Hamrol/Till Family Tree » Köten Khan II (± 1222-1241)

Personal data Köten Khan II 

• He was born about 1210-1222 in Cumania, Hungary.
• (Additional information) .

  TitleOfNobility:«tab»Prince of Kumans
  Title:«tab»Khan of The Kumans
  TitleOfNobility:«tab»khan, Cumans
  AFN:«tab»FDC3-BJ
  LifeSketch:«tab»It was Köten's father, Kontchak, who united the East and West Cumans in a tribal confederation. The latter also changed the mode of succession to grant the oldest tribal leader the title of heir to the kingdom. This is how Köten became, on the death of his father, the khan of the Cumans2.
  
  In 1222, warned of the arrival of Mongol contingents crossing the Caucasus, Köten sent an imposing military contingent to confront the forces of Subötaï. Under the command of his brother Yuri, he brought together a coalition made up of Lezghians, Circassians, Bulgarians, Khazars, and Alans3.
  
  The Mongols manage to push back the forces deployed in front of him and ravage the Couman territory. Köten managed to escape the massacre and took refuge in the Rus' of Kiev. He pleads an alliance against the Mongols with Mstislav Mstislavich, to whom he had married his daughter a few years earlier. "Today, the Tatars have taken our land. Tomorrow, they will take yours," he will plead. He will succeed in forming a coalition of 80,000 men who will be exterminated in the famous battle of the Kalka River in 12234.
  
  Köten seeks protection for himself and his people in Hungary. He accepts to become a vassal of Bela IV and to convert to Christianity5. Bela even offered to be Köten's godfather at his baptism6.
  
  However, the massive arrival of Cumans in the kingdom does not suit everyone. Already grappling with barons who take a dim view of the reforms he tries to implement, Bela must defend his decision to welcome these stinking barbarians who destroy the cultivated lands with their horses. He refuses the barons' request to expel the Cumans, knowing that he will need this powerful and experienced cavalry when the Mongols arrive.
  
  Indeed, In 1238 and at the dawn of the invasion of Europe, Batu Khan sent a letter to Bela IV ordering him to expel the Cumans from his territory. According to him, the control of this nomadic people must go to the Mongols, a nomadic people. This time too, Bela does not give in.
  
  In 1241, Subötaï entered Hungary via the Verecke Pass. Köten mobilizes his troops to help his host. It is estimated that 10% of Cumans in exile will be able to join Bela, or 4,000 of the 40,000 members of its people9.
  
  While the Mongols are completing their conquest of Hungary, the barons of Bela still have some against Köten and his people. After the king again refused their expulsion, a number of barons entered Köten's quarters in Buda in the middle of the night to capture him. Trapped, Köten kills his wife and commits suicide.
  
  The barons cut off the heads of Köten, his wife and a number of Prince Coumans and threw them into the streets. Furious, the Cumans revolt and loot several towns and villages and flee to Bulgaria1
  
  Queen Erzabet's father was Koten,(often called a Kuthen and other variations. ) TERTER-OBA,"khan"of the Kumans (also spelled Cuman) He was killed in a political riot in Pest in 1241.His first wife was Agnez,daughter of Suto. His second wife was ,Erzabet of Galich a Polish princess.

• He died on March 17, 1241 in Pest, Hungary.
• This information was last updated on November 12, 2021.

Household of Köten Khan II

He is married to > Erzebet Mstislavich <.

They got married in the year 1240 at Poland.

Child(ren):

1. Erzsebet (Princess) of CUMANIA aka Elizabeth of BOSNIA; (of KUMANS; des COUMANS)  ± 1240-± 1275 

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