The Cuman Campaigns in 1091 »

Abstract

The Cumans appeared in Eastern Europe in the second half of the 11th century. In the first part of my study, I present a brief survey of the Cuman attacks against the Byzantine Empire until 1091. In 1091 they fought along the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnénos (1081–1118) against the Pechenegs. In the battle of Lebunion, Alexios and his Cuman allies decisively defeated the Pechenegs. The Pechenegs defeated at the Battle of Lebunion lived at that time in the region Paristrion on Byzantine side of the Danube. In the same year, the Cumans attacked the Hungarian Kingdom as well. The purpose of this study is to search for an answer to the three questions: Who invited the Cumans into the Byzantine Empire? What was the role of the Cumans in the battle of Lebunion in which the Byzantines achieved a great victory over the Pechenegs? Could the Cumans be identical with the nomads who attacked the Hungarian Kingdom in the same year?

Keywords

• Cuman attacks
• Byzantine Empire
• Hungarian Kingdom
• 1091.