The Bulanids were the ruling dynasty of the KhazarKhaganate during the 9th century and 10th century CE.
The dynasty is named after Bulan, who may or may not have been its founder. In other sources (see Schechter Letter), the founder of the dynasty is named Sabriel.
Whether the Bulanid rulers were Beks or Khagans is a matter of some debate. Several kings, such as Bulan, Obadiah, Benjamin, Aaron II, and Joseph are described as leading armies, passing legislation, treating with foreign dignitaries, and exercising other powers normally associated with the Bek. The Schechter Letter refers to Sabriel as a non Khagan, however to further muddle the issue, no co-ruler is ascribed to any of the rulers of the late 9th century or early 10th century.
Some scholars, such as Mikhail Artamonov and Omeljan Pritsak, have envisioned the rise of the Bulanids as a gradual or sudden coup against the ruling Ashina dynasty by a related, Judaized clan. Others have connected this hypothetical coup with the revolt of the Kabars. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the Khazars abandoned the dual monarchy some time after their conversion to Judaism and that the later kings ruled alone.
King Joseph's account
The Khazar king Joseph gave the following account of the genealogy of the Bulanids.
Since [the time of the conversion to Judaism], when my fathers entered into this religion, the God of Israel has humbled all of their enemies, subjecting every folk and tongue round about them, whether Christian, Muslim, or pagan. No one has been able to stand before them to this day [about 960]. All of them are tributary. [But only about ten years later Joseph was defeated by the Russians, 969.] After the days of Bulan there arose one of his descendants, a king Obadiah by name, who reorganized the kingdom and established the Jewish religion properly and correctly. He built synagogues and yeshivot, brought in Jewish scholars, and rewarded them with gold and silver. [The Jewish scholars could have come from Baghdad and Constantinople.] They explained to him the Bible, Mishnah, Talmud and the order of divine services. The King was a man who revered and loved the Torah. He was one of the true servants of God. May the Divine Spirit give him rest! He was succeeded by Hezekiah, his son; next to him was Menasseh, his son; next to him was Hanukkah, the brother of Obadiah; next Isaac, his son; afterwards, his son Zebulun; then his son Moses [in some editions, Menasseh II]; then his son Nisi; then his son Aaron I; then his son Menahem; then his son Benjamin; then his son Aaron; and I, Joseph, the son of Aaron the King, am King, the son of a King, and the descendant of kings. No stranger can occupy the throne of my ancestors: the son succeeds the father. This has been our custom and the custom of our forefathers since they have come into existence. May it be the gracious will of Him who appoints all kings that the throne of my kingdom shall endure to all eternity.
The relationship between the Bulanids and earlier Khazar khagans is unknown, as is the issue of whether late Khazar rulers such as David of Taman and Georgius Tzul can be connected with this clan.
Resources
Kevin Alan Brook. The Jews of Khazaria. 2nd ed. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2006.
Douglas M. Dunlop, The History of the Jewish Khazars, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1954.
Norman Golb and Omeljan Pritsak, Khazarian Hebrew Documents of the Tenth century. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press, 1982.
The Khazar Correspondence is a set of documents, which are alleged to date from the 950s or 960s, and to be letters between Hasdai ibn Shaprut, foreign secretary to the Caliph of Cordoba, and Joseph Khagan of the Khazars. The Correspondence is one of only a few documents attributed to a Khazar author, and potentially one of only a small number of primary sources on Khazar history.
Bulan was a Khazar king who led the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism. His name means "elk" or "hart" in Old Turkic. The date of his reign is unknown, as the date of the conversion is hotly disputed, though it is certain that Bulan reigned some time between the mid-8th and the mid-9th centuries. Nor is it settled whether Bulan was the Bek or the Khagan of the Khazars.
The Schechter Letter, also called the Genizah Letter or Cambridge Document, was discovered in the Cairo Geniza by Solomon Schechter in 1912. It is an anonymous Khazar letter discussing several matters including the wars of the early 940s, involving the Byzantine Empire, the Khazar Khaganate, and Kievan Rus'. Scholars have debated its authenticity.
Yitzhak ha-Sangari was the rabbi who purportedly converted the Khazar royalty to Judaism, according to medieval Jewish sources. According to D. M. Dunlop, "the name Isaac Sangari is perhaps not attested before the 13th century, when he is mentioned by Nahmanides."
Joseph ben Aaron was king of the Khazars during the 950s and 960s. Joseph was the son of Aaron II, a Khazar ruler who defeated a Byzantine-inspired war against Khazaria on numerous fronts. Joseph's wife was the daughter of the king of the Alans.
Khagan Bek is the title used by the bek (generalissimo) of the Khazars.
Obadiah Khagan was the name of a Khazar ruler of the late eighth and early ninth century. He is described as coming from among "the sons of the sons" of Bulan, but whether this should be taken literally to mean that he was Bulan's grandson, or figuratively to imply a more remote descent, is unclear. He was succeeded by his son Hezekiah.
A Khazar ruler, mentioned in the Schechter Text and the Khazar Correspondence, Benjamin was the son of the Khazar ruler Menahem and probably reigned in the late ninth and early tenth centuries CE.
A Khazar ruler during the early 10th century CE, Aaron ben Benjamin was the son of the Khazar king Benjamin. Whether Aaron, like the rest of the Bulanids, was a Khagan or a Bek is an unresolved issue.
Khan-Tuvan Dyggvi also known as Tuğan Khagan, according to Omeljan Pritsak, was the name of a Khazar Khagan of the 825 AD.
In the Schechter Letter, Serach is the wife of the Khazar ruler Sabriel. A Jew, she encourages her husband and other Khazars to convert to Judaism and establish it as the official religion of Khazaria. Serach is not mentioned in the Khazar Correspondence or the Kuzari.
Hanukkah Khagan was a Khazar Khagan who reigned during the mid to late ninth century CE. Hanukkah was the brother of Obadiah and succeeded his great-nephew Manasseh I to the throne. No contemporary records from his reign survive; however, he is known from the Khazar Correspondence between Hisdai ibn Shaprut and the Khazar king Joseph. Historical authenticity and accuracy of the only document mentioning his name has been questioned.
Hezekiah ben Obadiah Khagan was a khagan of the Khazars, between 809 AD until his death six years later. He was the son of Obadiah, the descendant of Bulan. He continued the pro-jewish policy of the khaganate, bringing rabbinical scholars to and building yeshivot in Khazaria. Documents related to Hezekiah's reign are very obscure and the historical authenticity and accuracy of the documents mentioning his name has been questioned.
Menasseh ben Hezekiah was a Turkic ruler of the Khazars mentioned in the Khazar Correspondence. He reigned between 815 to 825 AD. He was the son of Hezekiah, the son of Obadiah. Little is known about his reign. Historical authenticity and accuracy of the only document mentioning his name has been questioned.
Isaac ben Hanukkah was a hypothetical Jewish ruler of the Khazars mentioned in the Khazar Correspondence. He probably reigned in the mid to late ninth century CE. Little is known about his reign. As with other Bulanid rulers, it is unclear whether Isaac was Khagan or Khagan Bek of the Khazars, although the latter is more likely. He was succeeded by his son Zebulun. Historical authenticity and accuracy of the only document mentioning his name has been questioned.
Zebulun or Zevulun ben Isaac was a hypothetical Jewish Turkic ruler of the Khazars mentioned in the Khazar Correspondence. He probably reigned in the late ninth century CE. Little is known about Zebulun's reign. As with other Bulanid rulers, it is unclear whether he was Khagan or Khagan Bek of the Khazars, although the latter is more likely. Historical authenticity and accuracy of the only document mentioning his name has been questioned.
Menasseh ben Zebulun was a hypothetical Jewish ruler of the Khazars mentioned in some extant editions of the Khazar Correspondence. In some versions he is called Moshe or Moses, but this may be a result of the degradation of the text. He probably reigned in the late ninth century CE. Little is known about his reign. As with other Bulanid rulers, it is unclear whether Menasseh was Khagan or Khagan Bek of the Khazars, although the latter is more likely. Historical authenticity and accuracy of the only document mentioning his name has been questioned.
Nisi ben Menasseh or Nisi ben Moses was a Jewish Turkic ruler of the Khazars mentioned in the Khazar Correspondence. He probably reigned in the mid to late 9th century CE. Little is known about his reign. As with other Bulanid rulers, it is unclear whether he was Khagan or Khagan Bek of the Khazars, although the latter is more likely. His son, Aaron ben Nisi, is also mentioned as a Khazar ruler by the same source.
Aaron ben Nisi was a Jewish ruler of the Khazars mentioned in the Khazar Correspondence. He reigned around the year 900 AD. He was the son of Nisi ben Menasseh. Little is known about his life or reign. As with other Bulanid rulers, it is unclear whether Aaron was Khagan or Khagan Bek of the Khazars, although the latter is more likely.
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