Shaddadids facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shaddadids
951–1199
Map of the Shaddadids ( ,  ), 11th-12th centuries CE
Capital	Dvin, Janza, Ani
Common languages	Persian (court, poetry)
Religion	Sunni Islam
Government	Emirate
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Established	951
• Muhammad ibn Shaddad conquers Dwin	951
• Lashkari ibn Muhammad established himself in Ganja	971
• Manuchihr ibn Shavur founded the Shaddadis emirate of Ani	c. 1072
• Disestablished	1199
Preceded by Succeeded by Sallarid dynasty Byzantine empire Seljuk Empire Kingdom of Georgia

The Shaddadids were a Sunni Muslim family of Kurdish origin. They ruled different parts of Armenia and Arran from 951 to 1199 AD. They first became powerful in the city of Dvin. Over time, they often married into the Bagratuni royal family of Armenia.

They started by ruling Dvin. Later, they also controlled important cities like Barda and Ganja. A branch of the Shaddadid family was given the cities of Ani and Tbilisi. This was a reward for helping the Seljuqs, who were their powerful rulers. From 1047 to 1057, the Shaddadids fought several wars against the Byzantine army. The land between the Kura and Aras rivers was under Shaddadid rule.

A Look at Shaddadid History

Who Were the Shaddadids?

The Shaddadids came from a Kurdish group called the Hadhabani Tribe. Some historians say the Shaddadids wanted to seem more important than just a Kurdish tribe. Some family members had names like Manuchihr and Ardashir. These names were from ancient Iranian kings called Sasanian shahanshahs. The Shaddadids even claimed they were related to the Sasanians.

Many groups at that time tried to link themselves to older, famous rulers. This helped them seem more legitimate. Besides Iranian influences, the Shaddadids also had strong Armenian ties. This is shown by family members having Armenian names, like Ashot.

The Shaddadids of Ani City

The ruins of Manuchihr Mosque, an 11th-century Shaddadid mosque in Ani.

Inside view of Manuchihr Mosque, 1881.

In 1072, the Seljuks sold the city of Ani to a Shaddadid ruler named Manuchihr. Manuchihr worked to fix and make the walls of Ani bigger. The Shaddadids were usually kind to the people of Ani. Most people there were Armenian Christians. The Shaddadids even married into the noble families of the Bagratids.

Manuchihr's son, Abu'l-Aswar, took over after him. An Armenian historian, Vardan Areveltsi, said Abu'l-Aswar treated Christians badly. He also tried to sell Ani to the ruler of Kars. But his rule ended when King David IV of Georgia attacked. Ani gave up without a fight in 1124. Abu'l-Aswar Shavur became a prisoner of the Georgians. David IV then gave Ani to his general, Abuleti.

However, Abu'l-Aswar Shavur's son, Fadl IV, managed to get Ani back in 1125. In 1130, Georgia was attacked by the Sultan of Ahlat, Shah-Armen Sökmen II. This war started because Ani was now controlled by the Georgians. The Georgian king, Demetrius I, had to make a deal. He gave Ani back to Fadl IV. In return, Fadl IV had to be a vassal (a ruler who serves a more powerful one). He also had to promise to protect Christian churches.

Fadl IV expanded his rule to Dvin and Ganja. But he could not hold onto these cities for long. He was killed by his own courtiers after Dvin fell to a Turkish ruler around 1030. His brothers, Mahmud and Khushchikr, ruled for a short time. Then, Fadl's nephew, Fakr al-Din Shaddad, took over.

In 1139, King Demetrius of Georgia attacked the city of Ganja. He took the iron gate from the defeated city. He then gave it to the Gelati Monastery in Kutaisi. Even with this big victory, Demetrius could only keep Ganja for a few years. The sultan of Eldiguzids attacked Ganja many times. In 1143, the city fell back to the sultan, who put his own ruler in charge.

Fakr al-Din Shaddad wanted to marry the daughter of Saltuk II, another ruler. But Saltuk refused him. This made Shaddad very angry. In 1154, he made a secret plan with King Demetrius I of Georgia. A Georgian army waited hidden nearby. Shaddad offered money to Saltukids, the ruler of Erzerum. He asked Saltuk to accept him as a vassal.

In 1153-1154, Emir Saltuk II marched towards Ani. But Shaddad told his powerful ruler, the King of Georgia, about it. Demetrius marched to Ani, defeated Saltuk, and captured him. Other Muslim rulers asked for Saltuk to be released. He was set free for a large payment of 100,000 dinars. Saltuk's sons-in-law paid the money. Saltuk promised not to fight against the Georgians again.

Interior ceiling of the Manuchihr Mosque.

In 1156, the Christian people of Ani rebelled against their ruler, Fakr al-Din Shaddad. They gave the city to his brother, Fadl V. But Fadl also seemed unable to make the people of Ani happy. So, this time, they offered the city to George III of Georgia. George took the offer and took control of Ani. He made his general, Ivane Orbeli, the new ruler in 1161.

A group of Muslim rulers, led by Shams al-Din Eldiguz, attacked Georgia in early 1163. Eldiguz was the ruler of Adarbadagan and other areas. He was joined by Shah-Armen Sökmen II and Ak-Sunkur, ruler of Maragha. With an army of 50,000 soldiers, they marched on Georgia. The Georgian army was defeated. King George had to make peace.

Eldiguz, a powerful ruler from Azerbaijan, gave the city of Ani to Shahanshah. Shahanshah had to agree to be Eldiguz's vassal. The Shaddadids ruled Ani for about 10 more years. But in 1174, King George captured Shahanshah and took Ani again. Ivane Orbeli was again made governor of the city.

In 1175, the southern parts of Georgia were attacked again by a combined Muslim army. This started another long fight for Ani. Old records don't clearly show all the details. But we can guess that the city changed hands many times. The Georgians captured Ani four times: in 1124, 1161, 1174, and 1199. The first three times, the Shaddadids managed to get it back. In 1199, Queen Tamar of Georgia captured Ani. She then gave the city to the Armeno–Georgian Mkhargrzeli family.

Shaddadid Rulers

Rulers in Ani

• Manuchihr (1072–1118)
• Abu'l-Aswar Shavur II (1118–24)
• Fadl IV (1125–?)
• Mahmud (?–1131)
• Khushchikr (1131–?)
• Fakr al-Din Shaddad (?–1155)
• Fadl V (1155–61)
• Shahanshah (1164–74)
• Sultan ibn Mahmud (?–around 1198/9)

See also

• List of Sunni Muslim dynasties
• List of Kurdish dynasties and countries