The Roots and Language of the Hazars

THE HAZAR KHANATE

The Roots and Language of the Hazars

The ethnic tribe that founded the first regular state in east Europe had been the Hazar's. The Hazar's had been a pure tribe in Middle Asia. With their strong organisation, their living commercial activities, religious tolerance and economical prosperity the Hazarian Khanate provided political stability on the fields in Caucasia and the plains of Black Sea from Itil (Volga) to Özu (Dnyeper), Çolman (Kama) and Kiyefe. The Hazarian Khanate is considered to be the most important Turkish State that played big role in the history of East Europe. With a record of the islamic writer el-Mes'udi (10th century) the thought was strenghtend that the Hazars (in Arabic al-Hazar, in Hebrew Hazar, Kozar, in Latin Chazari, Gazari, in Greek Khazaroi, in Russian Kozar, Kozarin, in Hungarian Kazar, Kozar, in Armenish Hazir-k, in Georgian Hazar-i) who named the Khanate had been a continuation of the Sabar Turks. According to this writer, the population that was called "Hazar" by the Iranian had been called "Sabar" (Sebir) by the Turks.

It is also a proof that instead of the name Sabar the name Hazar comes to the same meaning. Doubtless, the population that formed the Hazars had not only been the ancient Sabar Turks, but besides the two Hazar tribes called Semender and Belencer who originated from the Sabar, also Turkish groups who were resident among other tribes living on the land of the khanate belonged to this formation. Within the Hazar country beneath the Turkish (Hun, Gök-Türk, Uygur dialect) with Y (east) also the Turkish (Ogur-Bulgarian dialect) with R (west) was spoken, moreover Fin-Ugorish (Hungarian) and other local languages were used, too. This had been the natural result for the historical events that occurred in this region: As the regions between Itil-Caucasian-Don which were the main grounds of the Hazar State, had been the route of the big migration moves that proceeded from east to west, groups of Huns, Ogurs, Fin-Ogurs and Avars, who stayed here carried on with their lives.