Elteber
Encyclopedia
Elteber was the client king of an autonomous but tributary tribe
or polity
in the hierarchy of the Turkic khaganates
and Khazar Khaganate.
In the case of the Khazar Khaganate, the rulers of such vassal
peoples as the Volga Bulgars (only until 969 AD, after that they were independent and created a powerful state), Burtas
and North Caucasian Huns
were titled elteber or some variant such as Ilutwer, Ilutver (North Caucasian Huns
), Yiltawar or İltäbär (Volga Bulgaria
) (until 969 AD). Elteber is known to have met the famous Muslim
traveller Ibn Fadlan and requested assistance from the Abbasids of Baghdad
.
The earliest extant mention of the term is for a ruler of the North Caucasian Huns
in the 680's CE, referred to in Christian
sources from Caucasian Albania
as Alp Ilutuer. The title was also mentioned in Letter to Kültegin in 732
. It was used by rulers of pre-Islamic Volga Bulgaria during the period of their vassalage to the Khazars.
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
or polity
Polity
Polity is a form of government Aristotle developed in his search for a government that could be most easily incorporated and used by the largest amount of people groups, or states...
in the hierarchy of the Turkic khaganates
Göktürks
The Göktürks or Kök Türks, were a nomadic confederation of peoples in medieval Inner Asia. Known in Chinese sources as 突厥 , the Göktürks under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan The Göktürks or Kök Türks, (Old Turkic: Türük or Kök Türük or Türük; Celestial Turks) were a nomadic confederation of...
and Khazar Khaganate.
In the case of the Khazar Khaganate, the rulers of such vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
peoples as the Volga Bulgars (only until 969 AD, after that they were independent and created a powerful state), Burtas
Burtas
Burtas were a tribe of uncertain ethnolinguistic affiliation inhabiting the steppe region north of the Caspian Sea in medieval times...
and North Caucasian Huns
North Caucasian Huns
The North Caucasian Huns were a branch of the Huns that established a polity in Daghestan in the 6th century and 7th century CE. The North Caucasian Huns probably incorporated numerous indigenous Caucasian tribes following their settlement in the area....
were titled elteber or some variant such as Ilutwer, Ilutver (North Caucasian Huns
North Caucasian Huns
The North Caucasian Huns were a branch of the Huns that established a polity in Daghestan in the 6th century and 7th century CE. The North Caucasian Huns probably incorporated numerous indigenous Caucasian tribes following their settlement in the area....
), Yiltawar or İltäbär (Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria, or Volga–Kama Bolghar, is a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now Russia.-Origin:...
) (until 969 AD). Elteber is known to have met the famous Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
traveller Ibn Fadlan and requested assistance from the Abbasids of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
.
The earliest extant mention of the term is for a ruler of the North Caucasian Huns
North Caucasian Huns
The North Caucasian Huns were a branch of the Huns that established a polity in Daghestan in the 6th century and 7th century CE. The North Caucasian Huns probably incorporated numerous indigenous Caucasian tribes following their settlement in the area....
in the 680's CE, referred to in Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
sources from Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
as Alp Ilutuer. The title was also mentioned in Letter to Kültegin in 732
732
Year 732 was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 732 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* October 10 – Battle of Tours: Near...
. It was used by rulers of pre-Islamic Volga Bulgaria during the period of their vassalage to the Khazars.