The Khitan (Chinese Qidan or Zhendan, Arabian-Persian Khitai or Mongolian Kitat) were an ethnic group who dominated much of Manchuria and classified in Chinese history as one of the Eastern Hu ethnic group. The Khitans possessed eight tribes and they were subject to the Turks for sometime. The Khitan were an ancient nomadic tribe that lived in Northern China. Possible ancestors of Khitans was the Yuwen clan of the Xianbei. After their regime was conquered by the Murong clan, the remnants scattered in modern Inner Mongolia and evolved into Khitan through intermarriage. They had been identified as a distinct ethnic group that paid tribute to the Northern Wei Dynasty in mid 6th Century. They were first mentioned in historical records in 389 during the Northern Wei Period.

By the early 7th Century they sought to establish their own state on China's frontier but failed due to the strong resistance of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). As a result, the Khitan tribe was brought under Chinese rule. After the decline of the Tang, the Khitan frequently attacked their neighbours, capturing people from other states, which brought a rapid increase in their power. One of these groups was that of the Sha-t’o Turks (or “people of the desert sand” in Chinese), who had supported the Tang against the Khitan.

In 916, Yelu Abaoji, the chief of the Khitan tribe, established the Khitan Empire or Liao Dynasty and proclaimed himself emperor. The name was derived from the Liao River, which was a core part of the tribal Khitan state.

Follwing the overthrow of the dynasty by the Jurchens, the remnants of Khitans migrated to the Kara-Su. Their new regime was named Kara-Khitan (Black Khitan) Khanate (referred to in Chinese sources as Kara-Kitai, Kara-Khitai, Kara-Khitay, Kara-Khitan, Western Liao, Xi Liao or similar variants). The Kara-Khitan Khanate (1124 or 1125-1220 AD) was established by Yeluu Da Shi (also known as Yeh-lu Ta-Shih) who led around 100,000 Khitan tribesmen. Its capital, Balasagun (in modern Kyrgyzstan) flourished as a cultural and economic centre. This regime survived until the arrival of Genghis Khan's Mongolian armies.

There were two writing systems for the Khitan language, known as the large script and the small script; they were functionally independent. The former was derived from Chinese, and the latter was apparently inspired by the Uighur alphabet.

Eurasian Nomads: Part 2

Magyars
Székely
Pechenegs
The Uighur Empire (744-840)
Xueyantuo
Kirghiz or Kyrgyz
Kipchaks
Kimeks
Tatars or Tartar
Steppe Kingdoms (840-1278)
Khitan or Kidan
Tanguts
Jurchen or Jurchid
Turks or Turkmen
Mongol World Empire (1206-1368)
Steppe Peoples' Political Decline (14th C. onward)
Descriptions of Non-Mongolian Physiques

Eurasian Nomads: Part 1

Background
Indo-European Period (4,000 BC-300 AD)
Hsiung-nu Period (250 BC-450 AD)
Turkic Kaganate (552-744)