Paytakaran
Paytakaran (Azerbaijani: Beyləqan, Armenian: Փայտակարան, Persian and Arabic: Baylaqan[1]) also known as Caspiane by Greco-Roman authors, was the province and city of Medes, Caucasian Albania and the Kingdom of Armenia.[2][3]. It was located in the area of the lower courses of the rivers of Kura and Araks, adjacent to the Caspian sea. Today, the area is located in the territory of modern day southeastern Azerbaijan and northeastern Iran. Strabo wrote: "To the country of the Albanians belongs also the territory called Caspiane, which was named after the Caspian tribe, as was also the sea; but the tribe has now disappeared".[4] Strabo also mentions Caspiane among the lands, conquered by king Artaxias from Medes.
According to Anania Shirakatsi's Ashkharatsuyts ("World Atlas," 7th c. AD), Paytakaran was the 11th among the 15 provinces of Greater Armenia. It consisted of 14 cantons (gavars): Hrakot, Perozh, Vardanakert, Yotnporakyan Bagink, Krekyan, Vovtibagha, Kaghanost, Buros, Pitchanhani, Atshi, Bagavan, Spandaran-perozh, Vormizd-perozh, and Alevan. It was bounded by the Capsian Sea to the east, Araxes river to the north and north-west, Atropatene to the south, and the Armenian province of Vaspurakan to the west.[5]
Paytakaran was populated by the tribe of caspies, after whom it was named Caspiane.[6] Later it was populated by people called parcies.[7] Local population repeatedly revolted against the Armenian rule, and Armenian kings had to dispatch their troops to the region to supress the uprisings. [8][9]
Paytakaran, which according to professor Robert. H. Hewsen was a completely alien land to Armenia, was finally lost by Armenia to Caucasian Albania in 387 A.D.[10]
The city of Paytakaran/Baylaqan, which was located in the triangle between the Kura and Araks rivers in the Mil steppe, was a flourishing city in Islamic times. In 1220, Baylaqan was captured by the Mongols, who slaughtered the inhabitants and burned it down; but survivors subsequently returned and restored it.[11] At the end of the 14th century it was destroyed by Timur, who later rebuilt it, but the city was abandoned and it ruins remain at the location called Oren-kala within 15 km from the modern city of Beylagan.[12]
References
- ^ Encyclopedia Iranica. C. E. Bosworth. Baylaqan
- ^ Strabo, Geography, book 11, chapter 14
- ^ Anania Shirakatsi, Geography
- ^ Strabo, 11.4
- ^ Anania Shirakatsi, Geography
- ^ Encyclopedia Iranica. Rüdiger Schmitt. Caspians
- ^ Pawstos Buzand, History. 5.14
- ^ Movses Khorenatsi. History of Armenia
- ^ Pawstos Buzand, History. 5.14
- ^ The Armenian People From Ancient To Modern Times: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century. Robert. H. Hewsen. Historical Geography, p 16.
- ^ Encyclopedia Iranica. C. E. Bosworth. Baylaqan
- ^ Great Soviet Encyclopedia. Oren-kala.
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