Arran (Caucasus)

Template:Totallydisputed Arran (ar-Ran) is currently the term is used in the Azerbaijan Republic to signify the territory consisting of the lowland Karabakh plains situated between Kura and Aras rivers, including the Mil plain and parts of the Mughan plain. In Iran and by some scholars abroad, the term Arran is sometimes used to designate today's Azerbaijan Republic.

Historically, the term Arran (or Aran) was a geographical name used in early medieval times to define some parts of what is now the republic of Azerbaijan as well as parts of republic of Armenia. The term has undergone major alterations in meaning throughout history, and is used to refer to both the Azerbaijan Republic and the historical area of Karabakh on left bank of Kura River. In later times term "Azerbaijan" supplanted "Aran", as it was first used to denote a newly established Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918. The Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan later bore this name. [1]

Origins of the name

According to some scholars, the name is considerably ancient, noting that the Parthian name for Caucasian Albania was Ardan, and that still older Iranian sources even refer to it as "Aran".

According to some legends, 'Arran' or 'Arhan' was the name of the legendary founder of Caucasian Albania, who in some versions was son of Noah's son Yafet (Japheth) and also, possibly the eponym of the ancient Caucasian Albanians (Aghvan), and/or the Iranic tribe known as Alans (Alani). The nearby Araks (Aras) river was known to Ancient Greek geographers as Araxes, and has a source not far from Mt. Ararat. Moreover, this region, long considered the earliest seat of the Zoroastrian faith, is traditionally (eg., in the Bundahish 29:12) considered a likely candidate to be the place referred to in the Zend Avesta as the "First land" (Airyana Vaego). Thus, 'Arran' is quite possibly the "missing link" between the names Ararat and Aryan (and indeed, Iran). The son of Japheth who first settled the Aras valley may have been Madai, if anecdotal tales related in the Book of Jubilees have any value. (10:35)

Boundaries

Main article: History of the name Azerbaijan

Historically, the name Arran has been used to refer to the territory of present-day Azerbaijan Republic. However, Azerbaijan was used generally, but not exclusively, to signify Iranian Azarbaijan. At the same time, the term Arran was often used in a narrower sense, implying not the whole territory of today's Azerbaijan Republic, but only the right bank of the Kura river, centered around the Karabakh area. In this interpretation, eastern Caucasus was generally divided into three historical areas: Arran, Shirvan and Talish-i Gushtasbi.

Movses Kagankatvatsi, the 7th century Armenian historian who wrote “History of the Land of Aghvank” – the only more or less complete source about the history of what is often referred to as “Caucasian Albania” - writes that Arran was an Armenian tribal chieftain deriving from Patriarch Sisak, a grandchild of Haik the Progenitor, the epic ancestor of the Armenian People (see C. J. F. Dowsett, The History of the Caucasian Albanians, London, 1961).

In a medieval chronicle “Ajayib-ad-Dunia”, written in 13th century by an unknown author, Arran is said to have approximately 30 farsakhs (200 km) width, and 40 farsakhs (270 km) length. All the right bank of the Kura until it joined with the Araks was attributed to Arran (the left bank of the Kura was known as Shirvan). The boundaries of Arran are not clearly defined, and include parts of the modern republic of Armenia (i.e. Lake Sevan) as well as historic Armenia, raising controversy between Armenian and Azerbaijani viewpoints.

Medieval Islamic geographers gave descriptions of Arran in general, and of its towns (Barda, Beylagan, Ganja etc.) in particular, describing their agricultural fertility and their importance for commerce across the Caucasus.

According to some Iranian sources, the term Arran was replaced with Azerbaijan on May 22, 1918 in Tbilisi, by the Turkish Democratic Musavat Party, with aims of claiming Iranian Azarbaijan. They also claim that scholars from both Russia and Iran protested the name, and that the Bolsheviks continued to use the name Azerbaijan in their own hopes of adding north western Iran to the Soviet Union.

Today, the term Arran is mainly used in the Azerbaijan Republic to indicate territories consisting of Mil and Mughan plains (mostly, Beylaqan, Imishli, Saatli, Sabirabad provinces of the Azerbaijan Republic).

History of Arran

History of Arran is summarized in History of Azerbaijan section, where you can refer for detailed description.

In ancient times, Arran is not mentioned in historical sources. The area that is referred to as Arran (a large portion of modern Republic of Azerbaijan on the right bank of Kura) was populated mainly by Caucasian speaking tribes. It was later incorporated into Greater Armenia under the Artaxiads. Subsequently, this region was hotly contested between Armenia and Caucasian Albania.

The first mention of Arran as a geographical entity can be found in Arab sources of the 8th century. Following the Arab invasion of present-day Azerbaijan in the 8th century, most of the former territory of Caucasian Albania was included under the name of Arran. This region was at times part of the Abbasid province of Arminiyya based on numismatic and historical evidence. Albanian princes of Parthian descent such as Javanshir, who called themselves Arran-shah's, fought against the Arab caliphate from the late 7th to middle 8th centuries.

Following the collapse of the Caliphate, parts of Arran (this refers to eastern part of Arran, now within Armenian republic proper) were ruled by various Armenian royal families, as Bagratids, and other minor lords. These minor lords ruled the Kingdom of Gardaman-Parisos in the northernmost part of Arran.

Early Muslim ruling dynasties of the time included Rawwadids, Sajids, Salarids and Shaddadids, Shirvanshahs, Sheki and Tiflis emirates. The principle city of Arran in early medieval times was Barda (Partav). It reached a prominence in 10th century, and used to house a mint for Arabs, Shaddadids and Salarid. Barda was sacked by the Rus/Norse several times in 10th century.

From 11th century, the importance of Arran as a region declined and consequently the use of the word Arran as well. The territory of Arran became a part of the Seljuk empire, followed by Ildegizid state, Mongol Hulagu empire in the 13th century. Later it became a part of Chobanid, Jalayirid and Timurid states. Aran and Azerbaijan were incorporated into the Safavi state by 1500s. Arran was a terriroty where independent khanates of Karabakh, Ganja and Salyan developed in the 18th century.

See also

• Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
• Azerbaijan
• Iranian Azarbaijan
• Republic of Azerbaijan Controversy

Sources

• Bashi, Munnjim, Duwal Al-Islam
• Minorsky, V., Studies in Caucasian History
• Volkmar Gantzhorn, Oriental Carpets

External links

• Arran Province
• ARRÂN; The Real Name of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• Azarbaijan (1911 Encyclopedia Britannica)