A Contribution to the History of the Khazar Military Organisation: The Strengthening of the Camp

Polgár, Szabolcs (2005) A Contribution to the History of the Khazar Military Organisation: The Strengthening of the Camp. Acta Orientalia, 58 (2). pp. 197-204. ISSN 0001-6446

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Abstract

Written sources indicate that, disregarding fortresses, there were three types of man-made defence employed by the Khazars for the fortification of a camping ground: (1) building palisade, (2) encircling the settlement by carts, and (3) digging ditches round the camp. The Muslim authors Gardīzī, al-Marwazī and al-Bakrī indicated that the military camps of the Khazars were strengthened by board fence. Other Muslim authors reported that the Khazar capital was strengthened by the placement of carts around it. Finally, Ibn Rusta mentioned that the Khazars made ditches against the Hungarians (Magyars) and other enemies. The aim of this paper is to collect and analyse the data on the strengthening of the camp at the Khazars and among their neighbours.

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