Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/428

 394 The Killing of the Khazar Kings.

the prayers ; and that the vizier of the kingdom should be a man of their rehgion and nation. The vizier there is at present from amongst them ; his name is Ahmed Ben Kuwaih. Another condition is, that if the king of the Khazars should have a war against the Moslims, they would remain separate in his camp (observe neutrality), and not fight against a nation who profess the same religion ; but they would fight for him against any other nation. There are, at present, seven thousand horsemen of theirs, in the army of the king, armed with bows and equipped in cuirasses, helmets, and coats of mail : he has also some spearsmen. In point of arms, they are like the soldiers in Moslim countries. Their supreme judges, in religious and civil matters, are Moslims.

" In accordance with the constitution of the kingdom of the Khazars, there are nine supreme judges in the country ; two of them for the Moslims : two for the Khazars, who follow the laws of the Pentateuch in passing sentence ; two for the Christians, who follow the laws of the gospel in their decisions ; and one for the Sclavonians, Russians, and the other pagan population. The pagan judge decides after the heathen laws ; that is to say, the dictates of reason, (not revelation). If any important case comes before him, he refers to the Moslim judges, and lets them decide after the law of the Islam.

" There is no other king in these parts who has paid troops, except the king of the Khazars. Every Moslim has there the name Larisian, (although he may not be of this nation,) and it is even extended to such Russians and Sclavonians as serve in the (standing) army or household of the king ; although they are pagans as we have said. But there are many Moslims in this kingdom besides the Larisians ; they are artisans, tradespeople, and merchants, who have been attracted by the justice and security (of persons and property) afforded by the government. They have a great public mosque, the Minaret of which rises