293 GA pp. 292, 294: "...When the
news of the coming of the Tat'ars was learned, Iwane took the
cavalry of the Georgian kingdom and came to Gag, to the great
and wise prince Varham [Gageli], son of Plu Zak'are. Taking him
with his own army, he went against the Tat'ars. The mighty and
great Prince Varham took the right wing and Iwane the left...When
the battle was joined, through the influence of Satan, the enemy
of Truth, Hamidawla, the lord of Manasa stable, because of some
grudge, hamstrung the horse of At'abak Iwane. When the
Nation of the Archers saw such dissension amongst them, they grew
stronger and attacked the Georgian cavalry, mercilessly killing
them".
294 KG pp. 236, 241, 250.
295 KG pp. 238-39: "Ew och'
ein karogh zdem unel anhnarin bk'oyn ekeloy, vasn aysorik anjnapah
eghen amenek'ean gayt'akghealk' yamroc's ur ew karac'in. Ew nok'a
sp'rhealk' arh hasarak end eress dashtac', leranc' ew joroc' ibrew
zmarax bazmut'eamb, kam ibrew zanjrew yordut'eamb tegheal i veray
erkri ".
296 KC p. 187; Mur. p. 73.
297 KG p. 241-2: "One of the nobles,
named Molar noyin ,whose lot had fallen over those regions,
while they moved from their abode in the Mughan plain, sent a
small force of about 100 men who came and encamped by the city
of Shamk'or, and blocked the entrance to and exit from it".
This city belonged to Vahram and his son Aghbugha who had taken
it from the Persians. When the residents sent to Vahram for protection
the latter refused and forbade them to resist. "The foreigners'
army increased daily until their commander Molar arrived and fought
against the city. He filled the trench which surrounded the city
walls with wood and stalks, so that they might easily climb onto
the walls. But the people threw fire down at night and burned
the filler. Now in the morning when Molay noyin saw that,
he ordered each of his soldiers to bring a load of soil and to
throw it into the trench. When this was done the area became level
with the walls.
"Then each soldier applied himself
to that part of the city directly in front of him. And they took
it, killed all the inhabitants, burned the buildings and took
whatever they found there. They then fell upon other fortresses
under Vahram's sway: Terunakan, Ergevank', Macnaberd (which belong
to Kiwrike Bagratuni, Aghsartan's son), Gardman, and other regions
[such as] Ch'arenk'. And another chief named Ghataghan noyin
went to Getabak. Now Vahram who was then in Gardman, secretly
fled at night to wherever he was able, meanwhile the army of foreigners
battled with the foretresses. Those inside them unwillingly provided
the Mongols with horses, livestock and whatever else they demanded.
The Mongols placed taxes over them and left them...
"But those who took Shamk'or had
come with all their baggage to Tawush, Kacaret', Norberd, Gag
and the surrounding areas. Placing these regions in great straits,
they beseiged them" (KG p. 242). See also KC pp. 186-87;
Mur. pp. 72-73.
298 KC pp. 188-89; Mur. p. 74.
299 KG pp. 237, 241, 313; GA p. 297.
300 The Armenian and Georgian princes'
submiasion to the [diss. p 175] Mongols is recounted variously
by the different sources. KG's account begins in ch. 26, "Concerning
Prince Awag's Fall into the Hands of the Tatars". Awag, at
the time, was holed up in Kayean fortress where he, and many inhabitants
of the district had sought refuge. "The land filled with
the troops of foreigners... They settled around all sides of the
wall at the base of the fortress and sent messages to Awag to
come out to them obediently in service and not to be afraid. Many
times they sent to him saying the same thing. Now Awag, desiring
to win their approval, gave over to the Tatars his daughter and
many goods, so that perhaps they would lift the seige But they
took his gifts and still more insistently demanded his presence".
The beseiged suffered from thirst. "So they gave over to
the Tatars their horses and all their livestock, so that they
allow some of them to go and bring water for their animals. Undertaking
their plan in a body of many men, they went to the water source
there. The Tatars blocked their path to the water. They killed
no one, but told them to lower down their families and to live
among them. Unwillingly and in grief, they brought down their
families. They drank water and were kept among the Tatars. The
Tatars took the women they wanted and killed their men, leaving
others without their husbands.
"As soon as Awag saw that the Tatars
did not let off besieging or destroying them, he wished to surrender
so that perhaps things would be lighter for the people. So he
sent Grigor called Tghay ["lad"] with flatteries. He
was one of the Xach'en azats, the superintendent of Awag's
home. [Grigor] was sent in advance of Awag, to go and meet with
their leader Chormaghun who had pitched hid tent by the shores
of lake Geghark'unik [Sewan]. When the great noyin Chormaghun
heard this, he was delighted and sent immediately to Itulata,
who was besieging Kayean, to speedily come to him and no longer
harry the inhabitants of the fortress and district. Itulata took
Awag and quickly came to Chormaghun. When Chormaghun saw the prince,
he said to him: 'Are you Awag'? The prince replied: 'I am he'.
The great commander then asked: ·why did you not come quickly
to me when I entered the boundaries of your land·? The prince
responded: 'While you were far away, and my father was living,
he served you with many gifts (pataragok'). As soon as
my father died, I served you according to my capability. And now
that you have come to my land, lo, I have come before you. Do
with me what you will'. [To my knowledge no explanation has as
yet been offered for this curious passage-RGB]... [Chormaghun]
further ordered all of his troops not to fight with the fortresses
and cities under Awag's domination. And great ease came about
in his land and many captives among the azats were freed
becauee of him. And Chormaghun gave him all of his land and more
besides and established unbreakable friendship with him. Taking
Awag and all his troops, Chormaghun marched against the city of
Ani" (KG pp. 255-57).
[diss. p. 176] Awag then visited the
Khan in Qara Qorum. "When he came back to his land and the
commanders implemented the orders of their king, the following
men came to the Tatars in service: Shahnshah, son of Zak'are;
prince Vahram and his son Aghbugha; Hasan called Jalal, prince
of the Xach'en area, and many others. The Tatars gave to each
one control over his lands and for the time being, a pardon"
(KG p. 263).
In ch. 30, Kirakos describes the conquest
of Xach'en, where many people fled to the inaccessible fortress
called Hawaxalac ("Perch"). This fortress was taken
and its people killed. The Mongols also went against prince Hasan
Jalal, the son of the sister of Zak are and Iwane, who holed up
with the population under him in the fortress "which is called
Xoxanaberd in Persian. When the Tatars arrived to seize the fortress,
they saw that it was not possible to take it. So they called Jalal
to them, amicably. And he wisely pleased them. Later, he himself
went to them with many presents. The Tatars honored him and gave
him back his land and other lands besides, and ordered him to
come to them each year for war service, and ingenuously to be
obedient to them" (KG p. 269).
According to VA, following the taking
of Shamk'or by the Mongols, Vahram of Gag and his son Aghbugha
fled from place to place "until they learned that the Tatars
spared those people who voluntarily subordinated themselves to
them. Then they [Vahram and his son] went and received back from
the Tatars those castles and districts they had captured, which
were their sep'akan patrimony (hayrenik'). All of
them were taken: Tawush, Kacaret', Terunakan, Ergevank', Macnaberd
which was [the property] of Asxart'an Kiwrikean, Norberd, [the
property] of the royal (t'agaworazn) Vasak; and the impregnable
fortress K'awazin; the renowned fortress of Gag and the district
built up by king Gagik...Everything was surrendered to them in
a short period without toil or labor. For we knew that it was
the Hand of the Lord, which, before our very eyes, had given over
our land as food for the foreigners" (VA p. 145).
S0: "When the Tatars first came
to this land, our districts fell the lot (bazhin) of Aslan
noyin. Elikum [Orbelean] was holed up with his people in
the impregnable fortress of Hrashkaberd. That Aslan came and circumlocuted
the fortress and realized that it was humanly impossible to take
it. So he encamped opposite the fortress and sent messages to
Elikum, saying: 'Make friends with us; come to us, and you will
find many benefits from us. Otherwise, no matter how long you
sit on your rock, we shall not quit this land. For God has given
us this [land] as patrimony, and when you come forth, it will
be the ruin of you and your tun (House)'.
"When Elikum heard this, he did
not reject the advice, but instead, replying sweetly, he requested
an oath. And he went before [Aslan] with numerous gifts. When
Aslan saw this, he liked Elikum greatly and received him and made
peace" (SO p. 149).
[diss. p. 177] GA: "Thereafter
when the wise princes of Armenia and Georgia realized that God
had given power and victory to [the Mongols] to take our lands,
they then became reconciled, and became obedient to the Tatars
and promised to give the taxes, i.e., the mal and
t'aghar, and to come out to them with their cavalry wherever
they led them. The Tatars, agreeing to this, ceased their killing
and destroying the land, and themselves returned to their place,
the country of Mughan. But they left a chief named Ghara Bugha
to demolish all the fortresses which they had taken. They destroyed
to the foundations the impregnable fortresses built by the Tachiks
at great cost. This all came to pass" (GA p. 297).
KC: "When atabek Iwane's
son, the amirspasalar Awag saw these crimes he sent emissaries
to Partaw, where the above-mentioned noyins had encamped
for the winter. The latter passed the summer in the mountains
of Geghark'unik' and Ayrarat, for at that time, Chormaghun had
taken Ani. Awag sent to them emissaries, seeking reconciliation.
He promised to go to see them, to serve and to pay taxes, for
the preservation of his country; he demanded an oath and assurances.
They were delighted and accepted Awag's emissary with affection
and swore a firm oath.
"When Awag's emiasaries returned
and relayed to him all that happened, spasalar Awag went
to them, having staked his soul for his lands. He went to Chormaghun,
Chaghatai, Baiju and Yusur, who saw and honored him, became intimately
acquainted, and appointed guards for [his] cities. In their Ianguage
these are called shan.
"Awag's land was thus pacified.
When the mandat'urt'-uxuc'es Shahnshah was informed of
the reconciliation between Awag and the Tatars, he too wanted
to keep his country safely, in peace, and unharmed. He told Awag
to notify them that he wanted to go to see the Tatars. The Tatars
were informed and agreed to it with joy, and for this too they
also swore the golden oath of assurance. Shahnshah also went and
saw them. They similarly honored him greatly and returned to him
Ani and the land of his they had taken, in its entirety. Then
they appointed guards for the interior of the country. They received
with honor all the Georgian princes who came [to them] while they
ravaged the lands of the disobedient. When Zak'are's son, Vahram
Gageli was informed of this, he too sought refuge [with the Tatars].
With reconciliation accepted, his lands too were pacified...However
Heret'i and Kaxet'i, Somxit'i and K'art'li and above as far as
the city of Karin (Erzerum) were undergoing bitter destruction...[The
Mongols] enslaved and raided K'art'li, Samc'xe, Javaxet'i and
above as far as Greece (=Rum), Kaxet'i, and Heret'i as far as
Darband.
"Forced to this fate by chastisements,
all the princes of Georgia, the people of Her-Kaxet'i, of K'art'li,
Toreli-Gamrkeli, Sargis T'mogveli an educated and virtuous man,
sought refuge with the Tatars, while the Meschs, for the dignity
of queen Rusudan did not submit". Chaghatai, enraged, invaded
Samc'xe and devastated it. "When there was no strength left,
Iwane C'ixisjvarel-Jaqeli, who was also called Ghvarghvare, appealed
to queen Rusudan, at her agreement, for him also to seek protection
with Chaghatai, to free the country from destruction. He [first
bothered to ask her permission] because he was the mechurchlet-uxuc'es
and the prince of Samc'xe. The queen agree and sent him. Then
Iwane went and met Chaghatai who received him with honor and appointed
guards for the country" (KC pp. 189-91; Mur. pp. 74-76 ).
301 KG pp. 257-60.
302 KG p. 279: "...And at that
time the city was heavily populated, being filled not only with
Christians and Tachiks, but all the people from the entire district
had assembled there. In the city were countless holy gospels [belonging
to] the great and the lowly. The foreigners took them and sold
the expensive ones to the Christians in their army, cheaply, In
glee they spread through each district, dividing up the churches
and monasteries". However, to the credit of the princes,
KG notes "May Christ reward the Christian princes Awag, Shahnshah,
Vahram's son, Aghbugha, pious Dop''s son, Grigor Xach'enc'i, and
their troops. For these princes bought out of slavery as many
men, women, and children, bishops priests and deacons as was possible..."
(KG p. 280). GA pp. 307, 309: "...Then the Armenian and Georgian
princes took [away] many books, heortologia, martyrologia, the
Apostolic works, lectionaries, Acts, and the Gospels written in
gold, richly adorned beyond comparison for the edification and
adornment of the sons of the new Zion. Whence they took and brought
them to the eastern country and filled the monasteries with all
the adornments of the Church".
303 KC p. 194; Mur, p. 78: "The
Georgians and Tatars swelled up with all sorts of treasures: gold
and eilver, gold and silver cups and bowls, extraordinary cloths
and clothing and so many horses, asses and camels that it is impossible
to count them".
304 GA pp. 334, 336: "...The Armenian
troops there with the Tat'ars found many relics of the saints
and took them to their land. Now the great prince of Armenia named
T'agheadin, from the Bagratuni family, seized a Syrian presbyter
and made him confess that he had found the right [hand] of the
blessed apostle Bartholomew. With great joy [T'agheadin] took
it to his eastern land and put it in his monastery. Afterwards,
forced by the great Arcrunid prince named Sadun, he gave it to
him. Sadun, lord of Haghbat's great and renowned holy congregation
had the blessed right hand of apostle Bartholomew placed in the
holy congregation of Haghbat. And it is in fact there".
305 KG pp. 237-38; VA p, 144; SO p,
149. From Kirakos' narration it is clear that during the conquest
of Armenia, the Mongols had a fairly clear understanding of the
relative importance of prince Awag [KG p. 256]. Somewhat annoyed
by Awag's slowness in submitting, the Mongol noyin Chormaghun
showed his displeasure in an episode regarding seating precedence.
See KG pp. 256-57.
306 KG p. 265.
307 KG p. 289. Also see Appendix B.
308 KG p. 317.
309 KC pp. 207-8; Mur. pp. 87-88.
310 KC p. 212; Mur. p. 90.
311 KC p. 225; Mur. p. 100.
312 KC p. 250; Mur. p.122. Subsequently
king David imprisoned Sargis, but Abaqa-Khan ordered his release.
The KC adds: "From this point on, the Jaqelis became loyal
to Hulegu" (KC p. 255; Mur. p. 127; also KC p. 297; Mur.
p. 164).
313 KC p. 324; Mur. pp. 187-88.
314 SO pp. 155, 157: "Orum yoyzh
hawaneal ew mtadiwrut'eamb enkaleal zbansn apa tay zSmbat morn
iwroy ew yanjne nma, orum anun Suraxt'ambek koch'iwr, ew ase.
Zays me ark'ayuns mez paheac'uk' ew och' tac'uk' ayl umek' ishxel
i veray dora. Ew anuanec'in zna Ench'u, aysink'n teruni. Ew hramayec'in
kal i drann awurs inch'. Ew yanjnec'in gorcakalac'n tal or est
ore yark'unust zrhochikn...Ew ehan zSmbat i durs yamenayn dawt'arac'
i Vrac' ew yayloc'".
315 KG p. 373: "End nma er ew
barepasht ishxann Xach'enoy Jalaln, or ert'eal er c'uc'anel zaghets
iew tearhn iwr tiezerac', zor kreac' na yArghun ostikanen, or
haziw zercaw i mahuanen i sadreloy tachkac'n. Ew et nma gir ishxanut'ean
iwroy tirel sep'akanabar ew och' erknch'el yumek'e, zi sirer zna
Sart'axn vasn k'ristoneut'ean, zi ew na k'ristoneay er".
316 KC pp. 270-71; Mur, pp. 140-41:
"Then all the didebuls of Georgia assembled and took
the royal Demitre to the Horde. They went to Shahnsah's son, Iwane,
the mandat'urt'-uxuc'es, and he too went to the Horde where
they saw to it that Demitre received the reign... [Abaqa] gave
the entire kingdom to him, excepting the lands of Sargis J'aqeli.
He sent him to Sadun whom king Demitre made atabek...[Speaking
of the Pervane's replacement as ruler of Rum]: To him they entrusted
the princedom of Rum, including Acghur and Samc'xe which had belonged
to the Pervane from his [Georgian] wife's dowry, and they bestowed
on him Sargis Jaqeli and his son Beka", See also KC p. 297;
Mur. p. 164.
317 KC p. 272; Mur. p. 142.
318 KC pp. 222-23; Mur. p. 98. Aknerc'i
wrote: "Hulegu-Khan greatly loved the Armenian and Georgian
forces because of the extreme bravery which they displayed before
him in all battles. Therefore he called them Bahaturs.
He selected the young and handsome sons of the great princes of
Armenia and Georgia and appointed them as his guards, styling
them K'esikt'oyk'--guards with sword and bow" ( GA
p. 342 ) . The Mongols also tried--obviously with limited success--to
co-opt the allegiance of king David Lashaean. From Batu-Khan of
the Northern Tatars, David received "a parasol (suk'ur)
which no one excepting the Khans and their relations have. [Batu]
told Hulegu that with the exception of Hulegu noyin himself,
when entering the Horde, no one should stand higher than the [Georgian]
king...After the king reached his holdings, he went with great
gifts to Hulegu-Khan. When the latter saw him, he received him
with honor and placed him in front with the noyins, stipulating
his place for standing, sitting, inquiring, and giving counsel"
(KC pp. 230-32; Mur. pp. 104-105).
319 SO p. 161.
320 SO p. 168: "zi aynk'an lsogh
er Hulawun nma. zi um kamer mah tayr acel, ew um kamer keans shnorher,
vasn oro amenayn doghayr i nmane ew amenec'un ach'k' i na hayein".
321 GA p. 348. Both Smbat and Sadun,
and others besides made a point of learning Mongolian. According
to SO, Smbat was "a skilled rhetorician, unbeatable at diwan
court-for he spoke five languages: Armenian, Georgian, Uighur,
Persian, and even Mongolian" (SO p. 151). See also KC p.
248; Mur. p. 120 where Sadun does simultaneous translation of
Georgian and Mongolian at court. Grigor Mamikonean also knew Mongolian
(KG p. 272).
322 SO p. 170: "ev aynk'an yargeal
liner arhaji Apaghay ghanin or bazum angam zark'ayakan handerjn
iwr merkac'eal yanjne haguc'aner Tarsayichin yotic' minch'ew c'
gluxn, ew zkamarn i hamak oskwoy bazmagin akambk' ew margartok'
lc'eal tayr acel end mej nora...".
323 VA p. 147: "Now in the year
1242 Baiju noyin replaced the authority of Chormaghun and
took the city of Karin, taking thence Umek, a man venerable, wealthy
(mecatun) and fearful of the Lord, as well as his relations,
the sons of paron Yohann, Step'annos, and his five brothers".
KG p. 363: "But one wealthy merchant was respected by them.
He was Umek, whom they called Asil, a benevolent man whom we recalled
[above], who lived through the Mongols' destruction of the city
of Karin, together with his sons Yovhannes, Step'annos and his
brothers. At this time [late 1240's, early 1250's] he was dwelling
in the city of Tiflis, and was called the 'father' of the Georgian
king David. 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 him... The sons of Sarawan
named Shnorhawor and Mkrtich' were also prosperous and wealthy".
324 TA pp. 154-55: "In the year
1265 great Hulegu the Il-Khan summoned us by means of a man of
the day, Shnorhawor, more prominent than any, especially from
among the laity. [He had come] from the governor of the north,
Batu, where he went first and was honored, then [he was honored]
by Hulegu Il-Khan. [Shnorhawor] took us along with his merchandise
and pack animals". On Mongol relations with the Armenian
Church, see Appendix C.
325 KG p. 263; KC p. 225; Mur. p. 100.
326 KG p. 391.
327 SO p. 165.
328 SO p. 167; KC p. 251; Mur. p. 123.
329 KC p. 274; Mur. p. 144.
330 KC p. 281; Mur. p. 150. Also KC
p. 285; Mur. p. 153.
331 KC p. 293; Mur. p. 160.
332 KC p. 297; Mur. p. 164.
333 Toward the end of the 13th century, despite protestations from the Church, the Armeno-Georgian lords began imitating the Mongol and Islamic practise of polygamy. Consequently a number of potentially powerful alliances were formed. Tarsayich Orbelean, for example, during the lifetime of his first wife, married Mina khatun Xaghbakean of Xach'en (d. 1311) sister of Hasan Jalal (X. 10, 117, 175, 177, 267). One of Tarsayich's daughters was married into another branch of the Xaghbakeans, while a second daughter became the wife of king Demitre's brother Manuel (SO p. 171). Sadun Arcruni took four wives, one of whom was king Demitre's only sister, T'amar (KC p. 278; Mur. p. 147). King Demitre himself had three wives, one of whom was the daughter of the powerful Beka Jaqeli of Samc'xe (KC pp. 282-83; Mur. pp. 130-51). In the final decades of the 13th century, Orbeleans once again married into the Xaghbakean family, and into the family of their rivals, the Arcruni/Mahkanaberdelis (SO p. 179).