Formation of the Muslim Community in Early Medieval Arminiya

Abstract

In this article, the process of the emergence of Muslim communities in the Arab Vilayet (Province) of Arminiya, which was formed in early 8th century by the way of occupation of the territories of Christian principalities in the Armenian Highland and the Southern Caucasus, was investigated the first time in detail on the basis of the early medieval Armenian and Georgian as well as Muslim writers. As a result, the author concluded that the Muslim communities in Arminiya were formed due to the mass migration of Arab tribes, as well as the islamization of the local Iranian-spoken Persians and autochthonous Caucasus-spoken Albanians, which were not only exempted in this way from paying a burdensome poll tax, but also could be engaged into management of the Pan-Islamic caliphate. At the same time the Muslim communities in Arminiya were replenished due to the interpenetration of an alien Arab and autochthonic Armenian nobility by marriage, as well as the forcible islamization of Christian rebellious princes, which saved in this way their lives. Refs 25.