Shirvan: Map & History
Shirvan is a historical Iranian region in the eastern Caucasus, as known both during the pre-Islamic Sasanian Era and the early Islamic period.
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Shirvan is a historical Iranian region in the eastern Caucasus, as known both during the pre-Islamic Sasanian Era and the early Islamic period. Today, the region is an industrially and agriculturally developed part of the Republic of Azerbaijan that stretches between the western shores of the Caspian Sea and the Kura River, centered on the Shirvan Plain.
Modern Countries Once Part of Shirvan
At its mapped extent, Shirvan covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Shirvan's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Shirvan in Depth
History
Vladimir Minorsky believes that names such as Sharvān (Shirwān), Lāyzān and Baylaqān are Iranian names from the Iranian languages of the coast of the Caspian Sea.
Shirvan or Sharvan are corrupted forms of the word "Shahrbān" (Persian: شهربان) which means "the governor". The word "Shahrban" has been used since Achaemenian Dynasty as "Xshathrapawn" (satrap) to refer to different states of the kingdom.
Shervan in Persian means cypress tree (the same as 'sarv' in Middle Persian and in New Persian, as well as in Arabic). It is also used as a male name.
However, Said Nafisi points out that according to Khaqani's poems, where Khaqani contrasts his home town with kheyrvān (Persian: خیروان), the original and correct pronunciation of the name was Sharvān.
People and culture
The term Shirvani/Shirvanli is still in use in Azerbaijan to designate the people of Shirvan region, as it was historically. In ancient times, the bulk of the population of Shirvan were Caucasian-speaking groups. Later on Iranization of this native population and subsequent Turkification since the Seljuq era occurred. The bulk of the population today are Turkic-speaking Azerbaijanis, although there are also smaller Caucasian-speaking and Iranian-speaking minorities.
The original population were Paleo-Caucasians and spoke Caucasian languages, like the Caucasian Albanians. Today, other Daghestani Caucasian languages such as Udi, Lezgian and Avar are still spoken in the region.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Shirvan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Shirvan: Key Facts
| Founded | 4th century |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q638064 (CC0).
Shirvan Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Shirvan appears, with the other states of the time.
Shirvan Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 113,084 km² in 832 CE.
Shirvan: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Shirvan exist?
Shirvan is dated to 825 CE – 1539 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
How large was Shirvan at its peak?
At its peak in 832 AD Shirvan covered about 113,084 km².
How did the map of Shirvan change over time?
Shirvan appears on 4 dated world maps in the atlas, from 900 CE to 1500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
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Early Middle Ages • Capital: Chang'an
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Bianjing