Mihranids

The Mihranids were an 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]

Standard of the Mihranids, from the inscription of a 7th century statue of King Javanshir.

History

The dynasty was founded when a 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
  • Peroz (330–361)
  • Unknown (361–394)
  • Bakur I (394–400)
  • Arshusha I (400–430)
  • Bakur II (430–455)
  • Arshusha II (455–470)
  • Varsken (470–482)
  • Arshusha III (482–540)
  • Arshusha IV (540–608)
  • Vahram-Arshusha V (608–627)
  • Arshusha VI (???–748)

Mihranids of Gardman
  • Peroz (330–361)
  • Khurs (361–430)
  • Barzabod (430–440)
  • Varaz-Bakur (440–450)
  • Mihr (450–480)
  • Armayel (480–510)
  • Vard I (510–540)
  • Vardan I (540–570)
  • Vard II (570–600)

Mihranids of Caucasian Albania
  • Varaz Grigor (628–636)
  • Javanshir (636–680)
  • Varaz-Tiridates I (680–705)
    • Shiruye (699–704, usurper)
  • Vardan II (705–740)
  • Narseh-Dzndak (740–770)
  • Gagikh (770–790)
  • Stephanos I (790–821)
  • Varaz-Tiridates II (821–822)

References
  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. (in 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. (in 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
  • Toumanoff, Cyril (1963). Studies in Christian Caucasian history. Georgetown University Press. pp. 1–599.
  • Pourshariati, Parvaneh (2008). Decline and Fall of the Sasanian Empire: The Sasanian-Parthian Confederacy and the Arab Conquest of Iran. London and New York: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84511-645-3.
  • Toumanoff, Cyril (1969). The Chronology of the Early Kings of Iberia. Fordham University Press. pp. 1–33.
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