In the history of Azerbaijan, the Early Middle Ages lasted from the 3rd century to the 11th century. This period in the territories of today's Azerbaijan Republic begins with the incorporation of these territories into the Sasanian Persian Empire in the 3rd century AD. Feudalism started to shape in Azerbaijan in the Early Middle Ages. The territories of Caucasian Albania became an arena of wars between the Byzantine Empire and the Sassanid Empire. After the fall of the Sassanid Empire by the Arab Caliphate, Albania also weakened, and in 705 AD it was overthrown by the Abbasid Caliphate under the name of Arran. As the control of the Arab Caliphate over the Caucasus region weakened, independent states began to emerge in the territory of Azerbaijan.