| The Khazars subordinate to the Western Turkic Khanate acted an important role in the progress of the Western Turkic expansion to the Caucasus and Black Sea coast during the late of 6th Century, and they was ordered by Tung Yabgu Qaghan to manage the two above-mentioned areas in 617 A.D, so this further strengthened the Khazars’ influence over the Caucasus area. With the decline and collapse of the Western Turks after 630 A.D., the Khazars gradually got rid of its control, and created the independent Khazar Khaganate, but they inherited the Western Turkic traditional aggression to the Caucasus and Black Sea steppe. The Khazars defeated the Bulgars and Byzantine Empire in succession, occupying the Black Sea Steppe and a large part of the Crimean Peninsula in the late of 8th Century. It also fought against the Arabs for over one hundred years of military battle in the Caucasus, and established its control over the North Caucasus. The dominators of Khazar Khanate converted themselves to Judaism in the late of 8th Century in order to break away from the Byzantine emperor and Caliphate’s religious control, and the Khanate became a political and religious sanctuary for the Jews in the Middle Age.The Khazars got control of “the Black Sea—Northern Caucasus—the Caspian Sea”, which was an important international trade route on the Steppe Silk Road; The Steppe Silk Road acted an increasingly important role in international trade after the 8th century; The rise of the Arab restricted the Khazars’ expansion and plunder in the South Caucasus. However, the Arabs’ Abbasid Dynasty owned prosperous economy, encouraged international trade, established and maintained a long period of peaceful relations with the Khazars, improving the trade environment in the Caucasus. All the factors above made the Khazars established the policy of state founded on commerce and trade. It encouraged the native merchants to develop international trade, and became a trade transit point on the Silk Road rapidly due to its extremely advantageous geographical location, tolerance in religious policy and justice in judicial system, attracting merchants all over the world to do business in this country. Not only did the Khazar Khanate promote economic exchanges between East and West, but also stimulated the exchange of commodities between the northern and southern Caucasus region. There were a significant number of foreign merchants in Khazar Khanate. The Khazar king levied a “tithe” from the passing merchants to accumulate enormous wealth, and he used this income to maintain a powerful army to protect these merchants’ personal and property safety in turn, optimizing the domestic trade condition. However, it was a potential hazard for Khazar Khanate to excessively depend on the business duties.During the late of the 9th Century, the Khanate’s business status was shaken by the original trade route’s blocking caused by the Pecheneges’ migration, unrest in the Caucasus and the south coast of the Caspian Sea. In the early 10 th century, the trade route shifted eastward due to the deterioration of Khazar-Abbasid relation, the economic decline of Abbasid and the rise of Samanid Dynasty in Central Asia, so the Volga Bulgar, northeastern subsidiary of the Khazars, became a new key position in trade. By contrast, the Khazars’ commercial status declined sharply; its revenue dropped at a great pace, so its military strength decreased gradually, leading to the betrayal of the subsidiary tribes. All the conditions may further weaken the strength of Khanate, who perished under the joint attack of Kievan Rus’ and the Byzantine Empire. Although the Khazar Khanate has disappeared in the long course of history, it had made a platform for the contact of various civilizations of Eurasia, and promoted the Sino-Jewish communication. In all, its historical contribution was worthy of to be recognized. |
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