QARINVAND

The Qarinvand Ispahbads claimed descent from Qarin who “was rewarded with part of Tabaristan… for his assistance in repelling an attack by the Turks" [i]. Qarinvand leader, Qarin ibn Vindadhhurmuzd, aided the Abbasids during the Arab-Byzantine wars, evoking jealousy from Bavand, who annexed Qarinvand territory, seizing the land during the rule of Qarin’s son, Mazyar [ii]. Mazyar united the highlands, but the Tahirids seized Tabaristan with help from the Bavandids and Mazyar’s brother, Quhyar [iii]. Quhyar’s betrayal angered soldiers who killed him [iv], marking what many consider the dynasty's end, though Qarinvand continued to rule parts of Tabaristan until the 11th century under different rulers.

Qarinvand worked with Bavand to resist Islamization efforts in Tabaristan, including efforts by Abbasid governor, Khalid b. Barmak. Recognizing his lack of control over the highlands and people’s willingness to “strike back" [v], Barmak sought to keep peace and strengthen the Abbasids’ mission, maintaining relations with the Qarinvand Ispahbad. Once Barmak left power, however, the Bavand leader destroyed settlements intended to spread Islam. Later, the rulers of both Qarinvand and Bavand revolted against Muslim rule which led to the massacre of many Muslims [vi] in the highlands and Tabaristan. While the lowlands of Tabaristan were controlled by the Abbasids, mountainous areas remained autonomous.

As a minor dynasty, the Qarinvand Dynasty was somewhat limited in its power in comparison with larger dynasties with more influence during their time of rule. There are not many known direct connections to today’s modern society, however, the impact of Qarinvand Dynasty’s preservation of Zoroastrianism [vii], alongside other dynasties of the time, can still be seen today. The Qarinvand Dynasty’s resistance kept the Zoroastrianism religion from being stamped out. This persistence is the Qarinvand Dynasty’s primary modern influence and has aided in the longevity of Zoroastrianism in parts of the world today, especially in and around modern-day India and Iran.

The Qarinvand Dynasty ruled part of the highlands of Tabaristan under the Dabuyids until the Dabuyids were defeated [viii] by the Abbasids, who replaced the Umayyads [ix]. The Abbasids annexed Tabaristan into the caliphate and controlled the lowlands, but the local hyland dynasties, including Qarinvand, largely still ruled their areas autonomously. Once Tabaristan was taken over by caliphs, they “ruled through governors, deputy governors or sub-governors" x]. However, the turnover rate was high due to the difficulty of ruling over the rebellious areas, and during the approximately 80-year period between 142H to 224H, around 46 officials were in power, “most of whom were governors"[xi].

Qarinvand’s existence was marked by both its resistance against the spread of Islam in partnership with other dynasties, including the Bavand, as well as by its ability to survive by maintaining friendly relations at times with the Abbasids. These friendly relations did not always persist, however, and violence would break out as the highlanders proved that they would fight back when necessary. Academic sources chronicling the history of Tabaristan [xii], and specifically Qarinvand, tend to differ in accounts of events and facts as legend is mixed with fact in some written accounts, making it difficult to prove certain aspects of Qarinvand’s history.

There is limited research on the Qarinvand Dynasty, and the history of Tabaristan under the rule of the Dabuyid Ispahbads [xiii] as a whole, and parts of its history remain mysterious [xiv] as the text that researchers rely on to understand what happened during the period are “a mixture of fact and legend" [xv]. One key accomplishment of the dynasty, however, could be its ability to not only survive for so long but to maintain its independence in the highlands of Tabaristan, along with Bavand, and preserve Zoroastrianism, even while facing threats from Arab campaigns to conquer the area during the spread of Islam [xvi].

Little has been published on the economy of Qarinvand specifically, however, research has found that Tabaristan as a whole was a rich province [xvii] and paid a high level of tribute late during the Sasanian period [xviii]. Additionally, during the time of the Umayyads, the Dabuyids sometimes paid tribute intermittently. Despite facing difficulties in ruling all of Tabaristan once conquering the lowlands, the Abbasids are thought to have viewed Tabaristan as a crucial revenue source, and even after the end of the Tahirids [xix], Tabaristan is said to have remained wealthy, likely due to agriculture, which was heavily relied on by the Sasanian Empire [xx].