Was the Khazar Empire Jewish?

The question of whether the Khazar Empire, an influential medieval polity located in the region between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, was Jewish has intrigued scholars and historians for centuries. The Khazars, a Turkic people, rose to prominence in the 7th century CE and ruled over a vast territory that spanned parts of modern-day Ukraine, southern Russia, and Kazakhstan. The question of their conversion to Judaism has been the subject of much debate, fueled by historical sources, theories, and myths. This article explores the origins of the Khazar Empire, the nature of its conversion to Judaism, and the legacy of this fascinating historical episode.

The Origins of the Khazar Empire

The Khazars were originally a Turkic-speaking nomadic people who, by the 7th century, had established themselves as a dominant force in the region between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. They formed a confederation of various tribes and states, including the Khazars themselves, the Bulgars, and other smaller groups. The empire grew in power and influence, particularly during the reign of the Khazar khans (rulers), who established their capital in Atil, located near the Volga River.

During the 7th and 8th centuries, the Khazars navigated a complex political landscape, balancing relationships with both the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Caliphates. They became a key player in the geopolitics of the region, serving as intermediaries between the East and West and controlling vital trade routes between Europe and Asia. Their strategic location made them a crucial power in the region, and they were able to maintain their independence for several centuries.

The Conversion to Judaism

The most famous and controversial aspect of the Khazar Empire’s history is its purported conversion to Judaism. According to historical sources, sometime during the 8th or 9th century, the Khazar khan and his court embraced Judaism as their state religion. The key source for this event is the Khazar Correspondence, a series of letters between the Khazar king, King Joseph, and the Jewish scholar Hasdai ibn Shaprut of the Andalusian Caliphate.

The Khazar Correspondence recounts a conversation between King Joseph of the Khazars and Hasdai ibn Shaprut, in which the king explains the reasons for his conversion to Judaism. According to the letter, the decision was made after the khan was influenced by debates with Christian and Muslim emissaries, who both sought to convert him and his people. The khan ultimately decided that Judaism, with its monotheistic teachings, was the most appropriate faith for his kingdom.

This event is mentioned in several other historical accounts, including those of the Jewish historian and philosopher Yehuda Halevi and the Christian historian Ibn al-Faqih. These sources suggest that the conversion was not a sudden or isolated event but rather a gradual process that took place over time. Some scholars argue that the conversion may have been a political maneuver designed to assert the Khazar Empire’s independence from the Christian Byzantine Empire and the Muslim Caliphates, both of which were exerting pressure on the Khazars to adopt their respective religions.

Was the Khazar Conversion to Judaism Political?

Many historians contend that the Khazars’ conversion to Judaism was, at least in part, a political strategy. During the 8th and 9th centuries, the Khazars were caught between two powerful and often hostile civilizations: the Byzantine Empire, which was Christian, and the Islamic Caliphates, which were expanding rapidly across the Middle East and Central Asia. By adopting Judaism, the Khazars could distinguish themselves from both of these powers and assert their independence. Judaism offered a middle ground between Christianity and Islam, allowing the Khazars to avoid being drawn into the religious conflicts between the two empires.

This theory is supported by the fact that the Khazar elite, particularly the ruling class, seem to have embraced Judaism, while the majority of the population may have remained adherents of other religions, such as Tengriism (a form of shamanistic worship) or Christianity. It is possible that the conversion was a top-down decision, with the khan and his court adopting Judaism as a political tool, while the common people continued to practice their traditional beliefs.

Moreover, the Khazar rulers may have seen Judaism as a way to strengthen their ties with the Jewish communities of the Mediterranean, particularly in the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world. The Khazars had long maintained diplomatic and trade relations with these Jewish communities, and adopting Judaism may have helped solidify these connections.

The Decline of the Khazar Empire and Its Jewish Legacy

The Khazar Empire began to decline in the 10th century, largely due to external pressures from the rising Kievan Rus to the north and the expansion of the Islamic Caliphate to the south. The Khazars were eventually defeated by the Rus in the late 10th century, and their capital, Atil, was destroyed. Despite the fall of the empire, the legacy of the Khazars, particularly their conversion to Judaism, continued to capture the imagination of historians and scholars.

One of the most enduring myths about the Khazars is the idea that they are the ancestors of Ashkenazi Jews. This theory, popularized by the 19th-century historian Arthur Koestler in his book The Thirteenth Tribe, suggests that the Ashkenazi Jewish population of Eastern Europe is primarily descended from the Khazars. However, this theory has been widely discredited by modern genetic studies, which show that Ashkenazi Jews have a predominantly Levantine ancestry, with only limited genetic influence from Central Asia.

Despite the decline of the Khazar Empire, the notion of a Jewish Khazar legacy has continued to fuel various nationalist and anti-Semitic narratives. In particular, some proponents of anti-Semitic theories have used the Khazar conversion to Judaism as a way to delegitimize Jewish claims to Israel, suggesting that Jews are not the true descendants of the biblical Israelites but rather the descendants of a Turkic people who converted to Judaism.

Conclusion

The question of whether the Khazar Empire was truly “Jewish” is complex and multifaceted. While it is clear that the Khazar elite, including the khan and his court, embraced Judaism as a state religion, the majority of the population likely maintained their traditional religious practices. The conversion to Judaism was likely a political decision designed to assert the Khazars’ independence from the neighboring Byzantine and Islamic empires, rather than a widespread religious transformation.

The Khazar Empire’s adoption of Judaism remains one of the most fascinating and enigmatic episodes in medieval history. While the empire itself eventually fell into decline, its legacy has continued to captivate historians, scholars, and even political theorists. Although the Khazars are no longer a prominent force in the history of the region, their conversion to Judaism remains an important and intriguing chapter in the story of Jewish history.