The Hazar Khanate

The Roots and Language of the Hazars






The ethnic tribe that founded the first regular state in east Europe had been the Hazar's. The Hazar's had been a pure tribe in Middle Asia. With their strong organisation, their living commercial activities, religious tolerance and economical prosperity the Hazarian Khanate provided political stability on the fields in Caucasia and the plains of Black Sea from Itil (Volga) to Özu (Dnyeper), Çolman (Kama) and Kiyefe. The Hazarian Khanate is considered to be the most important Turkish State that played big role in the history of East Europe. With a record of the islamic writer el-Mes'udi (10th century) the thought was strenghtend that the Hazars (in Arabic al-Hazar, in Hebrew Hazar, Kozar, in Latin Chazari, Gazari, in Greek Khazaroi, in Russian Kozar, Kozarin, in Hungarian Kazar, Kozar, in Armenish Hazir-k, in Georgian Hazar-i) who named the Khanate had been a continuation of the Sabar Turks. According to this writer, the population that was called "Hazar" by the Iranian had been called "Sabar" (Sebir) by the Turks.

It is also a proof that instead of the name Sabar the name Hazar comes to the same meaning. Doubtless, the population that formed the Hazars had not only been the ancient Sabar Turks, but besides the two Hazar tribes called Semender and Belencer who originated from the Sabar, also Turkish groups who were resident among other tribes living on the land of the khanate belonged to this formation. Within the Hazar country beneath the Turkish (Hun, Gök-Türk, Uygur dialect) with Y (east) also the Turkish (Ogur-Bulgarian dialect) with R (west) was spoken, moreover Fin-Ugorish (Hungarian) and other local languages were used, too. This had been the natural result for the historical events that occurred in this region: As the regions between Itil-Caucasian-Don which were the main grounds of the Hazar State, had been the route of the big migration moves that proceeded from east to west, groups of Huns, Ogurs, Fin-Ogurs and Avars, who stayed here carried on with their lives.



The Hazarian Geography


The fields that had been occupied by the Hazars are of geopolitical importance. These were: the fields where the roads of China-Turkisthan-Black Sea- Byzantium- Front Asia- Iran- Harzem- Syria- Mezopotamia- Caucasia-Sharki Europe-Hazar-Scandinavia came together at the river mouths of the four big rivers Idil, Yayık, Kuban and Don (Ten).

All kinds of grains from Kama and the Middle Idil river basin, valuable furs, honey and beeswax, timber, various minerals from south Ural's along the Yayik, silk and cotton wovens from China and Turkmenistan, industrial items from Iran and Byzantium, various items and slaves from Slavia and Scandinavia were brought to the Hazar country. Being an early settled tribe on a route where big land and river-sea trade roads were passing, the Hazars started to support the trade, which had been the main economical element of the government.

Within a very short time various big trade centres-cities had been established; for example: Itil on the river mouth of Idil, Semender and Derbent at the northern Caucasia, Saksin on the river mouth (?) of Yayık, Tamatarhan at the river mouth of Kuban, the Sarkel (Ak-şehir) castle along the river Don are some of the well known Hazarian cities; it is supposed that besides these cities also other big and small cities do exist. A Turkish tribe, that lead city life, that means owning a high material and spiritual civilization, occupied in trade and for the same time caring about their agriculture, that means a tribe that is devoted to their land, was holding by latest VI. Century A.D. the middle and lower parts of Idil, the northern Caucasia and along the river Don in their hands.



The Gok-Turk Dependent Hazar's Help to Byzantium


After the years 558 having fought with the Sasani, the Hazar's (better to say Sabar's) proclaimed to be a tribe dominating over the Caucasian, were well known in Byzantium under the name "Hazar" in 586, but for the same time they were also called "Turks". In Chinese sources they are mentioned as "Turk-Hazar" (T'u-küe Ho-sa-K'o-sa).

These last two records show us that the Hazar's nation had been taken into the land of the Gok-Turk Empire, whose domination had reached to Black Sea in the years of 576, and the usage of the population names fit to the Turkish usage. Thus, the Hazar's formed the outer wing of the Gok-Turk khanate in west. According to the Armenian historical priest Sebeos (VII. Century) and Islamic sources, this situation had last until the 2nd quarter of the 7th decade under the administration of a leader from the Aşına family of the Gok-Turk dynasty and with the power of the West Gok-Turk Khane the Hazar's had given help to Byzantium against the Sasani.

Close to 626, when the Hazar's had come to Georgia and occupied Tiflis by passing Derbend and from there on entered Azerbaijan, Herakleios the emperor of Byzantium who had taken the capitol Sasani-Avar under siege, came to the fronts of Tiflis and was successful to walk into the inner parts of Iran due to the 40 thousand horseman support he had gained after his negotiations with "Yabgu", a Hazar leader - possibly the little brother of the West Gok-Turk Khane Tong Yabgu. After this action Anatolia was freed of the Iranian invasion, the Sa-Sani's no longer were a big state and while the Hazarian commander Çorpan Tarhan successfully carried on his operations, "Yabgu" occupied Tiflis (629) and took some Armenian groups under his protection.



The Founding of the Hazar Khanate


The real khanate period of the Hazar history begins after 630. At this time, with the Gok-Turk khanate accepting the Chinese domination a rulerless period had began, whereof many Turkish groups tried to build their own administrations on their lands. The Hazar's, as an independent khanate, also had developed their own state. Now, all political and economical conditions that were necessary for success were available.



The Hazar-Byzantium Relations


The Hazar State had be the best allied of Byzantium against Iran. The Sasani Empire, that weakened in the years 634-637 due to the Turkish-Byzantian cooperation, had been brought to collapse by Islamic forces and the Iranian lands were taken over by the Arabics. As the Islamic movement started developing, from one side over Armenia to Caucasia, from the other side over Syria to the inner parts of Anatolia, this alliance had become natural. The political interests partnership, that strengthened more and more as from the 2nd half of the 7th decade last until the 8th century and gained so much of value and importance that marriages between these two emperor families were made. The Emperor Jusitnianos II (685-695 and 705-711) and Konstantinos V (741-775) had married Hazar princesses.

Leon IV (775-780), the son of Konstantinos and princess Çi-çek who is known in history as the emperor with the agnomen "Hazar Leon", had be the grandson of the Hazar khane. Therefore in the same time, in their own political-military matters the emperors made use of the Hazar help. Hazar Leon's wife Iren, who later on had not be "Augusta" or the emperor substitue, but was accepted on her own with full permission and proclaimed as "Basile-us" had been an event that was seen for the first time in the history of Byzantium and Rome can probably be explained by the Hazar-Turk influence.



The Fight with the Arabs


In the years following 665, as the "Great Bulgaria" state in the north Black Sea had scattered in front of the strong Hazar expanding, all the plain lands that reached upto Dnyeper were captured by the Hazar's and the khanate had closed the ways in south Caucasia against the Islamic movement. The fights of the Arabic and the Hazar's had been violent and continues. The first big attack in the time of Caliph Osman was made under the administration of Selman b. Rebia in H.31 (651-652). Passing Derbend and entering the Hazar capital Belencer, the Arabian forces had been repelled and the Hazar's turned towards south and entered Armenia. From this time on, the fights that last for more than half a decade along the border were followed by wide organized operations of the Islamics. On top of these operations had been the famous commander of the Emevi's, Mesleme Abd'il Melik (brother of Halefi Velid 1 -705-715).
Although Mesleme, who reached the environs of Derbend (in the years 707-710, 711) had captured Derbend in 714, after he left Caucasia in order to walk to Istanbul, the Arabian forces retreated in front of the Hazar attack. In 722, the Armenian governor el-Carrah'ül-Hikemi had gained great success in the land of Hazar's. As a result of the mutual attacks until 730, the Arabics again stepped back to Azerbaydshan. But they gained the most important success by the attack in 737 that was made by the Armenian and Azerbaydshan governor Mervan b. Muhammet (later on caliph). Therefore it is said that the khane had been forced to accept the islam; but according to narrations, after a little while he again turned to his former religion. The fight began to lose speed as the Abbasi came to power in the Islamic Caliphate.

It is worth to be mentioned that in the second half of the 8th decade, after the years of 760, the Hazar's had entered Armenian regions after capturing Tiflis again. As it is mentioned because of these wars, the governor Yezid b. Useyd, to come to an agreement, wanted to marry, according to the wish of the chalif, a Hazarian princess in the Armenian city centre which had been founded in Daryal by chalif El-Mansur H. 141 in (745). The death born child of the princess, whose heavy trousseau had been carried in the company of the Tarhan to Berdaa (city centre), lead the khane to the result that this really had be a betrayed and this counted as a reason for war, whereas the Hazar army under the leadership of As-Tarhan walked into the chalifs lands.



The Progress of the Hazarian State


This strong resistance, which had been shown against the Arabic army in the most powerful periods of the Islamic caliphate empire again brought the strength of the Hazarian state to front. Indeed, the khanate between the 8th-9th century, as it can be seen in the expressions of the Islamic writers, had been in the same rank as China and Byzantium and was supposed to be the biggest political formation in East Europe. It's borders had expanded especially on west and north sides, and following countries had been taken under the domination of the khanate: "Avarlar" the land of the "Serir" in north Caucasia, the Alan's, the On-ogurs and the mountain tribes of Caucasia, the Got's in Crimea, the Bulgarian Itil's, the Fin-Ugor Burtas around the Volga and other various Fin arms, the Radimich from the slavic groups of the region around river Desna and middle Dnyeper, the Vyatich, the Severian, the Polian etc., the Hungarian from the environs of Kuban, Kiev and it's surroundings.

So, according to an inscription (Eldad ha-Dani) from the 9th century, one of the main possibilities that provided the political power for the Hazar's, of whom it is said that their khane was on top of "25 kings", had been the fact that the khanate, according to it's geographical position, was in the centre of the - probably for the Middle Ages - most active trade region. Many items were brought to the Hazarian country, especially fur (sable, pine marten, fox etc.) and other trading goods (beeswax, glue) from Scandinavia, Volga and the sides of Kama, silk and fabrics from China and Turkmenistan, various art and decoration items from Byzantium, which were sold in Itil and other Hazar cities.

This various and rich goods passed hands between the continents of Middle Asia-East Europe-Near East. The Hazar khanate had become an elite political formation among the Turkish States from the aspect of supplying high incomes to the state, by organising and making the most profitable use of this commercial activities and putting them under security and control.


"The Hazar Peace" (Pax Khazarica)


As it is described in the sources the Hazarian khanate had lived in prosperity. Ibn Fadlan (922) tells that the Hazar's traded with honey, candles, flour, velvet and fur.Gerdizi (1048) tells that they traded with agiculture and beeswax. Isthari (930-933) mentions that the sources of the Hazar state treasury consisted of tolls that had been taken from entering points to the country and certain land, sea and river points and the 1/10 taxes from the merchants. El-Mes'udi (944) reports that the Hazar's ran vessels on the sea and the rivers. According to the same sources, there had been very fertile land and a lot of fruit gardens in the Hazar country and these "brought comfort to life".

Within the available possibilities the Hazar's also had build cities. The most important city had be the capital Itil. The other big cities, Semender (near the seaside of Dagistan region) with its 4 thousand gardens around Belencer, Tamtarkan at the point where river Kuban falls into the Black Sea and Sarıgsın (in Arabic sources, Al-beyza) at the sides of river Volga. Sarıgsın, which we can call today "Ak-şehir" in Turkish, had be the east part of capital Itil, which sometimes was called "Hazaran". The west region of the capital, where the khane was resident, was called "Han-balig" (khan city).

The Hazar State, which continued the former Gok-Turk organisation with having the kagan (khan) or Yillig (elig) and ruler (beh, peh) on top, being under the domination of the şad's, tarhan's and tudun's, provided the public order and travel security with his powerful army over the wide range of his domination and realized a real "Hazar Peace" ("Pax Khazarica") in East Europe that lasted during the 7th-9th century. With this purpose they even built the famous Sharkel castle in 835, with the help of foremen they brought from Byzantium, in order to prevent any outer attack on time. As this castle, which is named as Bela Vedza (White Castle) in Russian chronicals was made of white stones and bricks it was named in western Turkish as Sharkel (ak-ev = ak-kale / white-house = white-castle).



The Hazar Religion


The "Hazar Peace" had accelerated the communication, increased the goods exchange, which made the khanate to a country where merchants and artists from Eastern and Western nations united in huge groups. Thus, various writings (Gok-Turk, Arabic, Hebrew, Kryllic) had been used beneath different languages. The inhabitants were of different religions. Actually the Hazar's believed in the Sky God ("Tengri-Han"), which had been the ancient Turkish-Steppe religion, based on the faith of unity of God.

Due to the close relations of the nations, all religions like Islam, Christian, Jewish was spread out over the country and each community carried out their own worships and ceremonies within total religious freedom. According to sources (Istahri, in 932, el-Mes'u-di, in 944, ibn Havkal, in 977) in the city of Hazar mosques, churches, synagogues were side by side. Although, it can be seen that the islamic religion (in the middle of the 9th century) was spread out by the Harezm, the Orthodox Christianity came from Byzantium (last quartar of 8th century) and had increased with the visit of Kryll (Kyrillos), the famous Islavic "apostol" to the capital Itil (861-862) upon the wish of the Hazar khane, it is not very clear when and how the Jewish religion had been accepted, especially as the only religion of the khan, his family and the administrating group. In general it is accepted that khane Bulan had be the one who made the Hazar turn to the Jewish religion, for which several dates are given. Latest examinations put forward that Bulan had changed religion in 8th century in Khersones (North Crimea).

According to some Islamic writers (el-Mes'udi), the Hazar's had entered a sect of the Jewish religion in the time of Harun'ur-Resid (786-809), the Abbasian chalif. This sect, that was called "Karay", did not pay much respect to "Talmud" of which it is believed to contain the teachings of Moses, and possibly had been a conviction mixed with some Islamic elements. It is said that the Hazar's because of this got closer to Talmudism in very short time. The letter that the Jewish minister Hasday b. Shaprut of the Andalusian Emevi state had sent from Kurtuba to the Hazar khan Yasef and the responding letter of the khane, of which it is said to be written in Hebrew, also did not lighten up the matter.

The content of the "correspondence" ("Correspondence Kha-zre"), which was found in Egypt in 16th century and published in Istanbul (1577) had been subject to scientific publications and statements (the best, P.P. Ko-kovtsov, 1932, Leningrad). Although criticism of the document had brought up serious doubts concerning the reality of the document, the rightness of the information that was given in the content could be proved in many ways. As a result it can be seen that members of the Karay religion (Karaims) got more and more crowded in the Hazar country and that the Karaims who are living in our time in Crimea, Lehistan and Turkey (Istanbul), at least the communities with the mother language and their religious language being Turkish, are even grandsons of the Jewish Hazar Turks and partly maybe of the Karaim Kumans.



The Influence of the Hazars over the Slavs


The commercial activities that had started with the silence and ease provided by the "Hazar Peace", helped to form the Russian-Slavic State, which is one of the important events in history. Along the Scandinavian-Byznatian commerce route, Slavic-Finnish mixed tribes, mostly occupied in hunting and honey production, were resident in regions with animals with valuable furs in their forests and rich of bees along the forest-steppe borders. These Slavic-Finnish tribes were subject to the administration of an adventurer group named Rus (Ross, Rhos<Rodh=sailor, in old Swedish language) originated from the fearless sailors Vareg (Norman)'s who came here from Scandinavia with the same commercial purposes.

Within this administration they have had gained a political formation comparable to the Hazar sample (first half of 9th decade). Due to the furs, honey, beeswax and items like this they had bought from the natives round Lake Ilmen the Vareg-Russians started trading with Byzantium and also tried to build up some small towns in that region. In the "firs chronic" (Nestor History. First quarter of 12th century) of the Russians it is told as a legend how in the 2nd quarter of 9th century the city Novgorod in the north of Ilmen had be the principality centre of a Vareg-Russian named Rurik and this "knez" (principality - this word originates from German) had been invited by some of the Slavic tribes who lived in the surroundings "to become the ruler".

Rurik, who had formed his state came to Sambata the Hazar centre (castle) in the fields of the Hazar dependent middle Dnyeper (in 862) under the title of publisher and got involved in commercial-political activities. After Rurik, the successor Oleg captured the, in this time progressing city Kiev (882). Therefore the name of Kiev, which as well as Sambata is said to been founded by the Turks, can only be explained in Turkish. The Turkish effects over the Russian principalities in this time can be seen clearly. The title of the ruler of the in 839 established "Rhos" (Russian) unity had been "chacanus" (khankanus=hakan=khanate). Both, prince Vladimir in 988, and later on principal Yaroslav (1036-1050) as they had accepted Christianity, still officially carried the title "kagan".

Inb Rusta (in 920's) Gerdizi and Frank chronicals (Annales Beriniani from 839) and Metropolit Hilarion (11th decade) always tell about the Russion "khane"s. In 10th century some parts of the city Kiev was calles "Kozari". In Turkish Kiev was also called "Mankermen" (= big fort) and it is mentioned that the Kremlin (= fort, castle) in Moscov had got his name from Turkish. It is possible to feel a Hazar-Turk population in the proclamation of the first Russian law "Russkaya Pravda", which explains the relations between the "drujina" (administrators) and the folk.



The Influence of the Hazar over the Hungarian


The Hazarian Khanate also is in the position of the real founder of the Hungarian (Magyar) State. Actually being an Ural (Fin-Ugor) tribe, the Ungarian, who are also close relatives to the Vogul and Ostiyak, came down from their former countries, the slopes of the Ural woodland to the lines of the steppes and lived together with the Ogur Turks for a long period. In the years 463, with the pressure caused by the move of the Sabar's towards west, together with the Ogur a crowded part of the Ungarian (some of them are resident on todays land of the Bashkirt / Magna Hungaria = Main or Great Hungaria) came down to North Caucasia, the regions of river Kuban. As they lived for a long time under the regency of the On-Ogur, the ancient history of the Hungarian who were known under the name On-Ogur (= Ongur, Ongri, Ungor, Ungaros, Hungaros, Hongrois, Venger etc.) tells about the legends of the brides of Belar (Bul-gar) and the two daughters of the prince of Alan who were abducted and taken as wife by Hunor (Hun-eri) and Moger (Magy-eri). Furthermore it is told about Huror and Moger brothers and their passing to the west side of the Azak Sea under the guidance of a deer.
These all are memories that reminds of the Hungarian, who were in close relation with the Bulgarian in the north side of Black Sea - and possibly through the mediation of the Bulgarian - also to the Hun's and in neighbourship with the Alan's. During the occupation of Caucasia by the Sabariar's, the Hungarian, who were called "Sabar (d)" and later on (as the Gok-Turk power reached Crimea and later on due to the Hazarian administration) "Turk", after living for 400 years together with the Turks, adopted under the deep influence of the Steppe culture the elements of Turkish culture, organised themselves according to this, learned to breed animals, farming, viniculture, the concept of law and writing.

Following Turkish words (western, that means with - r's - from the Bulgarian Turkish), that are still alive in the Hungarian language are a clear proof for it: Ökör=öküz=ox, tino=dana=calf, bika=boğa=bull, borju=buzağı=fawn, tyuk=tavuk=hen, kos=koç=ram, kecske=keçi=goat, tarlo=tarla=acre, teknö=tekne=boat, karo=kazık=stake, eke=saban=plough, arok=arık= emaciated, buza=buğday=wheat, arpa=arpa=barley, borso=bıçak=knife, alma=elma=apple, szölö=üzüm=grapes, sereg=çeri(g)=army, beke=barış=peace, erö=erk=power, törveny=töre= law, tanu=tanık=witness, belyeg=belge=document, erdem=erdem=merit, egy=kutsal=wholy, bün=günah=sin, bölcs=bilge=wise, kek=gök=sky (blue), sarga=sarı=yellow, szam=sayı=number, betü=biti(g)=letter, ir+ni=writing etc.... As the Hungarian lived at the region of river Don (Dentü-Mogyeria) and were under the regency of their leader Lebedi, who had been assigned for the Hazarian Khanate and even married a Hazarian princess and possibly was entitled as "kündü", left their places upon the Pechenek pressure that came from east and settled to the region of Dnyeper-Dnyester-Prut (=Etel-küzü ~ Etelköz= between rivers). The names of the tribes clearly show us that the Hungarian, during the times as they lived under the leadership of Kün-dü and "Üge", with and "ür", appointed by the Hazarian Khanate, on top of each unity that were formed of 7 tribes, totally mixed up with the Turks: Tarjan (tarkan), Yenö (from the Turkish title "ınak") Kurdish Gyarmat (the untired), Ker (big, huge), Keszi (cut, piece).

The other two tribes had been Fin-Ugor: Nyek and Magyar. Almış-oğlu Arpad (Turkish, Arpacık) got full competence from the Khan of Hazar to hold the Hungarian forces together against the Pechenek danger, as the Khan was avare of the situation that he had to leave the Pechenek pass through his country in 880. So Arpad was announced the leader of the Hungarian tribes unity by "being lifted up on a shield in the Turkish (Hazar) way of custom" and probably got the title Gyula (=Yula, Cula, Turkish title). With the joining of the Kabar, who were founded by three races and separated from the Hazar population, number of the Hungarian tribes raised to 8. Turkish element among the Hungarian became more dominant and as a result of this, beneath Fin-Ugorish Turkish had also became a widespread language. This two-language situation seems to have last about a decade. Becasue of the 2nd great Pechenek attack against the Hungarian in 889, the Hungarians had to leave Etelküzü. Under the leadership of Arpad (died in 907) they occupied and founded their today's nation (Hungaria, 896) down in the region of Tu-na-Tisa, which had been formerly discovered and as it fit to their way of living, by the Avar's together with a part of their fellowmen.

Members of the Arpad family, who originated from the Turkish race and lasted until 1301, had Turkish names until they accepted Christianity (Roman Catholic) in 1000: Tarkaç, Yutaş, Taş, Tarma and Geza; two princesses: Saroltu, Karoldu (Ak-gelincik, Kara-gelincik) and king Vayk (= Bay+k) who took the name Stephanos (Istvan) and made Christianity the religion of the state. According to Byzantian sources, in those days the Hungarian always were called "Turk" and Hungary was called "Turkey (Toupxia)". Furthermore, until the middle of 16th century the Szekely (Sekel) a group of Hungarians, who originally were of Turkish race and are resident in today's Erdel (Transilvania) had used the so called Hungarian "Engraving Inscription" (Rovasiras) which is a continuing form of the ancient Orhun alphabet with slight differences. A remembrance of this inscription was found in Istanbul (Elçi Han Epitaph 16th century).




The Fall of the Hazar Empire


The Hazarian Khanate began to lose power in the middle of the 10th century. This was, naturally, the end of the social uneasiness that came up in earlier time. The army lost more and more of his nationality and alienated because of the Hazarian that involved more in commercial works and caused a raise in paid-soldiers. Even in the middle of the 8th century an important part of the paid soldiers consisted of Muslims who came from the Harezm region and its surroundings. One of the most important reasons for the scattering of the Hazar population had been the fact that there was no language and religion unity; as a result of lost of the military power, the economical balance degenerated with the scattering of the commercial security; as the Pechenek spread out all over the country, the Kabar - in 854's which were possibly known as the years of great agitations - and later on the Hungarian and possibly the Kaliz and the Bulgarian Iskil's leaving the country, lead to a total weakening of the Khanate. The Islav's took advantage of this situation. They showed aggressive behaviour behind the trade mask.
The Hazar's plundered small towns at the coasts, devastated them, killed the inhabitants (especially in the years 910, 913, 943). The maritime and river ways, once the ships cruised in peace in them, were out of security. As the Hazarian government ranks tried to prevent illegal actions, the Islav's got totally enraged. Finally Svyatosla, the Kiew Russian prince defeated the masters he was obliged in all directions, occupied the capitols and destroyed the other cities (965) with the crowded land and river forces he had founded in the Turkish manner. Even the nearby former capitol Itil, which was founded in the 12th decade in the city of "Saksin" was totally destroyed in the time of el-Biruni (1048). The Hazar's scattered. The ones who turned towards Tamatarhan and Crimea tried to carry on their community lifes. It is said that the Karachay's who live in Caucasia are relatives to the Hazar's. One of the memories of the Hazar's is the todays Caspian Sea (Hazar Sea).




General Characteristics of the Hazar Empire


It can be said that the Hazar domination in the VIII.-IX. centuries had been a frontier to the domination of the Golden Army over the Russian country in the centuries between XIII and XV. It can not be denied that the Hazarian power, that last for longer than two decades, had strong effects on various Slavic groups who raised up from different tribe lifes and forestry to trade and government organisations. The Hazar Empire and the Hazarian way of living, had counted as "modern" within its own era. The ruling "Khane" (Hakan) had absolutely be one of the monarch race, that means "Son of Khane" and besides showing them a divine respect, their achievements in government works and their position could be compared to the today's king of England. On top of the achieving power, there had been a person with the title "Hakanbey"; on top of the military forces there had been an second person with the title "Il-shat". As the highest symbol of the government, the Khane had been nothing more than a represantative personality; when necessary the "Khane" was dismissed and someone else from the khan race was brought instead. The second characteristic was: within the Hazar Empire, there had been an order and religious tolerance that was not seen on world for this era and even later on.

The Hazar's helped all kinds of men, gave privileges and resulting from this: Itil and the other Hazar cities became a place where many tribes and races met and traded. On the other hand there had be a full religious tolerance in the Hazar Empire. As a matter of fact according to the ancient Turkish usage and customs "each person was free to reach god by his own ways", that means a total religious freedom was existing. For one reason, four five (maybe even more) religions had lived together among the Hazar's. Although a big part of the Hazar-Turk population belonged to the since ever "national religion" of the Turks, the shamanism, the upper class and especially the Khanate and palace population accepted the Jewish religion. The merchant class had became Muslim due to his close relations to Harezm and other Islamic countries; many Christians, who came from Byzantium and other countries, lived in Itil; and the Scandinavian Ros (that means the Vareg) belonged to the Scandinavian-German religion. Therefore, in the country of the Hazar's it was no fault to belong to any other religion and it had no effect on the trade.

Economically raising, the Hazar's began to use "saleried" detachments for the governments defence. This time the military forces consisted mostly Muslim detachments who were brought from various countries. Although it was useful at the beginning, after a short while and especially when the economical situation deteriorated, the Hazar's could not resist to the danger coming from outside. Especially during the middle of the IX. Century when the Itil-Harem trade route had been occupied by the Pechenek Turks the Hazarian trade took a serious stroke. Besides the Pechenek had became a dangerous neighbour for the Hazar's this time. Although the Hazar's tried to repel this danger by signing an alliance contract with the Uz (Oğuz) in the Orient, they could not succeed.

After the Pechenek passed river Idil and came to the sides of Don in 869, the Hazar's organized the Hungarian, who came from the Ural region in VIII. century and settled down at the territory of Lower Don near river Kuban, but this also brought no results. Finally, after a short while the Pechenek ended the Hazarian administration and power by occupying the steppes from Don to Dnestr - today's Black Sea area.