Vache II was the ninth

Arsacid The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conquer ...

king of Caucasian Albania from approximately 440 to 462. He was the son and successor of

Aswagen Aswagen (also spelled Arsvaghen and Aswahen) was the eight Arsacid king of Caucasian Albania, ruling from approximately 415 to 440. He was most likely the son of the previous Albanian king Urnayr, while his mother was a daughter of the Sasanian K ...

(). His mother was a daughter of the

Sasanian The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...

king Yazdegerd II (), and he was himself married to the niece or sister of

Peroz I Peroz I ( pal, 𐭯𐭩𐭫𐭥𐭰, Pērōz) was the Sasanian King of Kings () of Iran from 459 to 484. A son of Yazdegerd II (), he disputed the rule of his elder brother and incumbent king Hormizd III (), eventually seizing the throne after ...

(). During the dynastic struggle between the brothers Peroz and

Hormizd III Hormizd III ( pal, 𐭠𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭬𐭦𐭣; New Persian: ), was the seventeenth king (shah) of the Sasanian Empire, ruling briefly from 457 to 459. He was the son and successor of Yazdegerd II (). His reign was marked by the rebellion of his ...

in 457–459, Vache II took advantage of the tumultuous situation and declared independence. He denounced

Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil within the framework of a monotheisti ...

(which he had originally converted to) and reverted to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

. He opened the gates of

Derbent Derbent (russian: Дербе́нт; lez, Кьвевар, Цал; az, Дәрбәнд, italic=no, Dərbənd; av, Дербенд; fa, دربند), formerly romanized as Derbend, is a city in Dagestan, Russia, located on the Caspian Sea. It i ...

for the

Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part ...

, and with their aid, attacked the Sasanian army. Peroz responded by opening the

Darial Gorge The Darial Gorge ( ka, დარიალის ხეობა, ''Darialis Kheoba''; russian: Дарьяльское ущелье; os, Арвыком, ''Arvykom''; inh, Даьра Аьле, ''Dära Äle''; Chechen: Теркан чӀаж, ''Te ...

for the Huns, who subsequently ravaged Albania. The two kings soon entered into negotiations and reached an accord: Vache II would return his mother (Peroz's sister) and daughter to Peroz, while he would in exchange receive the 1,000 families he had originally been given by his father as his share of the inheritance. Vache II thereafter abdicated, leaving Albania kingless for a few decades, until

Vachagan III Vachagan III the Pious () or Vachagan II (according to some authors) was the last Arsacid king of Caucasian Albania, ruling approximately from 485 to 523. Background His lineage is uncertain. Murtazali Gadjiev considers him a son (or nephew) of ...

() was installed on the throne by Peroz's brother and successor Balash (). According to ''

The History of the Country of Albania ''The History of the Caucasian Albanians'' (or ''The History of the World of Aghvank''; hy, Պատմութիւն Աղուանից աշխարհի) by Movses Kaghankatvatsi is a history of eastern territories of Armenia ( Artsakh and Utik), as well ...

'', Peroz had during his reign ordered Vache to have the city of Perozapat ("the city of Peroz" or "Prosperous Peroz") constructed. However, this is unlikely, as the Kingdom of Albania had been abolished by Peroz after suppressing Vache II's revolt. The city was seemingly founded by Peroz himself after the removal of the ruling family in Albania.

References

Sources

* * * * * {{Arsacid dynasty of Caucasian Albania Arsacid kings of Caucasian Albania 5th-century Iranian people Rebellions against the Sasanian Empire Sasanian dynasty Vassal rulers of the Sasanian Empire Converts to Zoroastrianism from Christianity