SHADDADIDS
"ՇԵԴԴԱԴՅԱՆՆԵՐԸ"
c. 951-1199 A.D.

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The Shaddadids are one of those smaller Islamic dynasties that have been largely ignored by most historians and numismatists. Believed to be of Kurdish extraction, they ruled in various parts of Armenia from about 951-1199 A.D. and intermarried with the Bagratuni's of Armenia. They began ruling in the city of Dvin (Dabil), and eventually occupied other major Armenian cities as Gandzak (Janza, Ganja), Partav (Barda'a, Barda), and Ani (Ana).

Despite the length and extent of their rule, these emirs did not leave us with rich numismatic evidence. The monetary system of the dynasty was established by Fadl I, an emir of the Senior Branch, in the year 385 A.H. in the city of Partav. However; after 395 A.H., the mint was transferred to Gandzak. Hereafter, all coins of this dynasty were probably struck here. The coinage of these rulers was for the most part of low quality silver, which circulated only in the local Transcaucus region. These coins were contemporary currency in North-Eastern Armenia during the XI century, in the midst of the Silver Crisis. It is interesting to note that Shaddadids ruled a territory adjacent to the Kiurikeans of Lori, who struck the first Armenian language coins. It is probable that coins of Kiurike II and the Shaddadid Emirs circulated together in the region. After the last emir of Gandzak was ousted by the Great Seljuqs, coinage of the Senior Branch was terminated.

Of the Junior Branch, better known as the Ani Branch, there are some coppers tenatively attributed to the first ruler of the dynasty, Minuchihr. This particular branch was established by one of the sons of the emir Shavur I in the midst of the collapse of the Gandzak Emirate. Much remains to me shed on the history of the Ani branch; the reigns of many rulers are inconsistent, and we only know of the existance of the last ruler through an inscription on a mosque in Ani. What can be said with certainty is that around 1199 or 1200 Ani was finally and permanently wrestled from the Shaddadids by the expansion of Georgian Bagratids into Moslem occupied Armenia.

Recently, the treatise on the standart coinage of the Shaddadids was finally published (last in bibliography list.). A highly recommended work, this page certainly becomes outdated, but still usable for the numismatist. For an in-depth study of the topic, the work is strongly suggested.

Make sure to see A CHECKLIST OF SHADDADID COINS

SENIOR BRANCH
(DVIN/ GANDZAK BRANCH)

RULER

REIGN
COINS
A.H.
A.D.
Muhammad b. Shaddad
340-354
951-965
NO KNOWN COINS

Ali I Lashkari b. Muhammad

354-368
965-978
NO KNOWN COINS

Marzuban b. Muhammad

368-374
978-984
NO KNOWN COINS

Fadl I b. Muhammad

375-422
985-1031
COINS

Abu-l-Fat Musa b. Fadl

422-425
1031-1034
NO KNOWN COINS

Ali II Lashkari b. Musa

425-441
1034-1049
NO SPECIMENS

Anushirvan b. Ali II Lashkari

441
1049
NO KNOWN COINS
Abu-l-Aswar Shavur I b. Fadl
440-459
1048-1067
COINS
Fadl II b. Shavur, First Reign
459
1067
NO SPECIMENS
Ashot b. Shavur, As Regent
460-461
1068-1069
(?)*
Fadl II b. Shavur, Second Reign
461-466
1069-1073
NO SPECIMENS
Fadl(un) III b. Fadl (II)
466-468
1073-1075
COINS

* For explanation, see A CHECKLIST OF SHADDADID COINS



JUNIOR BRANCH
(ANI BRANCH)

RULER

REIGN (A.D.)
COINS

Minuchihr b. Shavur

after 1064 , c. 1072-1118 ?
NO SPECIMENS

Abu-l-Aswar Shavur II b. Minuchihr

c. 1118-1124 ?
NO KNOWN COINS
First Georgian Occupation of Ani
c. 1124 ?
 

Fadl(un) IV b. Shavur (II)

c. 1125-1130
NO KNOWN COINS
Khushchihr b. Shavur (II)
(Possibly spelled as Khushsher)
c. 1130
NO KNOWN COINS
Mahmud b. Shavur (II)
c.1130
NO KNOWN COINS
Shaddad b. Mahmud
?-1155
NO KNOWN COINS
Fadl(un) V b. Mahmud
1155-1161
NO KNOWN COINS
Second Georgian occupation of Ani
1161-1164
 
Shahanshah b. Mahmud
1164-1174
NO KNOWN COINS
Third Georgian occupation of Ani
1174-?
 
Sultan b. Mahmud
(Perhaps Sultan b. Mahmud = Shahanshah b. Mahmud)
?-1199
NO KNOWN COINS

 

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