| Revision as of 05:37, 15 September 2003 view sourceZestauferov (talk | contribs)1,965 editsmNo edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 08:45, 27 September 2003 view source Galizia (talk | contribs)127 editsNo edit summaryNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| The '''Khazars''' were a semi-] from ] who adopted ] and whose descendants might now be spread over the world. They founded the independent ] in the ] C.E. in the southeastern part of today's ], near the ] and the ]. In addition to western ], the Khazar kingdom also included territory in what is now eastern ], southern ], and ]. | The '''Khazars''' were a semi-] from ] who adopted ] and whose descendants might now be spread over the world. They founded the independent ] in the ] C.E. in the southeastern part of today's ], near the ] and the ]. In addition to western ], the Khazar kingdom also included territory in what is now eastern ], southern ], and ]. | ||
| To what extent Ashkenazi Jews (i.e. from central and eastern Europe) of today are descendants of the Khazars is the subject of debate. Resent scholarship by researchers in Israel, the U.S. and England has have that they Jews of today may descend primarily from Khazars(). This refutes earlier and less advanced research. | |||
| Their first significant appearance in history is their aid to the campaign of the ] emperor ] against the ]ns. During the 7th and ] they fought a series of wars against the Islamic Arab Empire. Although they stopped the Arab expansion into ] for some time after these wars, they were forced to withdraw behind the Caucasus, as well. Afterwards they extended their territories from the Caspian Sea in the east to the north of ] in the west. Early Russian sources called Khazaran, their city, Khvalisy and the Khazar sea (Caspian) Khvaliskoye after the ]ns. | Their first significant appearance in history is their aid to the campaign of the ] emperor ] against the ]ns. During the 7th and ] they fought a series of wars against the Islamic Arab Empire. Although they stopped the Arab expansion into ] for some time after these wars, they were forced to withdraw behind the Caucasus, as well. Afterwards they extended their territories from the Caspian Sea in the east to the north of ] in the west. Early Russian sources called Khazaran, their city, Khvalisy and the Khazar sea (Caspian) Khvaliskoye after the ]ns. | ||
| Line 8: | Line 10: | ||
| In the ] the empire began to decline due to the attacks of both the ] and other ], and their political significance greatly diminished toward the end of the ]. | In the ] the empire began to decline due to the attacks of both the ] and other ], and their political significance greatly diminished toward the end of the ]. | ||
| ⚫ | Serbian author ]'s first novel, ']' is centered on the "Khazar question." (i.e. the relation between Jews and Khazars). | ||
| To what extent, if any, East European Jews of today are descendants of the Khazars is the subject of debate; however, historians, onomasticians, and geneticists have demonstrated that the Khazars are not the dominant population element. | |||
| ⚫ | Serbian author ]'s first novel, ']' is centered on the "Khazar question." | ||
| References: | References: | ||
Revision as of 08:45, 27 September 2003
The Khazars were a semi-nomadic people from Central Asia who adopted Judaism and whose descendants might now be spread over the world. They founded the independent Khazar kingdom in the 7th century C.E. in the southeastern part of today's Europe, near the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus. In addition to western Kazakhstan, the Khazar kingdom also included territory in what is now eastern Ukraine, southern Russia, and Crimea.
To what extent Ashkenazi Jews (i.e. from central and eastern Europe) of today are descendants of the Khazars is the subject of debate. Resent scholarship by researchers in Israel, the U.S. and England has have that they Jews of today may descend primarily from Khazars(). This refutes earlier and less advanced research.
Their first significant appearance in history is their aid to the campaign of the Byzantine emperor Heraclius against the Persians. During the 7th and 8th centuries they fought a series of wars against the Islamic Arab Empire. Although they stopped the Arab expansion into Eastern Europe for some time after these wars, they were forced to withdraw behind the Caucasus, as well. Afterwards they extended their territories from the Caspian Sea in the east to the north of Black Sea in the west. Early Russian sources called Khazaran, their city, Khvalisy and the Khazar sea (Caspian) Khvaliskoye after the Khwarezmians.
The Khazar royalty and nobility adopted Judaism, and later part of the general population followed. In the 8th or 9th century, their king, Bulan, was converted to Judaism. A later king, Obadiah, strengthened Judaism, inviting rabbis into the kingdom and building synagogues. His supreme court consisted of two Jews, two Christians, two Muslims, and a heathen. Religious toleration was maintained for the kingdom's three hundred plus years. By the year 950 Judaism had become a widespread faith.
In the 10th century the empire began to decline due to the attacks of both the Russians and other Turkic tribes, and their political significance greatly diminished toward the end of the 12th century.
Serbian author Milorad Pavich's first novel, 'Dictionary of the Khazars: A Lexicon Novel' is centered on the "Khazar question." (i.e. the relation between Jews and Khazars).
References:
Kevin Alan Brook, The Jews of Khazaria, 1st ed., Northvale, N.J.: Jason Aronson, 1999
Douglas M. Dunlop, The History of the Jewish Khazars, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1954
Arthur Koestler, The Thirteenth Tribe: The Khazar Empire and Its Heritage, New York: Random House, 1976