48. Concerning Dawit' the Deceiver.


The end of the world is nigh, and therefore the precursors of the antichrist have multiplied, as the Bible first said: "Close to the end of the world, false christs and false prophets will arise, showing great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect" [Matthew 23, 24].

Now in 699 A.E. [=1250] this is what happened. It was noised about that within the borders of [the district of] Xach'en hail had fallen, and mixed with the hail many fish the size of figs fell to the ground. We did not see this [g321] with our own eyes, but there were many to confirm that they were eyewitnesses. Yet another such event they relate resembles a fable. [They say that] on the shores of the Gegham Sea [Lake Sewan] there is an awan named Kot'. In its borders, in a village close to the mountain they found a gigantic man, dead and half-buried, wearing new clothes and new shoes; and by his head was a hole, as though he had been [271] punctured by a spike. On [the wound] was a small amount of cotton. When they removed the cotton, blood gushed from him and when they replaced the cotton, the blood stopped. Even if they put on a new cotton, not his own, the blood would flow until they replaced the old cotton. Many people were gossiping about this, but whether it is true or false, we do not know.

But this [next event] definitely took place. That same year [1250] a certain deceiver arose named Dawit', motivated by the demonic spirit, like the deceivers Judas and Theudas.

There is a village named Tsar by the Sea of Geghark'unik' [Lake Sewan] in the Xach'en area, close by Handaberd fortress where Jermuk is. In Tsar was this man of the poor and indigent, who worked their watermill and fed himself, his wife and children in this way.

One night satan appeared to him in the form of light [g322] and dared to say: "I am Christ and I have come to take you to preach my message. I shall send to you people who will come from all over in need of healing. Boldly put your hand upon them. Take the beam from the olive-press in your village, make a Cross of it and erect it at the doors of the church". [272] And [satan] taught him all kinds of other wily tricks.

So [Dawit'] began to sermonize, saying: "Christ appeared to me and said 'Turn world, and perform healing". Others went to him and started to sing his praises and to call him Dawit' Miaynakeats' (the Cenobite) and Sk'anch'elagorts (the Wonder-Worker). By force they took the beam from the oil-press of his house, fashioned a lofty cross from it and erected the cross at the door of the church. They sacrificed bulls to it and to all the pilgrims who came from all parts they gave portions of the bulls' meat and bones and they also gave shavings of the cross and "holy wafers" made of grains of millet which were in the watermill. For the same satan who encouraged [Dawit'], stirred all the districts to go to the celebrity there--men, women, little children, as well as even priests, azats and all the sick and afflicted.

At first, faking, [Dawit'] took nothing from them. Like unto the antichrist, this is how he preached: "Who am I but a poor and sinful man? Yet Christ had commanded me to preach. Fast on Monday, do not swear, and come, kiss me and your sins shall be forgiven as shall the sins of your people till the seventh generation".[g323]

[273] When someone possessed by a devil came to him, [Dawit'] seized a thick club and struck mercilessly; he trampled on [the afflicted person's] throat and cried: "Out, dog, out, dog! Dawit' Miaynakeats' commands you"! And he would say to the afflicted one: "Behold, feah the affair since they had in mind either that they themselves be enthroned or else to have enthroned Guyuk-Khan's son, whose name was [294] Xocha-Khan. They dared not revel their dissatisfaction at the time, but when Batu had returned to his troops, they began to be rebellious toward Mongke-Khan and to agitate.

When Batu heard of this he ordered many relations killed including grandees among whom a certain great chief named Elch'i-Gada. The latter previously had been ordered by Guyuk-Khan to be general of the T'at'ar army in the east and the land of Armenia in place of Baiju. But while he was on the road in Iran, he received news of the death of Guyuk-Khan. And he stayed where he was to see who would take the throne of the kingdom.

The chiefs of the army in the East rebelled [from Elch'i-Gada] and came to Batu since they did not want the former to rule over them as he was a conceited man. They said: "This man also has rebelled from Mongke-Khan". And [Batu] ordered that [Elch'i-Gada] be sent to him. He was seized and taken in fetters and wickedly killed. [g357]

Then [many people] started coming [to Batu]: kings and royal offspring, princes and merchants, and all who were distressed, who had been deprived of their patrimonies. And [Batu] through just decisions gave to each who came to him his districts, patrimonies and principalities as well as written [295] documents. And no one dared to oppose what he had commanded.

[Batu] had a son named Sartakh whom we mentioned above. He was nourished by Christian dayeaks and when he reached maturity, he believed in Christ and was baptised by the Syrians who had nourished him. He granted many liberties to the Church and to Christians and with the acquiescence of his father he wrote a decree of freedom for the priests and the Cnurch and sent it everywhere threatening death to anyone collecting taxes either from the Church or its servitors, no matter what nationality; [this also applied to] the Tachik mosques and their attendants.

Hence, taking courage, vardapets, bishops, and priests went to him and [Sartakh] received them all with affection and fulfilled their requests. He himself lived piously and religiously, taking a tent-church about on his travels and always performing the divine service.

Among those who went to him was Hasan, the great prince of Xach'en and the Arts'ax region, whom they endearingly called Jalal, a pious religious man and a modest Armenian by nationality. [Sartakh] received [Hasan] with affection and honor as well [g358] as those accompanying him: prince Grigor (customarily called Tghay) who was then an old man, prince Desum a modest lad, [296] vardapet Markos and bishop Grigor.

[Sartakh] took [Hasan] to his father [Batu] who honored him greatly and returned to him his patrimony, Ch'araberd, Akanay, and Karkarhn, which the Turks and Georgians previously had stripped from him. He also received a document guaranteeing freedom for lord Nerses, kat'oghikos of the Aghbanians, for all his properties and goods, that he be free and untaxed and freely travel everywhere in the diocese of his authority and that no one disobey what he said.

Jalal returned to his home joyously, but after some days being harassed by tax collectors and by Arghun, he went to Mongke-Khan.

And Mongke-Khan ruled in the year 700 A.E. [=1251].


56. Concerning the locusts which devoured the land.


In 701 A.E. [=1252] a severe plague of locusts came, so severe that in flight they created a shadow and the light of the sun was reduced. Coming from Iran, they devoured the land of the Armenians, not only the green plants, but the very [297] earth; and they consumed dung. They entered homes from windows and doors, should they happen to be open. [g359] The land was thrown into terror and bread became dear. When wintertime came and snow fell on the ground, the locusts died, and the ground putrified from the smell. But on the arrival of spring in 702 A.E. [=1253] the land blossomed forth with the offspring of the locusts in such density that the ground and rocks of the country were covered, and at evening they piled one atop the other mound-like and commenced eating plants and soil.

People thought about leaving their abodes and going to foreign lands wherever they might find food. But since all the surrounding districts from Spain to Asia to Iran to Mesopotamia had already been eaten through, people were in a quandary as to what to do. They then started to take refuge in the hand and powerful arm of the Almighty, which created life from nothing, and which always cares for them with His pity, for Whom the impossible is possible. With tears and vows they looked to Him to end the scourge in the land.

Now merciful God quickly gave ointment to a bad wound and "the same one who was stricken, him He healed". For there came multitudes of small spotted birds, usually called tarm (flock) because of their numbers. Ranging themselves on the edges, [298] they ate the whole multitude of locusts, to the point that not one could be found. Then one could see all mouths uttering praises of God and all minds were astonished. But this following tale about the birds is worthy of awe.[g360]

They say that in the Iranian area, in a land called K'irman, there is a certain water. Those who go there put it into glass bottles and take it, without looking back. And they do not put the water on the earth, but instead tie the bottles to poles and shake them; and the birds perch there. As many birds as are desired come after this water, and so the birds came after the locusts. However, we believe the whole affair was due to the concern of God, that on account of the sins of the land He allowed the scourge to come and then out of His mercy healed [the land] as He saw fit and gave [this water] as medicine and ointment for the scourge of locusts [which caused] the gobbling up of the multitude of their young.


57. Concerning the census undertaken at the order of Mongke-Khan.


Now in 703 A.E. [=1254] Mongke-Khan and the great general Batu sent an ostikan named Arghun, who [earlier] had been [g361] ordered by Guyuk-Khan to oversee the court taxes levied from [299] subjugated countries. There also was another chief from Batu's house named T'ora-agha, who was sent out with many others under their sway to make a census of all peoples subject to them.

They took this command and went throughout all the lands to complete the work. They also reached the lands of the Armenians, Georgians, Aghbanians and the districts surrounding them. They began recording everyone from age eleven up excepting the women. And they demanded the most severe taxes, more than a man could bear; and people became impoverished. They harassed the people with unbelievable beatings, torments and tortures. Those who hid were seized and killed. Those who were unable to pay the rate had their children taken to pay their debt, for they circulated about with Iranian Muslim attendants.

Furthermore the princes, lords of the districts, became their coworkers in harassing and demanding taxes for their own profit. Nor were they content with just this. Instead, all the artisans (aruestagets) whether in the cities or the villages were taxed. Furthermore fishermen of the seas and lakes, miners and blacksmiths and painters/plasterers [were taxed]. [g362] Is it necessary to explain in detail the level of profit which [300] they extracted from people? And they alone profited. They took all the saltmines, in Koghb and other areas.

They similarly profited greatly from the merchants and heaped up vast quantities of gold, silver, and precious stones. Thus everything became expensive and the lands became filled with lamentation and complaints. Then they left in charge of the lands wicked ostikans who demanded the same amount every year by list and in writing.

But one wealthy rnerchant «as respected by them. He was Umek whom they called Asil, a benevolent man whom we sometimes recalled [above], who lived through the T'at'ars' destruction of the city of Karin together with his sons Yovhannes, Step'anos and his brothers. At this time he was dwelling in the city of Tiflis and was called "father" of the king of the Georgians, Dawit'. He was honored by the Khan in writing and by all the [Mongol) nobility. He gave generous gifts to Arghun and those with him and was much esteemed by them.

However, [the tax collectors] took nothing from the clergy as they had no order from the Khan to do so. The sons of Sarawan, named Shnorhawor and Mkrtich' were also prosperous and wealthy. [g363]



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