principality · Mesopotamia and Iran

Masmughans of Damavand

651 CE – 760 CE (approx.) · capital Damavand

Zoroastrian lords of Mount Damavand whose title meant 'great magus', holding out against the Arab conquest until 760.

Origins

The Masmughans ruled the district of Damavand in the central Alborz, east of later Tehran. Their title, from Middle Persian mas-mughan, 'great of the magi', suggests a priestly origin. After the Sasanian Empire fell, they reached terms with Arab commanders around 651 and kept their autonomy.

Rule and society

Little is known of their rule. They governed a mountain population that remained Zoroastrian, paid tribute to the Umayyad Caliphate and allied with the neighbouring Dabuyid dynasty of Tabaristan. The fortress region around Mount Damavand, the peak of Iranian legend, gave them protection.

Decline and legacy

During the Abbasid conquest of Tabaristan in 759 to 760, the last Masmughan was defeated and captured, and Damavand passed under direct caliphal rule.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Connections (1)

More states of Mesopotamia and Iran →

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

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻