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Babak Fort
bayrag
Near Kalibar City in Iran
Babak Castle
Site information
Type	Citadel

Pāpak Fort orBabak Castle^[1] (Persian:قلعه بابک,romanized: Ghal’eh-e  Bābak), is a large citadel on the top of a mountain in theArasbaran forests, 50 km from Ahar, oneparasang fromArdabil, 6 km southwest ofKalibar City in northwesternIran.^[2][3] According toIbn al- Nadim, it was the stronghold ofJavidhan andBabak Khorramdin, the leaders of theKhurramites inIranian Azerbaijan who fought the Islamiccaliphate of Abbasids.^[1][4] The fort was conquered and ruined by Abbasid generalAfshin′s army in 837.^[5][6][7][8]

The castle is built at an altitude of 2300–2600 meters.

The surrounding Arasbaran oak forest, jagged cliffs and mountains in the distance can be seen from the castle. The last stretch to the main castle is a narrow passageway and a 200-meter corridor-shaped temple. The castle is nearly impossible to capture, due to its elevated location in the mountains and being protected by ice and snow.^[9][7]

The castle is believed to belong to the Parthian dynasty, with modifications under theSasanid dynasty.^{[10][better source needed]}

The movement ofKhurramites in Azerbaijan was associated withJavidhan who was a landlord leader of one of the two Khurramite movements in Azerbaijan (from 807-808 to 816-817), with his headquarters being in Badd, located close to theAras river. The leader of the other Khurramite movement was Abu Imran, who often clashed with Javidhans forces. During one of the clashes, in probably 816, Abu Imran was defeated and killed, whilst Javidhan was mortally wounded, dying three days later. Javidhan was succeeded by his apprenticeBabak Khorramdin, who also married Javidhan's widow.^[11][6]

Tabari records thatBabak started his revolt in 816–817. In 827–828 Moḥammad b. Ḥomayd was sent to overcome Babak.

Despite several victories, his troops were defeated by Babak during the last battle at Hashtadsar in 829. Caliph Al-Ma′mun's moves against Babak had failed when he died in 833. Babak's victories over Arab generals were associated with his possession of Badd fort and the inaccessible mountain stronghold, according to Arab historians who mentioned that his influence also extended to the territories of today’s Azerbaijan Republic- "southward to nearArdabīl andMarand, eastward to theCaspian Sea and theShamakhi district andShervan, northward to the Mughan (Moḡān) steppe and the Aras river bank, westward to the districts ofJulfa,Nakhchivan, and Marand".^{[12][13][11][14][15][16]}

The last battle between theArab caliphate and the Khurramites took place in the fortress of Badd on 837. The Khurramites were defeated and Afshin reached Badd. Afshin had additional forces from the Caliphate under the Arab magnate Abū Dolaf and settled in a camp six miles away from Badd fortress. He used this camp as a base for mountain attacks against Badd. After setting up siege machinery and naphtha-throwers, he was able to invade Badd. The Khurramites were defeated and after capturing the Badd fortress, Babak escaped, but was later captured and executed.^{[17][12][11][14][18]}

The remaining parts of the fortress are currently known as Qaḷʿa-ye Jomhūr. It is situated 50km fromAhar on the left branch ofQarasū river. A castle and a palace on atop a mountain remain from the Badd fort.^[9]

At the site has been found 13th-century coin and pottery samples as well as carved and glazed pottery, dating to the beginning of the 7th century.^[19][20]

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• Iranian architecture
• Arasbaran forests
• Atashgah Castle
• List of castles in Iran

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38°50′13″N46°58′52″E / 38.8369°N 46.9812°E /38.8369; 46.9812

• Buildings and structures completed in the 3rd century BC
• Castles in Iran
• Buildings and structures in East Azerbaijan province
• Tourist attractions in East Azerbaijan province
• Buildings and structures on the Iran National Heritage List
• Parthian architecture
• Sasanian castles
• Rock castles

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