Jews of Khazaria [Englisch] [Gebundene Ausgabe]

...[Brook] has provided a useful reference work for all those intrigued by the most striking single case of successful Jewish proselytism, as well as for those interested in the affairs of one of the four great powers of western Eurasia in the early middle ages. (Shofar )

...[Brook] has provided a useful reference work for all those intrigued by the most striking single case of successful Jewish proselytism, as well as for those interested in the affairs of one of the four great powers of western Eurasia in the early middle ages.... (Shofar )

The history and fate of the Khazars have exercised a fascination in the thousand years since the collapse of their mighty steppe empire in 970 C.E. The Khazars, whose ruling classes converted to Judaism, disputed with both the Islamic world and the early Russian state for control of the northern shores of the Black Sea. Their reputation was so great, and the legends surrounding them so powerful, that Jews in far-away Spain made efforts to contact them. This book represents a modern effort to unravel the mysteries which still surround the Khazars. It makes skillful use of the vast literature, in many different languages, related to the Khazars. It will be a very helpful guide for the general reader who wishes to discover the truth about this legendary people.

The origins and history of the Khazars, a Turkic people who converted to Judaism sometime in the eighth-ninth century C.E., remains one of the most complex questions in the history of Medieval Eurasia.... The sources for Khazar history are extremely varied, representing all of the major cultural groups and languages of Eurasia (Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Persian, Turkic, Greek, Latin, Slavic, Georgian, Armenian, and Chinese). Kevin Alan Brook has put together an absorbing account of their history based on this wide array of sources, supplemented by archaeological, ethnographic and linguistic data dealing with Khazar Jewry and their legacy. This is a most useful introduction to this at times enigmatic, but always fascinating people.

The Jews of Khazaria recounts the eventful history of the Turkic kingdom of Khazaria, which was located in eastern Europe and flourished as an independent state from about 650 to 1016. As a major world power, Khazaria enjoyed diplomatic and trade relations with many peoples and nations (including the Byzantines, Alans, Magyars, and Slavs) and changed the course of medieval history in many ways.

In the ninth century, the Khazarian royalty and nobility as well as a significant portion of the Khazarian population embraced the Jewish religion. After their conversion, the Khazars were ruled by a succession of Jewish kings and began to adopt the hallmarks of Jewish civilization, including the Torah and Talmud, the Hebrew script, and the observance of Jewish holidays. A portion of the empire's population adopted Christianity and Islam.

This volume traces the development of the Khazars from their early beginnings as a tribe to the decline and fall of their kingdom. It also examines the many migrations of the Khazar people into Hungary, Ukraine, and other areas of Europe and their subsequent assimilation, providing the most comprehensive treatment of this complex issue to date. The final chapter enumerates the Jewish communities of eastern Europe which sprung up after the fall of Khazaria and proposes that the Jews from the former Russian Empire are descended from a mixture of Khazar Jews, German Jews, Greek Jews, and Slavs.

The Jews of Khazaria draws upon the latest archival, linguistic, and archaeological discoveries. Ashkenazic Jews who wish to explore their distant ancestry in eastern Europe will greatly benefit from reading this book. Additionally, Hungarians, Slavs, Turks, Arabs, and Ossetians will find a wealth of information concerning the historical interactions between their peoples and the Khazars. Students of history who desire a thorough yet easy-to-read account of the Khazar kingdom will gain in their understanding of this important but previously obscure topic.

The book also includes a map of the Khazar kingdom and a map of Khazarian-ruled Crimea; several tables illustrating royal genealogies, king lists, and the Turkic language family; a glossary of Khazarian words and other important terms which may be unfamiliar to readers; and an extensive bibliography of articles, books, and other essays.

The Jews of Khazaria recounts the history of the kingdom of Khazaria, located in Eastern Europe, examining its status as a world power from 650-1016. Students of early Jewish history will appreciate this college-level survey, which considers not only the Khazaria state but the rise of Jewish communities in the eastern European region.

Kevin Alan Brook is an historian in Connecticut who has researched the Khazars since 1993. He has contributed articles about the Khazars to The Encyclopaedia of Judaism Supplement One (2003) and The Turks, Vol. 1 (2002). His article 'The Origins of East European Jews' appeared in volume 30 of the journal Russian History/Histoire Russe. Since 1995, Brook has maintained the website of the American Center of Khazar Studies (Khazaria.com).