Borc, a kunok negyedik fejedelme

Abstract

The Cumans, also known as Kipchaks and Polovcians, flourished during the 11-13th centuries in the territory of the Eastern European steppe. At the beginning of the 13th century the Hungarian kingdom turned its attention to the Cumans. As a consequence, in 1227 Borcz, the fourth chieftain of the Cumans, sent his son, along with a retinue, to Esztergom, the seat of the Hungarian Archbishop, to embrace Christianity. The Dominican missionaries baptized Borcz and his people. This act was motivated by political considerations on both the Cuman and Hungarian sides. The aim of this paper is to analyze the following questions: Borcz was ranked to the fourth position among the Cuman leaders, the identification of the other contemporary leaders is possible. The habitat of the group led by Borcz is also a complicated problem if the Mongol invasion of Eastern Europe in 1223 is taken into consideration. Finally, the motives for his conversion to Christianity are discussed.