Then they took me from my companions impious [Mongols] so that perhaps God in His compassion will free you". For there was at Gag a [214] wonder-working Cross which helped all those in difficulties, especially captives. The holy martyr Sargis himself would appear to those who took refuge in it with all their hearts, and he would open prison doors, loosening the fetters and irons and physically lead them to their places. The fame of its miracles had spread throughout all peoples. They say that the Cross was erected by our vardapet, saint Mesrop.

It transpired as the vardapet had said. They bought him for eighty dahekans. As soon as they had taken him, that same day, Molar said to us: "Do not be saddened at the departure of the great priest. We did not let you go with him because we need you. I shall honor you as one of my grandees. If you have a wife, I shall bring her to you. If not, I shall give you one of our women". And he immediately gave us a tent and two lads to wait on us, saying: "Tomorrow I shall give you a horse and make you happy. Stay loyal". And he left.

By the grace of God, it happened that we secretly fled and escaped that same night. We came to the place of our birth, to the monastery called Getik; it had been ruined by them, the buildings in it, burned. And we stopped there. [g252]


215


25. Concerning the destruction of the city of Lorhe.


Chaghatai, the commander of all the detachments of the pagans, heard about the fortification of the city of Lorhe and about the abundance of treasures in it, for located there were the home of prince Shahnshah and his treasury. [Chaghatai] took with him select weapons and many siege machines, and in full readiness he went and settled in around [Lorhe], besieging the city.

Prince Shahnshah took his wife and children, secretly went into the valley there and secured them in a cave. He gave superintendence of the city to his father-in-law['s sons] but because they were weaklings, they spent their time eating and drinking and getting drunk, trusting in the strength of the city walls, and not in God.

The enemy arrived. They dug at the base of the walls and made them collapse, then settled around them and kept watch so that no one would flee. Now once the inhabitants of the city saw that [the Mongols] had taken the city, they began to crowd with fear and filled up the valley. When the enemy saw that, they started to enter the city and indiscriminately [216] cut down men, women, and children taking their goods and belongings as booty. They discovered the treasures of prince Shahnshah which he had extorted and robbed from those he subdued. [He had] constructed there a sturdy treasury which no one could see, since the mouth of the pit was so narrow that treasures could be cast in, but nothing could be removed. [g253] They killed Shahnshah's father-in-law['s sons] and they did reconnaissance around all the fortresses in the district taking many both by threats and by treachery. For the Lord gave them into their hands.

They did the same to other cities, to Dumanis, to Shamshoylte, to the capital Tiflis, taking everything as booty, destroying or enslaving, spreading their raiding expeditions everywhere with merciless attacks, ravishments and destruction. There was no one to resist them or offer war against them. Therefore fear was everywhere. the queen of the Georgians, Ruzudan, had fled to wherever she was able. So all the princes surrendered [to the Mongols].


26. Concerning how prince Awag fell into their hands.


When the great prince Awag, Iwane's son, saw the gemand taxes from everyone) to the queen of the Georgians, Ruzudan [telling her] to obediently submit to the great king.

Those who went to her encouraged her to submit to the great king and not to fear. Taking troops from her, they [229] returned to the emissaries with [a treaty containing] conditions [g266] of peace and friendship, that the queen would submit with her son (the young Dawit', the newly-enthroned king). And they did not break the oath.


30. Concerning the destruction which occurred in the Xach'en area, and about the pious prince Jalal.


We have set out briefly what the crazed troops called T'at'ars did throughout the country. Now we shall speak about the destruction of Xach'en and what [the Mongols] did there. For they had spread their raiding expeditions throughout all parts, even dividing the land up by lots. Now some of the chiefs reached [Xach'en] with a massive army and arms and all the army baggage. They enslaved and killed many who were out in open places. They also battled with fugitives and people in fortified places; some they lowered down by treachery, others, by force. There were those they killed and those they enslaved. But there were many who had fortified themselves into secure places, which were called "perches" because of their inaccessibility. Those finding refuge in them felt safe.

[230] However, because destruction comes from the Lord, [the Mongols] at an unexpected hour secretly arose and entered the fortifications. They put a multitude of people to the sword, while others they hurled off the cliffs. From the multitude fallen covering the earth a small river of blood flowed and coursed like water; and no one was spared. Even after a long time the bones of the slain could be seen piled up like heaps of stones. [g267]

[The Mongols) also came against the pious prince Hasan whom they call Jalal. He was the sister's son of the grandee princes Zak'are and Iwane, a pious and God-loving man, mild and meek, merciful, and a lover of the poor, striving in prayers and entreaties like one who lived in the desert. He performed matins and vespers unhindered, no matter where he might be, like a monk; and in memory of the Resurrection of our Savior, he spent Sunday without sleeping, in a standing vigil. He was very fond of the priests, a lover of knowledge, and a reader of the divine Gospels.

He also had a pious mother who, after the death of her husband Vaxt'ank (called Tankik), provided for her three sons (Jalal, Zak'are and Iwane), and then went to the holy city of Jerusalem remaining there for many years practising great [231] asceticism. She astonished all who saw or heard about her. For she had spent all her possessions for the poor and needy (like Abgar's wife, Heghine) and she fed herself by her own embroidery work. She died there, and since God glorifies those who glorify Him, an arc-shaped light appeared over her grave to encourage others to do similar benevolent deeds. [g268]

This wise prince [Hasan Jalal], as soon as he saw the attack of the infidels, secured the inhabitants of his land in the fortress which is called Xoxanaberd in Persian. When [the Mongols] arrived to besiege the fortress they saw that it was not possible to take it. So they called him to them amicably; and he wisely satisfied them. Later he himself went to them with many gifts. [The Mongols] honored him and gave him back his land and other lands besides and ordered him to come to them each year for military service, and to serve them loyally. Now he prudently arranged his land. Whatever it was possible for him to take for the needs of the [Mongol] travelers [baskaqs] who came to him he took, whether food or something else. He kept this himself, accumulated it and gave it to them when they came to him. [The Mongols] did not harry the land [by demanding provisions]; instead, they came to him, But in other lands, [the Mongols] did not do this; [232] rather, wherever they went they harassed the inhabitants.


31. Concerning the church [Hassan Jalal] built.


To the glory of God, Jalal constructed a beautifully adorned church with a heavenly dome where services were constantly being offered by this lamb of God, so that the sins of the land be removed. The church was built in the monastery called Gandzasar, opposite Xoxanaberd, [g269] in the place of their cemetary. Many years of work went into its building,

Once it was completed a solemn preliminary ceremony was held to [begin to] consecrate it. Present were the kat'oghikos of Aghbania, lord Nerses with many bishops, the great vardapet Vanakan with many teachers, the holy vardapets of Xach'en, Grigoris and lord Eghia, relatives, both glorifiers of God (They passed to Christ and are buried in the cemetary of the glorious church at Xada. Grigoris died in 687 A.E. [=1238] and Eghia in 698 A.E. [=1249]). They blessed the church with many priests and it is said that the number of priests present reached seven hundred.

When the church was annointed, a great dinner was prepared and [Jalal] himself served the multitude with his own hands. [233] He gave abundant gifts to each according to his rank and sent the crowd on its way. This occurred in 689 A.E. [=1240] on the day of the great Feast of the Transfiguration.

[Jalal's] wife Mamk'an built a marvellous portico in front of the church. She herself was given over to a life of virtue; she practised asceticism, fasting and praying and reading with enthusiasm, adhering to the precepts of the Lord day and night, according to Scripture. [g270]


32. A brief description of the T'at'ars' appearance.

[Translator's note: for a scholarly commentary on this chapter see J.A. Boyle, "Kirakos of Ganjak on the Mongols", Central Asiatic Journal 8(1968) pp. 199-214.]


We gladly leave a testament for the generations to come for we have hope of salvation from the difficulties of this world, which surround us. Therefore we shall briefly set forth for the inquisitive, [an account of] what [the Mongols] looked like, and what their language was like.

They had a hellish and frightening appearance. They had no beards, although some of them had a few hairs above their lips or on their chins. They had narrow and quick-seeing eyes, high, shrill voices; they were hardy and long-lived.

[234] Whenever possible they ate and drank insatiably, but when it was not possible, they were temperate. They ate all sorts of animals both clean and unclean, and especially cherished horsemeat. This they would cut into pieces and cook or else roast it without salt; then they would cut it up into small pieces and sop it in salt water and eat it that way. Some eat on their knees, like camels, and some eat sitting. When eating, lords and servants share equally. To drink kumiss or wine, one of them first takes a great bowl in his hand and, taking from it with a small cup, sprinkles the liquid to the sky, then to the east, west, [g271] north and south. Then the sprinkler himself drinks some of it and offers it to the nobles. If someone brings them food or drink, first they make the bearer eat and drink of it, and then they themselves [will accept it] lest they be betrayed by some poison.

They take as many women as they want but they do not let prostitutes live among their women. However, wherever they chance upon foreign women, they copulate with them indiscriminately. [The Mongols] loathe theft so much that they torture to death anyone caught at it.

There is no religion or worship among them, but they [235] frequently call on the name of God in all matters. We do not know (nor do they) if this is to thank the God of Being or some other thing that they call god. However, usually they say that their king is a relative of God. God took heaven as his portion and gave earth to the Khan, for they say that Chingiz-Khan, the father of the [present] Khan was not born from the seed of man but that a light came from the unseen, entered through a skylight in the home, and announced to his mother: "Conceive and you will bear a son who will be ruler of the world". And they say that [Chingiz-Khan] was born from that.

This was related to us by prince Grigor, son of Marzpan, [g272] brother of Aslanbek, Sargis and Amira of the Mamikonean family. [Grigor] himself heard it from one of their great nobles named Ghut'un-noyin one day while he was instructing small children.

When one of them dies or they kill him, they do as follows: some they take around with them for many days since [they believe that] a devil entered the body and would say frivolous things; and there were those that they burned. Others they buried in the ground in deep ditches, placing with the deceased his weapons and clothing, gold and [236] silver, whatever was his share. And if the deceased was one of the great ones, they place some of his servants and maids in the grave with him so that, they say, they will serve him. They also put the horse in since, they say, warfare there is fierce. If they want to recall the dead, they cut open the belly of a horse and pull out all the flesh without the bones. Then they burn the intestines and bones and sew up the skin of the horse as though its body were whole. Sharpening a great piece of wood, they pierce the horse's abdomen and draw it out of the mouth, and so erect it on a tree or in some elevated spot.

Their women are witches and divine everything. Without a command from the witches and sorcerers, they go on no journey; only if they permit it. [The Mongolian] language is barbarous and [was] unknown to us. They call God t'angri; man, ere, haran; woman, eme, ap'ji; father, ech'ka; mother, ak'a; brother, agha; sister, ak'achi; head, t'iron; eyes, nitun; ears, ch'ik'in; beard, saxal; face, yiwz, niur; mouth, aman; tooth, sxur, sidun; bread, ot'mak; ox, ok'ar; cow, unen; sheep, ghoyna; lamb, ghurghan; goat, iman; horse, mori; donkey, losa; camel, t'aman; dog, noxay; wolf, ch'ina; [237] bear, aytk'u; fox, honk'an; rabbit, t'ablghay, t'ulay; chicken, t'axea; dove, k'ok'uch'in; eagle, burk'ui-ghush; water, usun; wine, tarasun; sea, naur-tangez; river, moran-ulansu; [g274] sword, ioltu; bow, nemu; arrow, semu; king, melik'; patron, nuin [noyin]; great patron, ek'a nuin; earth, el, irkan; sky, gogay; sun, naran; moon, sara; stars, sargha, hutut; light, otur; night, soyni; secretary bit'ik'ch'i; satan, barhahur, elep, and so on with similar barbarous names which were unfamiliar to us for many years, but now, unwillingly, are known to us. The venerable, foremost leaders [of the Mongols] are as follows: first there is the great head and commander of all the forces, Chormaghun-noyin, a judicious and just man. His colleagues are Israr-noyin, Ghut'un-noyin, Tut'un-noyin, and Chaghatai who was a general of the army killed by the Mulhedk' [Assassins]. They had many other leaders and countless troops. [g275]


33. Concerning Rhaban of Syria.


Providential God Who wills life to all (through His love for mankind) made manifest among them [the Mongols], [238] a pious, God-loving man of Syrian nationality named Simeon or Rhaban-at'a. He was known as the father of the Khan, since in Syriac rhaban means vardapet [doctor of the Church], while in T'at'ar [Mongolian], at'a means father. As soon as he heard about the merciless killing of Christians occasioned by the T'at'ar troops, he approached the Khan and beseeched him for a letter to give to his troops, commanding them not to kill innocent men the way they were doing--men who had not warred against them--but instead to let them alone so that they might serve the king. With great pomp, the king sent Rhaban himself to his commanders with a written order that all obey his command.

When Rhaban arrived, many things became propitious for the Christians, and the killings and captivity ceased. Likewise he built churches in Tach'ik cities, where previously no one dared utter the name of Christ--even in Tabriz and Naxchawan which were yet more inimical to the Christians (so much so that Christians did not dare appear or walk about [g276] openly, to say nothing of constructing a church or erecting a cross).

Yet [Rhaban] erected cross and church, and the [239] sounding-board was heard day and night. Christians openly took their dead for burial with hooded crosses, Gospels and worship, as is the Christian custom, while those opposing them were put to death. No one dared come out against [Rhaban's] order; on the contrary the T'at'ar army revered him like their king and without him they neither planned nor did anything.

His merchants, [people] who had his tamgha, that is to say his insignia and letter, boldly circulated throughout the lands and no one dared approach those [merchants] who mentioned Rhaban's name. Instead all the T'at'ar commanders gave him gifts from their booty.

[Rhaban) was a man of pious conduct, also modest in eating and drinking. Once a day, during the evening, he ate a small amount of food. Thus God visited His people in exile with the care of this kind of man. He baptised many of the T'at'ars; and on account of his marvellous behavior and great honor, everyone was terrified by him. [g277]

The things described happened here [i.e., in Greater Armenia] in 690 A.E. [=1241]. At the same time the kingdom of [240] the Armenians in Cilicia was under the rule of pious king Het'um. This was during the generalship of his brother, the brave Smbat; during the reign of his father Kostandin as prince of princes; in the kat'oghikosate of the old and virtuous Kostandin, occupant of the throne of saint Gregory in Hrhomkla; in the pontificate as archbishop of lord Barsegh brother of king Het'um, whom they held as substitute on the holy throne of the kat'oghikosate; in the kat'oghikosate of the Aghbanians of the meek and humanitarian lord Nerses, who at this time sat in the monastery called Xamshi in the Miap'or district; in the pontificate as archbishop of his brother's son who had been ordained recently; during the tyrany of the T'at'ars over everyone; and when I was forty years old, more or less.



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