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Kingdom of Alania | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Late 9th century[1]–1240 | |||||||||
 Map of the Caucasus c.1060, with Alania in teal | |||||||||
| Status | Kingdom | ||||||||
| Capital | Maghas | ||||||||
| Common languages | Alanic | ||||||||
| Religion | Scythian religion Christianity (10th century)[2] | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||
• Independence from the Khazars | Late 9th century[1] | ||||||||
• Fall of Maghas during the Mongol conquests | 1240 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Alania was a medieval kingdom of the Iranian Alans (Proto-Ossetians)[3][4][5][6] that flourished between the 9th–13th centuries in the Northern Caucasus, roughly in the location of the latter-day Circassia, Chechnya, Ingushetia, and modern North Ossetia–Alania. With its capital at Maghas, the location of which is still disputed, it became independent from the Khazars in the late 9th century. It was Christianized by a Byzantine missionary soon after, in the early 10th century.
Reaching its peak in the 11th century, under the rule of King Durgulel,[7] it profited from controlling a vital trade route through the Darial Pass. It maintained close relations not only with the Byzantine Empire but also the Kingdom of Georgia, as well as the small Dagestani kingdom of Sarir; the first two also employed Alan mercenaries, who were infamous horsemen. It was responsible for spreading Orthodox Christianity among neighbouring pagan peoples such as the Circassians and Vainakhs. The kingdom eventually declined from the 12th century and had largely ceased to function as a political entity by the early 13th century. In 1239/1240 the Mongols invaded, stormed and destroyed the capital, Maghas, in the process.
- ^ Kouznetsov & Lebedynsky 2005, p. 260.
- ^ "ALANS". Encyclopædia Iranica. Bibliotheca Persica Press. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
- ^ Waldman & Mason 2006, pp. 12–14, 572–573
- ^ West 2009, pp. 619–621
- ^ "Alani". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
The Alani who remained under the rule of the Huns are said to be ancestors of the modern Ossetes of the Caucasus. .
- ^ "OSSETIC LANGUAGE i. History and description". Encyclopædia Iranica. Bibliotheca Persica Press. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
- ^ Kouznetsov & Lebedynsky 2005, pp. 186, 260.