The Geography of Ananias of Širak by Anania Shirakatsi

Referring to events in the late eleventh century, the twelfth-century Armenian historian Matthew of Edessa described Partav as an 'Armenian city, which is also called Paytakaran and located near the vast Sea.' Barda was even the seat of a Nestorian,(Christian) Bishopric in the 10th century. Thus, Ibn Hawkal mentioned that the people of Barda spoke Arranian, while Estakhri stated that Arranian was the language of the 'country of Barda.' ĭuring this time, the city boasted a Muslim Arab population, as well as a substantial Christian community.

According to the Muslim geographers Estakhri, Ibn Hawqal, and Al-Muqaddasi, the distinctive Caucasian Albanian language (which they called al-Raniya, or Arranian) persisted into early Islamic times, and was still spoken in Barda in the tenth century. By the ninth to tenth centuries, Barda had largely lost its economic importance to the nearby town of Ganja the seat of the Catholicos of the Church of Albania was also moved to Bardak (Berdakur), leaving Partav as a mere bishopric. In 768, the Catholicos of All Armenians, Sion I Bavonats'i, convoked an ecclesiastical council at Partav, which passed 24 canons that addressed issues relating to the administration of the Armenian Church and marriage practices. Its governors strengthened the defenses of the city in order to counter the invasions of the Khazars attacking from the north. 789, it was made the second alternate capital (after Dvin) of the governor ( ostikan) of the province of Arminiya. In about 645, Partav fell under the control of the Muslim Arabs and was referred to as 'Barda' or 'Barda'a' in Arabic. His deeds were chronicled by the Armenian historian Movses Kaghankatvatsi, who hailed from a neighboring village. In the mid-seventh century, Javanshir, the lord of Gardman, led a movement that expelled the Persian marzpan from the province of Utik' and made Partav his capital and constructed churches and other buildings.

In 552, Partav was made the catholicosal seat of the Church of Caucasian Albania. (The same author also mentions it among the provinces of Armenia). According to the seventh-century atlas, the Ashkharhats'uyts', attributed to Anania Shirakatsi, Barda was known by the name of Partav (Partaw) during the period of late antiquity and was located in the district of Uti Aṛandznak in the province of Utik', which was at that time in the possession of Albania. In the 460s AD, King Vache II of Caucasian Albania, acting under the orders of the Sasanian Emperor Peroz I, had founded the settlement known as Partav, which was initially called Perozapat, and replaced Qabala as the capital of Caucasian Albania.

The Geography of Ananias of Širak by Anania Shirakatsi