Chosroid dynasty facts for kids

The Chosroid dynasty (also called the Iberian Mihranids) was a family of rulers in the ancient Georgian state of Iberia. They ruled as kings and later as princes from the 4th to the 9th centuries. This family came from Iran and belonged to the House of Mihran. They made Christianity their official religion around 337 AD.

The Chosroids were clever. They tried to stay independent by balancing between the powerful Byzantine Empire and the Sassanid Empire of Iran. Around 580 AD, the Sassanids ended the Chosroid kingship. But the dynasty continued through two related branches: the older Chosroid branch and the younger Guaramid branch. These branches ruled as princes until the early 9th century. Then, the Bagratids took over the throne of Iberia.

Who Were the Chosroids?

The Chosroids were part of the House of Mihran, a very important noble family in Iran. This family was distantly related to the Sassanid rulers. Other branches of the Mihranid family also became rulers in nearby areas like Gogarene and Gardman. These regions were where different groups, including Armenians, Albanians, and Georgians, lived together.

According to old Georgian writings, the first Chosroid king was Mirian III. He ruled from 284 to 361 AD. These writings say his father, "Chosroes," the Great King of Iran, placed him on the throne. Mirian married an Iberian princess named Abeshura. She was the daughter of the last Georgian Arsacid king. Another old Georgian book, Conversion of Kartli, has a slightly different story. It says Mirian was the son of King Lev, who followed King Aspacures I.

Early Chosroid Rulers

The Mihranid families became rulers in the Caucasus region because the Sassanids had defeated the old Arsacid dynasty. The Arsacid family's power in Armenia was fading, and their Georgian branch had already ended.

As a ruler under Iran, King Mirian III (284–361) fought in the Sassanid war against the Roman Empire. But in 298, the Peace of Nisibis treaty was signed. Rome gained control over eastern Georgia. However, Mirian was still recognized as the king of Iberia. Mirian quickly adapted to these changes. He built strong ties with Rome.

This connection grew even stronger when Nino, a Christian missionary, converted Mirian, his wife Nana, and their family to Christianity around 337 AD. But the Sassanids still wanted influence over Iberia. They managed to remove Mirian's pro-Roman successor, Sauromaces II, in 361. They replaced him with Aspacures II, who favored Iran.

The Roman emperor Valens stepped in and brought Sauromaces back to the throne in 370. But Aspacures’ son, Mihrdat III (365–380), was allowed to keep control of the eastern part of the kingdom. By 380, the Sassanids had regained full control. They reunited Iberia under Aspacures III of Iberia (380–394) and demanded tribute. Rome accepted this loss after the 387 Treaty of Acilisene with Iran.

Iranian influence grew in eastern Georgia, including the spread of Zoroastrianism. But the Christian church and some nobles resisted this. The creation of the Georgian alphabet was a key part of this struggle. It helped spread Christian teachings.

The Chosroid kings, even though they were Christian, usually stayed loyal to their Iranian overlords. This changed with Vakhtang I Gorgasali (447–522). He is perhaps the most famous Chosroid king. He is also traditionally credited with founding Tbilisi, Georgia’s modern capital. In 482, Vakhtang changed his loyalty. He aligned his state and church more with the Byzantine Empire. He then led a rebellion against the Sassanids, working with the Armenian prince Vardan Mamikonian. He fought bravely until his death, but the rebellion was not successful.

Later Chosroid Princes

After Vakhtang I died in 522, the Chosroid family's power declined. They had limited control over Iberia. The Iranian governor in Tbilisi largely ran the government, working with local princes. When Bacurius III of Iberia died in 580, the Sassanids ended the monarchy. The Iberian nobles did not resist much.

Even without the crown, Vakhtang I's heirs remained in their mountain strongholds. The main Chosroid branch stayed in Kakheti. The smaller Guaramid branch was in Klarjeti and Javakheti.

In 588, Guaram I, a member of the Guaramid branch, rebelled against Sassanid rule. He pledged loyalty to the Byzantine emperor Maurice. Maurice gave him the high Byzantine title of curopalates. Guaram restored Iberia's independence as a principate (a state ruled by a prince). Iran accepted this in the peace treaty of 591, which divided Iberia between Byzantium and Iran at Tbilisi.

Guaram's son, Stephanus I (590–627), switched his loyalty to the Sassanids and reunited Iberia. This made the Byzantine emperor Heraclius (610–641) angry. Heraclius, with the help of the Khazars, attacked Iberia. He captured Tbilisi after a difficult siege in 627. Heraclius had Stephanus killed and gave his position to the pro-Byzantine Chosroid prince Adarnase I of Kakheti (627–637/42).

The Chosroid dynasty, put back in power by Heraclius, continued to favor Byzantium. But Stephanus II (637/642–c. 650) had to accept being a tributary to the Arab Caliphate. The Arabs were becoming the most powerful force in the region.

After Adarnase II (c. 650–684) died, the rival Guaramid branch, led by Guaram II (684–c. 693), regained power. The older Chosroid branch went back to their lands in Kakheti. A famous member from this branch was Archil, a saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church. He was killed by the Arabs in 786.

After Archil's death, his older son Iovane (died c. 799) moved to the Byzantine-controlled region of Egrisi (Lazica) in western Georgia. His younger son Juansher (786–c. 807) stayed in Kakheti. He married Latavri, the daughter of Prince Adarnase. Adarnase was an ancestor of the Georgian Bagratid dynasty.

The main Chosroid branch lasted about twenty years longer than the younger Guaramid line, which ended in 786. With Juansher’s death around 807, the Chosroid dynasty also died out. Local noble families took over the Chosroid lands in Kakheti. They ruled as chorepiscopi until the 11th century. The Guaramid lands went to their relatives, the Bagratid dynasty.

List of Chosroid Rulers

Kings of Iberia

• Mirian III, 284–361
  • Rev, co-king 345–361
• Sauromaces II, 361–363, diarch 370–378
• Aspacures II, 363–365
• Mihrdat III, 365–380, diarch 370–378
• Aspacures III, 380–394
• Trdat, 394–406
• Pharasmanes IV, 406–409
• Mihrdat IV, 409–411
• Archil, 411–435
• Mihrdat V, 435–447
• Vakhtang I, 447–522
• Dachi, 522–534
• Bacurius II, 534–547
• Pharasmanes V, 547–561
• Pharasmanes VI, 561–?
• Bacurius III, ?–580

Princes of Kakheti and Presiding Princes of Iberia

• Adarnase I, Prince of Kakheti, c. 580–637; Presiding Prince of Iberia, 627–637
• Stephen II, Prince of Kakheti and Presiding Prince of Iberia, 637–c. 650
• Adarnase II, Prince of Kakheti and Presiding Prince of Iberia, c. 650–684
• Stephen, Prince of Kakheti, 685–736
• Mirian, Prince of Kakheti, 736–741
• Archil “the Martyr”, Prince of Kakheti, 736–786
• John, Prince of Kakheti, 786–790
• Juansher, Prince of Kakheti, 786–807

See also

• Guaramid dynasty
• Juansheriani