
910 AD to 930 AD, Psalm 93: The Khazars.
This generation is that of the 910s and 920s
In this generation[1], Saadia Gaon (882-942) is a recognized actor of Judaism thanks in particular to his interventions on the dispute between the Palestinian Community and Palestinian Judaism about setting the calendar.
(extract of the psalm 93 associated to this generation, verses 1 and 2 )
- The Lord has reigned; He has attired Himself with majesty; yea the Lord has attired Himself, He has girded Himself with might. The world also is established that it cannot be moved.
- Your throne is established of old; You are from everlasting.
- In 717 [2], Constantinople was besieged and almost taken by the Arabs. But the latter could not renew their attack because their forces were hampered by the Khazars, who were constantly attacking Armenia and Albania. Noting the impossibility of defeating the Byzantines, the Arabs decided to launch their forces against Khazaria. In 724, Balanger (Khazare city) was captured by Jarrach, an Arab general who a year later inflicted a serious defeat on the Alans, vassals of the Khazars. During the campaign of 729, passing the Daryal pass, he managed to reach Samandar. But once again, the Khazars invaded Albania – Jarrach was killed. This new invasion was so appalling that the Arabs had to use all their available forces to resist it.
- The khazars [3] could not avoid the adoption of monotheism, a pagan religion would not have provided the political and cultural unity so necessary to the survival of the state. However, opting for Christianity or Islam meant accepting an addiction, either to Byzantium or to the Caliphate, which the Khazars obviously did not want. They found the solution by adopting the oldest of the monotheistic religions, Judaism, already widespread in the region.
- In order [4] to settle religious conflicts, there were at Atil (capital Khazare) seven judges: two for the Jews, two for the Moslems, two for the Christians, one for the pagans; each judged according to the rules of his religion. This indicates that the city had a large number of people from the Khazar Empire who did not observe the official religion of the state. Therefore, in addition to the synagogues, there were many churches and mosques in Atil. […]
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- Around 913-914 [5], during the reign of King Khazar Benjamin (since their conversion, all Khazar kings bore typically Jewish names), the Byzantines organized against the Khazars a coalition of Pechenegs, Oghuz and Assies. But the Khazars were still strong enough to resist and Benjamin asked the Alans for help. After a short but violent war, the Khazars and the Alans were victorious. The Assies, the only anti-Khazarian coalition to be sedentary, suffered great damage; their lands were devastated by government forces.
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- Constantine VII [6], who was in the 10th century Emperor of Byzantium (913-959) and well-known historian, says that the letters addressed to his time to the pope in Rome, as well as to the emperor of the West, bore a seal of two pennies of gold, while, for the messages intended for the king of the Khazars, the seal was worth at least three pennies of gold.
(extract of the psalm 93 associated to this generation, verses 3 to 6 )
- The rivers have raised, O Lord, the rivers have raised their voice; the rivers have raised their depths.
- More than the voices of great waters and more than the mightiest breakers of the sea, is the Lord mighty on high.
- Your testimonies are very faithful to Your house, the dwelling of holiness, O Lord, to the length of days.
[1] According to: Wikipedia.
[2] Jacques Pyatigorsky – Jacques Sapir: « The Khazar Empire VII – XIth centuries ». Chapter: « The Khazars and the Failure of Arab Expansion ». (French: « L’Empire Khazar VII – XIe siècles ». Chapitre : « Les Khazars et l’échec de l’expansion arabe ». (p. 46-47) )
[3] Jacques Pyatigorsky – Jacques Sapir: « The Khazar Empire VII – XIth centuries ». Chapter: « The Khazars and the Failure of Arab Expansion ». (French: « L’Empire Khazar VII – XIe siècles ». Chapitre : « Les Khazars et l’échec de l’expansion arabe ». (p. 48) )
[4] Jacques Pyatigorsky – Jacques Sapir: « The Khazar Empire VII – XIth centuries ». Chapter: « The religious situation ». (French: « L’Empire Khazar VII – XIe siècles ». Chapitre : « La situation religieuse ». (p. 60) ).
[5] Jacques Pyatigorsky – Jacques Sapir: « The Khazar Empire VII – XIth centuries ». Chapter: « The Foreign Policy of Khazare in the first half of the tenth century ». (French: « L’Empire Khazar VII – XIe siècles ». Chapitre : « La politique extérieure khazare dans la première moitié du Xe siècle ». (p. 71-72) ).
[6] Jacques Pyatigorsky – Jacques Sapir: « The Khazar Empire VII – XIth centuries ». Chapter: « Prologue, in the footsteps of the Khazars (of Marek Halter) ». (French: « L’Empire Khazar VII – XIe siècles ». Chapitre : « Prologue, sur les traces des Khazars (de Marek Halter) ». (p. 6) ).