Mihranids

The Mihranids were a Iranian family which ruled several regions of Caucasus from 330 to 821. They claimed to be of Sasanian Persian descent but were of Parthian origin.[1][2]

History

The dynasty was founded when certain Mihran, a distant relative of Sasanian, 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/Gugark.[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-Tiridates 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-Tiridates 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.

Mihranids of Gogarene

Mihranids of Gardman

Mihranids of Caucasian Albania

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 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.

Sources