Berendei

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The Berendei (Ukrainian: Берендеї, Берендичі - Berendeyi, Berendychi) were a Turkic tribe of the Middle Ages, possibly of Kipchak or Oghuz origin. The Berendei were one of the tribes who formed the Cherniye Klobuki ("Black Hats", Turkic "Karakalpak"), semi-nomadic tribes who fought as border guards for various Rus (proto-Ukrainian) princes.

They are mentioned in Kyivan Rus chronicles from the late 11th to the 12th century as part of the Cherniye Klobuki and, like some Pechenegs and Torks, settled along Kievan Rus' steppe frontier after being forced out by the Kipchaks. Other tribes fled into Hungary. Most Berendei, however, settled in the Ukrainian steppes near the principalities of Kiev and Pereyaslav, especially in the region of Ros river. These Berendei played their most significant role, providing many cavalrymen to the princes of Kiev and Pereyaslav on the lower Dnipr River.

Over the course of the 12th century, the Berendei became assimilated and their state evolved into a feudal principality with its own military aristocracy. Berendei nobles were accepted by the elite of Kievan Rus' on equal terms. Berendei cities and towns emerged. Rus' princes continued to hire Berendei cavalry to defend against Cumans, and also in their internecine wars. In 1177, a Cuman-Kipchak army, allied with Ryazan, sacked six cities belonging to the Berendei and Torkil.

After the Mongol invasion of Russia some Berendei moved to Bulgaria and Hungary; the remaining tribes were assimilated with the nomadic population of the Golden Horde. From 13th century on berendei are not mentioned by name by chronicle writers.

Some of Turkic placenames in south of Kyiv oblast and in Cherkasy oblast, namely Tahancha, Koshmak, Taldyky, are believed to be connected to the Berendei. So is name of the city of Berdychiv in southern part of Zhytomyrska oblast, literally of "Berendychi".