4. Concerning the Last War at Shghp'ay


The king, during the days he remained at Salk'oray, sent emissaries to [Georgi] and wrote to him using pleasant words, for he was demanding from him 3 fortresses with their estates (dastakertok'n) [22] which Georgi had unjustly expropriated from the Curopalate's portion. [Basil] wrote: "Abandon that which is not your patrimonial inheritance, and dwell in peace in your sector, and do not be an impediment on my road toward Persia". [Georgi], however, did not agree to this. But then [Basil] sent Zak'aria the bishop of Vagharshakert, whom we recalled a little earlier, who went and deceived Georgi with convincing words. [Georgi] then consented and wrote to the king giving him what he requested. [Bishop Zak'aria] took the document and joyfully turned back.

But scarcely had [Zak'aria] gone a day's journey when messengers came in haste to the lodging-place where he was spending the night, to demand the letter; for the foolish [Georgi] had regretted his action. They took it and left. Now [Zak'aria] went on to the king and related to him what had occurred. The king inquired about the troops, about their organization and preparedness for war. Zak'aria responded: "[Georgi] has more troops than anyone. He is militarily strong, and ready for battle". When the king heard this, moved to anger he said: "You have come from the rebels to terrify me". And he ordered that [Zak'aria] be strangled in Constantinople, saying: "Go and remain [23] there until I come to you as a fugitive". But he commanded those taking him to cut out his tongue. [Zak'aria] went and never again returned to his place. No, he remained [in Constantinople] until the day of his death. [g36]

After these [events] the king left his camp at Salk'oray and went with his troops to the forward position called Shghp'ay. When the Abxaz [Georgi] learned about this, since they had not yet encamped or secured themselves with a rampart, he attempted the following wily scheme: he sent one of his bishops as an emissary, then he with the troops proceded after the emissary so that coming upon [the Byzantines] unexpectedly, he could put them to flight in terror. Those who arrived riding spirited horses did not proceed in war formation, but rather as if they were out for looting. It was [then] just as it had been in antiquity, in the days of Yovram when the Moabites

having come against Israel were themselves subjected to the sword of bitterness. So now [the Abxazes] encountered the same [fate]. Although they arrived boldly on their horses, they were exhausted from the weight of their iron weapons, and from the rapid and lengthy journey. Immediately and without trouble, [24] the Byzantine troops surrounded them and killed a countless multitude. The survivors, together with their king, fled to the stronghold of Abxazia. The [Byzantine] troops which pursued them [continued] killing until sunset. Then the king ordered that the heads of the slain be gathered together at one spot, and that everyone who brought a head would be given one dahekan. Searching everywhere ("throughout all the borders") they collected the heads of the fallen in one place, before the king. He commanded that [the heads] be made into piles and placed along the road, to shock and terrify the beholders.

After this, when Georgi saw himself stripped of all hope, he beseeched the king to come to terms. Hearing this, [Basil] pitied him, and wrote [to Georgi] an edict having the following import: "Do not think that having vanquished you, I shall demand more from you than previously. Rather, give me the patrimony ("my patrimony") which the Curopalate had given me, [g37] and give me your son as a hostage, and there shall be peace between us". [Georgi] consented to this. [Basil] the king set up princes over the district who divided [it up] tun by tun, village by village, and field by field, just as it had been before. [25] King Basil took the hostages, promising to return them after 3 years. Then he and his troops circulated around Armenia (zHayovk'), camping in the extensive plain of Her. He commanded the troops to cut down the city's orchards. He who was prince of that city beseeched the king that [he permit him ] to be tributary ard subject to him.

While [Basil] was occupied with this proposal--since the entire land of Persia was in terror and quaking and [the people] were seeking some means of salvation-suddenly the sky became thick with clouds,and torrents of rain poured down to earth. Then the bitter north wind blew, turning the rain to hail, snow, and ice, falling heavily and covering the face of the country. This was the time for [such a downfall], since winter had arrived. With the prolongation of the snowstorm and [the continued] severity of the icy cold, herds of horses and mules became numbed and were unable to move. As for the army's infantrymen, the cold caused their fingers and toes to fall off, as if scorched by fire. Furthermore the cords and stakes for the tents could not be moved, since they had become stuck to the ground from the severity of the bitter storm. It seems to me that this was recompense for the merciless [26] sword which they had let loose on the Christians. For although [the Abxazes] were subjected to this [treatment] because of their sins, nonetheless, they should have been pitied, as God had said to the [g38] Babylonians "I gave My people into your hand; you showed them no mercy"[Isaiah 47.6]. Consequently, they were tormented with the bitter cold, not on lofty mountains but on deep and very temperate plains, in full view of their enemies. [Her] was just as Egypt had been in Moses' day--afflicted with hail and drizzling rain--quite out of keeping with the nature of the area. Thus did the barbarians clearly realize that it was the hand of the All-Mighty which was warring with them. Now when this had so transpired, those who had any power and strength left, mounted their horses, together with the king, and crossed over to the Arcrunik' district, forgetting about their belongings, and driven by the cold as if pursued by enemies. When [the inhabitants] of the city [of Her] saw [the Byzantine departure], they suddenly rushed forth and joyfully pounced upon [what had been left], filling up with booty of horses, mules, tents and other stuff which [the Byzantines] had been unable to concern themselves with, being dazed by the cold. Now the king, ridiculed by the looters, [27] clearly realized that the Hand of the Lord had given the Georgians into his hand, as is written in the book of Kings "The mighty does not wax strong by his own might; rather the lord weakens his adversary"[I Kings 2.9]. Then the king and his troops moved on, passing numerous lodging-places, and reached his city of Constantinople. After three years he released the son of the Abxaz [king] with many gifts. He himself grew ill with the pain of death.

However, since [Basil's] brother and co-king Constantine (Kostandin) was in the district of the Nicaeans, the king ordered that messengers be sent so that [Constantine] would come to him speedily. Now those who were commanders (hramanatark'n), although they verbally consented [to the command ], nonetheless concealed the king's order amongst themselves, because [g39] they did not want Constantine to be king. After issuing many commands, the autocrat perceived their guile and he ordered his attendants:"Bring me a horse"! Getting out of bed, [Basil] mounted the horse, and rode outside the palace in view of the city. When many [people] saw this, in dread they went and submerged themselves in dark [underground] chambers. [28] Then the messengers, having picked up Constantine, quickly brought him [to Constantinople]. When the king saw this, he placed the crown of the kingdom on [Constantine's] head and confirmed him as king. He instructed him, as David [had advised] Solomon not to leave alive those who were stirring up the realm and those who had not wanted him to rule over them. But not as David, [rather] he should seek other causes [for putting them to death]. Then [Basil] took himself to bed, and grew weak, and after two days, died. He had reigned for 50 years. While he was dying a certain marvellous sign appeared in the heavens. In the evening, as he was breathing his last, a lightning-bolt of fire split the upper Ether and suddenly fell down. Everyone saw it and said that it presaged the king's death.


5. The Reign of Constantine


After Basil, for 4 years his brother Constantine ruled.Because he was a peace-loving and generous [man], he was quiet for the first year of his reign, and the country rested from that great crisis. He [29] confirmed [in office] those princes who were in charge of districts (gawarhakalk') who had been designated by the great Basil. Now there was a certain brave and war-loving [man] named Komianos whom [Constantine's] brother had set up as lord of the district of Vaspurakan. He had displayed extremely great feats of bravery at the Persian [g40] court (? i durhn Parsic', or, "by the Persian border"), and was renowned throughout the entire East. Now on the king's death, [Komianos] devised a bad plan, to become an ally of Georgi and to rule in the East. When the Cappadocian army heard about this, unitedly, unexpectedly, they came against him, cutting the cords of [his] tent and causing it to collapse [on him]. They seized him and his advisors, and placed them in prison in a fortress, and then informed the king. This transpired during the first year of Constantine's reign, which was, according to our calendar, the year 475 (=1026).

Now when the king heard about this, he did not do anything immediately to punish [Komianos], rather, he bided his time for an entire year until other things had occurred (minch'ew k'aj i veray ehas irac'n). [30] Then, at the commencement of the second year, he sent an executioner who came and blinded [Komianos] and the some 8 men who were with him. It is very regrettable ('worthy of repentance") that such an honorable man and one worthy of good remembrances should have fallen into such wicked deeds. For it was [Komianos] who had placed until Byzantine control [the city of] Archesh with its estates.

Now when the second year had come, the king sent to the East a certain eunuch named Nikit, who was to be overseer of the land. He arrived and crossed through the district of Georgia. Through deception he expelled numerous azats of the land from their patrimonies, and sent them to the king's court. Seeing this, in joy, [the king] honored them with very great gifts and princely station (ishxanakan gahu), bestcwing upon each in accordance with his worth villages and awans by signed and sealed documents, as perpetual inheritance. Now at the start of the third year, the eunuch Simovn, who had sway over half the kingdom and was styled in Greek para-koimonemos (parhekimanos), came to the East with numerous troops. Having come, [g41] he crossed the land of Georgia. But he was unable to do anything, since the bad news of the king's death [31] followed. As soon as [Simovn] heard about this, taking the troops he immediately returned to Constantinople.


6. How Romanus Ruled


Basil, [the man] mighty among kings and always victorious in battle, who had trampled underfoot many lands, had not, in his manly feats of bravery, taken a wife and raised a son to be heir to the realm, as is meet for all kings. Following [Basil], his brother, the afore-mentioned Constantine, succeeded him. Like [Basil], he too did not have a son, rather, he had two daughters. He gave Zoe, the senior [daughter] in marriage to Romanus (Romanos), who was one of the officers of the Byzantine army, and [Constantine] enthroned him in his stead. Then dying, he followed [in the way of] all earthly beings.

[Romanus], in the first year of his reign, assembled troops and set out for the area of the Antiochans, wanting to go against the city called Aleppo (Halp), to take and destroy it. He came upon the mountain called Seaw (Black) where he saw a multitude of monks and [32] cenobites who, although possessed of physical bodies were more like incorporeal [beings]. [With respect to dress], they were satisfied with a wrapping or jacket of goat hair, similar to John [the Baptist], but [with this difference, namely] that he had eaten locusts and wild honey, while they, with iron hoes in hand, fatiguingly labored to ready their daily meal from barley seeds. They left to those [g42] who love this world (ashxarhasirac'n) the diverse delicacies, delicious foods and the joy-producing wine supplied by the vine. Having climbed to the mountain's summit, they became conversants with the first prophet (=Moses), and were ever speaking with God.

When the king saw them, he asked of his worthies: "What is this multitude of heretics"? They replied: "They are flocks who pray, always asking for peace for the world, and for your health". The king returned: "I do not need their prayers. Record all the monks as bowmen for service in my realm". For [Romanus] greatly approved of the declaration of Chalcedon, and hated all orthodox believers. He took the Syrian bishop to Conntantirlople, subjecting him to ridicule and ignominy. He ordered that his beard [33] be shorn off, and that he be led around the squares and streets seated on an ass, to be spat upon. Later he ordered [the bishop] taken into exile, where he died. The king was just such a fool. he did not think about how previous kings had displayed concern toward those peoples under their sway. Instead, with a capricious order he wanted to introduce changes into God's churches, not remembering the Lord's unerring command: "And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one, it will crush him"[Matthew 21.44]. Consequently, the righteous verdicts cf God quickly came upon him. For on the [g43] very road [which Romanus] was travelling, an army of Taciks arose. [This army, comprising] not more than 800 or 1000 men, pounced upon the numberless (biwrawor) [Byzantine] hosts. They killed an inestimable number [of men], took as booty the treasures of the king and his soldiers, and returned to their city.

Now with great indignities the king took to flight, racing to his capital city. Then, humiliated by his grievous impiety, he managed to recall the words of the Song of David: "It is better to take refuge in the lord and the saints' prayers than to put confidence in princes and plentiful treasures"[Psalms 117.9]. For in no way can they be of help on the day of wrath. [34] From that [defeat] onward until the day of his death, [Romanus] never again ventured forth from the royal city.


7. The Taking of the City of Edessa



[The man] who had been prince of the city [of Edessa], whom [the inhabitants] called emir (amiray) and who had inherited that place from his forebears, died without leaving an heir. Now his wife passionately loved one of her servants named Salamay, and set him up as lord of the city in place of her husband.

[Salamay], afraid that the chief [men] of the city would not obey him, sent one of his loyal servants to Maneak who at that time held sway over the borders of the Byzantine district and resided in the city called Samusat (which they say was built by Sampson). [Salamay] had done this so that [Maneak] would inform the king to give [Salamay] princedom and eternal inheritance in the Byantines' land [confirmed] by writ and the royal seal. "And", [Salamay] said, "I shall give him the city, without warfare". [g44] [35] When king Romanus heard this, he wrote [to Salamay] a document of consent, making him an ant'ipatos patrician, and subsequently exalting him with great and prominent honor.

Now the citizens [of Edessa], as soon as they heard the sound of clamor and the blare of trumpets, dismayed and full of trepidation came forth, terrified and agitated, crowded one on the other as waves of the sea. When they were unable to discern any way out, those who were Muslims(mahmetakan orinok'n sovorealk'), departed during the night and hurried to a nearby city where they informed [the people] about the unexpected emergency which had developed. As soon as they (=the Byzantines) heard what had happened, an order was given and a multitude of troops assembled at one spot. They came against the city, breached its wall and entered, causing great destruction. Thus many citizens went and secured themselves in the cathedral, others [took refuge] in secure places or towers. Now the beseigers destroyed many places with the flame and even set fire to the blessed cathedral itself. They opened the treasuries of that house of holiness, which former kings of Armenia had provided with vessels suitable for a temple of the Lord, [36] and removing everything in great haste, they returned to their places. From that day forth (ew yaynm ore ew aysr) the city [of Edessa] fell into the hands of the Byzantines.


8. The Death of Romanus


Now as for the king, in no wise is he worthy of good remembrances. On holy Thursday he left the palace to give an address to his troops, and [spent] until noontime giving royal gifts (zark'unatur pargewsn) in accordance with [his] authority. When he had completed this matter, he commanded that a golden [g45] pool be filled with water for him to bathe in. As soon as he entered that golden basin filled with warm water, attendants seized him by the hair of his head and submerged him under water until he gave up the ghost. The queen had supported this. [Romanus] reigned for seven years.


9. The Reign of Michael


In his prophecy, Daniel saw an apparition whose [37] head was of gold, whose shoulders and arms were silver, and whose back and sides were copper. That was in the past. Now [the apparition] possessing legs and feet of iron mixed with crockery is the Byzantine kingdom. For they did not [follow the ways] of other peoples whereby the king's son succeeds his father. He who holds sway [having inherited it] from his fathers and grand-fathers is iron; but he who comes from the outside, not belonging to the royal clan, such a one is crockery. This(=non patrilineal inheritance) is quite frequent among [the Byzantines], as indeed we shall see [in the case] of the present monarch. [Michael] was neither from the royal clan, nor the son of a king, nor did he have the authority of a prominent officer [of the army]; rather he was an insignificant palace functionary (annshan i palatin pashtoneic'). Now the queen lusted after him with a prostitute's diseased passion, and had had her own husband drowned on [Michael's] account. They say that he was one of the murderers. After completing this satanic deed, the queen ordered that the chiefs of the city be summoned to her. She showed [them] the deceased king['s body] and claimed that he had died accidentally. Shortly thereafter, she brought forth this Michael (Mixail), enthroned and married him--at which the matter became [38] clear to all. Since [Michael] had numerous relatives [g46] and brothers, he placed the supreme authority in their hands. One of his brothers he made a magister giving him Thessalonica (T'esaghonikn), and entrusting him wlth the concerns of the Bulgars and the western parts; one [brother] he styled demeslikos (? domesticos) and sent him to the great Antioch, entrusting him with the concerns of Tachkastan and the southern region; while the third brother who was a eunuch and a monk named Orht'anorhos, [Michael] set up in the royal city of Constantinople, making him a sugkletikos (sinklitos), and entrusting him with all the concerns and rights of the palace.

[Michael] himself was wickedly afflicted by a dew, even while he went to the churches and the resting-places of the saints. However, I do not know whether this [affliction] was vengeance for the death of Romanus, who died unjustly, or whether [Michael] was naturally possessed. They say that there were other causes, that because the kingdom was not properly his, he would go to the city of the Thessalonicans to a certain woman witch (kaxard) giving himself in service to the father of all evil, just as in ancient times, in the time of Basil (Barsegh) they say, a youth [39] had done [similar] things by means of a witch. [And they say] that though a demon of prostitution he had inflamed the queen with love for himself, and that she had set him up as king of the lands. Now after this deed had been done, [Michael] in accordance with royal custom was obliged to go to church on the Lord's feast-days. But the wicked dew was unable to abide this, thinking that [Michael] was rebelling from him. People who say this confirm it [by the fact that] the king was in Thessalonica frequently, probably with the witch. In any case, until his death, [the demon] which tormented [Michael] did not leave him. [g47]

During [Michael's] reign, a great destruction of the Byzantine troops occured in the fortified city (berdak'aghak'n) named Berkri. [This city] which is on the territory of the Arcrunik' land (i vicaki Arcruneac' ashxarhin) had, together with its estates, long since been ravished by the Persians, who controlled it. The district chief (gawarhapetn) of Vaspurakan, a certain Kawasilas, came [against the city] with numerous troops, took it, and established there cavalry brigades (gunds) to guard the city. Then a certain other individual replaced [Kawasilas], took the troops and went to a very distant place called Arcak, on account [40] of the abundance of victuals and other things needed by the cavalry [to be found there]. Now the lord of the city who was named Xtrik, being shut up in the fortress, informed the chiefs of the land of Persia, and they, quickly spreading the word around, assembled in one place, came against the city, investing it with a rampart. The Byzantine troops, benumbed by wine and by their licentious activities, were unable to take care of themselves. Furthermore the protector of Israel deprived them of His aid. [The Persians] killed with the sword some 24,000 men. This [disaster] oocurred not because of the righteousness of the Persians, but because of the impiety of our [Christian] troops which caused the sword of bitterness to be lifted up [for it is] just as the Lord said: "The wicked shall be destroyed wickedly"[Matthew 21.41]. Ncw those troops which were at Arcak did not arrive to help them [in Berkri]. Then the Persian troops, taking the loot and booty of the slain, went off to their own land. En route, at a lodging-place, since [the Persians] had many captives with them, Xtrik ordered that the ground be dug down to a depth of the human body (est anjin p'orel zerkir), and that the captives be slaughtered over that ditch until it was full. Then [Xtrik] got in [41] and bathed in the blood of the slain, to calm his wrathful heart. [g48].



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