ABSTRACT
For those reared on conventional medieval Russian or Rus' history, the above title probably sounds a little absurd. Everyone 'knows' that the Rus' state was shaped by foreign influences coming initially from Scandinavia via the Vikings and then from Byzantium via commerce and later the conversion to Orthodox Christianity. In the conventional histories, the Khazars are often ignored or, when mentioned, they are cast as nomadic competitors who blocked Rus' expansion to the south but were finally defeated and destroyed by Grand Prince Sviatoslav ca. 965. In short, the Khazars only played a nominal role, at best, in the development of the Kievan state. Stimulated by the editors' challenge to explore the role that nomads played in the socio-economic and political development of the sedentary world, this essay will address two key issues. First, the diversity of the Qaghanate's population and institutions will be examined so that we can better understand what kind of society existed in Khazaria and why certain of its practices might have been appealing to sedentary neighbouring peoples such as the Rus' who were in the process of creating their own state. Then, this essay will attempt to explore the important contribution of the Qaghanate to the political ideas and practices of the early Rus' state so that we can respond to the fundamental question raised by this volume.
