Torkil
Torkils (also Torks, Cyrillic: торки) were a Turkic tribe of the Middle Ages, possibly of Kipchak or Oghuz origin. The Torkil were one of the tribes who formed the Chornye Klobuki ("Black Hats", Turkic "Karakalpak"), semi-nomadic tribes who fought as border guards for various princes of Kievan Rus.
In 1177 a Cuman army, allied with Ryazan, sacked six cities belonging to the Berendei and Torkil.
In Ukraine, many placenames trace to Torks, such as Torchesk, Torchyn, rivers Torets and Torch, Torsky way along the river Tetilha, villages Torets, Torky, Toretske.
Further reading
- (Russian) Golubovsky Peter V. (1884) Pechenegs, Torks and Cumans before the invasion of the Tatars. History of the South Russian steppes 9th-13th centuries (Печенеги, Торки и Половцы до нашествия татар. История южно-русских степей IX—XIII вв.) at Runivers.ru in DjVu format