The Khazars, whose Khaganate extends from the…

The Khazars, whose Khaganate extends from the Dnieper to the Caspian Sea, and northward to the headwaters of the Volga, have established the city of Balanjar as their capital.

The Khazars and the Arabs had come into conflict as a result of the first phase of Muslim expansion: by 640 the Arabs had reached Armenia, and in 642, they had launched their first raid across the Caucasus under Abd ar-Rahman ibn Rabiah.

In 645/646, the Arabs had defeated an imperial army in Armenia, reinforced with Khazar and Alan contingents.

This is followed by an attempt in 651–652 to advance onto the Khazar capital, Balanjar, but the Arabs are heavily defeated in battle before the city, resulting in the death of Abd ar-Rahman's brother Salman and four thousand Muslim troops.