Sahl Smbatean
Encyclopedia
Sahl Smbatjan Eṙanshahik ' onMouseout='HidePop("60445")' href="/topics/Circa">circa
855) was an Armenian
prince of Arran and Shaki
, who played a considerable role in the history of eastern Caucasus
during the 9th century and was the ancestor of the House of Khachen established in 821 .
wrote that Sahl Smbatjan was a descendant of the ancient Armenian House of Aranshahik (itself a branch of the Syunid dynasty) . This dynasty had a blood feud with the Mihranid
dynasty,. According to tradition, in the beginning of the 7th century the Mihranids had invited 60 men of the Aranshahiks to a banquet and had killed them all, with the exception of Zarmihr Aranshahik, who had married a Mihranid princess. Hence the Mihranid family had becomen princes of Gardman
and presiding princes of all Caucasian Albania
. Sahl Smbatjan was a descendant of Zarmihr Aranshahik .
Hence the House of Khachen is regarded as a cadet branch of the House of Aranshahik. Although some historians make a difference between Sahl of Shaki and Sahak of Syunik . According to the historian Robert H. Hewsen
, Sahl was a Syunid prince, who seized Gegharkunik from Syunid family domains and established a princedom for himself .
When Sahl came to power, the Mihranid family's power was already weakening. In 822 the last heir of this family, princess Spram Mihranian, married Sahl's son Atrnerseh I in the fortress of Khachen. Subsequently the new princedom expanded to the east and included Artsakh
and Gardman .
. The Arabian rule in the region was substantially weakened due to the revolt of Babak Khorramdin
in Iranian Azerbaijan (822-837). Babak married the daughter of Vasak, Prince of Syunik
, and fought with him against the Islamic conquest of Persia
. However after the death of Vasak (in 822), Babak tried to dominate Syunik and Artsakh, and in 826-831 committed atrocities against the revolted Armenians of Balk
, Gegharkunik and Berdzor (the three cantons of Syunik). In that account, Babak was described as "the murderous, world-ravaging, bloodthirsty beast" by the Armenian historiographer Movses Kaghankatvatsi
. The Armenians continued the struggle against Babak in the cantons of Artsakh.
In 837-838 Afshin
, the prominent general of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutasim, was sent to Armenia to fight against Babak.. After a crushing defeat, Babak took refuge in the mountains controlled by Sahl Smbatjan, who, however, captured him and surrendered to Afshin. Sahl received 1,000,000 silver dirham
's in reward from Afshin . According to Movses Kaghankatvatsi the Caliphate assigned him sovereignty over Armenia
, Georgia
and Albania
.
, Sahl Smbatjan and many other princes of Armenia (including Atrnerseh of Khachen and Esayi Abu-Muse
of Ktish
) were captured by Bugha al-Kabir al-Sharabi, the Turkish commander of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil
, and exiled to Samarra
. Atrnerseh would soon return to Sodk; the fate of Sahl Smbatjan is unknown, although he died sometime after 855 .
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
855) was an Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
prince of Arran and Shaki
Shaki, Armenia
Shaki is a village and rural community in the Syunik Province of Armenia. The National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia reported its population was 1,611 in 2010, down from 1,390 at the 2001 census....
, who played a considerable role in the history of eastern Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
during the 9th century and was the ancestor of the House of Khachen established in 821 .
Name
Armenian Smbatjan or Arabic ibn Sunbat was Sahl's paternal name - Smbat is derived from the Pahlavi proper name Sunbādh "Sinbad" . "Mask" is the Arabic form of his name, Sahak.Origins
Movses KaghankatvatsiMovses Kaghankatvatsi
Movses Kaghankatvatsi , or Movses Daskhurantsi , is the reputed author of a 10th-century Old Armenian historiographical work on Caucasian Albania, known as The History of the Country of Albania .- Authorship :...
wrote that Sahl Smbatjan was a descendant of the ancient Armenian House of Aranshahik (itself a branch of the Syunid dynasty) . This dynasty had a blood feud with the Mihranid
Mihranids
The Mihranids were the ruling dynasty of Caucasian Albania in the early Middle Ages. They claimed to be of Sassanian Persian descent but were probably of Parthian origin....
dynasty,. According to tradition, in the beginning of the 7th century the Mihranids had invited 60 men of the Aranshahiks to a banquet and had killed them all, with the exception of Zarmihr Aranshahik, who had married a Mihranid princess. Hence the Mihranid family had becomen princes of Gardman
Gardman
Gardman was one of the eight districts of the ancient province of Utik' in the Kingdom of Armenia and simultaneously, together with the district of Tush, an Armenian principality. In the Early Middle Ages a feudal state of Gardman emerged on the area of Caucasian Albania...
and presiding princes of all Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
. Sahl Smbatjan was a descendant of Zarmihr Aranshahik .
Hence the House of Khachen is regarded as a cadet branch of the House of Aranshahik. Although some historians make a difference between Sahl of Shaki and Sahak of Syunik . According to the historian Robert H. Hewsen
Robert H. Hewsen
Robert H. Hewsen or Hewsenian is Professor Emeritus of History at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey and is an expert on the ancient history of the South Caucasus.-Biography:...
, Sahl was a Syunid prince, who seized Gegharkunik from Syunid family domains and established a princedom for himself .
When Sahl came to power, the Mihranid family's power was already weakening. In 822 the last heir of this family, princess Spram Mihranian, married Sahl's son Atrnerseh I in the fortress of Khachen. Subsequently the new princedom expanded to the east and included Artsakh
Artsakh
Artsakh was the tenth province of the Kingdom of Armenia from 189 BC until 387 AD and afterwards a region of Caucasian Albania from 387 to the 7th century. From the 7th to 9th centuries, it fell under Arab control...
and Gardman .
Reign
In Armenian sources, Sahl Smbatjan and his brothers are remembered for their successful battles against enemy invaders in the mountains of Artsakh. The earliest known clash between Sahl and the Arab army took place in 822, when the latter invaded the canton of AmarasAmaras
Amaras is a village in the Hadrut Province of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, de facto, and a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan de jure. Amaras is the site of the Amaras Monastery, one of the oldest in Nagorno Karabakh....
. The Arabian rule in the region was substantially weakened due to the revolt of Babak Khorramdin
Babak Khorramdin
Bābak Khorram-Din was one of the main Persian revolutionary leaders of the Iranian Khorram-Dinān , which was a local freedom movement fighting the Abbasid Caliphate. Khorramdin appears to be a compound analogous to dorustdin and Behdin "Good Religion" , and are considered an offshoot of...
in Iranian Azerbaijan (822-837). Babak married the daughter of Vasak, Prince of Syunik
Syunik
Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia. It borders the Vayots Dzor marz to the north, Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave to the west, Karabakh to the east, and Iran to the south. Its capital is Kapan. Other important cities and towns include Goris, Sisian, Meghri, Agarak, and Dastakert...
, and fought with him against the Islamic conquest of Persia
Islamic conquest of Persia
The Muslim conquest of Persia led to the end of the Sassanid Empire in 644, the fall of Sassanid dynasty in 651 and the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia...
. However after the death of Vasak (in 822), Babak tried to dominate Syunik and Artsakh, and in 826-831 committed atrocities against the revolted Armenians of Balk
Balk
In baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. In games played under the Official Baseball Rules, a balk results in a dead ball or delayed dead ball. In certain other circumstances, a balk may be wholly or partially disregarded...
, Gegharkunik and Berdzor (the three cantons of Syunik). In that account, Babak was described as "the murderous, world-ravaging, bloodthirsty beast" by the Armenian historiographer Movses Kaghankatvatsi
Movses Kaghankatvatsi
Movses Kaghankatvatsi , or Movses Daskhurantsi , is the reputed author of a 10th-century Old Armenian historiographical work on Caucasian Albania, known as The History of the Country of Albania .- Authorship :...
. The Armenians continued the struggle against Babak in the cantons of Artsakh.
In 837-838 Afshin
Afshin (Caliphate General)
Khaydār b. Kāvūs Afshīn known by his hereditary title as Afshin was a senior general at the court of Abbasid caliphs and a son of the vassal prince of Oshrūsana.-Name and family background:...
, the prominent general of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutasim, was sent to Armenia to fight against Babak.. After a crushing defeat, Babak took refuge in the mountains controlled by Sahl Smbatjan, who, however, captured him and surrendered to Afshin. Sahl received 1,000,000 silver dirham
Dirham
Dirham or dirhem is a unit of currency in several Arab or Berber nations, and formerly the related unit of mass in the Ottoman Empire and Persian states...
's in reward from Afshin . According to Movses Kaghankatvatsi the Caliphate assigned him sovereignty over Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
and Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
.
Exile
In 854, according to Tovma ArtsruniTovma Artsruni
Tovma Artsruni was a ninth century to tenth century Armenian historian and author of the History of the House of Artsrunik...
, Sahl Smbatjan and many other princes of Armenia (including Atrnerseh of Khachen and Esayi Abu-Muse
Esayi Abu-Muse
Esayi Abu-Muse was an Armenian prince of southern Artsakh, who ruled a major part of Arran in the mid-9th century and is considered the founder of the House of Dizak.-Name and Origins:...
of Ktish
Dizak
Dizak , also known as Ktish after its main stronghold, was a medieval Armenian principality in the historical Artsakh and later one of the five melikdoms of Karabakh, which included the southern third of Khachen and from the 13th century also the canton of Baghk of Syunik. The founder of this...
) were captured by Bugha al-Kabir al-Sharabi, the Turkish commander of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil
Al-Mutawakkil
Al-Mutawakkil ʻAlā Allāh Jaʻfar ibn al-Muʻtasim was an Abbasid caliph who reigned in Samarra from 847 until 861...
, and exiled to Samarra
Samarra
Sāmarrā is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700....
. Atrnerseh would soon return to Sodk; the fate of Sahl Smbatjan is unknown, although he died sometime after 855 .