The Mihranids were an
Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
family which ruled several regions of
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
from 330 to 821. They claimed to be of
Sasanian Persian descent but were of
Parthia
Parthia ( peo, 𐎱𐎼𐎰𐎺 ''Parθava''; xpr, 𐭐𐭓𐭕𐭅 ''Parθaw''; pal, 𐭯𐭫𐭮𐭥𐭡𐭥 ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Med ...
n origin.
[Encyclopedia Iranica. M. L. Chaumont. Albania.](_blank)
/ref>
History
The dynasty was founded when a certain Mihran, a distant relative of Sasanian, settled in the region of Gardman
Gardman ( hy, Գարդման), also known as Gardmank, was one of the eight cantons of the ancient province of Utik in the Kingdom of Armenia and simultaneously, together with the canton of Tuchkatak, an Armenian principality. It roughly corresp ...
in Utik
Utik ( hy, Ուտիք, also known as Uti, Utiq, or Outi) was a historic province of the Kingdom of Armenia. It was ceded to Caucasian Albania following the partition of Armenia between Sassanid Persia and the Eastern Roman Empire in 387 AD. Most ...
. He was probably a member of a branch of the Mihranid family which was listed among the Seven Great Houses of Iran
The Seven Great Houses of Iran, also known as the seven Parthian clans, were seven feudal aristocracies of Parthian origin, who were allied with the Sasanian court. The Parthian clans all claimed ancestry from Achaemenid Persians.
The seven Great ...
, and whose two other lines ruled Iberia
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
(Chosroid Dynasty
The Chosroid dynasty (a Latinization of ''Khosro anni'', ka, ხოსრო ანები), also known as the Iberian Mihranids, were a dynasty of the kings and later the presiding princes of the early Georgian state of Iberia from the 4t ...
) and Gogarene
Gugark ( hy, Գուգարք, lat, Gogarene, Greek: ''Γογαρινή'') was the 13th province of the ancient kingdom of Armenia. It now comprises parts of northern Armenia, northeast Turkey, and southwest Georgia.
Etymology
Etymologically ...
/Gugark
Gugark ( hy, Գուգարք, lat, Gogarene, Greek: ''Γογαρινή'') was the 13th province of the ancient kingdom of Armenia. It now comprises parts of northern Armenia, northeast Turkey, and southwest Georgia.
Etymology
Etymologically ...
.
The most prominent representatives of the family in the 7th century were Varaz Grigor
Varaz Grigor () was the first known Mihranid king of Caucasian Albania from 628 until at least 654. The last holder of the title was Vachagan III.
Before reign
Although mentioned in ''The History of the Country of Albania'' numerously, almost no ...
, his son Javanshir
Javanshir (alternate spellings: Javansher, Juansher, Ĵovenšēr, Jivanshir; '' pal, Juvānšēr''; literally "young lion"), was the prince of Caucasian Albania from 637 to 680, hailing from the region of Gardman. His life and deeds were the subje ...
, and Varaz-Tiridates I
Varaz Trdat - was the Mihranid king of Caucasian Albania from 670 to 705. Тревер К. В. Очерки по истории и культуре Кавказской Албании IV в. до н. э. — VII в. н. э.. — М.—Л.: Изда ...
. Mihranids assumed a Persian title of Arranshahs (i.e. shah
Shah (; fa, شاه, , ) is a royal title that was historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies.Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) It was also used by a variety of ...
s of Arran, Persian name of Albania). The family's rule came to an end after the assassination of Varaz-Tiridates II
Varaz-Trdat II was the last Mihranid king of Caucasian Albania from 800 to 812/822 and the son of the previous ruler Stephanos I.
Life
After the death of his father in 800, he becomes the new ruler of the Gardman region and the northern par ...
by Nerseh Pilippean in 822–23.
Subsequently Sahl Smbatean Sahl Smbatean EṙanshahikMovses Kaghankatvatsi. ''History of Aghuank''. Critical text and introduction by Varag Arakelyan. Matenadaran" Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mashtots. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 198 ...
, a descendant of the aforementioned Arranshahik (Eṙanšahik) family, assumed the title of Arranshah[Minorsky, Vladimir. ''Caucasica IV''. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 15, No. 3. (1953), pp. 504-529.] and ruled significant part of Caucasian Albania.
Mihranids of Gogarene
* Peroz Feroz or Firuz is a Persian name meaning 'victorious', derived from the middle Persian name Peroz or Piruz. Related names are Phiroze, Feroze, and Parviz.
It may refer to:
People (historical)
* Peroz I (), Sasanian king of Iran
* Peroz II (), Sa ...
(330–361)
* Unknown (361–394)
* Bakur I (394–400)
* Arshusha I (400–430)
* Bakur II (430–455)
* Arshusha II Arshusha II was the Mihranid (margrave) of Gugark in the mid 5th-century. He died in 470 and was succeeded by his son Varsken
Varsken (Middle Persian: ''Vazgēn'') was an Iranian prince from the Mihranid family of Gugark, who served as the (ma ...
(455–470)
* Varsken
Varsken (Middle Persian: ''Vazgēn'') was an Iranian prince from the Mihranid family of Gugark, who served as the (margrave) of the region from 470 to 482. He was the son and successor of Arshusha II.
Upon the death of his father, Varsken wen ...
(470–482)
* Arshusha III (482–540)
* Arshusha IV (540–608)
* Vahram-Arshusha V (608–627)
* Arshusha VI (???–748)
Mihranids of Gardman
* Peroz Feroz or Firuz is a Persian name meaning 'victorious', derived from the middle Persian name Peroz or Piruz. Related names are Phiroze, Feroze, and Parviz.
It may refer to:
People (historical)
* Peroz I (), Sasanian king of Iran
* Peroz II (), Sa ...
(330–361)
* Khurs (361–430)
* Barzabod Barzabod was a high-ranking Iranian official in 5th-century Sasanian Iran. A Mihranid prince of the Gardman region, he served as the viceroy of Caucasian Albania.
According to the Georgian chronicler Juansher, Barzabod married off her daughter ...
(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
Varaz Grigor () was the first known Mihranid king of Caucasian Albania from 628 until at least 654. The last holder of the title was Vachagan III.
Before reign
Although mentioned in ''The History of the Country of Albania'' numerously, almost no ...
(628–636)
* Javanshir
Javanshir (alternate spellings: Javansher, Juansher, Ĵovenšēr, Jivanshir; '' pal, Juvānšēr''; literally "young lion"), was the prince of Caucasian Albania from 637 to 680, hailing from the region of Gardman. His life and deeds were the subje ...
(636–680)
* Varaz-Tiridates I
Varaz Trdat - was the Mihranid king of Caucasian Albania from 670 to 705. Тревер К. В. Очерки по истории и культуре Кавказской Албании IV в. до н. э. — VII в. н. э.. — М.—Л.: Изда ...
(680–705)
** Shiruye (699–704, usurper)
* Vardan II (705–740)
* Narseh-Dzndak (740–770)
* Gagikh (770–790)
* Stephanos I (790–821)
* Varaz-Tiridates II
Varaz-Trdat II was the last Mihranid king of Caucasian Albania from 800 to 812/822 and the son of the previous ruler Stephanos I.
Life
After the death of his father in 800, he becomes the new ruler of the Gardman region and the northern par ...
(821–822)
References
Sources
*
*
*
* {{cite book , title = The Chronology of the Early Kings of Iberia , year = 1969 , publisher = Fordham University Press , last = Toumanoff , first = Cyril , pages = 1–33 , url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SShdygAACAAJ
Medieval history of the Caucasus
4th century in Iran
Ancient history of the Caucasus