100 chapter two
civilizations. Though not quite frequently, nomads were also an active
side in these relationships.
The ‘female participation’ in the Byzantino-Khazar history indeed
dates back to the seventh century. In the time of the Byzantine basileus
Heraclios (610–641) it had an anti-Sassanian character. Heraclios was
ready to marry his daughter to the khagan of the Western Turks but in
the early 630s there started turmoil in the Khaganate and it had serious
repercussions upon the future developments. Not only the marriage
failed, but Heraclios turned his attention north and made an alliance
with Qubrat, the ruler of “Magna Bulgaria”.^52 The Bulgars were again
involved in a marriage alliance between both the Byzantines and Khaz-
ars in the end of seventh–beginning of eighth century. While in exile in
Crimea after 695 A.D., the ex-basileus Justinian II (685–695; 705–711)
married the daughter (or sister) of the Khazar khagan. At that time the
Khazars had already been almost absolute masters of the peninsula.
Only Chersonesus was left in Byzantine hands. Given that situation,
Justinian II looked for the help of the khagan in order to restore his
power in Constantinople. But in reality it was not the Khazar khagan
but the Bulgar ruler Tervel (700–721) who helped Justinian II to enter
Constantinople in 705 A.D. and to take back the throne. After that
Justinian’s wife, together with their son, moved to the capital city of
Byzantium, accepted the name “Theodora” and later both she and her
son Tiberius were nominated co-rulers of Justinian II.^53
In the ninth century the Magyars (Hungarians) became the main
ally of the Khazars on their western borders. The Magyars fought
bravely on the Khazar side and this was noticed, of course, by the
Khazar khagan. He gave to the Magyar chieftain Levedias “a noble
Khazar woman because of glory [and] his virtue and because of his
clan’s fame”.^54 This decision was taken by the khagan not only because
of his immediate interest but also because he wished to do a favor
to Levedias for his loyal service. Here the Khazar noble princess was
treated as a pawn thus following the well-known practice of “do ut des”.
It is obvious that the Khazar rulers, after the beginning of the
tenth century, entered a series of matrimonial alliances and they were
marked by a clear political tendency. This way, through an active
(^52) Noonan 1992, 112; Nikifor Patriarkh 1997, 33–34, 38–39.
(^53) Ostrogorsky 1984, 141–142.
(^54) Konstantin Bagrianorodnyi 1989, 158 (text in Greek), 159 (Russian translation)
[= Ch. 38. 14–18].