Derbend-Nameh by Muhammad Avabi Aktashi: A Literary Reflection of Khazar History and How the City of Anji Was Destructed

Abstract

Introduction. The paper attempts a scholarly insight into medieval historical chronicles for a new comprehension of Derbend-Nameh by Muhammad Avabi Aktashi (sixteenth–seventeenth centuries) that stands at the beginnings of Dagestani prose. Goals. The study seeks to identify the literary task set forth by the medieval author when he set to create the historical/literary narrative, reveal some meanings hidden therein, and show how the author influences a reader with the aid of stylistic techniques and expressive means. Methods. The work employs the cultural/historical and receptive methods, the latter be manifested (implemented) via ‘readers’ expectations’, certain derived genre norms, implied correlations between fiction and reality, text and context. The hermeneutic method proves most instrumental in revealing opportunities for multiple interpretations of one and the same text. Results. Our study attest to the author used not only documents and facts from the preceding Tawarikh-i Derbend-Nameh (The Book of Derbent Stories) but also invested his own knowledge of ancient fiction and undertones — to establish the genre of historical prose in Kumyk literature. This is evidenced by the author’s appeal to the key characteristic features of fiction: abundance of folklore legends, fragments from Arab, Oriental and European chronicles and fiction texts; hyperbolized narration about the size of Derbent and the Derbent Wall; fantastic elements, images of historical personalities, such as Zulkarnein Iskander (Alexander the Great), Kubad-Shah, Abu-Muslim and others; the formal and compositional division of the text (war between Arabs and Khazars, war between Persians and Khazars, ruling years of Abu Muslim); hidden meanings of the narrative about Khazars and the city of Anji (emotional narrative of battles attended by Khazars and Muslims); reflections on the turning point in history, impacts on the reader’s feelings by means of literary devices and artistic expressions. Conclusions. Despite the book by Muhammad Avabi Aktashi deals with the history of Derbent, it clearly shows the author’s intention and literary task to shed light on another city, the ancient Anji, as well as on the tragic collapse of the Khazar state. It is shown that the book served a landmark at the beginnings of Kumyk prose — and gave impulse to the latter’s further evolution.

Keywords

• history of khazars
• derbent
• anji
• alexander the great
• kumyk prose
• derbend-nameh
• dagestani literature