There is also evidence that the Turks resorted to kidnapping Christian children and raising them as Turks, as attested by contemporary chronicler Matthew of Edessa. Intermarriage between Turks and Greek, Armenian and Georgian natives of Anatolia was not unheard of, although the majority of these unions were between Turkish men and Christian women. The children of these unions, known as 'Mixovarvaroi', were raised as Turks and were of the Muslim faith (although there were some cases of Mixovarvaroi defecting to the Byzantines).
Additionally, historical records suggest that the Turks engaged in the practice of taking Christian children and rearing them as Turks, as attested by Matthew of Edessa. Intermarriage between Turkish men and Christian women from Anatolia was not unusual, although most of these unions involved Turkish males with female Christians. The offspring of these unions, referred to as 'Mixovarvaroi', were raised as Muslims and occasionally defected to the Byzantine Empire.