Afrasiyab dynasty

State in present-day northern Iran from 1349 to 1504
Afrasiyab dynasty
چلاویان
1349–1504
CapitalAmol
(1349–1359 & 1393-1403)
Firuzkuh (?)
(1403–1504)
Common languagesMazandarani
Religion
Shia Islam
GovernmentMonarchy
• 1349–1359
Kiya Afrasiyab (first)
• ?–1504
Kiya Husayn II (last)
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Established
1349
• Safavid conquest
1504
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Bavand dynasty
Marashis
Safavid Iran
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History of Iran
Prehistoric period
BCE / BC
Baradostian culture c. 36,000–18,000
Zarzian culture c. 20,000–10,000
Shulaveri–Shomu culture c. 6000–5000
Zayandeh River Culture c. 6th millennium
Dalma culture c. 5th millennium
Kura–Araxes culture 3400–2000
Proto-Elamite 3200–2700
Jiroft culture c. 3100–2200
Lullubi Kingdom/Zamua c. 3100-675
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Sogdia c. 6th century BC–11th century AD
Achaemenid Empire 550 BC–330 BC
Kingdom of Armenia 331 BC–428 AD
Atropatene c. 323 BC–226 AD
Kingdom of Cappadocia 320s BC–17 AD
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Fratarakas 3rd-century BC–132 BC
Parthian Empire 247 BC–224 AD
Elymais 147 BC–224 AD
Characene 141 BC–222 AD
Kings of Persis 132 BC–224 AD
Indo-Parthian Kingdom 19 AD–224/5
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CE / AD
Rashidun Caliphate 632-661
Umayyad Caliphate 661–750
Abbasid Caliphate 750–1258
Dabuyids 642–760
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Masmughans of Damavand 651–760
Baduspanids 665–1598
Justanids 791 – 11th century
Alid dynasties 864 – 14th century
Tahirid dynasty 821–873
Samanid Empire 819–999
Saffarid dynasty 861–1003
Ghurid dynasty pre-879 – 1215
Sajid dynasty 889–929
Sallarid dynasty 919–1062
Ziyarid dynasty 930–1090
Ilyasids 932–968
Buyid dynasty 934–1062
Rawadid dynasty 955–1070
Hasanwayhids 959–1095
Ghaznavid dynasty 977–1186
Annazids 990/1–1117
Kakuyids 1008–1141
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Seljuk Empire 1037–1194
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Atabegs of Yazd 1141–1319
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Pishkinid dynasty 1155–1231
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Qutlugh-Khanids 1223-1306
Mihrabanids 1236–1537
Kurt dynasty 1244–1396
Ilkhanate Empire 1256–1335
Chobanid dynasty 1335–1357
Muzaffarid dynasty 1335–1393
Jalayirid Sultanate 1337–1376
Sarbadars 1337–1376
Injuids 1335–1357
Afrasiyab dynasty 1349–1504
Mar'ashis 1359–1596
Timurid Empire 1370–1507
Kar-Kiya dynasty 1370s–1592
Qara Qoyunlu 1406–1468
Aq Qoyunlu 1468–1508
Safavid Iran 1501–1736
(Hotak dynasty) 1722–1729
Afsharid Iran 1736–1796
Zand dynasty 1751–1794
Qajar Iran 1789–1925
Pahlavi Iran 1925–1979
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The Afrasiyab or Chalavi dynasty was a relatively minor Iranian Shia dynasty of Tabaristan (present-day Mazandaran province, Iran) and flourished in the late medieval, pre-Safavid period; it is also called the Kia dynasty. It was founded by Kiya Afrasiyab, who conquered the Bavand kingdom in 1349 and made himself king of the region. In 1504, Ismail I invaded Mazandaran and ended Afrasiyab rule of the region.

History

Kiya Afrasiyab was the son of certain Hasan Chulabi, who belonged to the Chulabids, a prominent family of Mazandaran which served the Bavandids. Afrasiyab was the sipahsalar and the brother-in-law of the Bavandid ruler Hasan II (r. 1334–1349).

In 1349, the Bavandid ruler Hasan ordered the execution of one of his most powerful officials, Jalal ibn Ahmad Jal, who was from the powerful Jalali which governed Sari. The execution resulted in a revolt by the nobles of Mazandaran. Hasan then tried to get support from the Chulabids. However, the two sons of Afrasiyab, murdered Hasan while the latter was in a bath.

Afrasiyab then gained control of the Bavandid territories, thus marking the end of the Bavand dynasty and the start of the Afrasiyab dynasty. A son of Hasan managed to flee to the court of the Paduspanid ruler Eskandar II, who later tried to restore Bavand rule in Mazandaran, but failed to do so. Afrasiyab also faced another problem; the nobles of Mazandaran did not acknowledge his rule and viewed it as usurpation.[1]

Afrasiyab shortly tried to achieve stability by asking aid from Mir-i Buzurg, a Sayyid dervish from Dabudasht. However, some of Mir-i Buzurg's dervishes acted hostile to Afrasiyab, which made him imprison Mir-i Buzurg and many of his dervishes. However, the supporters of Mir-i Buzurg shortly revolted, and freed him from prison. In 1359, a battle between Afrasiyab and Mir-i Buzurg took place near Amol, where Afrasiyab was defeated and was killed together with his three sons.

Mir-i Buzurg shortly conquered the territories of the Afrasiyab dynasty, and laid foundations to the Marashi dynasty. Afrasiyab had several other sons who tried to restore Afrasiyabid authority in Mazandaran. His son Fakhr al-Din Chulabi murdered one of the sons of Mir-i Buzurg, which resulted in a massacre of most of the Afrasiyabid family. Afrasiyab's other son Iskandar-i Shaykhi, managed with the aid of Timur, to restore Afrasiyabid authority in 1393.[1] Iskandar later aided Timur in his campaign to Iraq, Shirvan and Anatolia. After having achieved great success during the campaign, Iskandar was allowed to return to Mazandaran, but shortly rebelled against Timur. In 1403, Timur invaded Mazandaran to repress the rebellion. Iskandar, together with his wife and two children, then fled from Amol. Iskandar, fearing that they might betray him, killed them.[1]

Iskandar was shortly killed by the army of Timur, who under the orders of Timur, had Iskandar's head sent to his son Kiya Husayn I, who had fortified himself in Firuzkuh. Kiya Husayn I, after having seen the head of his father, agreed to surrender to Timur, and was pardoned by the latter, who acknowledged him as the ruler of the Afrasiyab dynasty. Kiya Husayn was later succeeded by his son Luhrasp, who ruled sometime around 1475. His grandson, Kiya Husayn II, ruled over a large part of western Mazandaran, and districts of Firuzkuh, Damavand, and Hari-rud. During the dissolution of the Aq Qoyunlu confederation, Kiya Husayn II expanded his rule from western into central Iran, where he captured Ray and Semman. He also defeated Mohammad Hosayn Mirza, who was the Timurid governor of Astarabad.[1]

He later became the enemy of the Safavid Shah Ismail I (r. 1501–1524), whom he may have seen as a rival for the command over the Shi'ites in Iran. In 1504, Kiya Husayn II's territories was invaded by Ismail I, who seized the strongholds of Gol-e Khan and Firuzkuh, and surrounded Kiya Husayn II in Osta, who was shortly captured. However, the latter committed suicide—his body was burned at Isfahan in front its inhabitants, whilst his followers in Mazandaran were slaughtered.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Bosworth 1984, pp. 742–743.

Sources

  • Madelung, W. (1984). "Āl-E Bǎvand (Bavandids)". Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. I, fasc. 7. London u.a.: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 747–753. ISBN 90-04-08114-3.
  • Bosworth, C. E. (1984). "Āl-e Afrāsīāb". Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition, Vol. I, Fasc. 7. New York. pp. 742–743.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Savory, Roger (1998). "EsmāʿĪl I Ṣafawī". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. VIII, Fasc. 6. pp. 628–636.

Further reading

  • Yavari, Neguin (2015). "Afrāsiyābids". In Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Rowson, Everett (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam (3rd ed.). Brill Online. ISSN 1873-9830.
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Rulers of the Afrasiyab dynasty (1349–1504)