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The greatest concentration of Jewish population in these days can be found in the Kingdom of the Khazars*, which they themselves call ‘Metzulah Bilevav Yamim’, that is, ‘Metzulah between (literally: ‘in the heart of’) the seas’. It sits between two seas, the Sea of Khaspar and the Black Sea, and extends northwards towards the Vralian steppe, including the northern shores of the Black Sea until the Dnieper. To the east, its border is the small inland Sea of Islands, also known as the Sea of Aral. To the south, it borders on Drujan**.
To the east, the only true threats are steppe nomads and raiders – there is no organized kingdom or force that threatens the Khazar kingdom there.
To the west of the Kingdom of Metzulah lies the Chowat, with whom there is a peace treaty, though occasional disputes over the shores and waters of the Khaspar Sea are not uncommon.
To the north, the border with the Vralian Empire is secure; though differing in many aspects of their religion (indeed, some Khazars consider the Vralians to be heretics), the shared religious basis provides for greater understanding and communication. As if often the case in the wide steppe, the border is no fixed line, rather being delineated by the few towns and settlements on it that belong to either kingdom, and the occasional border patrols by both sides. Commerce and trade is commonplace here, and often unsupervised, much to the despair of the tax-collectors.
The south was once the most uneasy border – at first it was the frontier for a three sided struggle for control between Ephesium, Khebbel-im-Akkad and the Khazars. When Khebbel-im-Akkad proved the victor, the Khazar border retreated northwards, eventually holding the line in the mountains north of Darsanga. The rise of Drujan only increased the tension, as its ruler, The Mahrkagir, was considered a madman who wished to conquer the entire world. With his death, the border has settled once more, as Drujan nominally returned to Akkadian control, who were content to keep the border as it was. Still, this remains the most heavily patrolled and defended border of the Kingdom of Metzulah.
The Kingdom of the Khazars first formed some five hundred years after the death of Yeshua, from steppe nomads, tough calling it a ‘kingdom’ is a bit of an exaggeration. It was merely a loosely connected group of tribes called the Ashani, who had ousted the Avar tribes that controlled the area. The Kingdom only became what it was some one hundred and fifty years later. At the time, as Khebbel-im-Akkad was rising to prominence, there were still many Judeans who had not accepted the creed of the Yeshuites, the great diaspora of Akkad, and the few remnants still in Israel. Fearing religious persecution from the Akkadians, who had been their traditional enemies since they destroyed the first Israeli kingdom, they sent out men to look for a new place they could settle. The Ashani tribes, then involved in a war against Tang invaders from the east, welcomed their coming. Thus, the great Judean migration began, where in a period of some two score years, over fifty thousand Judeans from the Akkadian Empire migrated north, settling in Khazar. They renamed it Metzulah, that is both ‘depth’ and ‘exile’, and its full name was Metzulah Bilevav Yamim.
The Ashani tribes were greatly changed by the Judean migration, though the Judeans were no less changed by the Ashani. After many Ashani leaders had already died in the war, the rise of the Judeans to power was swift. Khazar was quickly reorganized into the kingdom it is today. Much like the original realm of the Ashani, it is a tolerant and pluralistic society. By welcoming the educated and worldly Judeans (comparative to the Ashani) from all across the Fertile Crescent, and even some from the west, it rapidly absorbed many of the arts and technologies of both civilizations. The formerly nomadic tribes became literate and multi-lingual agriculturalists, manufacturers and international traders. Indeed, commerce and trade is so widely spread that those living near the kingdom sometimes speak of a ‘Pax Khazarica’, as the kingdom is an international trading hub between the east and west.
The kingdom is ruled by a king, the direct heir of the last Reish Galuta, who was the leader of Judeans in Akkad and can trace his descent all the way to the (second-to) last Judean King in Israel (Jeconiah/Yehoyachin) descended from King David himself. The heir of the last Reish Galuta married the daughter of the last Ashani Khagan, thus uniting the ruling families of both nations. The king is the supreme authority, commanding the army and managing the kingdom. Kingship is hereditary, with the method of succession being male-preference primogeniture. A woman would only inherit the throne if she had no living brothers nor living descendants of her brothers.
In addition, there is a religious authority, a council of seventy one Sages, known as ‘Chachamim’ led by the chief of them (which they choose), who is known as the ‘Nasi’. They are chosen for their positions based on their knowledge, and determine religious law for all Judean citizens of the kingdom. Often, they are also in charge of justice and common law. Those Ashani tribesmen who chose not to convert hold equal rights as the Judean citizens, and are still subject to the courts.
There are a few noble families, but these have no great influence. The main cause for noble families is cadet branches of the royal family, or Khagans of tribes in the kingdom. These nobles are often richer than most (due to grants given to their royal ancestors, or land and people they control due to the rank of Khagan), and are expected to use their station to serve the kingdom. That is, they’re expected to either govern their lands and people, or serve the kingdom in its various ministries – military, commerce, foreign relations, etc.
The military is comprised of three parts - navy, infantry, and cavalry. The navy is primarily notable for its light and swift sea craft, which they use to patrol the Black and Khaspar seas, and protect trade from pirates and the like. They also serve as support for coastal campaigns, though with the peace treaty with the Chowat and the border with Khebbel-im-Akkad secure, these are far fewer now. The cavalry segment contains light cavalry, horse archers and a little heavy cavalry. It is primarily known for the former - similar to the Akkadian style, the light cavalry and horse archers are among the best in the world, their origins coming from what was the Ashani tribes. The infantry segment has the foot soldiers and archers – primarily spearmen and javelins, also containing the siege weapons, engineers, and so forth.
The Kingdom of Metzulah is a stabilizing force in the region, and has been slowly but steadily expanding for the past two hundred years. While it has recently suffered some setbacks, mostly against Khebbel-im-Akkad, it is still a powerful force, and much of the trade between west and east passes through it, making it highly desired as a trading partner.