Oghur (tribe)

The Oghurs were a group of Turkic-speaking nomads who moved west across the steppe from about 450 to 950 AD. They drove before them the Iranian-speaking Sarmatians and were followed westward by the Turkic-speaking Oghuz and Kipchaks. ‘Oghur’ strictly refers to speakers of the Oghur languages. It is not clear that they differed from other nomads in anything but language. The terms ‘Oghur’, ‘Oghuz’, ‘Onogur’ and others probably derive from a Turkic word meaning approximately 'tribe'. Since we depend on scattered reports from neighboring literate societies, our knowledge of their history is poor.

Not to be confused with Uyghurs.

History

The Oghurs were the first wave of Turkic-speakers to move west across the steppe. They were followed westward by the Oghuz Turks and then the Kipchaks. Most of the Oghuz turned southwest and left their languages in Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey while the Kipchaks remained on the steppe and became the modern Kazakhs.

From about 376, the Huns moved west onto the western steppe, raided Europe and broke up after 453. They were a very mixed group and may have included Turkic-speakers. Around 450, the Akatziri, also of unknown linguistic affiliation, lived west of Crimea and fought the Huns. The Turkic-speakers seem to have originated near Mongolia and spread westward. Some time between the third and sixth centuries the Oghurs appear north of the Aral Sea.[1] Around 463, the Turkic Saragurs attacked the Akatziri. The Onogurs, whose name in Turkic possibly ‘ten tribes’, are also mentioned from 463 until the eighth century when they were absorbed by the Bulgars; apparently Onogurs had lived towards the Kuban. Yet another group, the Sabirs, also appeared first in 463. They were driven west by the Avars and in turn pushed Ogurs, Onogurs, and Saragurs westward; thus Sabirs also occupied ithe Kuban area. In 500-600, Sabirs fought for and against the Persians and Byzantines and were later absorbed by the Bulgars and Khazars. Around 550 the Kutrigurs (west) and Utigurs (east) lived around the lower Don.

After 635, the Oghurs founded four states. About 635 the Bulgars seem to have broken off from the Onogurs, gained control of the surrounding tribes and formed Old Great Bulgaria north of the Black Sea. About 668 this state was destroyed by the Khazars. When the state fell a group of Bulgars fled southwest to the Balkans, adopted the local language, laid the foundation for First Bulgarian Empire and gave their name to Bulgaria. Another group went north up the Volga and later formed Volga Bulgaria. They adopted Islam in 922, paid tribute to the Khazars and were conquered by the Mongols in 1236. The Chuvash people continue to speak an Oghur language which is somehow connected to that of the Volga Bulgarians. The Khazars emerged east of the Bulgars around 630 and soon replaced them. They were a mixture of Bulgars, other Oghurs, Gokturks and others. They controlled the Volga trade with Persia and Byzantium and were destroyed by the Rus' in 969. With the formation of the Bulgar and Khazar states the term 'Oghur' gradually disappears from the records, but the Oghur languages must have continued from some time.

Five non-Oghur peoples passed through the area. The Huns are mentioned above. The Gokturks formed in Mongolia in 552, reached the Volga about 588 and raided Crimea in 577. They formed the Western Turkic Khaganate. As it weakened its western part contributed to the Khazars. The Avars were driven west by the Gokturks, briefly ruled the western steppe and moved on to Hungary about 580. They were also a mixed people and absorbed many Oghurs. Some time around 800 the Oghuz Pechenegs moved to the area west of the Khazars and the ancestral Hungarians passed through the area. The Oghur lands were later inhabited by the Kipchaks.

Sources
  1. Yuri Bregel, Historical Atlas of Central Asia, 2003, Map 6. Although they must have moved through the area, none of the usual sources describe them before they crossed the Volga.
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