The “Internal” Ethnic Communities in Khazaria 267
Perhaps Danube Bulgaria’s attempt to seek help from the Pechenegs against
Byzantium in 1017 was no coincidence.210
The conduct of the Oghuz however remains a mystery. Historians tend to
regard an account of Ibn Miskawayh, repeated by Ibn Al-Asir, as a reference
to them: according to it, some Turks plundered Itil in 965.211 It is, however,
also quite possible that it was referring to the Pechenegs who were allies of
Sviatoslav at that time. In the 980s, the Oghuz were allies of Vladimir in his
campaigns against the Khazars in Tmutarakan and against Volga Bulgaria.212
The events from the second half of the tenth century show a unity between
the ethnic groups in the khaganate against Kievan Rus’ and Byzantium.
Khazaria was defended not only by the “Saltovians”, but also by many of the
nearby tribes with different cultures. The boundaries between the “inner” and
“outer” ethnic communities became blurry. The “inner” conflicts in Khazaria
did not “overshadow” the whole or the Khazar World/Order. The notion of
belonging to this world may have exceeded the political opposition. We do not
know how the diverse population that was subject to the khaganate saw its
place in Khazaria. Nevertheless, we can reasonably assume that the Khazar
state owed its existence to its support.
210 Bozhilov 1973, 60–61; Dimitrov 1989, 84.
211 Novosel’tsev 1990, 222; Tolstov 1948b, 252; Artamonov 1962, 431–432.
212 Povest’ vremennykh let, in Adrianova-Peretts 1950, 58–59; Tolstov 1948b, 256; Artamonov
1962, 435–436; see also Romashov 2005, 129–131.