emirate · Caucasus

Emirate of Derbent

869 CE – 1075 CE (approx.) · capital Derbent

An Arab frontier emirate at the great Caspian gate of Derbent, guarding Islam's northern border against the Khazars and mountain peoples.

Origins

Derbent, called Bab al-Abwab, the Gate of Gates, by the Arabs, had been fortified by the Sasanians with walls running from the Caspian into the mountains. In 869, as Abbasid authority faded, the local Arab governor Hashim ibn Suraqa founded a hereditary dynasty, the Hashimids.

Rule and society

The emirate was a frontier city-state that drew warriors for holy war against the Khazar Khaganate and the peoples of the mountains, and grew rich on Caspian and caravan trade in slaves, furs and textiles. Emirs shared power with an assembly of leading citizens and often fought or allied with the Shirvanshah State, which at times ruled the city.

Decline and legacy

Weakened by quarrels between emirs and townsmen and by raids from the mountains, the emirate was taken by the Seljuk Empire in 1075. The city later passed among regional powers, keeping its walls as the gateway to the North Caucasus.

Lineage

Abbasid Caliphate 750 CE – 1517 CEEmirate of Derbent

Connections (2)

More states of Caucasus →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Emirate of Derbent. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/emirate-of-derbent
MLA
“Emirate of Derbent.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/emirate-of-derbent. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Emirate of Derbent.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/emirate-of-derbent.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Emirate of Derbent’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/emirate-of-derbent (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻