It is a game that the Turks have enjoyed for many centuries. It was the public form of athletic competition in nomadic Turkish society where the equestrian tradition was very strong: Turks were born and grew up on horseback, a great many fought as cavalry officers, their only drink was the horse milk called kımız and many perished on horseback. Cirit was accepted as a war game by the Ottomans in the 16th century. While its scope has shrank in the current day cirit is still played in weddings and holidays in Anatolia.

Cirit entered Anatolia with Alpaslan and spread from there to Europe and the Arab lands. It was played in German and French-speaking territories in the 17th century.