Trade in the Itil Basin during the Khazars period

The Khazars formed the western wing of this state when they were under the rule of the Kök Türks. During the alliances that the Kök Türks established with Byzantium the name Khazar also began to appear in the Caucasus. After the fall of the Kök Türk Khaganate, the Khazars began to chart their own path. It was a turning point in their history when the Khazars seized the lands of the Bulgarians, who, like themselves, were the remnants of the Kök Türks. After this incident, the Khazars both grew in terms of population by incorporating a community with relatives into their structure, and they took under their control ports on the northern shores of the Black Sea and rivers that could be a trade route. With the end of years of wars between the Khazars and the Arabs, this vast geography has been opened up to international trade. In addition to creating an environment of stability, security and tolerance in this geography, the Khazars have also provided facilities such as accommodation, transportation and storage to foreign traders, enabling Turkish cities to turn into commercial centers. Vikings, who came from Scandinavia by ships via Itil, met Muslims in the Itil Basin. The Vikings were able to get the silver they cared about very much by offering their products such as slaves and furs to the Muslims. The dirham finds spread many parts of Eastern Europe show that important trade relations have been established between the parties. In the X century, the Oghuzs and the Pechenegs from Central Asia under the pressure of the Kipchaks destabilized the Itil Basin, and in this way they dealt a heavy blow to the Khazars, whose economy and military presence depended largely on trade. The impact of this blow has also been felt on trade in the long term. Keywords: The Itil Basin, the Khazars, Muslims, trade, fur, slave.