He came against the Derjan district
where he uprooted everything, goods and belongings, sons and daughters
and wanted to take this to the Araratean country and Siwnik'.
Those were blustery wretched days of wintertime. Suddenly after
two days, severe snow fell upon them, and in that night [g104]
the country grew cold, and many Christians died of the cold. Son
cried to father and father to son, and dear children died in their
mothers' arms. Taking their children in their arms, they raised
their voices crying to God above: "Lord Jesus, avenge the
blood of Your servants, for You are our hope and refuge, and free
us and our children from the hands of the beast". That same
day, as a result of the bitter weather, more than 700 innocent
Christians perished. There was no time to bury them; they became
food for wild animals. Nor was there was a village nearby. Their
overseers cut off their ears and took them and showed them to
the precursor of the antichrist. [Iskandar] laughingly said: "God
did it. What do I care' He should not have given them into my
hand, and He should not have made it snow".
The impious beast worked this evil.
Some ignorant people out of dislike for the believers, wished
him a long life. [Other] people are of the opinion that because
of [Iskandar's] [87] insubordination and proud behavior which
did not submit to the king of the East, more people died than
there are stars. For [Shahrukh] was a peace-loving man, nor did
he want to be an agitator, for he had seen his father dying, [g105]
howling like a dog. Nor did he want to destroy our people. However,
he did the will of those fearing him and heeded their prayers;
[Iskandar] turned [divine] assistance from his sword through the
prayers and murder of the innocent and weakened his beloved brothers
and relations in the eyes of his troops. He came to his brother
named Jihanshah (Jhanshah) whom Shahrukh had placed over his people
and over our land, to war against his own brother, knowing that
his forces would sacrifice their lives. They had already done
so once before when they killed his brother sultan Abu Sa'id (Busayid)
whom the same Shahrukh had placed over our land. But [this time]
all his men abandoned him and fled to his brother Jihanshah. Left
with only a few men, he escaped from his brother by a hairsbreadth,
secretly going to Ernjak fortress where he passed the entire winter
in drunkeness.
Now his brother with his troops besieged him until springtime, creating a fortress and habitation around the fortress. He secretly sent an ambassador to the sultan of Egypt for him to send him many auxiliary troops. [The sultan] sent him numerous forces, many more than 60,000 men. When [this army] came to Ekegheats' district [g106] it heard that they [88] had killed [Iskandar] in Ernjak fortress. Now this Iskandar had a son named Shah-Qubad (Shahubat'). He and his mother, united with ten powerful warriors and valiant single-combattants went at night and found [Iskandar] in a wine-induced drunken sleep. Unsheathing their swords, they stabbed him to death, without him recognizing his relations. In the morning [people] came to see Shah-Qubad and asked: "Where is your father"? He replied: "My father's fate to your enemies" The people gave [Shah-Qubad] an oath that they would not harm him. He had a relative named Hulegu (Holawlu) whom they fetched and killed, decapitated, and sent the head to his brother Shahanshah who was besieging them. When the latter saw [the head] he greatly rejoiced and held a great celebration, glorifying God that their enemy had born a son who liked him, had killed him, and that they themselves had not killed him. Thus was this wicked one eliminated and, as the prophet says, he did not see the glory of God. And [thank God] that I saw the evil one eliminated and destroyed and behold! he was no more, for he was a bloodshedder and did not live out half the days of his life. The country became pacified in a few days [after Iskandar's death]. The entire duration of his life on earth there was unrest and agitation from Khurasan to Egypt. This transpired in [g107] the year 886 of the Armenian Era [1437]. From the year 870 A.E. [1421] onward until his death, the [89] whole world was in agitation and disturbance, both unbeliever and believer. For this was the third time that Shahrukh Chaghatai placed all the Turkmens and Mesopotamia (Mijerkreays) in captivity because of [Iskandar's] disobedience. First at Vagharshakert; second, at Salmast and the third time was this one, when he died and many others died as well, because of him. I saw this vividly in our district. For in 885 A.E. [1436] during Chaghatai's second coming we fled from him and reached the cities of Xlat', Her, Berkri, Archesh and Artske. Suddenly there descended upon us all the Kurds and all Kurdistan from the mountains and hills Unsheathing their swords they terrified all of our miserable people, cutting them down, and wanting to kill everyone. So terrible was that day from the fear, dread, and clamor of the loathsome and bloody Mar (Marats') people that it would have been the Day of Judgement had not aid been sent by our Savior, Christ God the hope of all. For at night we wanted to go to the city of Bitlis (Baghesh) to the God-loving and God-kept and Christ-loving believers, vardapets, bishops, priests, and clerics there. [g108] But unexpectedly [the Kurds] fell upon us, sword in hand, wanting to kill everyone. Now we took refuge in God, left all material goods behind, fled into the mountains, and with the aid and grace of God escaped from their clutches.
News of our difficulty reached the city
of Bitlis. Their [90] bishop, lord Step'annos, a merciful and
God-loving man, took a multitude of believers and our spiritual
brother the vardapet Step'annos, lamenting, wept over us,
took, restored and received us and our poor for three years like
angels of God. May Lord God, our Jesus Christ keep that district
undisturbed and secure, its sons, daughters, and all of its property,
until His second coming And this was in the year 884 of the Armenian
Era [1435].
Again I shall relate the disaster and
racking bitterness of our people. In the city of Artske there
dwelled a pious and charitable man, a lover of God and of holiness,
extremely humble, a lover of clerics and a hater of all evil.
Day and night did he pray, with his brothers, sons, and entire
family. [g109] He was named Muratshah and had a mild and compassionate
appearance. He trampled upon all of the city's infidels to the
point that he permitted believers to bless water on the [day of
the] Revelation of the Lord, with cross and Gospel. He was like
the king of the Christians in the midst of a sea. However the
wicked people of satan and his orderlies envied [Muratshah], and
betrayed him to the mayor (k'aghak'apet). The infidel citizens,
having a grudge against him, betrayed him with the permission
of an abominable, criminal [member] of our people, named Zenon.
He was put into prison, shot with arrows, thrown from the keep
and achieved martyrdom and the [91] eternal halo. Prior to this
they seized a tanuter named Zak'aria, and strangled him
with a rope. May his memory be blessed and through his prayers
may Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on all Christians. Amen.
But the followlng too is known, that
during these same days, three times in the same year, the loathsome
prince named Pir 'Ali (P'irali) who dwelled in a cave at Amuk
enslaved and pillaged the Archesh and Artske country, and burned
in fire the dzernawor named Mkrtich' with eight members
of his household, in the village of Zarishat. [g110] And a pious
dzernawor Yovhannes was killed at Aspisnak village and
they roasted in fire a brother of the servitor named Aristakes,
like an innocent lamb. Thus martyred for Christ, they received
from Christ an uncorruptable halo. May Lord God Jesus Christ forgive
whatever sins they may have committed. Amen. [The Qara-Qoyunlu]
so robbed all the districts and so denuded the area of goods,
that all Christians, grand and lowly, at present despise themselves
and, unashamed, regard it as nothing to cover thleir bodies with
grass and to go about like animals, naked and barefoot.
[Pir 'Ali] sold the believing women who had [sought refuge] on the island of Lim for more than 200 and 300 t'anks over and above our poor, none of whom had a single dram. [92] That prince who destroyed our lands is now set up as lord and prince over our land as chastisement for our sins and because of God's wrath. He now is placing all believers under taxation such that they collect from each man 40 t'anks, to say nothing of the bahra and ch'arek' [Shahnazarean p. 112 n. 40 describes bahra as 1/10 and ch'arek' as 1/4 of the country's harvest.] which went to the aged, children, orphans and widows, the blind, poor and bankrupt. Everyone is starving, and though alive, they are dead (kendani merealk' ,"living dead"). [g111]
Having seen this all, we want to speak
briefly about the lamentation and sighing of the denuded and poor,
[and to make] complaint against the falsely named tanuters
by whose permission and negligence our miserable people were destroyed
not only through bitter poverty but through unbearable and unrelatable
deeds and in the dissolute drunkenness of elders and youths as
may plainly be seen in the city of Archesh.
Now there was a priest named Step'annos
from the Amuk country who had come and dwelled on the island of
Lim for a few days. Thence he went to the city of Archesh and
found it without overseer or leader, neither spiritual nor temporal,
neither bishop, vardapet, dzernawor nor tanuter.
Seizing a woman citizen through bribing the infidels and at their
command he became, for a long while, director (arajnord)
[93] of the city. Then treacherous infidels and lying Christians
betrayed him to the mayor of the city of Artske named Sahand,
and [they also betrayed] a pious tanuter named Musefir.
They shed their blood and hanged their heads from the wall. And
while perhaps it was a punishment from the Lord so that each cleric
hold to his rank, nonetheless by their innocent blood they washed
away the stain of their sins; for whoever is so punished in this
life is freed from the torturous punishments of Hell.[g112] And
if Christians so perish by the band of infidels, as Abel was killed
by Cain, so [the infidels] will be punished by the Lord. For the
head of the faith said: "Let none of you be tormented like
a thief, a criminal, or a seer (otaratesuch'), that is,
a witch; but should they torment you for being a Christian, be
not ashamed". Similarly they shall not be ashamed before
Christ; rather they shall receive the uncorruptible halo, like
the class of martyrs. Lord God Jesus Christ forgive their sins.
Amen. This occurred in the year 844 of the Armenian Era [ 1395].
This priest [Step'annos] had a young
son named Yovhannes who was loved by all believers and unbelievers
alike. They set him up as dzernawor of the city and commander
(hramanatu) of the country. But from wicked seed grows
a wicked harvest and the teaching of evil instructors is evil.
For [Yovhannes'] [94] father had given his daughter [in marriage]
to a man named Murat. And [Yovhannes] took in marriage the sister
of his brother-in-law. This was the first sin (vnas). The
second was that the one born of that woman named Baghshashish,
was engaged in improper activities. Advised [g113] by one of those
who liked him named Vegen, [Yovhannes] unsheathed his sword and
killed her. With bitter mourning the brothers lay her in the grave.
We offered prayers and masses that perhaps he find forgiveness
for his sins. But he did not regret his deeds. Then the mother
[of the slain child] died, and the father went and married the
daughter of his uncle's wife's sister. Living with her briefly,
this wife also died. And he did not repent his sins. Once again
he took another woman but did not repent, rather he lived in wantonness
for a long time.
His nephew (brother's son) was named
Yovhannes. He gave [his] daughter to a youth named Ghrimpek and
his sister's son took his [? Ghrimpek's] sister [The translation
of this passage is uncertain.]. The child became racked with very
bitter pains. He went to the blessed congregation of Gaghton and
did not return. His mother turned to constant prayer and asceticism,
and her brother did not pity her. Once more the dragon of satan
moved his/her house, that is [95] he wanted to marry her child.
Going, he took the daughter of the sister of the p'esa
of his father's brother's son from whom his sister's son had taken
the other sister. We preached and advised against this, but he
did not obey. We wrote three and four letters of blessing and
he ignored it. Rather, like the crafty creature which approached
mother Eve [g114] and tricked her, he approached the spiritual
leaders and vardapets of the church. And at their command
he took as a bride for his son the daughter of a tanuter
named Aslan. Because of his disease of greed they took the reconcilor
Christ as an intercessor, with crosses and masses, desiring with
their sins to make good service to the Father, abandoning the
orders of [the Patriarchs] and the Illuminator, going against
their canons disobediently, and wanting to do evil in the face
of Christ's will. The forgiveness of God pardoned them for one
year.
But the second year that woman bore
a son and the chastising wrath of God fell upon her. This innocent
one cried and clamored: "The wrongs of my parents have surrendered
me to the hands of the dews. Bless me, Creator God, and
do not let me go". A multitude of priests and the people
came [96] with cross and Gospel and prayed over her. With no cure
or rest from the agitation of bitter pains, they took refuge in
sorcerers (diwt's) and witches. The latter dug [a hole]
at the head of the street, relieved themselves into it, buried
[the woman] there up to the neck, then taking swords in hand they
cried out and struck the earth, saying: "Arise from this
woman, wicked dew". [g115] The foreigners, having
opened the mouth of the pitiful and weeping woman, terrified [her]
with the sword. The entire multitude of the city's believers and
unbelievers came and saw the woman with the woeful face and disheveled
hair in the midst of the square. And just as they were happy in
transient joy, so now they were saddened at the misery of the
poor wretch. Who can relate the heart-rending sobs of the poor
woman amidst the solemn trial (aten). Viewers and hearers
related it to us, weeping and lamenting. After living a few days,
she gave up the ghost. With all our heart we beseech benevolent
Lord Jesus Christ to forgive her sins, with the intercession of
all the saints, for she was unwillingly, not willingly, a sinner.
As for her more guilty parents and the
dzernawor, the consenting director and deceitful monks,
may Lord God Jesus [97] Christ pardon them in this world and in
the next at the court of Christ, with supplications to the holy
Mother of God. I beseech the future brothers who come after [us],
bishops and vardapets, putting [my] face to the ground,
with [my] body turned to earth (hoghats'eal marmnov),
do not betray brotherly love for the sake of this false and transitory
life. For whoever hates his brother is a murderer, [g116] while
divine love is born of brotherly love. No one lacking divine love
can unite into the realm of God. With a sighing heart and correct
faith I beseech Christ to forgive whatever blameworthy faults
be found among our brothers, and to forgive me for my shortcomings
worked throughout my entire life toward God and the brothers.
Vay!
Now after three years had passed, the
above-mentioned dzernawor gathered up the hungry, miserable,
naked dregs of our people of K'ajberunik' and brought them to
Archesh, handing them over to the infidel. They demanded 540 per
head from the lame, blind, old, and children--from such who had
not a single dram in the first place.
In the year 887 of the Armenian Era
[1438], the king of Georgia, Alexander [I, 1412-42, Alek'san]
gave poison to prince Beshk'en (Peghgin), son of Smbat Orbelean,
grandson [98] of Burt'el, his own father-in-law. For he had taken
all parts of Siwnik', and all districts surrounding Siwnik', more
than 60,000 Christian homes, and freed Georgia from Shahrukh.
Outwardly the king honored him, giving him the fortress of Lori.
[Beshk'en] was pious and compassionate, [g117] a lover of the
clergy, merciful toward all, and toward the poor, telling them
to gather around him. All of the Armenians who applied to him
he honored and elevated with bread, food, and dress. But that
bloody cruel beast [Alexander] feared him, holding the vain and
false view that the Armenians must not gather together, so that
Georgia would not be destroyed. Especially motivated by the treachery
of wicked princes who, as in the beginning, through jealousy and
hatred, ruined the entire Armenian people, they gave the poison
[to be administered] to an Armenian man named Amnadin, promising
him great gifts.
The impious, blood-thirsty Cain loved
treachery and the Chalcedonian people more than the pious, benevolent,
orthodox and true believers. He administered the poison unexpectedly
at dinner. [Beshk'en] realized what had happened and sought an
antidote, but it did no good. His soul passed to the angels. He
was taken and buried with his father Smbat and his brother Step'annos,
bishop of the blessed congregation of Tat'ew, [men] who had died
in Georgia, fleeing from foreigners. [99] [His death caused] great
mourning for the entire Armenian people and [g118] disappointment,
for [he had resembled] a small cluster of grapes among the grapes,
and a star in the black night and an asylum for all Christian
peoples. He was survived by a brother named Shah, nourished and
educated among the gastromaniacal (orovaynamol) Georgian
people. He was weak and not solicitous about his patrimonial district.
In addition [Beshk'en] left a little son of about ten years. May
his memory be blessed and may Christ God forgive his sins, for
like Abel, he died and was martyred by treacherous, false brothers.
[Beshk'en's] princes avenged themselves
on the impious Amnad[in], cutting off his feet and fingers. But
they were unable to make the Poisoner who snatched our prince
from life confess. Merciful God spared him for a year. But in
the second year, 888 A.E. [1439], His righteous judgement was
put into motion: the loathsome, blood-thirsty king was struck
with the bitter blows of leprosy/venereal disease such that each
day he died but was revived, groaning "Alas!" and "Woe!".
He assembled hakim and doctor but the severe pain grew
stronger. Again in 889 A.E. [1440] the Creator God was angered
at our people, the wicked king and their land. For [100] the king
of Tabriz, the tyrant-prince named Jihanshah, assembled troops,
formed divisions, gathered [g119] the wicked director of Ardabil,
all the qadis and mudarris and came against Georgia.
He sent ambassadors many times for [the king] to come to him in
obedience and to pay the customary tax But [Alexander] did not
want to; rather, he replied in harsh words.
Enraged, [Jihanshah] came with a countless
host of troops suddenly and unexpectedly on great Easter day.
Those who fell into their hands were enslaved and the grandees
were killed. He besieged the city of Shamshulde. By Pentecost,
the day of the Coming of the Holy Spirit, they had captured Shamshulde
through deceit and the fear [of the besieged citizens]. And they
built a minaret of 1,664 human heads at the gate of the city,
and they took captive 9,400 [folk] to say nothing of those ravished
in forests and thickets. Sixty blessed men, senior priests, monks
and princes were sacrificed like sheep at the city gate; some
had their heads quartered; some crushed, some were killed [even]
after apostasizing. May God have mercy on them for their sin of
[filling] [holy] basins with pure blood.
Here one could see the calamitous tribulation
of the [101] Christian band. For taking heart, the valiant and
brave professed Christ the true God with great clamor [g120] in
the midst of the satanic multitude. Their faces shone, resembling
the faces of angels, like unto saint Stephen the proto-martyr.
Who can relate the sorrowful tribulations and racking anguish
of the miserable Haykazean [Armenian] people. Only their creator,
God the Fashioner and Creator can know that. For father cried
to son: "Vay, my son"! while son cried to father in
sobbing supplication: "Woe is me, father"! Mother looked
at daughter and her tears coursed down like a river. And the country
and entire land filled up with captives, weeping, mourning, sobbing,
especially the center of our patrimonial district, for everyone
had fled there, and encountered such trials and ambushes.
The whole world to Egypt, Khurasan,
Baghdad and Tachkastan split apart with the lamentations of sending
for and purchasing slaves at a heavy price. [The infidels] boasted
of our destruction and exclaimed in a loud voice: "Where
is Christ their God? Let Him come and save His believers".
Oh woe and alas, a thousand times over, for today we observed
the day of cruel sin, the Day of Judgement in our city. All the
[g121] captives were sold for 1000 t'anks. And we had fallen
into such penury, all people, city and village, monastery and
[102] farm (agarak) that one city and one village was unable
to buy a single captive because of the bitter tribulations of
poverty. Rather, mourning and lamenting with heart-rending bitterness
and lachrymose sobs do we weep and lament our loss. For innocent
clerics bought with the blood of Christ [and] the people, blessed
lambs and pure brides, betrayed to the infidels, were lost completely.
And there was no one to help, to come to [their] aid.
From here they went on to Tiflis p'aytakaran
city, and demolished to the foundations all of the old and new
churches built by the first kings. They hurled down the symbol
of the Lord, swarming over churches with unsheathed swords, with
frightful shouting and thundering, to the point that all the mountaineers
and plainsmen chilled and trembled out of terror and dread of
them. Sword in hand, brave, coward, and commander took to forests,
thickets and caves. Having removed their women and children for
many days they took captives. And that cowardly, gastromaniacal,
drunken, lapathum-eating [lapastakaker "eater of lapathum",
a purgative plant.] Georgian nation, which continually sat intoxicated,
boasting [g121] that they would vanquish all peoples, were unable
to pierce by arrow even one man. Instead, spying some of them
in a grove they would stealthily [103] say to one another in terror
and trembling: "Behold, the Turkmens! Behold, the Turkmens"!
And behold, having themselves escaped by a hairsbreadth, they
betrayed their sons into the infidels' hands. Furthermore we [Armenians],
always placing hopes on the Georgians and boasting of them among
the infidels were thereafter disappointed and confounded in the
infidels' presence. The words of the prophet were fulfilled: "Cursed
is the man who places his hopes on man", and "Trust
not the prince, for that is not salvation". Nor was there
anyone to help us besides Lord Jesus Christ Who by crucifixion
and torture gave His life for the holy Church.
All of this descended upon us because
of our sins, especially because of the swearing of the foul-mouthed,
because of lazy, prayerlessness and the hatred and lack of love
manifested toward all, and the incorrigible priesthood.
The filthy tyrant again summoned the wicked leaders of his faith and asked: "Were there any besides our first kings who worked such good deeds and bravery"? They responded: "You are more worthy of honor and glory than the Prophet [g123] (p'eghamber)". And the loathsome shaykh of Ardabil said: "God pardons whatever crimes you have committed for the next seven years; whatever crimes you commit He will forgive. [104] But let me give you some advice. If they curse our leader, calling him bald and k'ash/ch'/al (?), place tax and kharadj over all Christians such that they will apostasize Jesus Christ and adopt our faith". They levied kharadj and enormous taxes on all peoples so that through numerous harassments they turn from our faith. May Lord Jesus quickly do away with them and judge directly between us and them who totally destroyed His people. For in 800 of the Armenian Era [Shahnazarean notes (p. 124 n.47) that 800 A.E. [1351] is in error.] there will come aid and they will be destroyed like Gog, Magog, Hrap'sak , Sennecherim and all the evil kings of the world. For whoever strikes against the rock of Christ will be crushed in this world and in the next, with his family and entire people. And he shall lift up the horn of the kings of Christ with the intercession of the blessed Mother of God and of all the heavenly and earthly saints, especially of the new and select martyrs, the brave, valliant pitiful citizens of Shamshulde who were drowned in martyrs' blood. [g124] Through their intercession and good wishes may Lord Jesus forgive us, our parents, relatives and the entire Armenian people, clerics, laymen, and all Christians. [g125]