Ibn Fadlan. On the way to the country of Turkis

Akhmed Ibn Fadlan. In an endless expanse of centuries takes us this name. In the beginning of the X century, he made a trip via Bukhara and Khorezm to the Volga Bulgaria as a part of Baghdad Khalif embassy. And the most important thing today is that the mission happened, though, it was not successful, but Ibn Fadlan made a detailed report on his journey. He named this report "Risale" - "Note", but beyond this short and modest name a trustworthy and bright work is concealed, remarkable for its width of coverage, rich in unique information about the country of Turks, Khazars Russian, Slavs, Bashkirs and other peoples with regard to differences of their dogmas, information about their kings, their position in many their businesses". Let's recollect, that a thousand years separate us from that time. All these peoples were still in a pagan condition, Islam - only started penetrating these lands and more than half a century remained before adoption of Christianity in Russia. "Note" of Ibn Fadlan was thus, one of the major sources of early medieval history of East Europe as well as Central Asia. It is suffice to say that the scientist - encyclopaedias of the XIII centuries Iakat ar-Rumi included some fragments from "Risale" in his "Geographical dictionary". The modern scientists in a reconstruction of a picture of historical and cultural development of the peoples living on these lands also use information of Ibn Fadlan.

The biographic data about the author of "Note" was saved slightly. His full name is - Akhmed Ibn Fadlan ibn Abbas Rashid ibn Khammad. He was a main copyist - officer at the head of Abbasid Khaliphate. By that time Arabian Khaliphate was a global power and in the sphere of its influence both the center of Africa and northeast of Europe, and southeast Asia were involved. And on all the territories, where stretched the power of this Moslem theocracy a new religion - Islam was introduced. It was introduced as well as the other religions, by force, persuasion, economic privileges, missionaries. The dispatch of the embassy from Baghdad to shores of the Volga can be manifested. The embassy urgently was equipped due to that fact that the governor of the Volga Bulgaria wishing to be saved from the khazar power had addressed for protection to Abbasid Khalif al - Mukdadir for what he promised to adopt Islam. Khalif did not neglect a chance to strengthen this philosophy on the vast lands of the lower Kama river basin and the Volga (up to the river Samara). Moreover, he counted on receiving a large commercial profit. Ibn Fadlan informs about it in his book in a such way: "When the letter of Almus the son of Shilka iltivara, king "of the Slavs" had arrived to the ruler of faithful al - Muktadir, in which he asks for sending to him someone, who would instruct him faith, would teach him the laws of Islam, would construct a mosque for him… and asks him for construction a fortress in order to strengthen in it from kings, opponents, - the consent was given to what he was asking".

On June 21, 921 the embassy had left Baghdad. It was carrying to the king of Volga Bulgars the letter of Khalif, rich gifts, there were fakihi-layers, muallims - teachers, whose main task was a teaching of Bulgars Islamic laws. And though, the embassy was led by some Sussan-Ar-Rassi, the result of the mission was a responsibility of Ibn Fadlan.

For almost a year a mission was en route - they arrived in the Volga Bulgaria in May 922. Moved via the trade route which was developed by the Arabian merchants, just by means of these roads, the goods were delivered in exchange for precious furs from Iran, Iraq, Khorezm to the basin of the Lower and Middle Volga. Ibn Fadlan was not a pioneer of these lands, but he was the first traveler, whose authentic messages on northern Caspian areas and Volga came up to now.

Having passed Nishapur, Seraks, Merv, other settlements, the caravan had come to Kushmahan "which was an edge of the Amulya desert" (East Karakums - R.М.) Having passed a heavy site of sandy barkhans, they found themselves on the river Jeikhun (Amu Darya), having forwarded through which, eventually reached Bukhara. According to Ibn-Fadlan, in Bukhara at that time, Arabian Khalifs were respected and the embassy was given all possible help and assistance. Ruling emir here was from the Samani dynasty - Nasr ibn Akhmed. "And he is a beardless boy", - Ibn Fadlan points out. In fact, emir of Bukhara was 16 years old. His first words during audience were the following "In what condition you left my Sir, ruler of true believers, may Allah prolong his stay in this world". Having heard that Khalif is in good health, emir has showed tendency to give the embassy all support and help, to give them an escort to accompany to Khorezm. This fact testifies that in the Х century the important centers on the Great Silk Road like Bukhara was, controlled all the passing through their territories on this ancient trade road.

The embassy spent 28 days in Bukhara, and we can only regret, that up to now the composition of Ibn Fadlan reached without having an end, and we will never find out how many more pages were in it, what precious information it had. An interesting facts about the money which were in use in Bukhara was preserved: "I saw dirkhems of Bukhara of different sorts called al-gitrifi, they consists of copper, red copper and yellow copper, from which quantity without weights is taken. Hundred of them are equal to silver dirkhem. And here is their conditions regarding kalyms for their women: son of such and such marries the daughter of such and such for so much and so much thousand dirkhems gitrif. And in such a way purchasing of their real estates and purchasing of their slaves are being done: they do not mention the other sorts of dirkhems". This money, which so appreciated in Bukhara, was minted by Gitrif ibn Ata, governor of Khorasan.

It happened that winter came to these lands came early and unexpectedly, therefore travelers had been warned about further delay, and there was taken up a decision to move further to Khorezm. They hired a ship and arrive in Khorezm lands by ship to the ancient capital - Kyat. "The Governor honored us, approached us to himself and arranged an accommodation for us", Ibn Fadlan says. Here it was necessary to receive the sanction to cross the lands of Khorezm to "the country of Turks". Such sanction was not obtained at once: Khorezmshakh considered that their trip can be resulted in failure.

Having come down to the south to Jurdjania (Old Urgench), they were delayed here for a long time, as they faced a strong cold. To Ibn Fadlan who got used to the sun of Baghdad, the colds were extremely terrible: "The river Jaikhun from the very beginning up to the end had been frozen; and there was a thickness of ice seventeen quarters. Horses, mules, camels and carts passed by him, as they pass by roads, - he was rigid, not shaking. He was in such a condition for three months time". Here inviting visitors, the traveler underlines they say: "Let's go to me, I have a good fire" and even beggars coming in the house, first pass to the fireplace, get warmed and only then ask for a piece of bread. And Ibn Fadlan also informs: "More than once I was going out of bath and, when entered the house, looked at the beard, and it was a solid piece of snow, so that I thew out at the light. And it happened, I slept in "the house" inside the house. Namely - there was a turkic yurt of felt and I was wrapped up in clothes and furs, and still sometimes my cheek froze to a cushion". Fortunately, Ibn Fadlan marks that in Khorezm fire wood were cheap: large cart of them cost about two dirkhems. As for locals, Ibn Fadlan did not like them, they were rough while talking and their talk is similar to shout of starlings". But clothes here were of the excellent quality - later on Ibn Fadlan will point out that "in the country of Turks who are called Guzs", the Khorezm clothes are considered to be a good bride-money. He also mentioned about the business of money-changers who sell out dice, inkwells, conduct money operations. "Khorezm dirkhems cut off leaden and copper" were in use there.

Four months of their stay on the land of Khorezm passed. In the second half of February, the ice on the river started to melt and embassy started preparing for a journey. Camels were purchased, bags of camel skin were made in order to cross the river, foodstuffs prepared, escort employed. The friends, who came here had given them a plenty of warm clothes. "Each of us had a jacket, above it khaftan, on top of it a fur coat, on top of it kobenyak and burnous from which only two eyes are seen, single wide trousers and the other with a lining, gaiters, a shagreen leather boots, and atop of boots the other boots, so that each of us when riding the camel could not move because of clothes, which were on him". They headed for the north, "to the country of a gloom", and it is no wonder, that soon "fakhih, muallim and off-springs who went away with us from the City of the World frightened the difficulties and remained behind the mission. (Baghdad - R.М.)".

Fears were not vain - already next day a caravan has overtaken with a strong snowstorm. For ten days they went through the desert, and they met no one in the desert, there were a snowstorms without a break "the cold of Khorezm as compared with them was similar to summer days". Eventually, they rode out to the nomad Turki tribe "known under a name of guz" (Turk name oguz who inhabited at that time lands of Western Kazakhstan). Ibn Fadlan in details described many details on their household activities, pagan beliefs, ceremonies. Much things seemed to him wild and awful. Nevertheless, hospitality was given to the travelers. The most powerful person among the nobles was the army chief Etrek. He was gifted with many expensive things and offered to be converted into Islam. Etrek promised to inform the ambassadors on his solution, when they will be coming back. However, (let's remember the caution of Khorezmshakh) summoned on the council military leaders discussed the other problem - what to do with the ambassadors. One of the suggestions was: To collect their property and to cut each of them in halves. There is nothing surprised that in seven days time of their captivity they were already happy, that they managed to get out of those places.

The further road was dangerous and difficult. They should have overcome many rivers - the leather bags came in useful here. Ibn Fadlan explicitly described such a way of crossing: in the stretched out bags, firstly, goods are put inside and atop some persons sit, who with the help of punt-pones direct the bags to the opposite bank. It was a dangerous and unreliable way of crossing the river: a lot of their people perished, when overcame the river Jaikh (Ural - R.М.) Have passed through the land of Peshenegs, Bashkirs, tribes which worshipped "the snakes, and fishes, and cranes". The tenacious memory of the traveler has saved many details on their way of life, beliefs, attitude to foreigners.

And, eventually, when to headquarters of the governor Volga Bulgaria was less than day of road, he sends his brothers and sons to them, and then he himself, having seen the ambassadors, "had left from the horse and kissed the ground". He was holding dirkhems in his hand and he scattered them on us. For some days "the leaders of his lands and inhabitants of his country were getting together" to the headquarters in order to present during the ceremony of acceptance a new religion. It was arranged magnificently: the ambassadors had unwrapped two brought banners, the king of Bulgars went away on the presented to him horse, he was dressed in savad - clothes of black color, that relied to the high ranking officials of the court of Khalif, turban crowned his head. They listened the message of Khalif upright. The interpreter translated the text word for word, when the reading was completed, "they proclaimed "Allah is great!" proclamation was so strong that the ground trembled". By this act, the Volga Bulgaria officially recognized Islam as a state religion and became a part of the Moslem world.

But soon the king of Bulgar required the promised in the letter of Khalif 4000 dinars required for the construction of citadel, which were not delivered. And in spite of the fact that Ibn Fadlan explained that in haste of the assemblage they had no time enough to prepare the necessary amount of money and money will arrive later, attitude to the ambassadors was sharply changed. They stayed here till autumn, but could not introduce the standards of Islam, adopted at the court of Khalif. The governor of Bulgars preferred to save a system of ceremonies and legal standards adopted in Central Asia, and fixed close connections with this region. And it testified about the weakening of Abbasid Khalifate power, as well as that fact, that the embassy could not receive money in Bukhara and Khorezm as they considered before: the governors of Central Asia were aimed at independence in the relations with northern tribes.

The embassy returned to Baghdad practically with nothing, details were not saved, as the part of the manuscript of the traveler which says about returning home is lost. The other sources say the ambassadors arrived in the spring 923.

Nothing of the planned was realized. But invaluable composition of the clever, inquisitive, observant person who had seen everything came into the world. The main part of narration of Ibn Fadlan tells about their stay in the Volga Bulgaria - just to this period the main part of the saved story is devoted. A nature and climate, dwelling, attire, food, system of the laws and religious ideas, taxes received "by king of the Slavs" and paid to king of Khazars, deals, conjugal and funeral ceremonies of these lands - all the themes had been covered by the Arabian diplomat and the traveler explicitly and truthfully. He saw here "russian people", coming to the Volga Bulgaria on business.

The composition of Ibn Fadlan was widely known in the Arab-Persian world. According to Yakut in his time (XIII century) the lists of the manuscript were kept by many people in East Iran. However, the only one of these lists "Risale" was discovered in the 1920-th years by orientalist Validov A.Z. in the library at the tomb of Imam Ali ibn Riza in Meshed (Iran). In 1937 a photocopy of the Meshed manuscript was handed to the Academy of sciences of USSR from government of Iran, and on its basis Kovalevski A.P., prepared the first issue in the Russian language. In 1956 there was issued a revised edition of "Note" of Ibn Fadlan. This composition was not lost among the messages of the Arabian travelers. It was doomed to become a bright literary and psychological monument of that epoch.

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