Vachagan III

Vachagan III was the last Arsacid king of Caucasian Albania, ruling approximately from 485 to 510.

Vachagan III
The Yeghishe Arakyal Monastery, where Vachagan III is buried
King of Caucasian Albania
Reign485–510
PredecessorVache II
IssueSons:
Pantaleon
Daughters:
Khanchik
HouseArsacid
FatherAswagen or Yazdegerd II
ReligionChurch of Caucasian Albania

Biography

His lineage is uncertain. He was a son (or nephew) of the King of Kings (shahanshah) Yazdegerd II (r. 438–457) and brother (or nephew) of Vache II.[1] The latter had previously ruled Caucasian Albania as a Sasanian vassal, but had been forced to abdicate after his revolt was crushed by Yazdegerd II's son and successor Peroz I (r. 457–484) in 462.[2][3] Albania would remain kingless until 485, when Vachagan III was installed on the throne by Peroz's brother and successor Balash (r. 484–488).[3] This happened around the time of the signing of the Treaty of Nvarsak.[2] A staunch Christian, Vachagan III ordered the Albanian aristocrats who had apostatized to return to their Christian beliefs. Furthermore, he also declared war against Zoroastrianism, Paganism, idolatry and witchcraft.[3] He opened religious schools in the country and recovered the Grigoris' and Saint Pantaleon's relics and buried them in a tomb within the Amaras Monastery with help of his uncle Khochkorik.[4]

The 6th-century Syriac author Zacharias Rhetor reports the siege of the Byzantine city of Amida by the Sasanian forces. After the city was captured in January 503, the victors started plundering the city and capturing prisoners. While this took place, mention is made of a "Christian prince of the country of Aran pleaded with the (Persian) king on behalf of one church, called the Church of the Forty Martyrs, and he spared it while it was full of people." Modern historian Murtazali Gadjiev deduces that the Christian prince described is "without a doubt" Vachagan III.[2]

References
  1. Gadjiev 2020, p. 32.
  2. Gadjiev 2020, p. 33.
  3. Chaumont 1985, pp. 806–810.
  4. (in French) Mahé, Jean-Pierre, "Vač'agan III le Pieux et le culte des reliques," Revue des Études Arméniennes 35 (2013): 113-29.

Sources
  • Chaumont, M. L. (1985). "Albania". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. I, Fasc. 8. pp. 806–810.
  • Chaumont, M. L.; Schippmann, K. (1988). "Balāš". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. III, Fasc. 6. pp. 574–580.
  • Gadjiev, Murtazali (2017). Construction Activities of Kavād I in Caucasian Albania. Brill. pp. 121–131.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gadjiev, Murtazali (2020). "The Chronology of the Arsacid Albanians". Gorgias Press: 29–35. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Schippmann, Klaus (1999). "Fīrūz". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. IX, Fasc. 6. pp. 631–632.


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