70 CHAPTER 1
Among the reasons why the Bulgarian prince Boris (852–889) decided to
convert to Christianity, cited by Byzantine authors, are hunger (natural disas-
ters) and several military defeats. The rebellion against him was caused by “the
bad law” he gave.228 “Gave bad law” is a formula that justifies sacral regicide.229
Laws are given to the chosen one by God’s will and a bad law shows the inabil-
ity of the ruler to maintain the connection to the Upper World. He has lost his
supernatural power, which is crucial for the well-being of the whole society.
Bad law is equivalent to disasters or to unsuccessful wars, which are also proof
of the ruler’s weakness.
Quite a few steppe peoples saw the khagan as a law-maker.230 In this con-
text, of particular interest is the account of the Turkic Bilge Khagan about the
wise khagans who ruled the First Turkic Khaganate and laid down the law,
leading the country to prosperity. But then came some foolish khagans and
ruined the country. Thus, wisdom is a quality that according to the Turks was
bestowed upon the khagans by Tengri. Also noteworthy is the belief that by
“speaking” to the khagan, Tengri settled state and military affairs.231 In other
words, without a sacral ruler the state cannot survive.
Sacral regicide ensures the continuity and legitimacy of the royal power, but
also transfers the ability for contacting the Upper World. This ability is crucial
for the fertility and rebirth of nature each year. The sacral king can be seen as
an incarnation of the deity that this process depends on.232 His supernatural
power is not bestowed upon him indefinitely. It can be lost due to advancing
age or some other reason. In such a case he must be replaced by a young and
potent (including sexually) ruler. In Khazaria such a power could not be taken
from just anyone, but only from the chosen one who was a member of the rul-
ing family. When the throne was usurped, the “chosenness” had to be proven,
with the proof being the prosperity of the population.
According to mythological thinking, sacral kings are incarnations of dei-
ties who are eternally dying and being reborn.233 In the myth of Dionysus,
228 See Bozhilov 1995a, 78–79; Giuzelev 1969, 103 and 108.
229 Kaloianov 2003, 104.
230 Golden 1980, 101 with n. 316.
231 Kliashtornyi 1964, 61 and 1984, 19; Kliashtornyi and Sultanov 2000, 158. After ascending
the throne, the Hunnic Modun Chanyu waged several wars of conquest. When peace and
tranquillity were established across all borders (except the southern one with China), “all
the nobles and dignitaries of the Xiongnu (the Huns—Author’s note) bowed before him
and began to perceive Modun Chanyu as a wise man”, i.e. they accepted him as their ruler
(Kradin 2001a, 61).
232 Frazer 2006, 169.
233 Basilov 1998, 258; see Frazer 2006, 304ff.