Khazar warrior

Warrior from the KHAZAR KHAGANATE (9th - 10th centuries), somewhere north of the Caucasus. The Khazars were a semi-nomadic Turkic-speaking people from the Eurasian Steppe that stablished an empire in what is now southern Ukraine, south-western Russia and western Kazakhstan from 650 AD to 969 AD. The Khazars emerged from a western branch of the First Turkic Khaganate (also known as the Göktürk Khaganate, a massive nomadic empire stretching from Manchuria to the Black Sea during its peak) and their empire was finally destroyed at the hands of the Rus Vikings led by the Grand Prince of Kyiv Sviatoslav.

Originally, the Khazars followed the shamanistic and animistic religion known as Tengrism, the common religion of many steppe peoples such as the Huns, the Turks or the Mongols. But at some point, the ruling elite of their empire did something extremely unusual: while other Early Medieval Turkic empires converted to Islam, Orthodox Christianity or Buddhism, the Khazar elite decided to adopt Judaism instead. What percentage of the Khazar population adopted Judaism, and whether this was mainstream Judaism or their own interpretation of it has always been hotly debated. The exact date of the conversion also remains obscure, but it is safe to assume that the main reason behind the Khazars’ adoption of Judaism was geopolitical. The greatest rivals of the Khazar Khaganate were the Eastern Roman / Byzantine Empire (Orthodox Christians) and the Abbasid Caliphate (Muslims). Converting to either of these two religions would mean submitting to a neighbouring empire. By choosing a third option, the Khazars made it clear that they were a fully independent regional power.

References used:
- spaulders based on a find from the Borisovsky cemetery, Gelendzhik (Northern Caucasus, Russia), replica by True history Shop.
- armguards based on a find from Kerch (Crimea), replica by Living history Market.
- shield boss based on a find from the Voronezh region (western Russia), replica by True history Shop.
- helmet from Krasnodar (Russia).
- sabre based on a find from Kolossovka (Northern Caucasus, Russia), replica by True history Shop.
- bow case based on a find from Moshchevaya Balka (Northern Caucasus, Russia), replica by True history Shop.
- Hungarian-style composite bow by Grozer.
- boots based on a find from Hasaut (Northern Caucasus, Russia).
- nomadic antler flail head, replica by True history Shop.
- painted quiver based on a silver plate depicting a rider from Utemil'skii (Russia), reconstructed by Magyar Tegez.
- belt fittings based on a find from the Sarkel fortress (Russia), replica by Armour and Castings.
- leather fingerless gloves based on a find from the Northern Caucasus (Russia).