Caucasian Albania by Levan Urushadze
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Caucasian Albania (or Aghbania) was an ancient state that covered what is now southern Dagestan and northern Azerbaijan of the Caucasus. The Caucasian Albanians were one of the Caucasian peoples, ancient and indigenous population of modern Southern Dagestan and Azerbaijan.
Ancient tribes of the Caucasian Albanians were: Albanians, Gargars, Gels, Hers, Sujs, etc.
Kingdom of the Caucasian Albania was founded in the 1st century BC.
In the 7th century AD Kingdom of Albania was abolished by Arabs.
Since the 8th century on the territory of the former Kingdom of Albania were established various muslim Principalities: the Principality of Aranshahs, the Principality of Shedadians, the Principality of Shirvani, the Principality of Derbend.
One of main regions of the Caucasian Albania - Hereti was a part of Georgia (Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia) since the end of the 1st century BC. Since 1921 the part of Hereti, Georgian region of Saingilo (now districts of Kakhi, Belokani and Zakatala) is a part of Azerbaijan.
On the basis of Georgian alphabet (Asomtavruli), in the 6th century AD was invented the Albanian alphabet. This alphabet was discovered by the noted Georgian scholar, Professor Ilia Abuladze in 1937.
Edited: This comes from a project by a Georgian: Zaza Aleksidze Armenian sources are the only ones presenting substantial information about Albanian script and language. The sources dealing with Mesrop-Mashtots' life must be considered first. According to Koriun, Moses Khorenatsi, Moses Kalankatuatsi, etc. (not taking into consideration the differences), Mesrop-Mashtots at the beginning of the 5th c. "created alphabet for the Gargarians' pharyngal, disharmonious, barbaric and coarse language". The books of the Prophets, the books of Apostles and the Gospel were also translated by his assistance
The Caucasian Albania was one of the first countries where Christianity was adopted from the end of the 4th century.
As a result of the expansion of Seljuks (Turks) on the territory of modern Azerbaijan in the 11th century happened assimilation of the indigenous Albanian population.
See also
External links
Literature
- Movses Kalankatuatsi. "History of Albania". Translated by L. Davlianidze-Tatishvili, Tbilisi, 1985 (In Georgian)
- Ilia Abuladze. "About the discovery of the alphabet of the Caucasian Albanians". - "Bulletin of the Institute of Language, History and Material Culture (ENIMK)", Vol. 4, Ch. I, Tbilisi, 1938
