TheArsacid dynasty was a dynasty ofParthian origin, which ruled the kingdom ofCaucasian Albania from the 3rd to the 6th century. They were a branch of theArsacid dynasty of Parthia and together with the Arsacid rulers of the neighboringArmenia andIberia formed a pan-Arsacid family federation.^[1]

Albania first emerged as an important participant in politics by the end of the 2nd-century BC, most likely in connection to the wars between theParthianMithridates II (r. 124–91 BC) and theArmenian kingArtavasdes I (r. 159–115 BC).[2] The modern historianMurtazali Gadjiev argues that it was at the end of the 3rd-century that the Arsacids (a cadet branch of the Parthian Arsacids) gained the kingship of Albania, by being appointed as proxies by the Romans in order to gain complete control over theCaucasus.^[3] Their accession marked the dominance of Iranianism in the country, and the elevation ofParthian as the language of the educated.^[4]

In the 330s, the SasanianKing of Kings (shahanshah) of Iran,Shapur II (r. 309–379), forced the Albanian kingVachagan I (or Vache I) to acknowledge his suzerainty.^[3] Urnayr fought alongside Shapur II at theBattle of Bagavan in 372, where he was injured by the Armenian generalMushegh I Mamikonian, who spared him.^[5][6] When Urnayr returned to Albania, he sent a message to Mushegh thanking him for sparing his life, and also informed him of a surprise attack planned by Shapur II.^[7] Urnayr was succeeded by Vachagan II inc. 375.[8] In 387, through the machinations of the Sasanians, the Armenian provinces ofArtsakh,Utik, Shakashen,Gardman and Kolt were ceded to Albania.^[9] Inc. 462,shahanshahPeroz I abolished Arsacid rule in Albania after suppressing a rebellion led byVache II.^[8] Their rule was later restored in 485, whenVachagan III was installed on the throne by Peroz's brother and successorBalash (r. 484–488).[6] A staunch Christian, Vachagan III ordered the Albanian aristocrats who had apostatized to return to their Christian beliefs. Furthermore, he also declared war againstZoroastrianism,Paganism,idolatry and witchcraft.^[6]

Starting from Urnayr, the Arsacids repeatedly married into the family of the ruling Sasanian kings ofIran;Urnayr's mother was a Sasanian princess, and he was himself married to Shapur II's daughter, withAswagen most likely being their offspring; Vache II was the nephew ofYazdegerd II and son of an Albanian king, probably Aswagen; Vache II himself married the niece (or sister) of Peroz I; and Vachagan III was the son (or nephew) of Yazdegerd II and brother (or nephew) of Vache II.^[10] This has led Gadjiev to label the Arsacids of Albania as "Arsacid-Sasanian".^[10] This relationship strengthened Sasanian influence in Albania, increasing the importance ofMiddle Persian in the country.^[11]

Based on written sources, Gadjiev has deduced a list of Arsacid kings of Albania and their approximate reign.^[8]

• Vachagan the Brave,c. 300–336
• Vache I,c. 336–350
• Urnayr,c. 350–375
• Vachagan II,c. 375–385
• Merkhavan,c. 385–395
• Sato,c. 395–405
• Asay,c. 405–415
• Aswagen,c. 415–440
• Vache II,c. 440–462
• Vachagan III the Pious,c. 485–510

• Faustus of Byzantium,History of the Armenians.

• Alikberov, A.K. (2020). "Peoples and languages of Caucasian Albania: on the language continuum as an alternative for Koine". In Hoyland, Robert (ed.).From Albania to Arrān: The East Caucasus between the Ancient and Islamic Worlds (ca. 330 BCE–1000 CE). Gorgias Press. pp. 307–335.doi:10.31826/9781463239893.ISBN 978-1463239886.
• Chaumont, M. L. (1985)."Albania".Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. I, Fasc. 8. pp. 806–810.
• Gadjiev, Murtazali (2017)."Construction Activities of Kavād I in Caucasian Albania".Iran and the Caucasus.21 (2). Brill:121–131.doi:10.1163/1573384X-20170202.
• Gadjiev, Murtazali (2020). "The Chronology of the Arsacid Albanians". In Hoyland, Robert (ed.).From Albania to Arrān: The East Caucasus between the Ancient and Islamic Worlds (ca. 330 BCE–1000 CE). Gorgias Press. pp. 29–35.ISBN 978-1463239886.
• Hewsen, Robert H. (2001).Armenia: A Historical Atlas. University of Chicago Press.ISBN 978-0226332284.
• Schulze, Wolfgang (2018)."Caucasian Albanian and the Question of Language and Ethnicity". In Mumm, Peter-Arnold (ed.).Sprachen, Völker und Phantome. Gorgias Press. pp. 275–312.doi:10.1515/9783110601268-008.ISBN 9783110601268.
• Toumanoff, C. (1986)."Arsacids vii. The Arsacid dynasty of Armenia".Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. II, Fasc. 5. pp. 543–546.
• Zuckerman, Constantin (2020). "The Caucasus between Byzantium and the Caliphate (9th-10th c.)". In Hoyland, Robert (ed.).From Albania to Arrān: The East Caucasus between the Ancient and Islamic Worlds (ca. 330 BCE–1000 CE). Gorgias Press. pp. 149–191.doi:10.31826/9781463239893.ISBN 978-1463239886.

• Royal Houses of Caucasian Albania
• Arsacid dynasty of Caucasian Albania

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• Short description matches Wikidata