Kyrgyz Inhabitants of the Irtysh and Altai Regions?
In this case, the area of "Kyrgyz" could have consisted of "Central Asian" and "Eastern" Kyrgyz, as well as other tribes and clans. Nevertheless, the "Central Asian" Kyrgyz likely occupied the western regions of the Kyrgyz country at that time.
In "Si-shi-ji" (13th century), the Kyrgyz are already mentioned as inhabitants of the Irtysh and Altai regions. Obviously, these reports referred to the "Central Asian" Kyrgyz.
"About the people and country of 'Kerkis' is reported in the accounts of Rubruk (1253-1254), who classifies it among the countries that 'lie to the north and are full of forests'; elsewhere, among the northern peoples, where 'there is not a single city', the 'people who raise livestock, called 'kerkis', are mentioned, as well as the 'orenagai', i.e., the Uryankhai, mentioned by Rashid ad-Din along with the eastern neighbors of the Kyrgyz, the Kuri, Bargut, and Tumet. There are no indications that the Kyrgyz lived in more southern areas during this period." It is likely that this primarily referred to the "Central Asian" nomadic Kyrgyz, who occupied the western and southwestern regions of the Kyrgyz country and, according to this data, they lived in the forests.
In the "Collection of Chronicles" by Rashid ad-Din, it is stated that the tribes of Urasut, Telingit, and Kushtemi "are also called forest tribes because they inhabit the forests within the country of the Kyrgyz and Kэм-Kэмджиут." It is noteworthy that in this account by Rashid ad-Din, the country of the Kyrgyz and Kэм-Kэмджиут are separated. This could somewhat confirm the above-mentioned assumptions that the area of "Kyrgyz" could cover the western regions of the Kyrgyz country and the Minusu, while the area of "Kэм-Kэмджиут" was located in the Upper Yenisei regions and up to Selenga, and could represent a territory that fell under the influence of the Kyrgyz or was subject to them.
Rashid ad-Din writes that "any tribe whose yurts were (located) in forested areas was called a forest tribe."
According to "Yuan-Shi," the area of "Qian-Qian-zhou" is placed "southeast of the country of the Kyrgyz and at the same time to the west of the Kem River, i.e., the Yenisei." It should be noted that "Yuan-Shi" also separates the country of the Kyrgyz and the area of "Qian-Qian-zhou" ("Kэм-Kэмджиут") and places the latter to the southeast of the country of the Kyrgyz. This may confirm our assumptions that "Kyrgyz" could cover the western regions of the Kyrgyz country and the Minusu, while the area of "Kэм-Kэмджиут" was located in Tuva and could represent a territory that fell under the influence of the Kyrgyz or was subject to them. The data from "Yuan-Shi" that "Qian-Qian-zhou" was "at the same time" located to the west of the Kem River, i.e., the Yenisei, is likely erroneous. Although it could refer to the distance of the southwestern limits of "Kэм-Kэмджиут" from the western part of the country of the Kyrgyz.
