Quoting: krysia, Post #54
I'm of Tatarian Ancenstry. My clan was Almak-han, which later got changed to Almakiewicz. And it's true what you say about the Tatars. We're catholic and very patriotic but no muslim in me.
Great to hear

My friend's name is Aleksandrowicz and it's Tatarian too. 50% of Polish Tatars converted to Catholic Church specially in late XVII century. They were so brave, that king Jan Kazimierz nolbilited many Tatarian families.
Tatars were very respected specialy by king Jan Sobieski.
First wave of Tatars came to Poland in XIII, but the stabil colonisation we have since 1409. Tatars (under chief Gelal ed Din) helped us to fight against Teutonic Orden. Under Grunwald (15 VIII 1410) they reided first to fight, what saved Polish haevy cavalry from German artyllery. Tatars asimilated very fast. In one Tatarian letter to king Zygmunt I Waza from 1519. we are reading: "We promissed to love you, we did with sabels in our hands..., ...you said: this sand, this water, this trees belong to us too..., ... in Crymea and Kipchak (=Tatarian homeland) they know very well - we are not strangers here..".
There was always 6 Tatarian "Banners" (=regiment) in Polish army. Every tribe had it's own regiment. They served as cavalrymen, had to buy their own horses and weapon, but were free from taxes. It was normal in XVII c.
Fighting for Poland they fought against Russians, Swedes, Germans and... other Tatars.
One time Tatars from Ukraine, who assulted Poland tried to convince our Tatars to join them. Polish Tatars answered: " Not the God, nor the Prophet ordered you to mord and plunder. Killing you - we are killing morders, not our brothers".
In the battle at Parkany (agains Turkey) one of Tatarian colonels, Samuel Mur Keczowski, saved the life of king Jan III Sobieski.