its first recorded ruler, sahl smbatean, slaughtered the caucasian albanian (mihranids) royal family in 822 and declared himself "shah of arran", currying favour with the caliphate by betraying the zoroastrian babak khorramdin he was recognized as the ruler of arran. sahl later incurred arab distrust, was arrested and sent to baghdad; he was succeeded by his son adarnase i and grandson, grigol hamam. the principality gained significant strength and prestige by 893, allowing prince grigol hamam to be crowned as the king.