The Ishmaelites war with the Iranians
and destroy their lordship. The death of Yazkert. The Mark' and
the Armenians enter the service of the Hagarenes. Constans comes
to Armenia. The Ishmaelites prepare [to fight] with the Byzantines.
Regarding Nerses, kat'oghikos of Armenia
In the twentieth year of king Yazkert
of Iran [652], in the eleventh year of emperor Constans (who was
called Constantine after his father), in the nineteenth year of
the lordship of the Ishmaelites, the Ishmaelite army which was
in the country of Iran and Xuzhastan went eastward to the area
known as the Palhaw country (which is the land of the Parthians)
against Yazkert, king of Iran. Yazkert fled from them, but was
unable to escape, because [the Arabs] caught up with him close
to the Kushans' borders, and destroyed all of his troops. [Yazkert]
fled to the army of the T'etal(ats') who had come from different
areas to help him. Then there was the Marats' prince, about whom
I spoke earlier. He had gone to the east to their king, rebelled,
fortifying himself in one place, requested an oath from the Ishmaelites,
and went to the desert to serve the Ishmaelites. Now the T'etalats'
troops seized Yazkert and killed him. He had reigned for twenty
years. And so ended the lordship of the Iranians and [158] the
House of Sasan, which had ruled for 642 years.
When the king of the Ishmaelites saw
the success of these victories, and that he had done away with
the kingdom of Iran, [he became confident], and when three years
of the peace provision had passed, [the Arab caliph] no longer
wanted to continue the peace with the Byzantine emperor. So he
ordered his troops to commence warfare on land and sea, to do
away with this kingdom as well, in the twelveth year of the reign
of Constans. [g137]
In the same year the Armenians rebelled,
withdrawing from the Byzantine empire, and entering the service
of the Ishmaelite king. T'eodoros, lord of Rshtunik' and all the
princes of Armenia made an oath until death, and an agreement
[lasting] until the grave to break up the divine harmony [between
Armenia and Byzantium]. The Ishmaelite prince spoke with them
as follows: "Let this be an oath of peace between myself
and you [lasting] as many years as you wish I shall not take tribute
[sak] from you for three years after which, by oath, you
may pay what you wish. You may keep 15,000 cavalry In your land.
Provide bread from your land and I shall include it in the royal
tax [? ew hats' ashxarhen tuk', ew
es i sakn ark'uni angarem...].
I shall [159] not demand that the [Armenian] cavalry be sent to
Syria though let it be ready to go and fight wherever else I order
it. I shall send no emirs to [your] fortresses, nor even a single
Arab officer or cavalryman. Let no enemy enter Armenia, but should
the Byzantines come against you, I shall dispatch as large an
auxiliary force as you want. And I swear by God the Great that
I shall not break this vow". Thus did the satellite of the
anti-Christ pull [the Armenians] away from the Byzantines [This
section, unlike the major portion of the book uses hrhomots'
(Romans) instead of yunats' (Greeks) for the Byzantlne
empire.]. For although the emperor wrote them many requests and
entreaties and summoned them, they did not want to listen to him.
Then [the emperor] said: "I shall come to the city of Karin
and you should come to me. For I want to give you stipends in
aid and plan together with you what we should do". Despite
this [the Armenians] did not want to heed him.
All the Byzantine troops complained
and grumbled about the lord of Rshtunik' and about the Armenians
before their emperor about the blows [inflicted] at Mardots'.
They said: "[The Armenians] have allied with the Ishmaelites.
They made us trust them, encouraged the troops to go raiding to
Atrpatakan, then had [the Arabs] attack us unexpectedly [160]
and defeat us. We left everything there Now let us go to Armenia
and get our things".
Then emperor Constans agreed to do the
will of the troops. He took 100,000 of his troops and went to
Armenia. As soon as he reached Derchan, Ishmaelites came before
him [g138] and gave him a letter from their prince which said:
"Armenia is mine, so do not go there. But should you go,
I will deal with you in such a way that you will be unable to
flee". Now emperor Constans said: "That land belongs
to me, and I shall go there. Should you come against me, God will
be the judge of what is just" And he went to the city of
Karin in the twelveth year of his reign and in the twentieth year
of the lordship of the Ishmaelites.
The emperor Constans spent several days
in the city of Karin. The princes and troops from so-called Fourth
Armenia came before him, as did all the troops and princes from
that area who had separated from [the followers of] Rshtunik'.
[Among them] were the Sperats'ik', the Bagratid princes, the Managhayk',
the Daranaghayk', those from the district of Ekegheats', all the
troops from those places, and the Karnats'ik', Tayets'ik' and
Basenats'ik'. Also coming into [Constans'] presence there were
the princes of Vanand with their troops, [161] the Shirakats'ik',
Xorxorhuni, men from the House of Dimak'sen; Mushegh Mamikonean
with his people [hamazgeawk'n iwrovk' handerdz],
certain other princes, troops from the Ayrarat area, the Arhawegheank',
Arhaneank' Varazhnunik', Gnt'unik', Spandunik' and others Kat'oghikos
Nerses had come from Tayk' and visited [the emperor]. All the
princes told the emperor about the plan and desire of rebellion
of the lord of Rshtunik' and about the quick traffic of Ishmaelite
emissaries going to see him. Then the emperor and all of his troops
anathematized the lord of Rhshtunik', removed him from the dignity
of authority and dispatched another man in his place accompanied
by forty men. When they reached [T'eodoros] he had them seized,
bound, sending some to the fortress of Baghesh and others to the
islands in [Lake] Bznunik' [Lake Van]. Then he himself went to
the island of Aght'amar commanding the troops of those areas to
go and secure themselves in their own districts. United with him
were the Iberians, Aghbanians and Siwnets'ik' who, in accordance
with his order, went to their own lands and fortified themselves
there. Now T'eodoros, lord of Vahewunik', seized Arp'a fortress.
His son, Grigor, was the son-in-law of the lord of Rshtunik' [g139].
Varaz Nerseh Dashtkari secured himself out in the open and seized
the treasury, since all the treasures [162] of the land, the Church,
the princes, and merchants were there.
Now as soon as emperor Constans heard about this, he wanted to loot the multitude of the troops and to go and winter in Armenia, in order to destroy the country. But then the kat'oghikos, Mushegh and all the princes prostrated themselves and with great and tearful entreaties asked for clemency so that [Constans] not become totally enraged because of their offenses and destroy the country. The emperor heeded their requests and released the multitude of troops. Then he himself went to Ayrarat with 20,000 troops and to Dwin where he resided in the home of the kat'oghikos. The emperor made Mushegh lord of the Mamikoneans, prince of the Armenian cavalry and dispatched him with 3,000 men to the area of the sep'hakan gund. Likewise, he sent some of his troops to Iberla, Aghbania and Siwnik' to destroy their alliance. Other troops invested the area around the emperor, in the mountains and fields. While for some time they did not want to submit, later on they did go into [imperial] service. However, [those] in Aghbania, Siwnik' and the Sep'hakan Gund [area] did not submit. [Imperial troops] looted their country, taking whatever they found, and then returning to the king. [163]
Now I shall relate a few things about
Armenia's kat'oghikos Nerses. He was originally from the
village of Ishxan in Tayk'. From childhood he was raised on Byzantine
land, had learned the language of the Romans, and circulated about
the land as a member of the military [ew shrcheal
end ashxarhs zawru kargawk' zinuorut'ean].
He had accepted the Council of Chalcedon and the Tome of Leo.
He did not reveal [g140] his plans of impiety to anyone until
he reached [the office of] the episcopacy of the land. Subsequently
he was called to the kat'oghikosal throne. He was
a man of virtuous behavior, of fasts and prayers. But within his
heart was concealed the poison of bitterness: he planned to make
the Armenians accept the Council of Chalcedon, but did not dare
to do anything about it until emperor Constans came and stayed
at the home of the kat'oghikos and on Sunday preached
the Council of Chalcedon in the church of saint Gregory. The mass
was offered in Latin by a Roman priest, and the emperor, the kat'oghikos,
and all the bishops took communion--those who wanted to and those
who did not. Thus did the kat'oghikos shake the
true faith of saint Gregory which all [previous] kat'oghikoi
had held firmly in the holy Church, from [the time of] [164] saint
Gregory to this day. And [Nerses] fouled the limpid, clear waters
of the fountains [a plan] which he had in mind for a long time,
but which he dared not to reveal until that day. But when the
time was right, he worked his will, betraying the bishops one
by one, and disheartening them with terror. [He threatened them]
to the point that all of them carried out the command to commune
under fear of death. [They communed] even more so because [their
mentors], the venerable and most fundamental [bishops] had died.
But a certain bishop silenced and countered the emperor in his
presence. Earlier all the bishops had subscribed with him and
he had cursed the Council of Chalcedon and the Tome of Leo and
rejected communion with Byzantium. This was sealed with the ring
of the kat'oghikos, and the rings of all the bishops
and grandee princes. They gave it to him to keep in the church.
Now when the mass was offered and all the bishops communed, the
bishop whom I mentioned earlier did not commune. Rather he descended
from the bema and was hidden in the crowd.
As soon as the ceremony of communion
was finished, and the emperor entered [his] room, the kat'oghikos
and the Byzantine priest betrayed [the bishop] and made a complaint
about him, saying: "He did not sit on [his] throne and did
[165] not commune with us, regarding us and you unworthy. He left
the bema and concealed himself in the crowd". The
[g141] emperor became angry and ordered two men to go seize him
and bring him to him in the room. [When this was done] the emperor
asked: "Are you a priest"? The bishop replied: "If
God and your glory so will it". The emperor said: "And
who are you that you regard neither me, your king, nor your kat'oghikos
and our father as worthy of communing with you"? The bishop
replied: "I am a sinful, worthless man, and unworthy of communing
with you; however, should God make me worthy of [communing with]
you I would consider that I enjoyed [communion] with Christ at
[His] Table and from His Hands". The emperor retorted: "Enough
of that. Now tell me, is that the kat'oghikos of
Armenia, or not"? The bishop answered: "Indeed, just
as saint Gregory was". The emperor asked: "Do you have
that [respect] for the kat'oghikos"? "Yes",
he said. "Will you take communion with him"? "Just
as with saint Gregory". The emperor asked: "Then why
is it that you did not commune today"? The bishop replied:
"Benevolent king, when we had but seen your image painted
on the wall we were seized with trembling. Behold [how much more
frightening it is] now, to see you face to face and to speak with
you directly. We are ignorant benighted people who know [166]
neither [your] language nor [your] literature. But if we study
first, we shall then master it. May your benevolent command rule
by healing. He [the kat'oghikos] has gone beyond
all the [religious] commands of this land [?bayts' et'e
nax usanimk' ew i veray hasanimk'.
ayl zbarerar hramansd buzhelov ishxe.
Ays ashxarh amenayn kargats' hramank',
yays teghwoys ew i dmane i
durs elane]. Four years ago he convened an assembly
and all the bishops assembled here. He had a document regarding
the faith made. Then he, I, and all the princes sealed this with
our rings. That document is now with him. Order that it be sought
and examined". And he was silent. The emperor realized his
treachery and reprimanded him a great deal in his own language.
The emperor then ordered [the bishop] to go and commune with the
kat'oghikos. As soon as the bishop fulfilled the
emperor's order, he said: "May God bless your benevolent
and pious rule forever, and may you rule over all the seas and
lands with much triumph" The emperor likewise blessed the
bishop, [g142] saying: "May God bless you. You did what befit
your wisdom, and I am thankful".
The emperor hastened to Constantinople
with great urgency, to reach it quickly. He departed in haste.
He made a certain Morianos the prince of Armenia [and gave him]
[167] an Armenian force which was from the area.
Now when emperor Constans left Dwin,
the kat'oqhikos went with him. [The kat'oghikos]
went and stopped in Tayk' and did not return to his place, for
the prince of Rshtunik' and the other princes with him directed
incredible rage at him. Now T'eodoros, lord of Rshtunik', and
his son-in-law, Hamazasp,lord of the Mamikoneans, were lying in
ambush at the island of Aght'amar. He requested troops from the
Ishmaelites and 7,000 men came to his aid. He stationed them at
Aghiovit and Bznunik', then he came and remained with them.
When winter had passed and it was close
to great Easter, the Byzantines fled and went to Tayk', but were
expelled. They were unable to locate themselves anywhere, but
rather fled to the shores of the [Black] sea, destroying the entire
country. They captured the city of Trapizon amassing a great deal
of loot, booty, and captives.
After this, T'eodoros, lord of Rshtunik',
went to the Ishmaelite prince Mu'awiya in Damascus and saw him
with very great gifts. And the Ishmaelite prince gave him clothing
made with gold and silver threads and a veil, after their fashion.
[Mu'awiya] gave [T'eodoros] authority over Armenia, [168] Iberia,
Aghbania, Siwnik', as far as Kapkoh and the Chora Gate, and released
him with honor. [Mu'awiya] stipulated that he should bring that
country into service. The breaking of the peace which had existed
between Constans and Mu'awiya the Ishmaelite prince, took place
in the eleventh year of Constans' reign. The king of the Ishmaelites
ordered that all of his troops assemble in the West and make war
on the Byzantine empire, to take Constantinople and to eliminate
yet another kingdom. [g143]
The letter of the Ishmaelite king to
the Byzantine emperor Constans. The Ishmaelite prince Mu'awiya
comes to Chalcedon and is vanquished by the Lord.
"If you want to spend your life
in peace", he wrote, "abandon that foolish faith which
you learned from childhood. Deny that Jesus and turn to the great
God whom I worship, the God of our father Abraham.
"Send the multitude of your troops
away from you, back to their own places. I shall make you a great
prince in that region. I shall send ostikans to your city,
examine all the treasures, and order them divided into four parts.
[169] Three parts will go to me, one part to you. I will give
you as many troops as you need, and take as tribute as much as
you are able to give Otherwise, how can that Jesus whom you call
Christ--who was unable to save himself from the Jews--possibly
save you from me"? All the troops in the east, in Iran, and
Xuzhastan, in the Indian area, from Aruastan and Egypt assembled
by Mu'awiya, prince of the army, who resided in Damascus. They
readied military vessels at Alexandria and all the coastal cities
and filled the boats with soldiers and [war] machinery. They had
three hundred very large vessels with 1000 very select cavalrymen
in each boat. [Mu'awiya] also ordered that 5,000 light boats be
made. Because of their light weight, he placed few men in them,
100 men per ship so that they swiftly glide over the waves of
the sea surrounding the very large boats. Then [Mu'awiya] dispatched
them across the sea. He took the troops which were with him and
went to Chalcedon. As he approached, all the inhabitants of every
land submitted to him, the shore-dwellers, mountain-dwellers,
and plains-dwellers. Now the multitude of the [g144] Byzantine
troops went and entered Constantinople to guard the city. Meanwhile
the corrupter [Mu'awiya] entered Chalcedon in the 13th year of
Constans. At the shore he had organized many light ships so that
when the heavier boats reached Chalcedon he would quickly go to
their aid [? zi yorzham tsanragoyn nawk'n hasanits'in i K'aghkedovn
na p'ut'anaki hasts'e yawgnakanut'iwn
nots'a]. [The Arabs] [170] had a letter from their
king taken to Constans in the city.
The emperor took the letter and entered
the House of God. He prostrated himself and said: "See, Lord,
how these Hagarenes insult You. Have mercy upon us, Lord, as we
place our hopes in You. Shower them with contempt and avenge Your
Name, Lord. Let them be kept in embarrassed confusion forever
and be destroyed in shame. Let them learn that Your Name is Lord
and You alone are high above every country". [Constans] removed
his crown and his purple robes and donned a hair shirt. He sat
upon ashes and ordered that a fast be proclaimed in Constantinople
after the fashion of Nineveh.
Then behold the large ships arrived
at Chalcedon from the Alexandria area together with all the small
ships and all their equipment. For they had equipped the boats
with engines of war, shooting machines, rock-hurling machines,
archers and slingers [They were designed] so that when they reached
the city wall they would easily be able to go over the wall into
the city, from the summits of the towers. When [the Arabs] were
about two asparez distant from land, the power of dread
of the Lord was revealed. For the Lord [171] made a sign and caused
a violent wind to blow from Heaven. The wind arose, [turned into]
a great storm, stirred the sea from the depths and rose to the
surface creating waves as tall as the crests of lofty mountains.
The wind which howled at them crashed and thundered like a storm
cloud. The abyss gurgled and the towers fell, the machinery was
destroyed, the ships were demolished, and the multitude of [g145]
troops sank into the depths of the sea. The survivors were dispersed
on planks, and being tossed about by the rising and falling of
the waves, were killed. For the sea opened its mouth and swallowed
them, and not a single survivor remained. That day, God with His
arm raised, spared the city because of the prayers of the pious
emperor Constantine. The violence of the wind and the churning
of the sea did not end for six days.
When the Ishmaelites saw the power of
dread of the Lord, their hearts broke. Quitting Chalcedon at night
they returned to their own place. The other army which was stationed
in the Cappadocia area made war on the Byzantine troops. The Byzantines
struck them and they fled to Aruastan, subjecting Fourth Armenia
to looting. When fall had passed and winter was near, the Ishmaelite
army came and [172] encamped at Dwin. It planned to go and put
Iberia to the sword. [The Ishmaelite commander] communicated [with
Iberia] by means of a threatening message which said: "Either
you enter our service, or you leave the country and depart".
But [the Iberians] did not accept this. Rather, they prepared
to resist them in war. The Ishmaelites went against them to make
war and to totally extirpate them.
Now when they were on the road, cold
and winter's snow fell on them. As a result, they hastily departed
for Asorestan, and did not work injustice in Armenia.
Then the princes of Armenia who were
in the Byzantine and the Arab sections, Hamazasp and Mushegh and
all the others came together in one place and united, making peace
with each other so that the sword and bloodshed not appear in
their midst, so that they pass the winter in peace, and spare
the shinakans [peasants]. For the lord of Rshtunik' had
fallen ill and had gone to the island of Aght'amar, and was unable
to go out or to think of anything. [The princes] divided [g146]
the country on the basis of the number of cavalrymen each [prince
had], and established taxes in gold and silver.
One could observe there the misfortunes
of doubt similar [173] to the [reactions] of a sick person when
the pain grows severe and he cannot speak. Such things occurred.
For there was nowhere for a man to flee to and hide, nor was he
protected from within. Rather, he resembled someone who had fallen
into the sea and was unable to find a way out.
Now when the lord of Rshtunik' saw this,
he requested troops from the Ishmaelites to strike and persecute
Armenia and to put Iberia to the sword.
The Mark' rebell from the Ishmaelites.
In that year the Mark' rebelled from
Ishmaelite service and killed the Ishmaelite king's prince [in
charge] of taxation. They took refuge in the strongholds of the
land of Mark', the deep forests, the chasms, rocky places, the
troublesome deep valleys which are by the Gaz river and Marats'
mountain; and [they took refuge] in the might of the vigorous
and brave peoples dwelling in them, Deln and Delumn [Abgaryan,
p. 360 n.653 emends this to Geghn and Delamn and
takes it as a reference to the peoples of Gilan and Daylam, by
the southern shores of the Caspian Sea.].
[174] For they were unable to bear the
bitter and harsh service and the weight of the tax which had been
imposed on them. Each year 365 sacks of money were taken from
them. From those who could not pay they took a man for each dram
and eliminated the cavalry and the principality of the land. For
such reasons they placed their lives in the balance and one out
of two thought it better either to die, or to be freed from that
wicked service. They started [g147] to assemble the remaining
people into an army and to organize by brigades so that perhaps
they might escape the dragon's teeth and the bitter breath of
the beast.
Now the multitude of the Ishmaelite
troops saw that their work was not succeeding in the region of
the secure Marats' mountains. For they had not even been able
to subjugate the Ket'rus and Skiwt'eay (which are rivers of Delm)
wth all the multitude [staying] in secure places. Many [Arabs]
lost their lives at the strongholds, falling headlong into the
deep valleys. Many were pierced by arrows in the rough thorn patches,
[arrows] shot by brave, manly warriors. [The Arabs] fled the place
heading north toward the people who dwell by the Caspian Gates.
They reached the Chora pass, crossed it and destroyed all parts
of the land by the foot of the mountain. A small force resisted
them [175] [at a place] called the Gate of the Huns and struck
at them for they were the defenders of the place.
Another army arrived from the T'etalats'
area and the two armies clashed with great violence. The Ishmaelite
army was defeated by the T'etalats' army which struck at them
and put them to the sword. Now the survivors were not able to
flee through the pass since another T'etalats' army had come to
assist the first army. So [the Arabs] headed for the great and
rugged mount Caucasus. Barely going over a side of the mountain,
a few [Arabs] escaped by a hairbreadth, naked, barefoot, on foot,
and wounded. Thus did they go to the Ctesiphon area, to the country
of their habitation. [g148]
Mushegh rebells from the Byzantines and enters the Ishmaelites' service. The battle of the Ishmaelites with the Byzantines at Naxchawan, the destruction of the Byzantines and the destruction of Armenia. Once more the Armenians quit Ishmaelite service and submit to the Byzantines. Hamazasp, lord of the Mamikonean, becomes Curopalate, as a result of which the Ishmaelites kill the hostages. Discord breaks out among the Ishmaelite army and they separate from each other. Their prince Mu'awiya conquers all of them, becomes king, and makes peace among them.
Now Mushegh, lord of the Mamikoneans,
rebelled in the [176] Byzantine area and entered Ishmaelite service.
And in that same year the Ishmaelite army which was in the land
of Armenia seized the entire country from end to end. T'eodoros,
lord of Rshtunik', and all the princes of the land united and
entered [Arab] service, hastening to do their bidding in every
way, for fear of a terrible death hung over them.
In that year the venerable and pious
man Artawazd Dimaksean was betrayed by a jealous brother and delivered
up to the merciless executioner named general Habib, who resided
at Ashnak, Aruch. He put [Artawazd] to a very cruel death.
Now it was extremely cold winter and
the Byzantines were harassing them. But because of the cold, [the
Arabs] were unable to engage them in war. Instead, they arose
unexpectedly, crossed the river, and went and fortified themselves
at Zarehawan. Now when the Byzantines saw this, they did not concern
themselves about them, but rather destroyed the fortress of Dwin,
went to Naxchawan and fought with the fortress so that they might
destroy it too. The general of the Byzantine army was a certain
Mawrianos who was said to be a trustworthy man.
[177] Now when spring arrived, [the
army] was organized and readied to war with the Ishmaelite army.
But Mawrianos, becoming stubborn, thought that he himself would
accomplish the work. The Arabs campaigned against the Byzantines
who [g149] were fighting with the fortress of Naxchawan. They
struck and put them to the sword and put the survivors to flight.
Mawrianos fled to Iberia. The Ishmaelite army turned back and
besieged the city of Karin, battling with it. Since [the inhabitants]
were unable to resist them in war they opened the city gates and
submitted. [The Arabs] entered the city, gathered up the gold,
silver and entire multitude of the city's goods, robbed the entire
country of Armenia, Aghbania, and Siwnik', and denuded all the
churches. As hostages they took the chief princes of the land,
their women, and many sons and daughters.
T'eodoros, lord of the Rshtunik', and
his relatives went along with them and took them to Asorestan.
T'eodoros, lord of Rshtunik' died there. His body was brought
to his own district, and he was buried in the tomb of his fathers.
Hamazasp, lord of the Mamikoneans, son
of Dawit', held authority in the land of Armenia. He was a man
regarded as [178] virtuous by everyone But he was delicate, a
reader and a scholar, not--like his patrimonial family--skilled
and adept at military exercises. He did not enter battle and did
not see the enemy's face. But he began to strive for the bravery
native to his ancestral House, fervently striving to accomplish
an act of bravery as was the wont of his ancestors. He entreated
Heaven to give leadership and triumph to him and to make him brave.
As I said earlier, Nerses, the kat'oghikos
of Armenia, departed with the emperor and went with him to Constantinople
He was received there with honor. They gave him goods and released
him to his place. He went and remained in Tayk' until the lord
of Rshtunik' died and the Arab raids stopped. After six years
of persecution, he returned to his place and was established on
the throne of the kat'oghikosate. [g150] He hastened
to complete the construction of the church which he had built
on the avenue of the city of Vagharshapat.
I have futilely strung together words
into a history, following the lusterless counsel of my own mind,
and not the worthy blessing of knowledge. But I did examine the
order of scholars and confirmed [my account] with the words of
the prophets uttered at the command of the Lord. For although
[179] the former is quickly fulfilled, the latter is fulfilled
for eternity as the Lord said: "Heaven and earth may pass,
but My words will not pass" [Matthew 24. 35]. "For from
My anger fire will be roused, will burn, and descend to the depths
of hell" [Jeremiah 15. 14]. What [the Lord] said about these
people is clear: "They will be burned with fire, and the
bases of their mountains will be disturbed"; speaking about
the tyranny of the grandee princes: "I shall pour out all
types of evil upon them, and exhaust them with my arrows".
For just as arrows fly from the well-curved bow of a strong man
toward the target, so are [the Arabs] who come from the Sinai
desert to destroy the entire world with hunger, the sword, and
great terror. The fact that the fire blazed out in the desert
area was clearly indicated [by the Lord] when He said: ·I
shall set incurable snares upon them, the beasts of the desert
who will drag [their prey] here and there across the earth".
As the prophet Daniel thundered: "The fourth beast is frightful
and awesome and very strong. Its teeth are iron, its claws are
copper; it eats then spits out and stomps on the food" [Daniel
7. 7] and so forth. The final words are: "The day of [180]
their destruction is at hand, and the Lord has come upon them
in His preparation" [Jeremiah 46. 21]. This too will be fulfilled
in its own time.
That same year the Armenians stopped
serving the Ishmaelites and submitted to the Byzantines. Emperor
Constans made Hamazasp, lord of the Mamikoneans, Curopalate, giving
[g151] him a silver throne and authority
over the land of Armenia. He gave honors to the other princes
and treasures to the troops.
When the king of the Ishmaelites saw
that the Armenians had withdrawn from him, he had all of the hostages
who had been taken from the country--some 1775 souls--put to the
sword. Some twenty two [hostages] who were not in the place were
the sole survivors.
Now Mushegh, lord of the Mamikoneans,
was unable to quit Ishmaelite service because four of his sons
were hostages kept by them. The three sons of Hamazasp and one
brother were hostages. However, they sought him and other princes
together with their women, to bring them to Syria. For this reason
[the princes] preferred death to life, withdrew from [181] [Arab]
service and, using speedy travel, submitted to the Byzantine emperor.
United with them were the princes and troops of Aghbania and the
princes of Siwnik' together with their land. Previously they had
been attached to the geographical unit of Atrpatakan [yashxaragirn
Atrpatakani "to the census of Atrpatakan"] until
the Iranian kingdom was ended. When the Ishmaelites ruled, they
were conquered and united with Armenia. [The Arabs] arrested Mushegh
and the other princes who were with him.
The [Arab] king ordered that the other
princes who had been arrested should be set free, however, he
demanded that Mushegh remain with him.
Then God sent discord into the army
of the sons of Ishmael. Their unity dissolved, they clashed with
each other and divided into four parts. One part was in the Indian
area. Another was that army which held Asorestan and the northern
areas. Another was the one in Egypt and in the T'etalats' region.
Another was in the Tachik area and at the place called Askarawn.
They began fighting with each other and destroyed each other with
endless killings. Now the troops who were in Egypt united with
those in the [182] Tachik area and they killed their king and
took the multitude of treasures as loot. [g152] They enthroned
another king and returned to their places.
Now when their prince Mu'awiya, who
was in Asorestan and was second to their king, saw what had happened,
he united his troops and he too went to the desert. He killed
the king whom they enthroned, battling with and severely destroying
the troops in the Tachik area. He then returned to Asorestan in
triumph. Now the army which was in Egypt united with the Byzantine
emperor, made peace and was incorporated. The multitude of the
troops, some 15,000 people, believed in Christ and were baptized.
But the bloodshed of countless multitudes increased and intensified
among the Ishmaelite armies. They engaged in frantic battles and
killed each other. Nor were they able to stop even a bit from
wielding swords, taking captives and intense battles on land and
sea, until Mu'awiya grew strong and conquered all of them. He
subdued them, ruled as king over the property of the sons of Ishmael
and made peace with everyone. [g153]
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