Akhsitan I (also spelled Akhsatan; Persian: اخستان یکم, romanized: Aḵestān) was the 20th Shirvanshah after 1160, and thought to have reigned until the years 1197–1203/04.

[4] Akhsitan was the son of the Shirvanshah Manuchihr III (r. 1120 – after 1160) and the Georgian princess Tamar of the Bagrationi dynasty.

[10] In late 1173 or early 1174, Shirvan was invaded by a combined force of the Russian "brodnici" and the ruler of Darband, Bek-Bars ibn Muzaffar.

[13] The Eldiguzid ruler Qizil Arslan (r. 1186–1191) later seized Shamakhi, which made Akhsitan move his place of residence to Baku.

[14] This marked the beginning of Baku's rise as a major city, though it remains uncertain if Akhsitan later moved back to Shamakhi.

[18] He was married to his cousin ‘Ismatu’d-Din Safwatud-Din Safwat’l-Islam with whom he had at least two children with her, a son - Fariburz and a daughter - Iljik, both died in infancy.

[20] Khaqani, who had previously served under Manuchihr III, continued his service under Akhsitan, who would become his most important patron.

[21] Khaqani dedicated twelve qasidas (odes) and seven tarkibbands [uz] to Akhsitan, who in return greatly rewarded him.