Mihranids

This article is about the dynasty. There is also a Kurdish tribal federation by the name of Mihrani

The Mihranids were the ruling dynasty of Caucasian Albania in the early Middle Ages. They claimed to be of Sassanian Persian descent but were probably of Parthian origin.[1][2]

The dynasty was founded when certain Mihran, a distant relative of Sasanids, settled in the region of Gardman in Utik. He was probably a member of a branch of the Mihranid family which was listed among the Seven Great Houses of Iran, and whose two other lines ruled Iberia (Chosroid Dynasty) and Gogarene.[3] Mihran's family came to power, when Mihran's great-grandson killed almost all the members of the previous ruling dynasty – "the Eṙanšahiks, the ancient native Armenian (haykazean [original emphasis]) family....Sparing only Zarmihr Eṙanšahik."[4]

The most prominent representatives of the family in the 7th century were Varaz-Grigor, his son Javanshir, and Varaz-Trdat I. Mihranids assumed a Persian title of Arranshahs (i.e. shahs of Arran, Persian name of Albania). The family's rule came to an end after the assassination of Varaz-Trdat II by Nerseh Pilippean in 822-23.[1]

Subsequently Sahl Smbatean, a descendant of the aforementioned Arranshahik (Eṙanšahik) family,[5][6] assumed the title of Arranshah [7] and ruled significant part of Caucasian Albania.

References

  1. ^ a b Encyclopedia Iranica. C. E. Bosworth. Arran
  2. ^ Encyclopedia Iranica. M. L. Chaumont. Albania.
  3. ^ Toumanoff, Cyril. Chronology of the Early Kings of Iberia. Traditio 25 (1969), p. 22.
  4. ^ Movses Kaghankatvatsi. The History of the Caucasian Albanians by Movses Dasxuranci. Translated by Charles Dowsett. London: Oxford University Press, 1961, Book II, chapter XVII, pp. 108-109.
  5. ^ (Russian) Movses Kaghankatvatsi. History of Aghvank. Book III, chapter XX. About the events that happened in the borders of Aghvank from the beginning of Armenian Era.
  6. ^ (Russian) Movses Kaghankatvatsi. History of Aghvank. Book III, chapter XXIII. Brief repetition of the Pedigrees.
  7. ^ Minorsky, Vladimir. Caucasica IV. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 15, No. 3. (1953), pp. 504-529.