The Mihranids were an

Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...

family which ruled several regions of

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

from 330 to 821. They claimed to be of Sasanian Persian descent but were of

Parthia Parthia ( ''Parθava''; ''Parθaw''; ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Medes during the 7th century BC, was incorporated into the subsequent Achaemeni ...

n origin.Encyclopedia Iranica. M. L. Chaumont. Albania.
/ref>

History

The dynasty was founded when a certain Mihran, a distant relative of Sasanian, settled in the region of

Gardman Gardman (), also known as Gardmank' or Gardmanadzor, was one of the eight cantons of the ancient province of Utik' in the Kingdom of Armenia and simultaneously, together with the canton of Tuch'katak, an Armenian principality. It roughly corres ...

Utik Utik (), also known as Uti, was a historical province and principality within 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 o ...

. 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 aristocracies of Parthian origin, who were allied with the Sasanian court. The Parthian clans all claimed ancestry from Achaemenid Persians. The seven Great House ...

, and whose two other lines ruled

Iberia The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, compri ...

( Chosroid Dynasty) and Gogarene/

Gugark Gugark (, , ) 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 in Armenian language denotes land of Gugars. word ...

. It is uncertain how the Mihranids became ''Arranshahs'' (princes of Albania). Their ancestor, Mihran, was said to have received the region of

by the Sasanian monarch

Khosrow II Khosrow II (spelled Chosroes II in classical sources; and ''Khosrau''), commonly known as Khosrow Parviz (New Persian: , "Khosrow the Victorious"), is considered to be the last great Sasanian King of Kings (Shahanshah) of Iran, ruling from 590 ...

(). In , the Mihranids who exterminated all of the members of the Aranshahik dynasty with the exception of a certain Zarmihr, who was related to the Mihranids through marriage. This was due to the Aranshahiks still having some authority in Albania, which they had originally ruled until their overthrow in the 1st-century. The Mihranids then conquered all of Albania and assumed the title of ''Arranshah'', but without embracing its royal status. The head of the family's full titulature was thus "Lord of Gardman and Prince of Albania". 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.

shah Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the leaders of numerous Per ...

s 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. Subsequently Sahl Smbatean, a descendant of the aforementioned Arranshahik (Eṙanšahik) family, assumed the title of ArranshahMinorsky, 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 (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 II (770–790) * Stephanos I (790–821) * Varaz-Tiridates II (821–822)

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{cite book , last=Zuckerman, first=Constantin, authorlink=Constantin Zuckerman, title=From Albania to Arrān: The East Caucasus between the Ancient and Islamic Worlds (ca. 330 BCE–1000 CE) , publisher=Gorgias Press , year=2020 , isbn=978-1463239886 , editor-last=Hoyland, editor-first=Robert, pages=149–191, chapter=The Caucasus between Byzantium and the Caliphate (9th-10th c.), doi=10.31826/9781463239893 , s2cid=241889781 , url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.31826/9781463239893/html Medieval history of the Caucasus 4th century in Iran Ancient history of the Caucasus