The term ''nökör'' ( comrade, companion, friend)
was applied in the time of
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; August 1227), also known as Chinggis Khan, was the founder and first khan (title), khan of the Mongol Empire. After spending most of his life uniting the Mongols, Mongol tribes, he launched Mongol invasions and ...
to soldiers who abandoned their family ties and devoted themselves exclusively to their leader.
The nature of their bond to the leader was of friendship or individual pledges, rather than hereditary obligations.
They were valiant and loyal fighters.
Many of the most prominent generals of Genghis Khan were ''nökhör''.
Today the term is used more loosely.
Derivatives of the term are found in several languages, including
Azerbaijani (''nökər''),
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
(նոքար ''nokʽar''),
Persian (نوکر ''nokar''),
Hindustani (نَوکَر/नौकर ''naukar''),
Bengali (নওকর ''nôukôr'') and
Hungarian (''nyögér'').
[Róna-Tas and Berta. (2011) ''West Old Turkic'', vol. 2, p. 623-25]
References
Mongolian words and phrases
Genghis Khan
Mongol Empire
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