Alp Ilitver is the ruler (prince) of the Hun Kingdom (Savir) in Dagestan of the 7th century. He wore the ancient Türkic title "Elteber" - the title of an autonomous, but vassal in relation to the Khazars ruler. In 682 he accepted Christianity from Caucasian Albania .
Biography
Movses Kagankatvatsi wrote about the causes of the rise of Alp-Ilitver as follows [1] :
Being distinguished by strength and valor, he became famous in competitions, as a winner in Greek olympiads, having distinguished himself by force among all the others, he earned himself a magnificent valiant name, having performed many feats of courage in Turkestan during the Khakan Khazirs, he gained the love of the Khakan, and he gave his daughter. And he was honored as a priest or a priest and glorified within all three countries, because he accepted the bishop’s instructions on light creed as a crown of glory
In the “ History of the country of Aluank ” Alp-Ilitver is called by various terms: “the king of the Huns”, “the grand duke of the Huns”, “the high-altar prince of the Huns” and others. In the " Armenian geography " the ruler of the Huns is called the king. According to L. B. Gmyri, these facts indicate that the Huns were individually ruled by a representative of the aristocratic family. The researcher admits that Alp-Ilitver came to power because of her personal qualities [2] .
Alp Ilitver concentrated in his hands the levers of control of the internal and external life of the country of the Huns. Being the sole ruler, Alp-Ilitver, like his predecessors, entered into alliances and started wars, was the supreme judge. However, Alp-Ilitver was forced to pay tribute to the remnants of the old tribal democracy, addressing especially important issues to the tribal aristocracy and the leaders of the tribes [2] .
The kingdom of the Huns under Alp-Ilitvera, according to A.V. Gadlo , was an entity that was looking for a way out of Khazar guardianship and rapprochement with Albania [3] . Dissatisfied with the murder by conspirators of the allied Albanian prince Dzhevanshir in 669, Alp-Ilitver invades Albania, forcing the new Albanian prince Varaz-Trdat to accept vassal dependence. In 682, Alp-Ilitver, together with the Kingdom of the Huns, adopted Christianity from Caucasian Albania. An important role in this event was played by the Albanian Bishop of Israel [4] .
Movses Kagankatvatsi [1] :
He tried to gradually stop the frenzied crying over the dead and the furious slaughter and, realizing that domestic beliefs are nasty and disgusting, he vowed before all to [destroy] Aspandiate temples to forbid sacrifices to other pagan gods and commanded to worship only the living God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and also to the Son of the Only Begotten and the Spirit equivalent. Throwing out of his head all the filth of evil, he, like a newborn baby, longed for whole milk. In many places he erected churches and multiplied the honors of the priests of God.
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Movses Kalankatuatsi . "History of the country Aluank", Ed. Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. Mashtots "Matenadaran", Yerevan, 1984.
- ↑ 1 2 Gmyrya L. B. Country of the Huns at the Caspian Gates. Makhachkala, 1995. - p. 169
- ↑ Gadlo A.V. Ethnic history of the North Caucasus of the 4th — 10th centuries, 1979.
- ↑ Artamonov M.I. History of the Khazars. // L .: State publishing house. Hermitage, 1962. - p. 186