3. The Khazar Khaganate In the middle of the 7th century, on the plain north of Derbent, there was the Khazar state. It existed for more than three hundred years, from the 620–630s until the middle of the 10th century. The first capital of the Khazar Khaganate was the city of Belendzher, which stood on the bank of the Sulak River. It was a rich and successful city, surrounded by strong defensive walls.
After some time, the capital of Khazaria was moved closer to the sea, to a plain where active trade was going on between Transcaucasia and the North Caucasus, and also between Asia and Europe. The new capital became the city of Semender.
Finding the exact place where Semender was located turned out to be an important task for researchers. Most historians think that Semender was on the spot where modern Makhachkala is today.
In the 7th-8th centuries, the fullness of supreme power was concentrated in the hands of the khagan. In the past, this title was beared by the supreme rulers of the Turkic Khaganate and the Avars. Even the rulers of those regions which became part of the Khazar Khaganate obeyed to the Khagan. All military, administrative power, domestic and foreign policy activities were concentrated in his hands. As a result of the Marwan's campaign, significant changes happened in the internal life of the Khaganate. First of all, under pressure from the Arabs, many tribes (such as Alans) that were part of them or allied with them, were forced to retreat partially from the Ciscaucasia to the north.
The capital of the state was moved from Semender to the mouth of the Itil River (the Volga). The new capital was named Itil, after the river. Moving the political centre of the Khazar Khaganate to the Volga helped to revive the trade route along the river. Soon Itil became a large international trading city.
In the end, after more than 100 years of attacks by the Arabs, the Khazar state was defeated. The Khazars were almost completely driven out of the North Caucasus. However, the Arabs also suffered serious losses in these wars, and their ability to advance was exhausted. The Khazar Khaganate stopped the Arab advance to the north, but at the cost of its own existence.
The city of Derbent was of particular importance in the history of early medieval Dagestan and the Caucasus in general. It was not only as a fortified point of large strategic importance but also as a major political, ideological, and economical center in the Eastern Caucasus, one of the viceroyalties’ capital became part of the Sassanid Empire after 461 and a major fortified point of Islam. Derbent's possessions were insignificant and stretched only a few dozen kilometers south and west of the city. The Sassanid rulers gave great importance on fortifying the city and the Derbent Pass. Under Yazdegerd II clay fortifications were built “like the stone walls of Derbent, they completely blocked the pass and stretched from the sea to the top of Derbent Hill where citadel stood, also built of mud brick." Later, in the mid-6th century on their foundation was built a grandiose system of defensive structures, built of stone.
In the second half of the first millennium BC in the Eatern Caucasus was formed the state of Caucasian Albania. Albania — is the ancient name of a territory of modern Azerbaijan and Dagestan and also Karabakh and some parts of the land of Eastern Georgia.
Albania occupied a large territory between the Caspian Sea, Alazani and Kura. On the north Albania bordered Sarmatia and the border ran along the Northern spurs of the Eastern Caucasus along the Sulak River.
The first written mention of the union of Albanian tribes in historical literature appears in the works of an ancient author Arrian (II BC) who described the wars of Alexander the Great with Persia
In the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC, the Albanians fought on the side of the Persian king Darius III (Codomon) against Alexander the Great. This indicates the existence of a certain dependence between the Albanians and the Persians.
The Eastern Caucasus was part of the Persian Empire as the 11th satrapy.
Alexander the Great inflicted a crushing defeat on Darius III, after which his empire collapsed and Caucasian Albania became an independent state.
Caucasian Albania united 26 multilingual tribes, each with its own sovereign in the past, “but now one reigned all over”. The centre of the state is the city of Khabala (now the ruins near village Nij in northern Azerbaijan).
Ancient authors mentioned such tribes as the Legae, the Gelae, the Albans, the Udis, the Gargareans, the Sodi, the Caspians and others. The names of some tribes are identified with the names of modern nationalities of Dagestan, for example, the Andes — with the Andians, the Didurs — with Didoi, the Legae and the Gelae — with Lezgins, etc.
Text 4 In the middle of the 11th century, Dagestan was attacked by the Seljuk conquerors. The powerful Seljuk state appeared in Central Asia and Iran in the middle of the 11th century. Later, the lands of Transcaucasia and Southern Dagestan with the city of Derbent were forced to join this state. Seljuk campaigns to conquer Dagestan were made in the second half of the 11th century. One well-known campaign was in 1067, led by the Seljuk sultan Alp-Arslan. As a result of this invasion, the Seljuks managed to take Derbent and the lands of Southern Dagestan. But the people of Derbent soon rose up and freed the city for a short time from Seljuk control. In 1071, the Seljuks again invaded Dagestan, and the lands of Southern Dagestan were destroyed. Derbent was taken by the Seljuks again. The power of the Seljuks in these occupied lands did not last long. The Seljuk state, created by force, began to fall apart in the 12th century. In 1122–1123 the Seljuks were badly defeated by the united forces of Georgia, Shirvan, and Dagestan.
3. The Khazar Khaganate
ОтветитьУдалитьIn the middle of the 7th century, on the plain north of Derbent, there was the Khazar state. It existed for more than three hundred years, from the 620–630s until the middle of the 10th century.
The first capital of the Khazar Khaganate was the city of Belendzher, which stood on the bank of the Sulak River. It was a rich and successful city, surrounded by strong defensive walls.
After some time, the capital of Khazaria was moved closer to the sea, to a plain where active trade was going on between Transcaucasia and the North Caucasus, and also between Asia and Europe.
The new capital became the city of Semender.
Finding the exact place where Semender was located turned out to be an important task for researchers. Most historians think that Semender was on the spot where modern Makhachkala is today.
In the 7th-8th centuries, the fullness of supreme power was concentrated in the hands of the khagan. In the past, this title was beared by the supreme rulers of the Turkic Khaganate and the Avars. Even the rulers of those regions which became part of the Khazar Khaganate obeyed to the Khagan. All military, administrative power, domestic and foreign policy activities were concentrated in his hands.
As a result of the Marwan's campaign, significant changes happened in the internal life of the Khaganate. First of all, under pressure from the Arabs, many tribes (such as Alans) that were part of them or allied with them, were forced to retreat partially from the Ciscaucasia to the north.
The capital of the state was moved from Semender to the mouth of the Itil River (the Volga). The new capital was named Itil, after the river. Moving the political centre of the Khazar Khaganate to the Volga helped to revive the trade route along the river. Soon Itil became a large international trading city.
In the end, after more than 100 years of attacks by the Arabs, the Khazar state was defeated. The Khazars were almost completely driven out of the North Caucasus. However, the Arabs also suffered serious losses in these wars, and their ability to advance was exhausted. The Khazar Khaganate stopped the Arab advance to the north, but at the cost of its own existence.
Text 2. Derbent
ОтветитьУдалитьThe city of Derbent was of particular importance in the history of early medieval Dagestan and the Caucasus in general.
It was not only as a fortified point of large strategic importance but also as a major political, ideological, and economical center in the Eastern Caucasus, one of the viceroyalties’ capital became part of the Sassanid Empire after 461 and a major fortified point of Islam.
Derbent's possessions were insignificant and stretched only a few dozen kilometers south and west of the city. The Sassanid rulers gave great importance on fortifying the city and the Derbent Pass.
Under Yazdegerd II clay fortifications were built “like the stone walls of Derbent, they completely blocked the pass and stretched from the sea to the top of Derbent Hill where citadel stood, also built of mud brick."
Later, in the mid-6th century on their foundation was built a grandiose system of defensive structures, built of stone.
Caucasian Albania
ОтветитьУдалитьIn the second half of the first millennium BC in the Eatern Caucasus was formed the state of Caucasian Albania. Albania — is the ancient name of a territory of modern Azerbaijan and Dagestan and also Karabakh and some parts of the land of Eastern Georgia.
Albania occupied a large territory between the Caspian Sea, Alazani and Kura. On the north Albania bordered Sarmatia and the border ran along the Northern spurs of the Eastern Caucasus along the Sulak River.
The first written mention of the union of Albanian tribes in historical literature appears in the works of an ancient author Arrian (II BC) who described the wars of Alexander the Great with Persia
In the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC, the Albanians fought on the side of the Persian king Darius III (Codomon) against Alexander the Great. This indicates the existence of a certain dependence between the Albanians and the Persians.
The Eastern Caucasus was part of the Persian Empire as the 11th satrapy.
Alexander the Great inflicted a crushing defeat on Darius III, after which his empire collapsed and Caucasian Albania became an independent state.
Caucasian Albania united 26 multilingual tribes, each with its own sovereign in the past, “but now one reigned all over”. The centre of the state is the city of Khabala (now the ruins near village Nij in northern Azerbaijan).
Ancient authors mentioned such tribes as the Legae, the Gelae, the Albans, the Udis, the Gargareans, the Sodi, the Caspians and others. The names of some tribes are identified with the names of modern nationalities of Dagestan, for example, the Andes — with the Andians, the Didurs — with Didoi, the Legae and the Gelae — with Lezgins, etc.
Text 4
ОтветитьУдалитьIn the middle of the 11th century, Dagestan was attacked by the Seljuk conquerors. The powerful Seljuk state appeared in Central Asia and Iran in the middle of the 11th century. Later, the lands of Transcaucasia and Southern Dagestan with the city of Derbent were forced to join this state.
Seljuk campaigns to conquer Dagestan were made in the second half of the 11th century. One well-known campaign was in 1067, led by the Seljuk sultan Alp-Arslan.
As a result of this invasion, the Seljuks managed to take Derbent and the lands of Southern Dagestan. But the people of Derbent soon rose up and freed the city for a short time from Seljuk control.
In 1071, the Seljuks again invaded Dagestan, and the lands of Southern Dagestan were destroyed. Derbent was taken by the Seljuks again.
The power of the Seljuks in these occupied lands did not last long. The Seljuk state, created by force, began to fall apart in the 12th century. In 1122–1123 the Seljuks were badly defeated by the united forces of Georgia, Shirvan, and Dagestan.