The capital of the Khazars, built at the mouth of the Volga - Itil. The capital of the Khazar Khaganate

The Khazars were known since the 6th century, especially by their attacks on Georgia and Armenia. They settled from the Volga to the Caucasus, on the territory of modern Russia and Ukraine.

From the history books it is known that the capital of the Khazars, built in the mouth of the Volga - Itil, which existed in the 8-10 century. There are written sources about it, for example, in the Arabian-Persian literature devoted to geographical research.

Historians still do not know which group to include these tribes. According to the main version, they are considered Türks, although there are suggestions that they were Bulgars or Caucasians from the North Caucasus. The Khazar Kaganat is worthy of attention, since by the 10th century it was able to subordinate the Northern Black Sea coast and the significant territory of the Crimea. The history of Kievan Rus is closely connected with the existence of Khazars.

An important place for the khanate was the capital of the Khazars, built at the mouth of the Volga - Itil. This article is devoted to this city.

Location

The city was located at the mouth of the Volga River. He stood on the shore of the Caspian Sea, which was a very advantageous geographical location. This allowed the city to become a shopping center of the Middle Ages.

The exact location by historians and archaeologists has not been determined. This is due to the fact that the city itself was completely abandoned. Some scientists believe that the capital of the Khazars, built at the mouth of the Volga - Itil - was located 15 kilometers from Astrakhan. Others suggest that the city stood north (near modern Volgograd).

The only known archeological site is Samosdelskoye, located in the Astrakhan region. It has been studied since 1990 and dates back to the 9th and 10th centuries. Many scholars consider it to be the capital of the Khazars. There is a version that the settlement was washed away by the Caspian Sea because of the rising water level.

What is the reason for prosperity?

The capital of the Khazar Khaganate was a large sea and river port, as well as an important trade center. It was connected with the advantageous location of the city, through which the most important trade routes of that time passed.

The main trade directions in the Middle Ages:

• China-Europe. Europeans have always been interested in things from the East. One of the main goods for which they were ready to pay gold was silk. Apart from him, spices and luxury goods were brought to the port. In another way this road is often called the Great Silk Road.

• Biharmi-Baghdad caliphate. In this way traders exchanged silver for furs.

• "From the Varangians to the Khazars." This way opened trading opportunities for the Khazars with Western Europe. The road passed through the cities of Regensburg, Prague, Krakow, Kiev.

There is information, according to which it becomes known that Russian merchants descended along the Volga to Itil.

What does the name Itil mean

The city was located in the delta of the river, therefore it is not surprising that in translation from Turkic its name means "river". There is a translation from Hebrew, where the name means "customs tax", which was actually collected from passing ships. However, the translation from the Turkic language is more recognized.

It is important to understand that the name Itil appeared in relation to the capital only in the 10th century. So the foreigners began to talk about the city, although the Khazars used a different name for the whole settlement, and the known name was either the river or one of the parts of the city.

Buildings of the capital

Scientists were able to approximately recreate the face of the city. It is assumed that it consisted of three parts located on the sides of the world. The western and eastern territories were divided by the Volga. They crossed them in boats.

In the west of the river there lived a king with his officers and army. This is the most part of the settlement and it was called (to the west of the Volga River) Itil. It lived from 10 to 16 thousand people. The western part was fenced off from the settlement by a fortified wall, in which there were four exits in the form of a gate. Two of them went to the port, and two others went to the steppe.

The eastern part of the city was a trading center with markets, warehouses, and baths located in it.

Between them (presumably on the island) was located the third part with palaces for rulers. They were made of burned bricks. Simple residents were not allowed to build from this material, so their dwellings were felt yurtas, wooden tents. Some people lived in dugouts.

Population of the city

The capital of the Khazar Khaganate was distinguished by a rather motley population. Here Christians, Gentiles, Muslims, Jews coexisted peacefully. The Muslim community consisted of merchants, artisans, and the royal guard. Jewish - from merchants, residents who flee from persecution in Byzantium. Pagans were mostly Slavs.

All disputes between people were decided by the judges, who were controlled by a special official of the tsar. There were two judges for Jews, Christians and Muslims, one for the Gentiles.

The capital of the Khazars, built at the mouth of the Volga - Itil - assumed residence only in winter. From April to November, the inhabitants were located on their ancestral lands, and the poor were engaged in field work. Around the town were villages and arable land, the harvest from which was delivered to Itil by land and water.

The death of the city

The capital of the Khazars (Itil) was destroyed in the second half of the 10th century. This event is associated with the prince of Kiev Rus, Svyatoslav Igorevich. The population that survived the capture of the city, could take shelter on the islands in the delta of the river.

By the beginning of the 11th century the Rus left the capital and the Khazar royal court was able to return to it. However, the city was, according to al-Biruni, a ruin. His further history is unknown.