow.

Source -- "Cumans" / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumans

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SELECTED TIMELINE FOR KONCHEK KHAN

1172 -- Kipchak Khan ? (1167 - 1172) dies. KHAN KONCHEK becomes Khan and rules from 1172 - 1201.

1172 -- KHAN KONCHEK and the Rus' Knyazes Rotislav and Gleb sign peace treaty near Pesochna.

1174 -- Kipchak Khans KONCHEK and Kobyak fail in raid on territory of Periaslavl Knyaz Igor.

1175 -- Kipchaks consolidated into two confederated hordes -- Dneiper and Don.

1179 -- First successful raid of KHAN KONCHEK to Pesulye.

1184 -- Don Kipchak KHAN KONCHEK raids Rus' and is defeated.

1185 -- (March) Rus' Knyazes Ryurik and Svyatoslav defeat Kipchaks on Khorol River. Month later Igor launches his disastrous campaign against the Kipchaks. KHAN KONCHEK and Gzak retaliate successfully in Pereiaslavl region.

1202 -- Commencement of son KHAN KOTYAN'S reign over territories in north Pontic and Hungary (1202 - 1240).

1203 -- Kipchak Cumans capture Kiev.

Sources -- 1.) "Turkic History" / s155239215,onlinehome.us/turkic/turkicsite.htm & 2.) "Kipchaks: Dateline" / s155239215.onlinehome.us/turkic/70_Dateline/kipchak_dateline_En.htm

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 23 2017, 12:50:28 UTC

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