The historical mission
of Arthur Asatryan
This section presents portraits of Armenian kings and queens, restored by the initiative and funds of Artur Asatryan, as well as canvases depicting key events from the history of the Armenian people.
- Abas(Armenian: Աբաս, died 953) was king of Bagratid Armenia from 928 to 953. He was a member of the Bagratid (Bagratuni) royal dynasty. He was the son of Smbat I and the brother of Ashot II the Iron, whom he succeeded. In contrast to the reign of his predecessors, Abas's reign was mostly peaceful, and he occupied himself with the reconstruction of the war-torn kingdom and the development of his capital at Kars.
- Abgar V(c. 1st century BC – c. AD 50), called Ukkāmā (meaning "the Black" in Syriac and other dialects of Aramaic),[a] was the King of Osroene with his capital at Edessa. Abgar was described as "king of the Arabs" by Tacitus, a near-contemporary source.Moses of Chorene depicted Abgar as an Armenian, but modern scholarly consensus agree that the Abgarids were in fact an Arab dynasty.
Armenian historian Moses of Chorene (ca. 410–490s AD) notes that Abgar V's chief wife was Queen Helena of Adiabene, who according to Josephus was the wife of King Monobaz I of Adiabene. - Hayk(Armenian: Հայկ, Armenian pronunciation:), also known as Hayk Nahapet (Հայկ Նահապետ, Armenian pronunciation: Hayk the Patriarch), is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the History of Armenia attributed to the Armenian historian Moses of Chorene (Movses Khorenatsi) and in the Primary History traditionally attributed to Sebeos. Fragments of the legend of Hayk are also preserved in the works of other authors, as well as in Armenian folk tradition.
The name of the patriarch, Hayk (Հայկ), is not exactly homophonous with the Armenian name for "Armenia," Haykʻ (Հայք). In Classical Armenian, Haykʻ is the nominative plural of hay (հայ), the Armenian word for "Armenian."[2] While Robert W. Thomson considers the etymology of Haykʻ (Հայք) from Hayk (Հայկ) to be impossible, other scholars consider the connection between the two to be obvious and derive Hayk from hay/Haykʻ via the suffix -ik. Armen Petrosyan proposes a possible connection between the name Hayk and the Proto-Indo-European *poti- "master, lord, master of the house, husband." Armenian historiography of the Soviet era connected Hayk and hay with Hayasa, a people mentioned in Hittite inscriptions.Some authors derive Hayk and hay from Khaldi/Ḫaldi, the chief god of the Urartian pantheon, and also identify Hayk with the Urartian deity.
The Armenian word հaykakan (Armenian: հայկական, "that which pertains to Armenians") derives from the name Hayk. Additionally, the poetic names for the Armenian nation, Haykazun (հայկազուն) or Haykazn (հայկազն, consisting of Hayk and azn "generation, nation, tribe"), also derive from Hayk (Haykazn/Haykaz later became a masculine given name among Armenians). - Aram I the GreatAram I the Great – Aram the Great was an Armenian king who ruled from 1827-1769 BC. Under him, Armenia became a powerful empire.
Aram the Great was the son of Garma. Before his reign, the Amorites plundered Armenia. In addition, Armenia was politically fragmented. When he ascended the throne, the onslaught of the Amorites was stopped. It was under Aram that political fragmentation ended in Armenia.
Aram would most likely have agreed to die for his homeland rather than watch foreigners trample on his native land. He attacked Assyria and fought with the king of Assyria Shamshi-Adad I. Babylonia, Elam and the Hittite kingdom were also conquered. - Artavasdes IIArtavasdes II was king of Armenia from 55 BC to 34 BC. A member of the Artaxiad Dynasty, he was the son and successor of Tigranes the Great (r. 95–55 BC), who ascended the throne of a still powerful and independent state.
His mother was Cleopatra of Pontus, thus making his maternal grandfather the prominent Pontus king Mithridates VI Eupator. Like his father, Artavasdes continued using the title of King of Kings, as seen from his coins. - Artavasdes IArtavasdes I (also spelled Artawazd/Artavazd, Armenian: Արտաւազդ) was the Artaxiad king of Armenia from 159 BC to 115 BC. He was the son and successor of Artaxias I.
Artavasdes' name is the Latinized version of an Old Iranian name Ṛtavazdā, identical to the Avestan Ašavazdah, presumably meaning "powerful/persevering through truth". In c. 120 BC, the Parthian king Mithridates II (r. 124–91 BC) defeated Artavasdes I and made him acknowledge Parthian suzerainty.
Artavasdes was forced to give the Parthians Tigranes as a hostage, who was either his son or nephew.
According to Professor Cyril Toumanoff, Artavasdes I can be identified with the Armenian king who, according to the medieval Georgian annals, interfered in Iberia at the request of local nobility and installed his son, Artaxias, on the throne of Iberia, thereby inaugurating the Iberian Artaxiad dynasty.
Artavasdes I was the oldest son of five of Artaxias I and Satenik, he was described by Khorenatsi as brave, but jealous, cruel, selfish, and power hungry. When he matured, his father, Artaxias, made him responsible for governing the eastern regions and was assigned as Sparapet. - Artaxias IArtaxias I was the founder of the Artaxiad dynasty of Armenia, ruling from 189 BC to 160 BC. Artaxias was a member of a branch of the Orontid dynasty, the earlier ruling dynasty of Armenia. He expanded his kingdom on all sides, consolidating the territory of Greater Armenia. He enacted a number of administrative reforms to order his expanded realm. He also founded a new capital in the central valley of the Araxes River called Artaxata (Artashat), which quickly grew into a major urban and commercial center. He was succeeded by his son Artavasdes I.
- Artaxias IIArtaxias II, also known as Artaxes II and Artashes (60s BC – 20 BC) was a Prince of the Kingdom of Armenia, member of the Artaxiad Dynasty and King of Armenia from 34 BC until 20 BC.
Artaxias II was the eldest son of Artavasdes II of Armenia by an unnamed mother and was the namesake of his paternal ancestor, a previous ruling Armenian King Artaxias I. Artaxias II had two siblings: a younger brother called Tigranes III and an unnamed sister who possibly married King Archelaus of Cappadocia. He was born and raised in Armenia.
Artaxias II ascended to the Armenian throne in 34 BC as he regained the throne lost by his father.[4] The Roman Triumvir Mark Antony, had captured Artavasdes II with his family, who were then taken as political prisoners to Alexandria where Artavasdes II was later executed on the orders of Cleopatra VII of Egypt. Artaxias II managed to escape and fled to King Phraates IV of Parthia. - Arshak IArshak I (Armenian Արշակ; killed in 35) was king of Greater Armenia in 35.
Descended from the Arshakid dynasty. Son of Artaban III, king of Parthia. Was born and brought up at the royal court. There is little information about his young years. In 35 years after death of Armenian tsar Artashes III Arshak has occupied a throne of Great Armenia.
Arshak I tried to enlist Roman support to retain power, but the Roman Emperor Tiberius decided to put his own candidate on the throne. He supported Mithridates, brother of Pharsman I, king of Iberia, who overthrew Arshak I and became king of Greater Armenia. Arshak I was poisoned by his own servants - Arshak IIArshak II (Armenian: Արշակ Բ, flourished 4th century, died 369 or 370), also written as Arsaces II or Arsak II, was an Arsacid prince who was King of Armenia from 350 (338/339 according to some scholars) until c. 364/367.Although Arshak's reign opened with a period of peace and stability, it was soon plagued by his conflicts with the Armenian church and nobility, as well as a series of wars between Rome and Persia, during which the Armenian king teetered between the warring sides.
Arshak participated in the Roman emperor Julian's ill-fated campaign against Persia; after the consequent Perso-Roman Treaty of 363, Armenia was left to fend for itself against a renewed attack by the Persian king Shapur II. Faced with defections and rebellions among the Armenian nobility, Arshak was lured to Persia for peace negotiations with Shapur, after which he was imprisoned in the Castle of Oblivion in Khuzistan and is said to have committed suicide in captivity.
Arshak's reign was followed by the conquest and devastation of Armenia by the Persians, although his son and heir Pap managed to escape and later ascended to the Armenian throne with Roman assistance. - Arsames IArsames I seems to have taken control of Commagene, Sophene and Armenia in the year 260 BC after the death of his grandfather Orontes III, king of Armenia, and his father Sames, king of Commagene.
"Arsames" is the Hellenized form of the Old Persian name Aršāma ("having a hero’s strength"), which was a common name within the Persian Achaemenid family as well as amongst the Persian elite of the Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BC). The name is a compound, composed of aršan ("male, hero") and ama ("strength").The name is attested in Aramaic as ʾršm. The feminine form of the name, *Aršāmā (Greek Arsamē), is attested in the daughter of Darius the Great (522–486 BC)
The Seleucid Empire was always trying to overthrow the Armenian dynasties who still ruled the lands their forebears had in the time of the Achaemenid Empire. - Ashot IAshot II the Iron (Armenian: Աշոտ Բ; r. 914–929) was an Armenian king of the royal Bagratuni line. He was the son and successor of King Smbat I. His reign was filled with rebellions by vassals and pretenders to the throne, as well as foreign invasions, which Ashot fought off successfully, for which he is remembered by the epithet Yerkat (Երկաթ), or the Iron.
- Ashot IIIAshot III (Armenian: Աշոտ Գ) was a king of Armenia, ruling the medieval kingdom of Armenia from 952/53–77. Known as Ashot III the Merciful (Աշոտ Գ Ողորմած) and acknowledged by foreign rulers as the Shahanshah (king of kings) of Mets Hayk' (Greater Armenia), he moved his royal seat of residence to Ani and oversaw its development and of the kingdom as a whole. Armenia reached the height of its golden era during his reign and that of his sons and successors, Smbat II (977–89) and Gagik I (990–1020).
- Ashot IAshot I (Armenian: Աշոտ Ա; c. 820 – 890) was an Armenian king who oversaw the beginning of Armenia's second golden age (862 – 977). He was the son of Smbat VIII the Confessor and was a member of the Bagratuni Dynasty.
Ashot was born around 820 to Smbat VIII Bagratuni and his wife Hripsime. Smbat VIII was sparapet (supreme commander) and the son of Ashot Msaker, the Prince of Armenia (r. 806–826).Ashot also had a brother named Abas. The family, the Bagratunis, was one of the most powerful in the kingdom, along with the Artsruni. Both families struggled for power through warfare against Arab invaders.
The kingdom was later taken over by Armenians who overthrew the Arab government. Smbat VIII was exiled to Samarra, where he later died.Ashot continued to live in his father's quarters, located around the city of Bagaran. He was married to Katranide.Like Smbat before him, Ashot was named sparapet in 856 by the Abbasid Caliph al-Mutawakkil. - Arshak IIIArshak III was the king of Great Armenia in 378-389.
The eldest son of the king Papias, who together with his brother Vagharshak, who died soon after, was appointed by the Roman emperor Theodosius I the Great to rule Armenia. However, Theodosius died soon after, dividing his empire between his sons: Honorius received the western part of the empire and Rome proper, and Arcadius received Byzantium.
These changes greatly affected the fate of Greater Armenia. Taking advantage of Arshak's weakness, Emperor Arcadius signed a treaty with the Persian king Shapur III to divide Armenia among themselves. Arshak did not wish to stay in the eastern part of the country belonging to pagan Persia and moved to its western, Byzantine part. Together with Arshak, all the Christian naharars also moved there.
Concerned about this, Shapur made the Christian Khosrow IV of the Arshakid family king of his appanage. This attracted the fleeing Naharars. They began to return to their lands. Arshak soon died. He is the last Arshakid in Western Armenia. - VagharshakVagharshak (arm. Վաղարշակ) is an Armenian legendary king who lived in the 2nd century BC. e. Ancient Armenian historians consider him the brother of the Parthian king Arshak the Great or Mithridates I the Great (171 BC-138/137). With the help of the latter, he ruled in Armenia for about 31 years, making Nisibis his capital. Movses Khorenatsi attributes various administrative, political, military, economic and cultural reforms to Vagharshak. The historicity of Vagharshak has been debatable since the second half of the 19th century, and still remains the subject of scientific controversy.
- Varazdat(Armenian: Վարազդատ; flourished 4th century) was the king of Arsacid Armenia from 374/375 until 378. He was installed on the throne by the Roman emperor Valens after the assassination of his kinsman King Pap.
The name Varazdat derives from Middle Persian warāz-dat, meaning "given by the wild boar," the boar being one of the symbols of the Zoroastrian god of victory Verethragna.
Varazdat's parentage is unclear. The classical Armenian historians Faustus of Byzantium and Movses Khorenatsi somewhat contemptuously refer to him as "a certain" member of the Arsacid house; Faustus also implies that Varazdat was not a true Arsacid but rather a bastard.Based on this information, Robert Bedrosian and Stepan Malkhasyants speculate that Varazdat was the illegitimate child of Pap. - Vramshapuh(Armenian: Վռամշապուհ) was a noble of the Arsacid dynasty who served as the Sasanian client king of Armenia from 389 until his death in 414. He is mainly remembered for presiding over the creation of the Armenian alphabet by Mesrop Mashtots.
The name that Vramshapuh had prior to his kingship is unknown as he is only known by his ruling name. The name Vramshapuh is the Armenian translation of the Persian names Bahram and Shapur put together. When Vramshapuh succeeded his brother Khosrov IV in 389 as Sasanian client king of Arsacid Armenia, Vramshapuh assumed this name in compliment to the Sasanian shah Bahram IV.
The names Bahram and Shapur were dynastic names of the ruling Sasanian dynasty and demonstrate the cultural influence that the Sasanians had on the remaining Arsacid Armenian monarchs living in Persia. - Gagik I(Armenian: Գագիկ Ա) was the king of Armenia who reigned between 989 and 1020, under whom Bagratid Armenia reached its height, and "enjoyed the accustomed experience of unbroken peace and prosperity."
11th century inscription mentioning Gagik I. Parpi, Aragatsotn Province
It is unknown when Gagik I was born. He succeeded his brother Smbat II in 989. He followed the footsteps of his predecessors in building churches and religious buildings in the capital Ani.[5] Using the favorable economic conditions of Armenia, Gagik increased the size of the army up to 100,000 soldiers.
He subsequently united various Armenian provinces to Bagratid Armenia, including Vayots Dzor, Khachen, Nakhichevan and the city of Dvin. He made alliances with Gurgen of Iberia and Bagrat III of Georgia, whose armies defeated Mamlan, the emir of Khorasan, in 998 in the village of Tsumb, northeast of Lake Van. Under Gagik I, the Kingdom of Armenia extended from Shamkor to Vagharshakert and Kura River to Apahunik near Lake Van.
The country's economy, culture and foreign trade developed; Ani, Dvin, and Kars flourished. He has joined to his territory Vanadzor, the most part of Artsakh (Khachen) and two main provinces of Vaspurakan: Kogovit and Ttsaghkotn. - Gagik II(Armenian: Գագիկ Բ; c. 1025 - May 5/November 24, 1079) was the last Armenian king of the Bagratuni dynasty. Known as Gagik II King of Ani (Ani being the capital of the kingdom at the time) he was enthroned as Gagik II and ruled for a brief period from 1042 to 1045 before the Bagratid dynasty rule collapsed in Armenia.
During the reign of Hovhannes-Smbat (John-Smbat), a feudal lord, David, who owned Taik during his battles against the Muslims, gained a large area which stretched all the way to Manzikert. David was a subject of Byzantium and when he died his entire territory was occupied by Basil II, who had resumed the policy of, bit by bit, annexing Armenia to his empire.
This policy of occupation and expansion was also pursued by the successors of Basil II. By the death of Hovhannes-Smbat around 1040 and that of Ashot IV shortly after, Michael V, one of the successors of Basil II, was the emperor cornering Armenia. Michael claimed that the Kingdom of Ani by virtue of the will of Hovhannes-Smbat, was bequeathed to the Byzantine Empire upon his death. - Yervand IVYervand IV (arm. Երվանդ Դ) - the son of King Arsham and the ruler of Armenia in 212-200 BC. e., known from inscriptions found in Armavir, the historical capital of the Yervandid dynasty.
Yervand IV was the founder of the city of Yervandashat. During his reign, a religious center was founded - the city of Bagaran. Large bronze statues in the Hellenistic style of gods - Zeus (Aramazd), Artemis (Anahit) and Hercules (Vahagn) - were brought there and installed in temples dedicated to them. It is mentioned that he also ordered the creation of a shrine in Armavir: a golden statue of four horses dedicated to Apollo (Mitra), pulling a chariot with Apollo as the god of the Sun. It was destroyed by the Sasanian army in the 4th century. - Ervand IIIErvand III (arm. Երվանդ Գ.) - king of Armenia (321-260 BC).
In the reign of Yervand III, the capital was moved from Armavir to Yervandashat in 302 BC. Yervand III fought for control of the satrapy of Sophenes with King Antiochus II Theos before he was defeated in 272 BC. e. and was forced to pay a large tribute of 300 talents of silver and 1,000 horses and mules. Ervand III was killed in 260 BC. e., at the initiative of King Antiochus II. His son Sam I continued to rule in Sophene. - Leo I(Armenian: Լևոն Ա), also Levon I or Leon I,– Constantinople, February 14, 1140 was the fifth lord of Armenian Cilicia (1129/1130-1137)
He learned to exploit the open, yet restrained, hostilities between the Byzantine Empire and the Crusader principalities of Edessa and Antioch. Most of his successes benefited from Byzantium’s pre-occupation with the threats of Zengi (the atabeg of Mosul) from Aleppo and the lack of effective Frankish rule, especially in the Principality of Antioch.
He expanded his rule over the Cilician plains and even to the Mediterranean shores. In his time, relations between the Armenians and the Franks (the Crusaders), two former allies, were not always as courteous as before: a major cause of dissension between them was the ownership of the strongholds of the southern Amanus, and on the neighboring coasts of the Gulf of Alexandretta. - Leo II(Armenian: Լեւոն Ա Մեծագործ, romanized: Levon I. Metsagorts; 1150 – 2 May 1219) was the tenth lord of Armenian Cilicia, ruling from 1187 to 1219, and the first king to be crowned, in 1198/9 (sometimes known as Levon I the Magnificent).
During his reign, Leo succeeded in establishing Cilician Armenia as a powerful and unified Christian state with a pre-eminence in political affairs. Leo eagerly led his kingdom alongside the armies of the Third Crusade and provided the crusaders with provisions, guides, pack animals and all manner of aid. Under his rule, Armenian power in Cilicia was at its apogee: his kingdom extended from Isauria to the Amanus Mountains. - Leo IIILeo II or Leon II (occasionally numbered Leo III; Armenian: Լէոն Բ, Levon II; c. 1236 – 1289) was king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, ruling from 1269/1270 to 1289. He was the son of King Hetoum I and Queen Isabella and was a member of the House of Lampron.
Leo was born in 1236, the son of King Hetoum I and Queen Isabella. Hetoum and Isabella's marriage in 1226 had been a forced one by Hetoum's father Constantine of Baberon, who had arranged for Queen Isabella's first husband to be murdered so as to put Constantine's own son Hetoum in place as a co-ruler with Isabella. They had six children, of which Leo was the eldest. One of his sisters was Sibylla of Armenia, who was married to Bohemond VI of Antioch to bring peace between Armenia and Antioch.
In 1262, Leo married Keran (Kir Anna), the daughter of Prince Hetoum of Lampron. Thus, he solidified himself as a member of the House of Lampron.
Leo died in 1289 from arsenic, and was succeeded by his son Hetoum II. - Levon VILeo V or Levon V (occasionally Levon VI; Armenian: Լեւոն, Levon V; 1342 – 29 November 1393), of the House of Lusignan, was the last Latin king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. He ruled from 1374 to 1375.
Leo was described as "Leo V, King of Armenia" on his own personal seal (Sigilum Leonis Quinti Regis Armenie), and as "Leo of Lusignan the Fifth" in the Middle French inscription on his cenotaph: Leon de Lizingnen quint.
Leon de Lusignan arrived ill and poor to Medina del Campo. In 1382 or 1383, the King of Castile named Leon Lord of Madrid.[3] John I granted him for life the town of Madrid, Andújar, Guadalajara and Villareal (today Ciudad Real) and a yearly gift of 150,000 maravedis.[4] Leon rebuilt the towers of the Royal Alcázar. - MushelMushel (arm. Մուշեղ) ( 984) - Armenian king of Kars (962-984), representative of the Bagratid dynasty, son of Abas I and brother of Ashot III.
He received the royal title and lands around Kars when Ashot III moved the capital to Ani. In 974, during the campaign of John Tzimiskes to Taron, he sent his troops led by the heir to the pan-Armenian forces, after a clash with which the Byzantine emperor refused further military operations
After the death of his brother in 977, Mushel began to claim his throne, entering into a military conflict with his nephew Smbat II. When Smbat began to gain the upper hand, Mushel turned to David III Kuropalat, who was a vassal of the Byzantine Empire, for help. Not wanting to quarrel with Byzantium, Smbat made peace with his uncle.
Mushel died in 984, having only one son, Abas. - Pap(Armenian: Պապ; c. 353 – 374/375) was king of Armenia from 370 until 374/375, and a member of the Arsacid dynasty. His reign saw a short, but notable period of stabilization after years of political turmoil. Although Armenia had been conquered and devastated by the Sassanid king Shapur II in 367/368, Pap was restored to the throne at a young age with Roman assistance in 370.
Early in his reign, Armenia and Rome won a joint victory over the Persians at the Battle of Bagavan, and some former territories of the kingdom were reconquered by the efforts of his sparapet Mushegh Mamikonian. Although Pap's reign began with a reconciliation of the monarchy, nobility and church, his relations with the church soon deteriorated. Pap allegedly had the Patriarch of Armenia, Nerses I, poisoned, although some later historians doubt this narrative.
Pap also eventually ran afoul of the Romans, who suspected him of colluding with the Persians. The emperor Valens unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate him in 373/374, but ultimately succeeded in having him killed in 374/375. He was succeeded by his nephew Varazdat as king. - Paruyr SkayordiParuyr Skayordi was crowned King of Armenia in 612 BC. The name "Paruyr", as was suggested by Grigor Ghapantsyan, is derived from the name of the scythian leader Bartatua. Paruyr Skayordi can be understood "son of a giant" or son of a Saka, although the latter is very unlikely.
Mikayel Chamchian, in the first volume of his "History", published in Venice in 1785, lists the most ancient rulers of Armenia, indicating the duration of their reign. Boris Piotrovsky suggests that Chamchian may have had at his disposal a source unknown to us, indicating the exact dates of the reign of these kings.
The beginning of the reign of Paruyr Chamchian refers to 748 BC. e., and the death of Ashurbanipal (Khorenatsi, like all ancient writers, calls him Sardanapalus). - Ruben I(Armenian: Ռուբեն Ա), also Roupen I or Rupen I, (1025/1035 – Kormogolo,1095) was the first lord of Armenian Cilicia(1080/1081/1082– 1095). He declared the independence of Cilicia from the Byzantine Empire, thus formally founding the beginning of Armenian rule there. The Roupenian dynasty ruled Cilician Armenia until 1219.
The Armenian voluntary immigrations into the Byzantine Empire began as early as the 6th century; from the reign of Emperor Maurice (582–602) onwards they were solidly incorporated into the military fabric of the Byzantine army. The Armenian migration to the south-west, began when the Seljuk invasions made life in the Araxes valley and by Lake Van no longer secure.[2] By the mid 10th century, large numbers of Armenian settlements were well underway in Cilicia.
Greater Armenia was ruled by the Bagratids in relative peace and prosperity from the 9th century until 1045 when their capital city of Ani fell. - Sames ISames I (also spelled Samos I), was the Orontid king of Sophene and Commagene, ruling around 260 BC. The name of "Samos" is possibly derived from the Avestan name Sāma, the father of the Avestan hero Garshasp, which would indicate some sort of custom of Iranian religious or epic lore amongst the Orontids.
The Kingdom of Sophene was ruled by the Orontid dynasty of Iranian origin, which was descended from Orontes I, a Bactrian nobleman who was the son-in-law of the Achaemenid King of Kings Artaxerxes II (r. 404–358 BC).According to the Greek writer Strabo (died 24 AD) in his Geographica, Sophene first emerged as a distinct kingdom under Zariadres (fl. 190 BC), who was installed as its ruler by the Seleucid king Antiochus III the Great (r. 222–187 BC).
He further adds that following the defeat of Antiochus III against the Romans, Zariadres declared independence. However this report is strongly contradicted by epigraphic and numismatic evidence.Sophene most likely emerged as a distinct kingdom in the 3rd-century BC, during the gradual decline of Seleucid influence in the Near East and the split of the Orontid dynasty into several branches. Three rulers belonging to a different Orontid branch, Sames I, Arsames I and Xerxes ruled the western part of Greater Armenia, perhaps from Commagene to Arzanene. - Smbat I(Armenian: Սմբատ Ա; c. 850–912/14) was the second king of the medieval Kingdom of Armenia of the Bagratuni dynasty, and son of Ashot I. He is the father of Ashot II (known as Ashot Yerkat) and Abas I.
Smbat I was crowned king in 892 in Shirakavan (Yerazgavors), following a brief attempt by his uncle Abas to disrupt his succession to the throne. Smbat continued his father's policy of maintaining cordial relations with the Byzantine Empire but remained mindful of the Arabs' fears of the Armeno-Byzantine alliance. Speaking with the Arab ostikan (governor) Muhammad Ibn Abi'l-Saj (Afshin), Smbat convinced him that the alliance would not only be for the dual benefit of Byzantium and Armenia but would also work to the economic favor of the Arabs. Smbat also achieved a major victory when on April 21, 892, he recaptured the former Armenian capital of Dvin from the Arabs. In some of these endeavors Smbat received strong support from his neighbor to the north, Adarnase IV of Iberia. - Smbat II(Armenian: Սմբատ Բ Տիեզերակալ, Smbat II Master of the Universe) reigned as King of Armenia from 977 to 989. He was of the Bagratuni line of kings, and the son of Ashot III, whom he succeeded.
Smbat was crowned king on the same day of his father's death.[1] He ruled from the city of Ani, which he fortified. In particular, he ordered the construction of a wall around Ani, also building towers and fortifications to protect the city from north to west. He began the construction of the Cathedral of Ani. His reign was generally a time of peace, only disturbed by conflict between Smbat and his uncle Mushegh in Kars.
The latter in 982 incited the Sallarid emir of Āzarbāijān, Abu'l-Haija, to capture and Dvin, attack Smbat's domains and demand from him a tribute. This state of affairs was quickly brought to an end when Abu'l-Haija was captured by Abu Dulaf, the Muslim emir of Goght'n. Smbat concluded a peace with Abu Dulaf that left the emir in control of Dvin and Goght'n. Smbat inspired contention with the Armenian Church when he married his own niece (sister's daughter), which the church strongly opposed.
King Smbat died and was buried in Ani in 989,[7] while the architect, Trdat, by order of the king, had started laying the foundations of the Cathedral of Ani. This building is still standing today, and with its unique style and simple decorations, is regarded as one of the masterpieces of Armenian architecture. As he did not have any male issue Smbat II succeeded by his brother Gagik I. - Tigranes I of Armenia(Armenian: Տիգրան Ա, Ancient Greek: Τιγράνης) was an Artaxiad king of Armenia at the end of 2nd and the beginning of 1st century BC. Few records have survived about his and his predecessor Artavasdes I's reign, which has led to some confusion. Some modern scholars have doubted that such a king reigned at all.
Other historians, such as Manandian, Lang and Adalian consider him a real figure but differ or are uncertain on the exact dates of his reign.Although it has been proposed that Tigranes I reigned from 123 BC to 96 BC,this view has been criticized.[3] Another suggestion is that Tigranes I ruled in 120 BC - 95 BC and this has been recently corroborated by historian Christian Marek.
The name Tigránēs (Τιγράνης) is the Greek form of Old Iranian Tigrāna (Armenian Տիգրան - Tigran). The exact etymology is disputed but it is likely an Old Iranian patronymic formation of the suffix *-āna- and the name *Tigrā- (meaning "slender"). Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi in his work mentions a Tiran, "son of Artaxias and brother of Artavasdes", who has been identified as Tigranes I.
Currently, Tigranes I is assumed to be the fourth oldest son of five between Artaxias I and Satenik. He ascended to the throne due to Artavasdes I not having an available heir, as well as his other brothers being kicked out of the royal estates by Artavasdes I. He was made Sparapet over the western army by Artaxias I. - Tigranes IIITigranes III (50s BC–8 BC) was a Prince of the Kingdom of Armenia and member of the Artaxiad Dynasty who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia.
Tigranes III was the second son born to Artavasdes II of Armenia by an unnamed mother. Tigranes III had an elder brother called Artaxias II and an unnamed sister who possibly married King Archelaus of Cappadocia. He was born and raised in Armenia. Tigranes III was the namesake of his paternal grandfather, a previous ruling Armenian King Tigranes the Great, also known as Tigranes II.
The Roman Triumvir Mark Antony had captured Artavasdes II with his family, in which they were taken as political prisoners to Alexandria where Artavasdes II was later executed there on the orders of Ptolemaic Greek Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt. In 34 BC, Artaxias II had escaped and fled to King Phraates IV of Parthia. With the support of Phraates IV, he invaded Armenia and place Artaxias II on the throne.
- Tigranes IVTigranes IV (30s BC–1) was a Prince of the Kingdom of Armenia and member of the Artaxiad Dynasty who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia from 8 BC until 5 BC and 2 BC until 1 AD.
Tigranes IV was the son born to Tigranes III by an unnamed mother. His known sibling was his younger paternal half-sister Erato who was born to another unnamed woman. Although Tigranes IV was the namesake of his father, the name Tigranes was the most common royal name in the Artaxiad Dynasty and was among the most ancient names of the Armenian Kings. Tigranes IV was born and raised either in Rome where his father lived in political exile for 10 years[6] from 30 BC until 20 BC or during his father's Kingship of Armenia in which he ruled from 20 BC until 8 BC.
Tigranes III died before 8 BC. In 8 BC, the Armenians installed Tigranes IV as King as the successor to his father. In accordance with Oriental custom or Hellenistic custom, Tigranes IV married his sister Erato in order to preserve the purity of the Artaxiad Royal blood line. Erato through marriage to her brother, became Queen and his Queen consort. From their sibling union at an unknown date, Erato bore Tigranes IV an unnamed daughter who later married King Pharasmanes I of Iberia who ruled from 1 until 58, and by whom he had three sons: Mithridates I of Iberia, Rhadamistus and Amazaspus (Amazasp) who is known from a Greek inscription found in Rome. - Tigranes II, more commonly known as Tigranes the Great(Armenian: Տիգրան Մեծ, Tigran Mets; Ancient Greek: Τιγράνης ὁ Μέγας Tigránes ho Mégas; Latin: Tigranes Magnus) (140 – 55 BC) was a king of Armenia. A member of the Artaxiad dynasty, he ruled from 95 BC to 55 BC. Under his reign, the Armenian kingdom expanded beyond its traditional boundaries and reached its peak, allowing Tigranes to claim the title Great King or King of Kings. His empire for a short time was the most powerful state to the east of the Roman Republic.
Either the son or nephew of Artavasdes I, Tigranes was given as a hostage to Mithridates II of Parthia after Armenia came under Parthian suzerainty. After ascending to the Armenian throne, Tigranes rapidly expanded his kingdom by taking advantage of a weakened Parthian Empire and the decline of the Seleucid Empire. He also entered an alliance with Mithridates VI of Pontus by marrying his daughter Cleopatra.
At its height, Tigranes' empire stretched from the Pontic Alps to Mesopotamia and from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean. Many of the inhabitants of conquered cities were forcibly relocated to his new capital, Tigranocerta. An admirer of the Greek culture, Tigranes invited many Greek rhetoricians and philosophers to his court, and his capital was noted for its Hellenistic architecture. - Tiran(Armenian: Տիրան, c. 300/305 – 358 AD) known also as Tigranes VII, Tigranes or Diran was an Armenian prince who served as a Roman client king of Arsacid Armenia from 339 until 350. He was a contemporary of and is associated with the life of Sarkis the Warrior and his son, Martiros.
Tiran was among the children born to Khosrov III Kotak by an unnamed mother, and was thus a grandson of Tiridates III of Armenia and his wife, Ashkhen. He was the maternal uncle of Nerses I who would become the future Catholicos-Patriarch of Armenia. Tiran was named in honour of the monarchs named Tigranes of the Artaxiad dynasty. The name Tigranes was the most common royal name in the Artaxiad dynasty and was among the most ancient names of the kings of Armenia.
When his father died in 339, Tiran succeeded his father as King of Armenia. Little is known of his life prior to this. - Thoros IIThoros II, Prince of Armenia, also known as Toros II the Great[1] (Armenian: Թորոս Բ) or Thoros II the Great, ( February 6, 1169)[citation needed] was the sixth Lord of Armenian Cilicia from the Rubenid dynasty from 1144/1145–1169.
Thoros (together with his father, Leo I and his brother, Roupen) was taken captive and imprisoned in Constantinople in 1137 after the Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus during his campaign against Cilicia and the Principality of Antioch, successfully had laid siege to Gaban and Vahka (currently, Feke in Turkey).[1] All Cilicia remained under Byzantine rule for eight years.
Unlike his father and brother, Thoros survived his incarceration in Constantinople and was able to escape in 1143. Whatever the conditions in which Thoros entered Cilicia, he found it occupied by many Greek garrisons. He rallied around him the Armenians in the eastern parts of Cilicia and after a persistent and relentless pursuit of the Greeks, he successfully ousted the Byzantine garrisons from Pardzerpert (now Andırın in Turkey), Vahka, Sis (today Kozan in Turkey), Anazarbus, Adana, Mamistra and eventually Tarsus. His victories were aided by the lack of Muslim attacks in Cilicia and from the setbacks the Greeks and the Crusaders suffered on the heels of the Siege of Edessa in 1144. - Tiridates ITiridates I was King of Armenia beginning in 53 AD and the founder of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia. The dates of his birth and death are unknown. His early reign was marked by a brief interruption towards the end of the year 54 and a much longer one from 58 to 63. In an agreement to resolve the Roman–Parthian conflict in and over Armenia, Tiridates I (one of the brothers of Vologases I of Parthia) was crowned king of Armenia by the Roman emperor Nero in 66; in the future, the king of Armenia was to be a Parthian prince, but his appointment required approval from the Romans. Even though this made Armenia a client kingdom, various contemporary Roman sources thought that Nero had de facto ceded Armenia to the Parthian Empire.
- Tiridates IIITiridates III (Armenian: Տրդատ Գ Trdat III; c. AD 250 – c. 330), also known as Tiridates the Great (Armenian: Տրդատ Մեծ Trdat Mets), or Tiridates IV, was the Armenian Arsacid king from c.298 to c. 330.
In 301, Tiridates proclaimed Christianity as the state religion of Armenia, making the Armenian kingdom the first state to embrace Christianity officially. - Hethum I(Armenian: Հեթում Ա; 1213 – 21 October 1270) ruled the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (also known as "Little Armenia") from 1226 to 1270. He was the son of Constantine of Baberon (d. 1263) and Princess Alix Pahlavouni of Lampron (a third-cousin of Leo I) and was the founder of the dynasty which bears his name: the Hethumids also known as the House of Lampron. Having accepted the suzerainty of the Mongol Empire, Hethum himself traveled to the Mongol court in Karakorum, Mongolia, a famous account of which is given by Hethum's companion, the historian Kirakos Gandzaketsi, in his History of Armenia. He allied with the Mongols to fight against the Muslim Mamluks and also encouraged other Crusader states to do the same.
- Khosrov II(Armenian: Խոսրով Բ, known in Roman sources as Chosroes, died 258), also known as Khosrov the Brave (Խոսրով Քաջ) was an Armenian king from the Arsacid dynasty in the mid-third century.
Khosrov II was the son of Tiridates II, King of Armenia, and followed his father on the Armenian throne. He was the namesake of his paternal grandfather Khosrov I,
and the Parthian monarchs Osroes I and Osroes II, who were also known as Khosrau. In Armenian sources, Khosrov is often confused with his grandfather. Little is known on his life prior to becoming king. - Khosrov III the Small(Armenian: Խոսրով Գ Կոտակ, Khosrov III Kotak; Kotak means "little, short,small) was the king of Arsacid Armenia c. 330–338/339.
Khosrov was the son and successor of King Tiridates III. Khosrov received the epithet Kotak because he was a man of short stature. He was the namesake of his paternal grandfather Khosrov II of Armenia, and the Parthian and Armenian monarchs of this name.
Armenia fell into chaos after the death of Tiridates III. An Arsacid prince named Sanatruk (whom Faustus of Byzantium calls Sanesan, king of Maskut, and identifies as Khosrov's brother) raised a rebellion to take the throne. In the southwest, the bdeashkh of Arzanene Bakur revolted against the Arsacid monarchy with the support of the Sasanian king Shapur II. The anti-Persian faction in Armenia led by Patriarch Vrtanes I crowned Khosrov king with the help of Constantine the Great. Khosrov crushed Bakur's rebellion and retook Arzanene and Armenian Mesopotamia.[3] He then made peace with Sasanian Iran by agreeing to pay a yearly tribute to the Persians. Khosrov also exterminated two feuding princely houses in Armenia, the Ordunis and the Manavazians, and seized their lands. - Khosrov IVKhosrov IV (Armenian Խոսրով Դ; d. 415) was a king of Greater Armenia (387-392 and again 414-415) of the Arshakid dynasty.
In the works of Armenian historians, Faustos Byuzand and Movses Khorenatsi, Khosrow is presented as a young prince of the Arshakid family, but nothing is said about his exact origin. In modern genealogy it is customary to refer Khosrow to the sons of King Varazdat.
After overthrow from a throne of tsar Varazdat, as a result of revolt of sparapet Manvel Mamikonyan in 378, minor Arshak III (son of tsar Papa) became king of Armenia. Manvel Mamikonian became regent under Arshak and actually ruled the country until his death in 384, under him Armenia successfully defended its independence from both Rome and Persia. After Manvel's death, the Armenian naharars appealed to the Persian king Shapur III to put the young prince Khosrow on the Armenian throne. Shapur married his sister to Khosrow and appointed him king of Armenia.
According to Movses Khorenatsi, after the division of Armenia, many Armenian naharars together with Arshak moved to Western Armenia, preferring the rule of Christian Rome to pagan Persia.
After the death of Arshak III, the Romans no longer put a new king on the Armenian throne. Dissatisfied with this, the former naharars loyal to Arshak voluntarily submitted to Khosrow, recognizing him as king. After that Khosrow appealed to Emperor Arcadius with a request to entrust under his control also the western, Roman part of Armenia, promising to pay tribute. Fearing the rebellion of the Armenian nobility and the loss of the Armenian lands under his control, Arcadius fulfilled Khosrov's request.
The Armenian king asked Emperor Arcadius for help in his struggle against the Persians, promising to give the whole country to the Byzantines for help. However, Arcadius refused Khosrov and the latter, unable to find help from outside and unable to resist, was forced to surrender to the Persians. Having imprisoned Khosrov in "Anush-berd" ("Fortress of Oblivion") in Khuzestan, in 392 the Persian king Bahram IV put in his place Khosrov's brother Vramshapukh.
In 414, after Vramshapukh's death, at the request of Catholicos Saak Partev, the new Persian king Yezdigerd freed Khosrow and he became king again after more than 20 years of captivity. However, his reign did not last long, after a year in 415 Khosrow died.
Queens of Armenia
- AshkhenAshkhen, also known as Queen Ashkhen (Armenian: Աշխեն) was a queen of Armenia, III-IV centuries BC. belonging to the Arshakid dynasty by marriage to King Trdat III of Armenia.
Ashkhen was a monarch of Sarmatian origin. She was the daughter and known child of the Alani king Ashkatar, also known as Ashkhadar by an unnamed wife. The exact date of Ashkhen's birth is unknown, it occurred sometime between 260-280 and she grew up in the Kingdom of Alani. Little is known about her youth before her marriage to Tiridates III.
The name Ashkhen is a female Armenian name. It comes from the word aksen "grey" or Zend akhsaena, meaning "black" or "issey-black".
Tiridates III was the Roman client king of Armenia from 287 to 330. In 297, Tiridates III married Akhsaena, when Tiridates III received a guarantee of Armenia's autonomy from the Romans and was free from Sassanid plots, and the invasions of Caucasian tribes had ceased. When Tiridates III wanted to invite Ashken to marry her, he sent his general Smbat, father of Bagarat, to bring Ashken from the kingdom of Alani. When Ashchen arrived in Armenia, Tiridates III ordered that Ashchen be inscribed as Arshakid, clothed in purple and crowned with a crown to become the king's bride[4]. Ashechen was given the titles Arshak and Queen. These titles, which were given to Ashkhen, were used to express the highest honours to which a woman could be elevated in Armenia. Ashkhen had three children by the king: a son named Khosrow III, a daughter named Salome, and a daughter and an unnamed daughter who married Saint Iusik I, one of the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church. - SatenikSatenik (Armenian Սաթենիկ, translated from Armenian as Amber (Armenian Սաթ - amber), III-II centuries BC. in the Alanian tradition Satana or Shatana) is an Alanian princess, Armenian queen, wife of the king of Great Armenia Artashes I (III century BC - II century BC).
The first mention of her in historical sources is found in the medieval Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi (5th century). In his work "History of Armenia" Khorenatsi tells that the legend "Artashes and Satenik" is very widespread in Armenia.
Alans, having united Caucasian mountaineers, attract half of the Iberian country to their side and attack Armenia. The king of Armenia Artashes gathers an army and throws back the Alans over the Kura River.
During the battle the Armenians take the Alanian prince prisoner, and the king of the Alans is forced to ask for peace. He promises Artashes to fulfil all his wishes and at the same time offers to conclude a sworn alliance so that from now on the Alans would not make robber raids on the lands of Armenians. But Artashes refuses to return the young prince. And since Artashes refuses to hand over the young man, his sister goes to the bank of the river, on a steep hill, and calls through interpreters to Artashes' camp: - Katranide IIKatranide II (990-1020) was the wife of King Gagik I Bagratuni, whose reign is the golden age of the Armenian Middle Ages, and the daughter of Vasak I, the ruler of the Syunik Armenian principality. It is known that the pious Katranide took over the baton of building the Ani Cathedral from Smbat II after his death, who had barely had time to lay the foundation of the vast church.
This work was entrusted to the Armenian architect Trdat, who was crowned with imperial glory. Unfortunately, not much information about Katranid II has been preserved. From the union of Katranide and Gagik were born Hovhannes-Smbat and Ashot IV the Brave. - ParandzemParandzem (+ not earlier than 368/369) was an Armenian queen, wife of King Arshak II of the Armenian Arshakid (Arshakuni) dynasty, mother of King Papa. She was the daughter of Andovk (the Armenian form of the name Antioch), one of the naharars (feudal lords) of Syunik and the wife of Gnel, the nephew of King Arshak II. The fame of her beauty reached Tirith, Gnel's cousin, who became passionate about her and betrayed Gnel to the king in order to possess his wife.
- ZabelZabel (Armenian Զաբել) also known as Isabella Rubinian (Armenian Իզաբելլա) and Isabel (Armenian Իզաբելա) (27/25 January 1216/1217 - 23 January 1252) was the second queen of the Cilician Armenian kingdom, the tenth ruler of Cilician Armenia. She came from the Rubinian (Rubenid) family.
Zabel was born approximately in January 1216/17. She was the only daughter of tsar Levon and his second wife Sibylla.
In May 1219 the king of Cilicia Levon has died. While on his deathbed he managed to pronounce the name of his heir, who turned out to be his daughter Zabel.
Soon, in order to strengthen the state, the regent decided to marry Zabel to Philip, one of the sons of the ruler of Antioch Boemund IV. The main condition for the marriage was the requirement of the regent Constantine that the groom should accept the Armenian religion and respect Armenian traditions. Philip agreed, after which in June 1222 in Sis the marriage of Philip of Antioch and Zabel took place. The newly-married husband was recognised as Prince Consort of Cilicia. However, Philip did not keep his promise. Hurting the national feelings of Armenians, he disdained Armenian traditions. While spending most of his time in Antioch, Philip openly patronised the Latin barons. Philip's actions caused discontent among both the people and the nobility of the kingdom of Cilicia. As a result, three years later, he was imprisoned, where he died.
In 1226, the regent, despite Zabel's resistance, with the blessing of the new Catholicos Constantine I, married her to Hetum, one of his younger sons. Thus Cilicia received a new king Hetum I, who became the founder of the second Cilician royal dynasty of the Hetumids.
Zabel died on 23 January 1252, after which she was buried in the Drazark monastery.
Historical chronicles
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"Tigran II the Great and Gnaeus Pompey conclude the Treaty of Artashat in 66 ad."
(200х299) - 2020 – 2022 y.y.
When the failure of the campaign of Lucullus became obvious in Rome, another well-known commander, Gnaeus Pompey, was sent instead. Pompey forms a Roman-Parthian coalition against Armenia and Pontus, after which the Parthian troops attack Armenia, but are defeated near Artashat. Pompey, seeing that he cannot bring Armenia to its knees with the help of the Parthians, agrees to conclude a coalition with Tigranes the Great. Negotiations took place in 66.
BC in the camp of the Roman troops, located near Artashat, where Tigranes the Great went and was solemnly received by Pompey. An agreement is concluded under which Tigran II, although he loses all his external achievements, with the exception of what happened to the Parthians, however, Armenia retains its historical borders: from the Euphrates to the Kura River and the Caspian Sea. According to the Treaty of Artashat, Armenia is also recognized as an ally of Rome and a friendly country. -
"Nahapet Zarmair in the battle with the Greeks under the walls of Troy"
(200,5х290,5) - 2020 y.
Khorenatsi writes that he also participated in the Trojan War screw up Zarmair. He, by decree of the Assyrian king Teutamos went with the Ethiopian troops to the aid of the besieged Troy, at the request of King Priam of Troy. Khorenatsi writes that Nahapet Zarmair, having reached Troy, “having received a wound there from the Hellenic brave men, died, but I wish it were from Achilles, and not from any other of the brave men.” And although in the Iliad there is no mention of the Assyrian king Teutamos, the auxiliary army sent by him, however, the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus (1st century BC) in the 22nd section of the second book of his history writes that Teutomos, at the request of Priam
went to the aid of the Trojans. Armenian authors of the period following Khorenatsi, on the basis of various traditions, write that Zarmayr died in the battle with Achilles. -
"Holy First Martyr Sandukht"
(200х270) - 2021 y.
Mother of God Sandukht is the first patroness of the Armenian Church. She was the daughter of King Sanatruk, who ruled, according to legend, from 38 to 68, and according to the accepted historical chronology, from 75 to 110.
The Apostle Thaddeus, having come to Edesia, brings faith to the king Abgar and his court, then he comes to the Armenian Ashgar and reaches the summer residence of the Armenian kings Savarshavan, located in the province of Artaz. Here we also honor the Apostle Thaddeus and all those who preached, healed the sick and performed various miracles.
Fadey, by his actions, converts many people to Christianity, including Sandukht, the daughter of Sanatruk. Knowing this, an angry Sanatruk imprisons Sandukht along with other Christian converts. The king several times tries to convince his daughter to renounce Christianity, but she refuses each time, and the enraged Sanatruk orders her to be taken away and buried. Then the king orders to go - they came with the sermon of the apostle. -
"The tragic meeting of King Arshak with the commander Drastomat"
(200х275) - 2021 y.
This is the story of King Arshak being visited in prison by his commander, the Armenian commander Drahtamasti. For many years Arshak was in prison and no one was allowed to even mention his name. The Persian king Shapug, as a reward for his conscientious service, allows the military leader Drahtamasti to meet with the Armenian king Arshak.
Tables were laid for the meeting and musicians were invited. After talking about what life happened to him, Arshak takes a fruit knife from the table and kills himself. His devoted commander, under the impression that he witnessed the death of the king, immediately kills himself in the same way. -
"Smbat Bagratuni crowns Artashes with the crown of Arshakunyats"
(180х261) - 2020 y.
After the defeat in the battle, Yervand retreats and consolidates in the Yervandashat built by him. With a small detachment, the commander Smbat pursues him, until the rest of the army approaches at the head of Artashes, which besieges and occupies the city. One of the soldiers, finding Yervand, kills him with an axe. Artashes orders Yervand to be buried and a tombstone erected, since he was half Arshakuni.
“After the death of Yervand, Smbat, entering the treasury, searches the treasures. Having found the crown of King Sanatruk, he puts it on the head of Artashes and crowns it over the entire Armenian World,” writes Khorenatsi. Then, at the confluence of Yeraskh and Metsamori, on a hill, Artashes built the city of Artashat. -
"Grigor in the hollow of a tree found by shepherds"
(190х270) - 2020-2021 y.y.
"And St. Gregory, having lived unimaginably many years in the burning of Mani, by his death passes the rank of angel. The shepherds, finding him dead, buried him in the same place, not knowing who he was." Khorenatsi gives great spiritual advice to the shepherds to find the body of the Enlightener. Considering Saint Gregory a disciple of Christ in the apostolic succession, so the shepherds found and summed up the body of the Illuminator.
who took part in the cathedral of the birth of our Savior, were to become courtiers at the burial of his disciple.
In a medieval story, this is how Saint Gregory is described, whom the shepherds found some time after his death. “By the command of God, Saint Gregory was found by the shepherds, as if alive, sitting with his face to the east, with his outstretched apostolic right hand, like a crucifix, on a wooden image of the Throne.” -
"Queen Shamiram meets Aru the Beautiful"
(208х296) - 2020 y.
Ara the Beautiful was the son of Aram, and after the death of his father he inherited the royal throne. Ara was known for his beauty, which is why he was called “Beautiful”. The glory of his beauty reached the Assyrian queen Shamiram (Semiramide). Shamiram sent ambassadors to Ara the Beautiful with gifts and offerings, and, with a prayer and promises of gifts, asks to come to Ninva, to her, take her as his wife and ascend to the kingdom.
Ara refuses the Shamirs, the latter, in a rage, gathers an army and attacks Armenia. Before the battle, Shamiram orders his military commanders to make sure that Ara is not killed, but taken prisoner.
However, during the battle, Ara dies. Upon learning of the death of Ara, Shamiram sends people to find and bring Apu.
Shamiram orders to carry the body of the Armenian king and put it in the upper chambers of her palace. At this time, the Armenian army, having rallied, is preparing for a new battle in order to avenge Ara. However, Shamiram says that she ordered her gods to heal his wounds, and he will come to life: According to popular belief, Ara was resurrected by licking his wounds, Aralez, which were mythical dog-headed animals. -
"Coronation of Levon I the Great in 1198"
(200х260) - 2020-2021 y.y.
Levon the First or the Great, as he is called for his activities and the restoration of Armenian statehood, becomes the prince of the Armenian state of Kilyakia from 1187, after his brother Ruben II. In 1196 at the same time, both the German king Gekrich SHU and the Byzantine emperor Alexei III Angel sent the crown to Levon. Levon's coronation took place on January 6, 1198, on the feast of the Epiphany in the city of Tarsus, in the church of St. Mother Sophia, with the participation of lay and spiritual representatives of various possessions, during which Catholicos Gregory VI Apirat performed the Armenian rite, and the representative of the Pope and the German king, Archbishop Konrad of Mainz Vitelbach anointed Levon with the Latin rite as "King of all Armenians, as well as in the Cilician and Isaurian states."
The celebration of Levon's coronation, as Armenian and medieval authors write, lasted eight days. The historian Kirakos Gandzaketsi (1200/20-1271) writes about Levon’s coronation” “A great multitude of military leaders and troops, peoples and tribes gathered (came) the Greek Patriarch sitting in Tarsus, the Catholicos of the Assyrians from the monastery of St. Parsa, located on the border with Melitine, and the Armenian Catholicos with all the bishops, and crowned the kingdom of Levon, and the neighboring peoples brought gifts to the new crowned king.
And the Greek emperor, hearing that the Franks had given Levon a crown, also sent gifts and a golden crown studded with precious stones, and said: “Do not put on your head the crown of the Romans, but put on our crown, because you are closer to us than to Rome”: And the king Levon was wise, he did not refuse either of the two kings, neither Rome nor Constantinople. According to their will, he gave an answer, kindly received the ambassadors, bestowed great gifts on those who brought the crowns and was crowned with both crowns. -
"Trdat at Bakur's party"
(204х340) - 2020-2021 y.y.
Khosrow the First wins and takes hostages from the northern peoples. He sprawled across the face of the field and pursued them for a long time, passing through the history of Chor Kapan. Here the enemies again faced each other - it was the son of Vam, although the brave Armenians, according to Setsi, put them to flight. Hore-but Vagarsh died at the hands of cow archers. His son Khosrov takes the tattoo and hazirnega.
The Armenians immediately came out, joined the troops, crossed over a large mountain to avenge the death of their father, Vnasep Sur, he drove out these powerful peoples, Bomov, with sword and sword. One of the hundreds of people who can fight them takes a brave warrior hostage and, as a sign of his strength, erects a statue of straw with corpses written on them.
Trdat, pulling this woman to him, prostrated himself before his companions on the table, kissed her like an uncontrollable young spider in love. Bakur stood up jealously to take the woman away from him. But Trdat got up, used the vase as a weapon and pushed his comrades away from the table. As if a new Odysseus appeared, slaughtering Penelope's lovers, or there was a battle between the Gapits and the Charmed Ones at the wedding of Peritos. Arriving in this way, he immediately mounted a horse and, together with his concubine, went to Shper. -
“Hripsime fights off the attacks of Trdat III”
(200х260) - 2020-2021 y.y.
Fleeing from the persecution of the Roman emperor Diocletian (284-305), who wanted to marry her, the beautiful maiden Hripsime with her girlfriends gets to the Armenian throne city of Vagharshapat and takes refuge in a local winepress. Upon learning of their escape, Diocletian writes a letter to King Trdat saying that if he finds the virgins, let him condemn them to death, and send Hripsime to Rome, to him, or leave him in Armenia. Trdat orders to immediately find the virgins. When Hripsime refuses to go to the king, Trdat orders to bring her by force. And they bring them to the chambers and lock them in the room where the virgin begins to pray. At this time, King Trdat enters the room, trying to forcibly take possession of the virgin, but Hripsime, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, "fights furiously, fights bravely."
Trdat orders Gayane to be brought in so that she can convince Hripsime to obey Trdat, but Gayane, turning to her pupil, says: "Be of good cheer, be strong." When Trdat again tries to take possession of Hripsime, the holy virgin, "fighting with him from ten o'clock in the afternoon until the first hour of the night, defeats the king." Then, having opened the doors of the royal chamber, he goes out into the city, finds wine presses, telling other virgins about the victory. The enraged Trdat orders Hripsime, Gayane and the rest of the 35 virgins to be martyred. -
"Instructions of Atom Makatsi to Prince Shapukh on the hunt"
(186х275) - 2021-2022 y.y.
After the speech, Hazkert appointed not one of the representatives of the Arshakunyats dynasty, but his son Shapukh, as the king of Armenia. However, Khorenatsi writes: "He failed to win the sympathy of the ministers, and everyone hated him." Once upon a time, there was a case when swarms were boldly raked in stony and bumpy areas. Shapuh began to lag behind. Atom Mokatsi cursed him.
"Go, go, Persian god, if you are a man." And he said: "You go, this is the work of stones." Another time foxes were caught in reeds. In the thick reeds, Shapukh could not cope with the horse, so the fire fell on him from two sides, and he was surrounded by burning reeds from both sides. The atom speaks again. "Son of the Persian god, here is your father, god, what are you afraid of?" Shapuh answers. "Jokes aside, look at the fire, help me, I'll go with you because if I go ahead it will frighten my horse." Then Atom reproached him, saying: “Are these also stones for me to move forward? Now, if you call the Moqats a detachment, I will call the Sassanids people." And, whipping the horse, he passes through the fire, like a valley decorated with flowers, and saves Shapuhi. But, knowing that after that Shapuh will not be silent, he goes to the world of Mokats.
Once again, Shavasp Artsruni managed to take the sword from Shapukh twice. Hitting him with a machete, he says, "Know thyself," and he replies. “Yes, I know that I am also a prince, a descendant of Sanasar. I have the right to kiss the royal pillow equally with your brothers, since I bear my name." Having said this, he runs out of the arena with great contempt. Thus, after a four-year reign, Shapuh leaves Armenia, unable to subdue the ministers of Armenia. -
"Tatul in front of the seriously wounded son of the Persian Emir Arsuban"
(200х298) - 2021-2022 y.y.
The Seljuks in 1047 under the leadership of Togrul-bek, who in 1055. proclaimed sultan, raid Armenia. Toghrul, destroying a significant part of Armenia. in 1054 meets organized resistance at Manazkert and the province of Vanand.
At the borders of Vanand, the king of Kars opposes him Gagik Abasyan (1029-1065 reign). About the battle that took place, Aristakes Lastivertsi writes: “But the enemy army that overtook the Gentiles surrounded them, and since as a result of long battles and a great battle there were many losses in people and horses, they could not break the enemy line and get out of the encirclement, the enemies, using swords, killed 30 people from the Azats.
About Tatul, known for his courage and bravery Vananda, one of Gagik Abasyan's generals, Aristakes Lastivertsi writes: “One of the Azats, whose name is Tatul, a mighty and warlike man, was seized and brought to the Sultan. Since the son of the Persian emir Arsuban was seriously wounded Tatulom, the Sultan, seeing Tatul, said to him: “If he survives, I will free you, if he dies, I will order you to be sacrificed to him,” and Tatul replied: “If my blow, then he will not survive, but if anyone else, I don’t know” . A few days later he died. Upon learning of this, the Sultan ordered Tatul to be killed, and cutting off his right hand, sent it to Arsuban as a consolation: they say, your son did not die from a weak hand.
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"Arshak (Persian king) elevates his brother Vagharshak
to the kingship of Armenia"
(300х400) - 2021-2023 y.y.
Persian king Arshak the Great (171-138 B.C.) enthrones his brother Vagharshak to the kingship of Armenia. -
"Vahan Mamikonian's Entry into Echmiadzin
after the Peace Treaty"
(280х450) - 2022-2023 y.y.
After the Battle of Avarayr, popular unrest continued in Armenia, which in 481-484 developed into an organised uprising led by Vahan Mamikonian. For three years the Armenian forces resisted, winning brilliant victories in battles. The Persians offered Vahan in 484 to conclude a peace treaty according to which the Armenians were granted full freedom of religion and internal administrative self-government.
After the peace of Nvarsak, Vahan Mamikonian returned to Armenia with great honours and went to King Vagharshak, who appointed him commander-in-chief of the Armenian troops. -
"Prince Toros I"
(276х400) - 2022-2023 y.y.
Prince Toros I, grandson of Reuben I (1100-1126 reign), defeated Byzantine troops in 1104 and liberated the cities of Sis and Anarzaba. -
"King Tigran on a walk with his vassals"
(200х300) - 2022-2024 y.y.
The painting depicts one of the most significant persons of Armenian history Tigran II.
For his deeds and achievements he was honored with the title “Great”. He was the son of Tigran I of the Artashesid kings. From the 70s B.C. the domination of Tigran the Great spread from the Caspian Sea to the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea and from the mountain ranges of the Greater Caucasus to the Red Sea. Near him there were always many kings from neighboring states who accompanied him, carrying out his orders. -
"Grief-stricken Hetum"
(205х255) - 2021-2023 y.y.
The Egyptian sultan in 1266 with 30 thousand army invades Cilicia, capturing a number of fortresses, including the city of Sis. King Hetum I of Cilicia divides the Armenian army into three parts. He heads the first part himself and goes to the Mongols to ask for help, the second part is entrusted with the defense of the gorges called “Doors”, and the third part, headed by his sons Toros and Levon, is sent to defend the positions in the gorges of the Black Mountains on the way to Cilicia.
In a battle with the Sultan's army, Prince Toros, the youngest son, is killed, and the eldest, Levon, is captured. -
"Smbat I Bagratuni consoling the victims
of the earthquake in Dvin"
(200х275) - 2020-2024 y.y.
The painting depicts the city of Dvin. From the middle of the 5th century to the end of the 9th century it was the political center of Armenia. However, Dvin was repeatedly subjected to destruction. A very serious earthquake occurred in 893 during the reign of Smbad I Bagratuni. The earthquake occurred at night, destroying the city walls, palaces and other houses. The Catholicosate and churches of the city were also destroyed.
A great number of Dvin's inhabitants suffered and died under the rubble of the buildings.
After the earthquake Dvin was visited by King Smbat I with words of consolation he addressed the population, encouraging them to rebuild the city Armenian king at the expense of the royal treasury helped to rebuild churches, palaces and residential buildings of the city.
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"The Taking of King Khosrow IV into custody"
(280х450) - 2023-2022 y.y.
King Khosrow IV is forced to choose between Byzantium and Persia.
The Byzantine Emperor Arkady did not send the promised help, and Khosrow had to submit to the Persian ShahinshahBahram IV. The latter summoned Khosrow to his capital and brought charges against him. One of which was that Khosrov had arbitrarily appointed Sahak Partev as the catalikos of Armenia.
Khosrow was imprisoned in Anush-berd (Fortress of Oblivion) and spent about twenty years there. Yet after these years, Khosrow was released and even restored to the Armenian throne.
Khosrow IV was at the origin of Armenian culture. Sahak Partev, appointed by him, began translating the Bible into Armenian. And MesropMashtots, who invented the Armenian script (and Georgian too) served as a secretary to Khosrow IV. -
"King Tiridatchops with a sword the king
of Barsils Gedreon"
(210х380) - 2021-2024 y.y.
After the adoption of Christianity in Armenia, King Tiridates the Great goes to Rome to meet with Emperor Constantine. And at this time the Persian king Shapuh sets the northern nations against Armenia. Having returned, Tiridates with his army gives battle on the field of Gargaratsots to Persians. During the battle he managed to slaughter the leader of the Barsils, King Gedreon. The Barsils, seeing their kingdead, are fleeing.
Catholicos of All Armenians
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Gevorg VI
(in the world Gevorg Chorekchian)
December 2, 1868, Nakhchivan-on-Don - September 26, 1954, Echmiadzin
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church from June 16, 1945 to September 26, 1954. He was an outstanding church figure. -
Vazgen I
(in the world Levon Abrahami Baljian)
September 20 (October 3),
1908 - August 18, 1994
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, First Hierarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church (1955-1994). National Hero of Armenia (1994). -
Mkrtich I Hrimyan
(also known as Khrimyan Hayrik)
(April 4, 1820, Van, Eyalet Van, Ottoman Empire - October 29, 1907, Echmiadzin, Erivan province, Russian Empire)
Was an Armenian religious and public figure, writer. Patriarch of the Armenians of Constantinople (1869-1873), Prelate of Van (1880-1885), Catholicos of All Armenians (1892-1907). -
Khoren I
(in the world Alexander Hovhannesovich Muradbeghyan)
December 8, 1873, Tiflis - April 6, 1938
Was Patriarch-Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church. -
Gevorg Surenyants Tpkhisetsi
August 28 (September 9) 1847,
Tiflis - May 8, 1930
He received primary education at the school of Karapet Belakhyan, then studied at the boarding school of David Arzamyan, learning foreign languages. In 1868 he graduated from the first classical gymnasium of his native town. He went to Echmiadzin, was ordained a deacon and appointed a teacher of general history, geography and arithmetic in Zharangavorats school of the Holy See. He succeeded Matteos II Izmirlian. He also made an address to the soldiers of the Armenian army, but this address has not come down to us in its entirety. -
Gevorg IV of Constantinople
(in the world Grigor Kerestejian)
July 5, 1813 - December 6, 1882
Was Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church from 1865 to 1882. -
Yeprem I
(1809 - 1830)
Catholicos and Supreme Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Abbot of Echmiadzin Monastery. -
Matteos II
(February 22, 1845, Constantinople -
December 11, 1910, Echmiadzin)
Was Catholicos of All Armenians from
1908-1910. He succeeded Mkrtich I Khrimyan
(1892-1907). -
Garegin II
(in the world Ktrij Nersessian)
(August 21, 1951, village of Voskeat, Echmiadzin district, Armenian SSR, USSR)
Is the 132nd Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, First Hierarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church since October 27, 1999. Since the time of Nerses V, the first Catholicos who was born in the modern territory of the Republic of Armenia. -
Saint
Gregory the Enlightener
(252-326) was an enlightener of Armenia and the first Catholicos of all Armenians.
He baptised King Trdat III of Armenia and Queen Ashkhen, who became the first Christian rulers in history. He baptised the kings of Alania, Georgia, Abkhazia and Caucasian Albania.
He is a saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church (commemorated four times a year), as well as of the Russian Orthodox Church (where he is known as the Holy Martyr Gregory of Armenia, the Enlightener of Great Armenia) and other Orthodox Churches, the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches.
The memory of Saint Gregory is celebrated in the Russian Orthodox Church on 30 September (13 October), in the Roman Catholic Church on 1 October (festa pro aliquibus locis) -
Hovhannes Draskhanakertzi
(Hovhannes V or VI, John VI Catholicos)
Was an Armenian Catholicos (898-929), historian and writer.
Hovhannes Draskhanakertzi is known mainly as a historian.
© 2022 The Armenian Crusaders Liberation Movement
© 2022 The Armenian Crusaders Liberation Movement