By KiddieDaily Editors · 2026-06-29 · 3 min read · 1 source

New Medieval Books: The North Caucasian Kingdom of Alania, 850–1240

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The medieval world saw many kingdoms and states rise to dominate their regions, only to collapse and fade from memory.

This book tells the story of one such realm—Alania—and traces its nearly 400 years of history. This region was known to Byzantine writers and officials as Alania. Despite being mentioned relatively infrequently in Byzantine and Georgian textual sources, it was clearly of some considerable political importance, particularly in the tenth and eleventh centuries.

From about 1030 it was ruled by a single royal family, which I have termed the Dorgholelids, until the kingdom’s collapse in the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries. Archaeological investigations of the North Caucasus have revealed that during the ninth to twelfth centuries, several urban centres grew to a population of several thousand, with the fortresses of Kun’sha and Il’ichevsk (the possible site of Magas, the Alan kings’ capital) far exceeding the size of Rus’ urban centres and rivalling the largest cities of the Islamicate world in area. The kings of Alania expanded their reach from their core territory in the Upper Kuban region of modern Karachay-Cherkessia and eastern Krasnodar Krai to become sovereign over much of the western and central North Caucasus.

All this took place in a region which, although well suited to agriculture and pastoralism, was geographically diverse, being split into numerous and sometimes inaccessible river valleys running up towards the crest of the Great Caucasus Mountains — a geography at first glance more suitable to political fragmentation than confederation. This book explores how the Alan Kingdom of the ninth to twelfth centuries emerged in this unlikely context, and in particular how its elites used foreignising goods, styles and cultural practices to create their political authority. Most medieval historians have probably never heard of the Kingdom of Alania, but this book provides the first full account of its history in English.

It also demonstrates the important role this state played in the politics of the Caucasus, particularly in its relations with Georgia and the Byzantine Empire. In addition, it offers an excellent case study of religious change, tracing Alania’s conversion to Christianity in the tenth century. This book will be invaluable for anyone studying the medieval history of the Caucasus.

Those interested in the wider region, especially Byzantium, will also find it a rewarding and informative read. “Beyond providing a comprehensive and critical account of this political entity, the author methodically addresses the theoretical and conceptual dilemmas inherent in the study of Alania – issues that are vital for contextualizing the broader region and for re-evaluating the notions of kingship, statehood, and authority in medieval studies. Throughout the volume, the author engages with a diverse array of Arabic, Byzantine, Georgian, Armenian, and Turkic sources, while maintaining a critical dialogue with the extensive scholarly literature produced in Russia and the Caucasus.

It is noteworthy that while the study is theoretically rigorous, Latham-Sprinkle’s conceptual discussions are never forced; empirical evidence is never distorted to fit a preconceived framework, ensuring that the analysis remains firmly grounded while the narrative remains consistently engaging.” ~ review by Nikoloz Aleksidze in The Byzantine Review John Latham-Sprinkle is a historian at the University of Ghent, where he focuses on the medieval Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Caucasus. John is one the co-ordinators of the Medieval Caucasus Network. You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.

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