principality · Caucasus
Principality of Khachen
Origins
Khachen emerged in the 9th century in the mountains of Artsakh, in the former lands of the Mihranid Principality of Albania. Its early prince Sahl Smbatean became famous for capturing the rebel leader Babak in 837 and handing him to the Abbasids. The principality took its name from the fortress of Khachen.
Rule and society
Princes ruled from mountain fortresses such as Khokhanaberd over Armenian villages, vineyards and monasteries. The greatest, Hasan-Jalal Dawla, prince from 1214, built the monastery of Gandzasar, seat of the Catholicos of Aghvank. Khachen served as a vassal of Zakarid Armenia, the Mongols and the Ilkhanate, keeping local autonomy through skilful diplomacy and dynastic marriages.
Decline and legacy
After Hasan-Jalal's execution by the Mongols in 1261, Khachen fragmented among branches of his house. Under the Safavid Empire in the early 17th century its lands were reorganised into the Melikdoms of Karabakh, among them Khachen itself, still ruled by descendants of the Hasan-Jalalyan family.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Principality of Khachen was a vassal of Zakarid Armenia1201 CE – 1236 CE
- Principality of Khachen was a vassal of Ilkhanate1256 CE – 1335 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Principality of Khachen. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-khachen
- MLA
- “Principality of Khachen.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-khachen. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Principality of Khachen.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-khachen.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Principality of Khachen’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/principality-of-khachen (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻