Kamsarakan () was an Armenian noble family that was an offshoot of the House of Karen, also known as the Karen-Pahlav. The Karens were one of the Seven Great Houses of Iran and were of Parthian origin. In the Byzantine-Sasanian era, the Kamsarakan were mostly known for following a pro-Byzantine policy. In the late 8th century, they met their downfall as a result of participating in an uprising against Arab rule. After the 8th century, a branch of the Kamsarakan, the Pahlavuni, rose to prominence. According to Cyril Toumanoff the Pahlavunis in turn had two branches: the Mkhargrdzeli, associated with the Kingdom of Georgia; and the Hethumids, associated with the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. Background and history The Kamsarakan family A branch of the House of Karen (Karen-Pahlav), one of the Seven Great Houses of Iran, the name of Kamsarakan is derived from Prince Kamsar, who died in 325. The Kamsarakans had their base in the "two princely states", which were both located in the historic region of Ayrarat-Arsharunik. The city of Yervandashat, in present-day eastern Turkey, was their capital. The fortresses of Bagaran, Artagers, Shirak and Ani (which later became a city) were also associated with the Kamsarakan. From their establishment the Kamsarakans enjoyed prestige in Armenia due to being the cousins of the royal Arsacids. Following the demise of the Arsacids in Armenia in 428 the Kamsarakan acquired a large amount of political power due to their position as important border lords; or, as Toumanoff puts it "to their quasi-margravial position on the northern frontier of the realm". The Kamsarakans had a high rank in the order of precedence of the Armenian princes; they supposedly ranked second "of the four broad classes". As such they had a feudal obligation to supply 600 horses to their suzerain, the King of Armenia. According to Cyril Toumanoff / Encyclopædia Iranica, due to the geographical location of their principalities, the Kamsarakan were not involved "in any special way in Armino-Iranian relations". However, according to Parvaneh Pourshariati / Encyclopædia Iranica, the Kamsarakan "were directly involved in the history of the Byzantines and the Sasanians". When the Roman Empire annexed the western part of historic Armenia, GazavonII Kamsarak and other family members moved to Sasanian Armenia, at the time ruled by an Armenian vassal. Prior to this GazavonII had been the leader of the pro-Roman Armenian princes. Later another Kamsarakan family member, ArshavirII, is