Now when the Iranian king observed the
flight of people from the emperor, he sent to Armenia the [46]
Vaspurakan hamarakar with much treasure, and very
great honors to subdue [the princes] with it and to draw them
into his service. The hamarakar went to Armenia with treasure
loaded onto numerous camels.
Samuel Vahewuni with other comrades
went against him, encountering him at the borders of the land
of Atrpatakan. They took the treasure [but] granted the hamarakar
his life. [The princes were]:
Atat Xorhxorhuni,
Samuel Vahewuni,
Mamak Mamikonean,
Step'annos Siwni,
Kotit, ter of the Amatunik',
T'eodos Trpatuni,
and about 2,000 cavalrymen. They were
thinking as follows: "With that treasure we shall make Armenia
our own. With their aid [arheal i nots'ane
awgnut'iwn], we shall wage war with both kings and forcibly
return our country to ourselves". [But] once they reached
the city of Naxchawan, their plan of unity came apart. They did
not believe one another, they divided the treasure, and then encamped
in the swamp called Chahuk. Meanwhile that hamarakar went
to court and informed the king of all that had [47] transpired.
And the emperor's words were vindicated.
King Xosrov ordered that a hrovartak
be written to the emperor, requesting an auxiliary force. He also
dispatched the vaspurakan hamarakar to Armenia.
Then [the emperor] ordered the general Heraclius who was located
in the country [g48] of Armenia to take his troops and go against
[the rebels] in battle. The troops of the two kings united in
the city of Naxchawan. As these troops began to mass, they began
sending messages [to the rebels] saying: "Let there not be
warfare and bloodshed among Christians. Rather, abandon your stuborness
and resign yourselves to serving the king". By oaths they
confirmed that "you have nothing to fear from the king".
The hamarakar also said: "The king of kings sent me
to you; indeed, I brought the treasure for you. You have nothing
to fear from the king of kings". He gave an oath, in accordance
with their custom.
[The Armenian rebels] began to separate
and divide from each other. Mamak Mamigonean, Kotit, ter
of the Amatunik', Step'annos and others withdrew displaying themselves
as innocent to the hamarakar, subduing their troops into
serving the Iranian king. Meanwhile Atat Xorhxorhuni and Samuel
Vahewuni and their troops fled. Going via the town called Sawd,
they reached the land of [Caucasian] Aghbania, resisting the Huns
[hasanein yashxarhn Aghuanits' i Hons dems arareal] [48]
and, after crossing the river called Kur, they encamped on the
riverbank.
[The Huns] also reached the river and
encamped on the opposite side. And as soon as [the rebels realized]
that they could not be safe from the Huns' camp, they requested
an oath from the Byzantine emperor and went into his service.
Some went to the hamarakar and then returned to their own
country. The hamarakar assembled all the princes and troops
of the Iranian sector of Armenia encouraging them all through
persuasion and sweet words. He united them and formed them into
brigades. Leaving few in the land, he departed, saying: "until
I find out about you, and a command comes to halt [minch'ew
es tsanuts'its' ase, vasn dzer, ew hasts'e anti hraman dadarel
and]". For it had entered his mind that others would
come to [the rebels] and that they would multiply.
The emperor summoned Atat Xorhxorhuni
and his troops to quickly come to the palace. He exalted [Atat]
with splendor and honor, gave him numerous goods, and sent him
to Thrace. [g49] [49]
The Armenian princes in the Byzantine
sector rebell; the war; the deaths of some in battle and the decapitation
of two [rebels].
Once again the Vahewunik' sepuhs
in the Byzantine sector --Samuel whom I mentioned above, and Sargis
and Varaz Nerseh and Nerses and Vstam and T'eodoros Trpatuni--rebelled.
They planned to kill the [Byzantine] curator while he was seated
in hot springs to cure an illness, close to the city of Karin.
But [the latter] was informed somehow and fled to the city. Thus,
when they invaded the bath, they did not encounter him. Then [the
rebels] looted whatever they found, taking a great deal of booty,
and departed to the secure Korduats' country. They wanted to have
the stronghold there.
Now the Byzantine forces with general
Heraclius and Hamazasp Mamikonean pursued them. [The rebels] approached
the stronghold, crossing by bridge the river called Jermay (which
is styled Daniel's bridge). They cut down the bridge and fortified
themselves in a pass where they held the site of the bridge. [The
Byzantines] were on the [opposite] riverbank wondering what to
do. Because they were unable to find a ford, they wanted to depart.
But unexpectedly, [50] a traveling priest [erets' mi ughewor]
strayed into their midst. They seized him and said: "If you
do not show us the river's ford, we will kill you". [The
traveller] took the forces and showed them the ford [at a place]
below where they were. All the troops crossed the river. Some
of them held [watch over] the stronghold, others the bridge-head.
[Some] held the mouth of the valley, others entered the stronghold
and battled with them. The devastation was enormous, and [the
rebels] were worn out.
Killed in the battle were Nerses, Vstam
and Samuel who killed quite a few [warriors] around them in fight.
[g50] But Sargis and Varaz Nerseh were arrested along with some
others. They were taken to the city of Karin and later beheaded.
When they were about to be beheaded, Varaz Nerseh said to Sargis:
"Let's cast lots to see whom they kill first". But Sargis
replied: "I am an old, blame-worthy man. I beg you,
grant me this little respite, that I not see your death".
So they beheaded him first. Now T'eodoros Trpatuni fled to the
court of the Iranian king, for refuge. But [the king] ordered
him bound and delivered into the hands of his enemies to be put
to death. And [51] [the king] visited severe misfortunes upon
him.
The enemies who were in the Thrace area,
having looted the kingdom by means of quick wars conducted by
a countless multitude of troops, [now] wanted to destroy the kingdom
and people of the lordship of the Romans, and to actually rule
over the royal city itself.
The emperor's order to assemble his
Eastern forces and those of Armenia to cross the sea and mass
in Thrace, against the enemy. The selection of Mushegh as their
commander. The victory, vanquishment, seizure, and killing of
Mushegh.
The Byzantine emperor gave a command
to assemble all of his forces which were in the Eastern area,
for it was peacetime and he had no difficulties with Syria, from
the Iranian lordship. He ordered that all [the troops] be taken
across the sea and assembled against the enemy in the Thracian
area. He also commanded the entire cavalry of Armenia, and the
princes of the naxarars [zamenavn ayr ew
dzi i Hayastaneats' ew zishxans
naxarats'n] who were skilled and able to resist
and fight in a spear-throwing battle. Again [Maurice] ordered
that very many troops be raised [52] from the land of Armenia
a second time all of choice age and determination [zamenesean
kamov ew entrov hasaki]; [that they]
be organized into decorated [g51] brigades, [kazmel gunds
zards] armed, and transported to the land of Thrace against
the enemy. Mushegh Mamikonean was their commander.
Now they went against the peoples who
hold the area west of the great Danube river. A fierce battle
took place in that country. The enemies' strength was shattered
before the Byzantine forces, and they fled to the other side of
the river. With great victory they quickly dispatched to the emperor
a messenger with the glad tidings and all supplications [The translation
is uncertain: hreshtak awetawor kaysern ew
amenayn paghatayin p'ut'anaki
arhak'ein].
Then they went to an area below where
they were, raiding. They crossed a narrow place, laying waste
the entire country. Coming opposite [to the Byzantine army], [the
enemy] waged a great battle, striking at the Byzantines, destroying
them with great slaughter and driving them in front of themselves,
as fugitives. [But] the enemy had [53] seized a narrow pass before
them and so put [the Byzantines] to the sword. [The Byzantines]
were barely able to save their lives in the strongholds of the
land of Thrace. [The enemy] had arrested Mushegh Mamikonean, bound
him to a tall tree in the forest, and killed him. On that day
a multitude of the naxarars and troops of Armenia were
killed.
Yet another time did the emperor order
other troops called up, telling them only "Look out for yourselves".
Emperor Maurice's order to preach the
[acceptance of the] Council of Chalcedon in Armenia; the division
of the patriarchal throne.
Once again the emperor issued an order,
this time to preach [acceptance of] the Council of Chalcedon in
all churches of the country of Armenia, and to celebrate communion
with his troops. Now the clergy of the churches of Armenia they
treated as fugitives going to a foreign [g52] country. But many
disregarded the order and remained where they were, not budging.
Many Apostolics [ew bazumk'...arinawork'],
however, [54] out of the love of ambition, united [with the Byzantines]
in communion. Then the kat'oghikosal Throne was
divided into two parts. One [of the kat'oghikoi]
was named Movses; the other, Yovhan. Movses was in the Iranian
sector; Yovhan was in the Byzantine [sector].
Yovhan communed with [the Byzantines]
but Movses was in no way close to them. The vessels of the entire
Church which had been at [the church of] saint Gregory in Dwin,
were taken and placed in a repository in the city of Karin. But
[Yovhan] himself was later taken into captivity to Ahmatan shahastan
in the country of the Iranians.
Again the emperor's command to assemble
the Armenian cavalry. The troops of Sahak Mamikonean and Smbat
Bagratuni are taken. Smbat returns to Armenia. The Armenian naxarars'
plan. Smbat goes to the emperor with seven men. [Smbat] falls
into circus [combat]. Smbat's bravery there. His liberation, and
exile to Africa.
In that period, once again a command
issued from the emperor to seek and demand 2,000 select armed
cavalrymen from the land of Armenia, to entrust them to two faithful
[commanders] and to dispatch them with all possible haste.
[55] So 2,000 armed men were selected
and entrusted to two faithful men: 1,000 to Sahak Mamikonean,
and 1,000 to Manuel's son, Smbat Bagratuni. But they did not go
by the same road. Rather, they sent Sahak Mamikonean with 1,000
[men] by way of Sebastia; and Smbat Bagratuni with the other [1,000
soldiers] via the Xaghteats' area. Sahak took [his] troops to
the palace, to the king's presence.
Smbat, however, upon reaching Xaghtik',
became his own man. For enroute the force became frightened and
did not [g53] want to go [to Thrace] in accord with the emperor's
request. The emperor was informed about the events. By means of
hrovartaks and trustworthy emissaries [the emperor] promised
[Smbat] with an oath that he would send him back to his own country
with great honor, and quickly. He promised the troops very great
honors and goods, and thus did he coax them to a reconciliation.
[Smbat's army] went united before the emperor. The emperor armed
the troops, decorated them, and sent them to the borders of Thrace.
He sent Smbat back to their country [yerkirn iwreants']
with great honor and many goods.
[56] Once again the remaining naxarars
of Armenia started to unite, seeking to stop serving the Byzantine
emperor. They also wanted to enthrone their own king so that they
too not go to Thrace to die, but rather [they planned] to stay
where they were and die upon their own land. But there was disunity
in their councils regarding what they established. And some of
them went as informers taking the story to the emperor's ears.
Then [the rebels] dispersed here and there eluding [the Byzantine
forces].
In that period imperial ambassadors arrived with edicts [hrovartakawk']. They seized Smbat and seven other men and took them before the emperor. Investigating them in front of the multitudinous public, the verdict was passed [ew k'nneal znosa i mej bazmambox hraparakin, hataw vchirh i veray nots'a] that [Smbat] be stripped and thrown into the circus [i kiwnikn]. [Smbat] possessed a gigantic size; he was handsome, tall of stature, broad-shouldered and [hard] in body as a fist, or the ground. He then was [57] mighty and martial and had displayed his bravery and force in numerous wars. Such was his strength that [once] when riding on a large and powerful horse, passing through a dense forest of pines and [other] strong tress, Smbat] seized a branch of the tree, energetically wrapped his torso and legs around the horse's middle and lifted [the horse] bodily from the ground. When all the troops saw this they were awestruck with wonder.[g54]
So they stripped [Smbat], dressed him
in trousers and threw him into the circus to be eaten by the beasts.
They released a bear on him. As soon as the bear was opposite
him, [Smbat] shouted in a great voice, attacked the bear, punched
its forehead with his fist and killed it on the spot. Second,
they released a bull on him. [Smbat] seized the bull by the horns,
shouted powerfully and, [when] the bull wearied of the fight,
[Smbat] wrenched its neck and crushed both horns on [the bull's]
head. The bull weakened, and drawing back, took to flight. But
[Smbat] ran after the bull and seized it by its tail and worked
on the hoof of one of its legs. The hoof came off in his hand,
and the bull fled from him, lacking a hoof on one leg. The third
time, they released a lion on him. When the lion was attacking
him, [Smbat] was aided by the Lord, for [58] he seized the lion
by the ear and jumped astride it. Seizing the throat, he choked
and killed the lion. Then the clamor of the vast mob filled the
place, and they sought the emperor's mercy on [Smbat].
Tired from the combat, [Smbat] sat on
the dead lion to rest a little. The emperor's wife threw herself
at [the emperor's] feet, requesting mercy for him. For previously
the man had been dear to the emperor and to his wife and [the
emperor] had styled him his adopted son. [The emperor] was astounded
by the man's strength and endurance; and when he heard the entreaties
of his wife and all the palace, he ordered that [Smbat] be pardoned.
Then they took him to the bath for washing. They washed and clothed him, invited him to dine at court, and revived him with food. After a short time, not because of any evil will of the emperor, but from the slander of envious people, [the emperor] ordered [Smbat's men] placed on a boat and exiled to a distant island. From there he ordered that they be taken to Africa with them [i.e., with the Armenians] among them, and [Smbat] among the troops there in camp.[g55]
The summoning by king Xosrov to Asorestan
of those naxarars whom the Hamarakar had left. The
stationing of their troops at Spahan.
As I mentioned above, in the Iranian
sector were naxarars and troops which the Hamarakar
had left there and departed, pending an order from Court.
At that time, peshaspik' arrived
with edicts, summoning them to court all together. The following
are the naxarars and troops which went united to the court
of Xosrov, king of Iran, each [naxarar] with his brigades
and banner, in the sixth year of [Xosrov's] reign:
first, Gagik Mamikonean, Manuel's son,
second, Pap Bagratuni, son of aspet Ashot,
third, Xosrov, lord of the Vahewunik',
fourth, Vardan Artsruni,
fifth, Mamak Mamikonean
sixth, Step'annos Siwni,
seventh, Kitit, lord of the Amatunik'
and others of the naxarars among
them. They reached Asorestan where the royal house was, and went
before the king. [The latter] received them with delight, exalting
them [60] with noteworthy, lavish honors. He ordered the grandee
princes to be kept at court, that court stipends be arranged for
them, a dwelling place for each [kargel nots'a
rochiks vark'unust tal i tuns
iwrak'anch'iwr],and that they be summoned
daily to dine at court. [Xosrov] ordered that their troops be
stationed in the Spahan land, and he sustained them with affection
and all spontaneity.[g56]
Xosrov judges his uncle Vndo. The killing
of Vndo. Vstam flees to war with Xosrov, and he rules in the Parthian
areas.
In this period king Xosrov took it into
his head to seek vengeance from those naxarars who had
slain his father. First he wanted to judge his mother's brother.
He gave the order to arrest that Vndo, about whom I spoke earlier,
to bind and kill him. However, [Vndo's] brother Vstam was not
at court then. Although [Xosrov] summoned him with entreaties
and many persuasive words, so that [Vstam] would not find out
about his brother's death, nonetheless, he learned about it somehow.
Thus he did not fall into [Xosrov's] deception; rather, he went
to the secure Gegham country as a rebel, and
[61] subdued all of their troops
to his command.
[Vstam] went raiding in the area of
Rey, looting all the many lands of the kingdom of Iran. Then king
Xosrov took his troops and troops from the emperor, and went against
him. The battle between them occurred in the land of Rey, and
no small feats of bravery were worked by the Armenian troops [hayakoyt
zawrats'n]. When the king saw this, he was even
more amazed.
And when the rebel was unable to resist,
he secured himself in the mountains. Thus each side returned to
its place, neither having triumphed. The rebel Vstam went to the
secure Gegham country whence he went to the Parthian area, to
his own native country of rule [i koghmans Part'ewats'i
bun erkirn iwroy ishxanut'ean], so
that the troops there submit to him, [g57] then [he planned ]
to return.
The king went to Asorestan reaching
his own court residence. The naxarars of Armenia were with
him. [62]
Death of the Armenian princes, rebellion
of their troops at Spahan; the destruction of the country, seizure
of the treasure and going to Vstam.
At that time death came to the princes
of Armenia. Gagik Mamikonean and Xosrov, lord of the Vahewunik',
died at court [merhan i drann ark'uni
mahuamb iwreants']. Mamik Mamikonean, who had been
released to Armenia for troops [vasn zawrun] died
a few days after reaching the city of Dwin. Meanwhile, Step'annos
Siwnik' was fighting for the tanuterut'iwn with
his father's brother, Sahak. Sahak wrote a document calling for
[Step'annos'] death which he sealed with [his] ring and of the
House of the bishop, and with the rings of yet other princes of
Siwnik', to remind the king about the danger of their rebellion.
Then the king gave the order to bind Step'annos and to put him
in prison. They beheaded him on Easter day itself, in Easter week.
[The king] sent Kotit to Mrtsuin as an emissary, but commanded
cavalrymen to lie in ambush in the [63] field, and, like bandits,
to attack and kill him on the road. Now when their troops which
were stationed in the Spahan land heard about these events, they
rebelled and devastated the country. They took the court treasury,
which was in the house of the hamarakar [and] which was
amassed from the taxes of that land. Taking the road, they went
to the secure Gegham country. The perozakan troops caught
up with them. Some of them were killed by [the rebels'] swords,
[g58] some fell upon their own swords to avoid being captured.
Some, escaping by a hairbreadth, got away to the secure Gegham
country. But since [the rebels] did not encounter Vstam, they
left for the country of the Parthians, and presented themselves
before him.
Xosrov gives Smbat Bagratuni the marzpanate
of Vrkan [Hyrcania] and greatly exalted him. Smbat improves the
land of Hyrcania through spiritual and political education.
In that period Smbat Bagratuni became
pleasing to king Xosrov's eyes. [Xosrov] gave him the marzpanate
of the country of Hyrcania; made him prince over all of those
areas besides; exalted him yet more with honors and authority;
loaded him with gold and silver; adorned him in gorgeous robes
of honor; gave him the belt and sword which had belonged to his
father Ormazd; assembled [64] under his authority the Iranian
and Armenian troops and ordered him to go to the country of his
sway [hramaye gnal yerkir ishxanut'eann
iwroy].
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