History of the Aghuans
Let us narrate here what we have learned from our inspired teachers about what came to pass, bearing in mind the prophetic words spoken about Ishmael: "His hand shall be against everyone" [Gen. 16.12], and "He shall become a great nation" [Gen. 17.20].
At the time of the waning of the Sasanian Persian kingdom, a man arose named Muhammad who was one of the false prophets that the Savior taught us about. He had a diabolical spirit and was a ferocious archer living in the desert. One day Satan, taking the form of a wild ass, took him to meet a certain false Arian cenobite named Bahira. Then the evil one disappeared. The well-bent bow of Muhammad was aimed at [Bahira]. But the man screamed out: "Do not sin, my son, for I am a man just like you." Then Muhammad said to him: "If you are a man, why are you living in a cave?"
Then [Bahira] called [Muhammad] to him and started to teach him from the Old and New Testaments according to the interpretation of Arius, who considered the Son of God to be a created being. [Bahira] commanded him to relate to the barbarous Arabs (Tachiks) what he had learned from him, his loathesome teacher. He also demanded that no one should know his own whereabouts. That ignorant, pagan, self-indulgent people was astonished at such eloquent talk, and asked Muhammad: "How do you know such things?" Muhammad replied, deceiving his own ignorant folk: "An angel spoke [these things] to me as to one of the first prophets who spoke to God." [The Arabs] secretly designated spies to learn who had told him these things and how he knew all these things. Now when Muhammad found out about this, he secretly and treacherously had his evil teacher killed and then buried him in the sand. Then he sat on the very spot and told the spies: "Here is where the angel appeared to me and informed me about very great wonders." When they observed that he was alone, they went and related everything to the credulous and fanatical Arab people. They convened a great assembly, went into the waterless, devil-haunted desert, and with the greatest honor led that demon-inspired Muhammad into their midst.
Then was the word of the Savior fulfilled concerning the acceptance of a false prophet, for Muhammad, who was deluded by demons, began to prophesy. He said: "If you hear and heed my prophecies and sermons great power will come to our people. This is what it says in the Epistle to the Romans, 'our power has been given to us by God.'" The place where they had their fire-temples and places of sacrifice, [Muhammad] renamed the Dome of Abraham and the place where God had walked. He ordered then and there that [the fire-temples and places of sacrifice] be destroyed. He called his army the army of Abraham. He ordered them to pray to a square altar, and he had a stone pillar erected to be kissed in the name of Abraham. The venerable prophet [Jeremiah] prophesied about such a one, that: "If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not that woman be greatly polluted?" [Jeremiah 3.1] Muhammad himself did just such a thing.
[122] A certain Arab named Talb had a beautiful wife. [Muhammad] therefore sent him a message, saying: "God has commanded you to leave your wife." Talb took that wife of his and brought her to the market-place where he swore before witnesses and repudiated her and released her from him. Muhammad took the woman for himself, fulfilled his lecherous lust on her and then sent her back to Talb, saying: "God has ordered you to take her back again." And so he introduced this disgusting law among their people that if a man repudiates his wife and she goes and sleeps with someone else, he may take her back again." Such then is their legislation: they swear by the terrible name of God and then break their oath, yet they swear by the genitalia of women and keep the oath inviolable. He also taught other similarly disgusting things to that people. They are the precursers and troops of the Antichrist who will be his worshippers and comrades. The blessed Paul said about them: [they are] "men corrupt in mind and counterfeit in faith whose folly will be made plain to all on the Day of Judgement of God" [2 Tim. 3.8-9] and elsewhere, "weeping I tell you about the enemies of the Cross of Christ. Their end is destruction" [Phil. 3.18-19].
In the 65th year of the Armenian Era [616/617] the false prophet Muhammad appeared in the city of Medina. In the 70th year [621/622] he went to the Dome of Abraham. From there in the month of Safar he went to that city which today is called after his name Mahmetay. He remained there for one year, during the entire course of which he made raids from that city. Beginning in the month of Rabi' al-'Awwal (r'abi ghovagh) he delivered the Dome of Abraham. The 19th of Ramadan marked the eighth year of his rule. On the 15th day of the month of Shawwal he fought with the Persian Rep'. In the month of Dhu' l-Qa'da at the time when day turns to night he arrived at Mecca, and returned from there to his city where he remained for six days in the month of al-Qa'da in the same year. He left Sed, the son of Abu Sed in Mecca and his comrades returned to Mecca. Chief among his comrades was Abu Bak'r son of Abu Kuhabay. This was the ninth year of Muhammad's rule. In the tenth year he died, on Monday the second day of the month Rabi' al-'Awwal, after a rule of ten years. He preached and secretly strengthened his false faith during thirteen years. He was forty years old when he appeared, and sixty-three when he died.
Umar ibn Xatab, 7 years; he was killed.
Ut'man ibn Ap'an, 11 years. Then they restricted Ut'man's authority, and Ut'man gave authority to Abdlay and the privilege of dying his hair and beard with saffron.
Muawet, 9 years.
Ezid ibn Muawea, 8 years. In his days lived Hajij ibn Usup'.
Abdlme'lik' ibn Mruan, 11 years.
Vlit' son of Abdlme'lik', 9 years.
Sule'man ibn Abdlme'lik', 11 years.
Umar son of Abdlaziz, 10 years.
Ezid ibn Abdlme'lik', 6 years.
Heshm ibn Abdlme'lik', 20 years.
Vlit' ibn Ezid, one year. They killed him and there was confusion among the Arabs.
Mruan son of Muhammad, 4 years. He killed the chiefs of the Koraysh (Kuriishk), sixty men, the murderers of the amir Vlit', pointing out the murderers.
Abl Abas came from Media with the help and troops of Abu Mslim, prince of Khorasan, and killed Mruan, and then he himself reigned for 7 years.
And Abl Abas Abdlay son of Muhammad son of Agha son of Abdlay son of Abas son of Abdl Mutaghibay, whose tribe is now called the Heshamik's, secretly killed Abu Salim when he came to power. And after this murder, he himself died.
Abu Jap'r called Abdlay, his brother, ruled for 22 years; he died in the Dome of Abraham.
Madi called Muhammad, son of Abdlay, 9 years.
Muse', one year.
Harun son of Madi, called Madiun, 25 years. He brought immeasurable oppression on the land, and therefore many districts of Armenia went over to the Byzantines.
Mahmet son of Harun, 3 years. While he still lived, Harun divided the kingdom between his two sons Muhammad and Maymun. By seniority Muhammad was to rule over Baghdad and Khorasan, but Maymun fought him, and Muhammad died, and Abdlay, called also Maymun, ruled over all.
Ibrayim, 10 years.
Harun the Second was established as ruler by Muhammad Amir Mumin. [He ruled] in the 280th year of the Armenian Era (A.D. 831/832).
When Eghiazar the venerable kat'oghikos of the Aghuans died [A.D. 688], [there came forward] a certain Diophysite named Nerse's, a Chalcedonian sectarian and formerly bishop of Gardman. He made an oath with Spram, the first lady (tikin, "queen") of Aghuania and the wife of Varaz Trdat. She subscribed to that same heresy. [Nerse's] signed an agreement with her to further his ambition for power. [The agreement had this import]: "If it is your will then call me to the Aghuanian patriarchate [as kat'oghikos] and I shall convert all Aghuania to Chalcedonianism." This heretical woman listened to him and then consulted with the bishops and grandees of the land of Aghuania. Since no one realized the treachery, they unanimously agreed to fulfill her request. However, the almighty Holy Spirit influenced Yove'l, bishop of Mets Irank', and before the great assembly he requested that Nerse's sign a document anathematizing the Council of Chalcedon and the Tome of Leo and seal it with his ring. The eastern synod accepted this letter in accordance with canons, and Yove'l himself, together with the other bishops placed him on the blessed throne of the patriarchate of Aghuania. The same Yove'l then took the letter of anathema and put it in a safe place. [Yove'l] lived 14 years after this and then was translated to Christ.
It was at this time that Nerse's found the opportunity to accomplish his will. He quickly went to the district of Mets Irank', to his colleague the abbot Zak'aria. [Nerse's] informed him of his intention to make him a bishop if only he would return to him the signed document for burning. [Zak'aria] gave him the letter with his sacred oath. [Nerse's] burned it then and there and ordained Zak'aria bishop of Mets Irank'. Thus he had gained him as an important friend. Then [like a dog] he returned to his old vomit, [to the beliefs] which he had long entertained. Lady Spram promoted him with her assistance and that of other nobles who had accepted his tares. He demolished and ruined many church altars. He began persecuting the orthodox and worthy heirs and the clergy of the Church, beginning with the venerable Israye'l the miracle-working bishop of Mets Kueank'. [It was Israye'l] who had converted many of the lands of the Khazars and the Huns to Christianity. [Nerse's also persecuted] Eghiazar, bishop of Gardman. However, some of the bishops rejected him, among them: Yovhanne's, bishop of Kapagha, Sahak, bishop of Amaras, Sime'on, bishop of Hosh, and Sheroy, a great prince of the Aghuans together with his nobles. [These folk], together with a multitude of the clergy convened an assembly and anathematized Nerse's and all the heretics. And they wrote a letter to the Armenians describing these events.
"Our fathers shared one orthodox faith with your fathers for the salvation of their souls. Because of the indulgence of the Lord God, the world-destroying heresy of Chalcedon has grown strong and has spread through the world. But until now our areas have remained unadulterated by this heresy. Now, however, Nerse's, a man whom we thought was a good shepherd, has turned into a wolf and has begun to sow discord within the rational flock of Christ. Thus we have decided to advise Your Holiness that you might visit us as you visit your own members and heal our injuries. Be well in the Lord."
By the power of Almighty God we hold our vassal land subject to your suzerainty. We and the Aghuans worship the divinity of Christ with the same [Monophysite] faith. But the man who is now kat'oghikos of Aghuania and is seated in Partaw has made an agreement with the emperor of Byzantium. He mentions him in his prayers and forces the land to come to doctrinal unity with him. Be advised of this and do not delay taking action for there is a wealthy (metsatun) [noble] woman who is in league with him. On your great authority, order those who want to sin against God to be punished in accordance with their deeds."
"Eghia, man of God, jat'lik (kat'oghikos) of the Armenian people, I have read your friendly letter, and I have sent my faithful servant to you with many troops. As regards the rebellion of the Aghuans against our authority, we have ordered that they should be corrected in accordance with your religion. In your presence our servant will deliver our punishment at Partaw. Nerses and the woman who shares his sentiments will be thrown into iron chains and brought to the royal court in disgrace. This way I will make an example of them for all rebels to see."
When these matters had thus resolved themselves, Sime'on, a modest and holy man, was selected by the same assembly and ordained as patriarch of the Aghuans. Nerse's' heresy was removed from the land. [Sime'on] [re]established many orthodox customs in the damaged [Aghuanian] Church, placed all the heresy-ridden writings of Nerse's in boxes and threw them into the Trtu River by his summer residence called Berdakur. [Sime'on] occupied the [kat'oghikosal] throne for one and a half years.
[We omit the translation of chapters 8-9 which deal with doctrinal matters. Charles Dowsett's excellent translation of these chapters is available here.]
First, I, Sheroy, prince of Aghuania, and Juank'oy, sparapet of Aghuania;
then the patrician Vardan and his brother Gagik and Vaxtang i [of the] Varazmanean. Their ancestor was Vardan K'aj of the Mihrakan family who in the days of Vach'agan, king of Aghuania, was designated president of the Council of Aghue'n by the king and settled in Gardman;
Patrik i K'aroyean, descended from the line of kings who were settled in the district of Aghberd at the command of the same King Vach'agan. His ancestors were the brave Vach'agan and Vach'e' whose deeds are mentioned in their proper place in our book;
Bab i Hrahatean of the princes of Atrpatakan who settled in Kapaghak and Koght';
Vahan i Varaz Yohanean, of the Madianats'ik' of Persia, a Jacobite by confession, who settled in Kambichan;
R'ostom i Varaz Ak'oyean, who came from the district of Stahr in Persia and settled in the village of Kaghankaytuk in the district of Uti;
Zarmihr i Varaz K'urdak'ean and Mahmat i Sheroyean, sons of the lords of Dailam, who left Dailam to settle in lands granted them in Aghuania by the king.
All these names have been written in the archives of Caliph 'Abd al-Malik' so that if any of them should be found to have become Diophysites, they may be destroyed by the sword or imprisonment. Thus was peace brought to all the churches of Aghuania.
[We omit the translation of chapter 11 which deals with doctrinal matters. Charles Dowsett's excellent translation of this chapter is available here.]
Now it happened that an unbearable famine broke out within the borders of Aghuania during the days of this same Varaz Trdat. Some folk told the following legend about it: "I, millet from the district of Shakashe'n, lay hidden in the field of Kaku, and many buyers passed me by and would not purchase me. Then came good times when my brother Famine ruled, and lo! I appeared on the tables of Prince Varaz Trdat and Kat'oghikos Eghiazar, and those who ate me got blood in their veins. Do not blame them."
Gagik and Vardan, the sons of Prince Varaz Trdat of Aghuania, were then hostages in the hands of the Byzantines. They had remained in a dark prison for 12 years because of the confusion brought about by the emperor; the surrender of the land of the East to the Arabs by their father. Now when the Byzantine emperor Justinian died and Vardan Philippicus ruled [A.D. 711-713], a man who belonged to the Armenian nobility, he recalled those who had been confined in that dim fortress. The emperor ordered that they be freed from their unbearable sufferings. The sight of their eyes was enveloped in darkness. They were gradually brought back into the light, and the king gave them gifts and sent them back to their own land. He gave Gagik a relic of the life-giving Cross, the light of the world. When he had arrived there he gave the great gift to Mik'ayel, kat'oghikos of the Aghuans. They erected the Lord's Cross which had this inscription: "Christ God, remember how You willingly suffered on this Cross for our salvation, accept this Cross which You gave to those who fear You, forgive the transgressions of myself, Mik'aye'l, kat'oghikos of the Aghuans, and have mercy on this land of Aghuania, delivering it from all temptations, so that on the day of Your coming, we may be worthy to stand at Your right hand. I pray also for Gagik, Your servant, and his sister Mariam, and the great goldsmith Varazoy."
[We omit the translation of chapter 14 which deals with doctrinal matters. Charles Dowsett's excellent translation of this chapter is available here.]
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