Afridun I

"Afridun" is the arabicized form of the New Persian name Fereydun, an Iranian mythical hero.[2]

After having suffered from several raids from the Shaddadid ruler Abu'l-Asvar Shavur I, Afridun was sent by his father Fariburz I to ask for help from the ruler of Sarir, whom Afridun was related to through his mother. However, the ruler of Sarir declined his request, and after three months, Afridun returned to Shirvan.[3] On 30 January 1066, Fariburz appointed Afridun as the governor of Derbent, who was warmly received by its people.[4] On July 1068, Afridun left Derbent and returned to Shirvan.

Afridun reigned during an unfortunate time in Shirvanshah history. It is said that he was killed in a battle against "infidels" near Derbent in 1120,[5] possibly while attempting to prevent an invasion from Georgia, thus gaining the nickname "the Martyr". To this day, there is not a single coin that discovered bearing his name. He married his son Manuchehr to David IV's daughter – Tamar.

His name is inscribed on Pir Huseyn Khanqah located near river Pirsaat: "This building was ordered to be built by Abu'l Muzaffar Fariburz ibn Gershab, ibn Farrukhzad, ibn Manuchehr's ancestor Jam Afridun" [6] He is remembered by Khaqani in his ode to Ismataddin: "I saw jewels of Dara in the mines of Afridun the Martyr".[7]

• Bosworth, C. E. (1968). "The Political and Dynastic History of the Iranian World (A.D. 1000–1217)". In Frye, R. N. (ed.). The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 5: The Saljuq and Mongol periods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–202. ISBN 0-521-06936-X.
• Minorsky, Vladimir (1958). A History of Sharvān and Darband in the 10th-11th Centuries. University of Michigan. pp. 1–219. ISBN 978-1-84511-645-3.
• Tafazzoli, Ahmad (1999). "Ferēdūn". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume IX/5: Fauna III–Festivals VIII. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 531–533. ISBN 978-0-933273-33-7.