History of the Aghuans
The same prince Ashot of Armenia, with the help of the bishop Soghomon and the patriarch Geo'rg, wisely renewed sermonizing in Siwnik' which had been interrupted for a long time.
[140] Now in these same times, in 336 of the Armenian Era [887/888] Ashot Bagratuni was seated on the throne of his kingdom among the Armenian people. For a long time the dignity of king had ceased to exist in the house of T'orgom. In the 342nd year of the Armenian Era [893/894] the Tachiks ("Arabs") came to Armenia and seized the land, subjecting it to the yoke of slavery and tribute. Patriarch Ge'org was seized by them and taken to Partaw in iron fetters. Then the pious Hamam revived the fallen kingship of the house of the Aghuans just as Ashot Bagratuni had done in Armenia. These things took place at the same time. This same Hamam, who was very guilty of shedding his brother's blood on account of this vain life, then displayed great and tireless piety toward the Church and all the poor and needy. This was to atone for his great sins against God. He had Ge'org, the great patriarch of the Armenians, freed from the prison of the impious Tachiks at great cost. Then with great solicitousness he sent him safely back to the Armenians. Now it happened that four years later, when New Year's Day coincided with Easter Day [898/899], Abu Ali, who was the Haykazuni (Armenian) prince of the Aghuans was slain by his full brother, Smbat. His clan mourned him greatly. The same year Smbat, king of the Armenians, son of Ashot Bagratuni, assembled his troops and raided the land of Asorestan. However, the Arabs resisted them and caused them to flee back to Armenia. And thus, his entire enterprise had been undertaken in vain. Ashot the Haykazuni prince and some of his army died as a result.
In these same times Abu Mruan, the great prince of Vaspurakan, was killed by his own troops. In the same year and for the second time the impious Tachiks arrived in the country of Armenia. At their command the eunuch [Yusuf, lieutenant of Muhammad Afshin ibn Abu 'l-Sadj Divdad] left the court of Partaw and came to Armenia. He was a shameless and godless man who plundered and destroyed the churches of God wherever he went, and whenever he saw the cross of Christ, he ground it to dust. On his arrival in the land of the Armenians, King Smbat immediately fled. [Yusuf] seized the fortresses and the queen and her ladies, their sons, houses, sacred vessels, crosses, and much treasure, and took them into captivity. In the same period he raided Iberia/Georgia. Two brave Iberian generals, prince Ge'org and his brother Arewe's arose against him, and suffered a cruel death at his hands. Then the great patriarch of the Armenians, Ge'org died, and this was followed by the death of Ashot the prince of Siwnik'. The mourning women wept, saying: "May another year like this one not be seen on earth as long as the human race exists." And it was the 346th year of the Armenian Era [897/898]. However this was just the start of all the trials and tribulations to befall the Armenians. After a short while the divine punishment which was in store for the land fell on the great King Smbat himself. Power from On High abandoned him and he walked the road of his own destruction and that of the Armenians, for he went before the beast-like prince of the Arabs whose ways were those of a dog rather than of a man. He seized the king, who had come there of his own accord, and crucified him. Then the sound of mourning and lamentation was heard in the House of T'orgom, and ruin overtook the land completely. And it was the 363rd year of the Armenian Era [914/915]. But God took vengeance for the murder of Smbat, since when that inhuman Arab left Armenia and passed through the land of Syria intending to rule over the Arabs, he fell into the hands of an Arab prince, was buried alive and killed. Now when these times had passed and when the Arab people had become exhausted, yet another people appeared. They were called Dailamites. Their chief was a certain man named Salar, and he widely extended his authority and came to rule over the Aghuans, Persians, and Armenians. He came to Partaw and made it his immediately.
In this same period a people called Ruzik, who had a strange and foreign appearance, attacked. [They came] from the lands of the north and advanced like a whirlwind over the inland sea of the east, the Caspian. They reached Partaw, the Aghuan capital, and after no more than three attempts [captured the city]. Unable to resist, the city was put to the sword. They expropriated all the attractive possessions of the inhabitants. [The Ruzik] were besieged, but were in no way harmed, since they were invincible due to their strength. Now it happened that the women of the city came up with a plan to serve them the cup of death, but they learned about this treachery and killed the women and their children without mercy. After remaining there for six months they returned to their own land unexpectedly, taking along different types of booty, and leaving the city empty and deserted.
Above we recorded the names of the 10 kings from Vach'agan the Brave (kaj) to Vach'agan the Pious (barepasht), of whom Vach'agan the Brave alone built as many churches in the East as there are days in the year. After his death that line began to decline. Then the Mihrakans, who were [related to] the Sasanian clan, came from Persia and were established among the lords. Their names, from father to son, were as follows:
Mihr,
Armayel,
Vard,
Vardan the Brave who believed in Christ—it was not he who built the fortress of Gardman;
his son Vard fathered Varaz Grigor, first prince of Aghuania, who fathered four sons—Varaz P'eroz, Juanshir, Yezut-Xosrov, and Varazman
We shall give the names of their eldest sons for the information of the line of Hayk, while the others will be omitted. They are as follows: Varaz P'eroz, Varaz Trdat, Vardan, Nerseh Dzndak ("the Cruel"), who did harm to the heads of men, while the feet of the oppressed also were fettered and bound in iron chains. Through him many perished by fire and drowning. With the same [destructive] intentions Nerseh passed through the village of Hats'iwn on his way to Asorestan. Now because it was a Sunday, [Nerseh] left his comrades and went alone to the holy father Sime'on, guardian of the holy Cross. Concealing his identity, he prayed along with the others.
But then the blessed Sime'on boldly addressed him, saying: "Who are you? God has revealed to me your impiety which is destroying our land. Your children, profiting by your silence, perform many different iniquities which ruin the oppressed. Are you not that very Nerseh who goes to Asorestan to add to his evil deeds against the churches of the East? Now if you go to that country, you will never again see the land of your forefathers." Nerseh then fell at the feet of the old man but made no answer. Rather, he went along his way and died just as father Sime'on had said, and his lifeless body was brought back to his own land. Nerseh's son was Gagik, Gagik's son was Step'annos whose sister was Aprsamik. Varaz Trdat and his son Step'annos were killed at the same time by a relative named Nerseh P'ilippean at Xoradzor, called Dadoyi Vank'. After these calamities, the wife of the murdered one, who was as courageous as a man, took her surviving daughter Spram, and after a fatiguing night journey reached the fortress of Xach'en. Thinking about what would be good for her House, she married Spram to Atrnerseh, son of Sahl. [Sahl] was from the clan of Hayk and lord of Siwnik', and had seized by force the district of Gegham. His son Atrnerseh married this prudent woman. Fearing God, they lived their lives in piety and were beloved by their land.
[142] This Atrnerseh built the fortress of Handu and established his palace in the village called Vayunik', where the royal baths are. He was taken to Persia with the other princes and remained there many years. The lady Spram multiplied her benevolent works and built the wonderfully decorated Noravank' at great expense in the district of Sodk'. [When the church was completed] Atrnerseh was immediately released from the Tachik lands and ended this temporal life in peace. His sons were Grigor and Abuse't'. Grigor built the fortress of Hawaxaghats'i and extended his authority over that region. Grigor had five sons of whom the eldest, Abul, was killed by his kinsman Smbat. Another son, Sahak, who was called Sewaday, a brave and successful man, ruled as prince over the districts of Gardman, K'aws, and P'ar'na and imposed his suzerainty on the robber-chiefs of Dzoroyget. This man was a lover of letters and appointed writers to his House. Now even though the king of the Armenians, Smbat, fought him zealously, he could not bend him to his will.
Sewaday fathered two sons—Grigor and Dawit'. Grigor fathered Sewaday called Ishxananun and Atrnerseh. Ishxananun fathered four sons—Yovhanne's, Grigor, Atrnerseh, and P'ilippe'. The eldest son of Ishxananun, Yovhanne's, also called Senek'erim, was chosen by right hand of the Almighty which called him to be king. Thus did Almighty God restore the long inactive kingdom through him. The king of Persia bestowed many splendid decorations on him and gave him his father's crown and horse. In the same year the Greek magistros who was named Dawit' sent a marvellous crown and an imperial purple [robe] in honor and praise of this man whom God had so favored. And [Yovhanne's] received consecration as king from the right hand of the patriarch, to the glory of Christ.
The first cause of our illumination was Saint Eghishay/Elisha /Eliseus, a student of the blessed apostle Thaddeus, who was ordained in Jerusalem by Saint James. He came as the illuminator of three lands—Ch'oray, Lp'ink', and Aghuania—and died as a martyr in the last country. [Until] the Lord Saint Grigoris Pahlawik, the grandson of Saint Gregory, Illuminator of the Armenians, sat on the same throne in twofold glory, [there reigned]:
Saint Shup'haghishoy, kat'oghikos of the East who came from Jerusalem.
Lord Matt'eos.
Lord Sahak.
Lord Movse's.
Lord Pand.
Lord Ghazar.
Lord Zak'aria,
Lord Dawit'.
Lord Yovhan who became bishop of the Huns through the grace of the patriarch. We do not know details about him.
Lord Eremia. In his days the venerable Mesrob with great zeal invented an alphabet for the Aghuans as he had done for the Armenians and the Iberians/Georgians.
Lord Abas, who at the beginning of the Armenian Era transferred the patriarchal throne from Ch'oghay to Partaw; he was patriarch for 44 years, having been called from the episcopacy of Mets Irank'. During his tenure it became the custom to write "Kat'oghikos of Aghuania, Lp'ink' and Ch'oghay" on the address of [his] letters. They wrote to him from the Council of Dwin that he should speak of [Christ having] one nature, divine and human, and that he should add the words "[Christ] immortal, Who Was crucified" [to the Trisagion].
[144] They had learned this, inserted by the 200 holy fathers at the Council of Ephesus into the Trisagion, from Proclus, patriarch of Ephesus, and later from Timothy, patriarch of Alexandria, and Peter of Antioch when they approached the emperor Anastasius through Jacob, bishop of Mesopotamia. Now all of them had declared that the orthodox should say "immortal" and "was crucified", as is indeed so. The patriarch Abas had not previously stipulated this since prior to this time it had not been our custom to repeat this [formula]. In our land there are no heresies, however much you examine us. Subsequently, in the time of the kat'oghikos Ezr, Step'annos, bishop of Gardman, went and communed with him, and Gardman and Artsakh received this tradition, which now we all share.
Lord Viroy, 34 years. He freed the prisoners of Armenia, Iberia, and Aghuania from Shat' Khazar. He asked King Xosrov to write the title "Lord of Gardman and prince of the Aghuans" on letters to the governors of this country, and this is still written.
Lord Zak'aria, a holy man, 15 years. He pledged a guarantee for the great city of Partaw and by his prayers saved many from slavery. He consecrated a certain Vrt'anes bishop of Siwnik' without the consent of the Armenians.
Lord Yovhan, 25 years, called to the patriarchal throne from the episcopacy of Amaras.
Lord Uxtane's, 12 years. He cursed the Aghuanian lords because of their race-polluting marriages, for which they were put to death.
Lord Eghiazar, six years, from the episcopacy of Shak'i. He discovered the holy Cross hidden by Mesrob in the village of Gis. Taking a piece of the life-giving Cross, he covered it with gold to the value of 120 dahekans and wrote on it: "This is Eghiazar's." He ordered a feast-day for the Cross to be celebrated in Gis.
Lord Nerse's, from the episcopacy of Gardman, 17 years. Of erring mind, he wanted to confuse the whole House of Aghuania by misleading it into the Chalcedonian heresy. Cursed in body and soul, he was cut off from the glories of the Son of God by the Aghuans and the Armenians, and he received the portion reserved for heretics.
Lord Sime'on, one and a half years. He was the archdeacon of the [patriarchal] see who rid the land of Nerse's' disorders and established seven canons.
Lord Mik'ayel, 35 years. He was a deacon in Shak'i. He summoned the abbot of Mak'enots', Solomon, and cursed the lords of Aghuania who had married relatives of the third degree [of consanguinity]. Punishment befell them immediately and they died out.
They also anathematized the Iberian/Georgian leader T'alile', who permitted such impious marriages.
[145] Lord Anastas, 4 years.
Lord Yovsep', 17 years. His fifth year coincided with the 200th year of the Armenian Era [751/752]. He came to the patriarchal throne from the episcopate of Amaras.
Lord Dawit', 4 years. He also came to the throne from the episcopate of Amaras. He squandered the land and the vessels of the Church, and died after drinking poison given to him by traitors.
Lord Dawit', 9 years, from the episcopate of Mets Kueank'. He sold Dastakert and Sahmanaxach' to infidels.
Lord Matt'e'os one and a half years, from the episcopate of Kapaghak. He too died of poison administered by traitors.
Lord Movse's, 2 years.
Lord Aharon, 2 years.
Lord Solomon, half a year.
Lord T'eodoros, 4 years, from the episcopate of Gardman.
Lord Solomon, 11 years.
Lord Yovhanne's 25 years. He transferred the kat'oghikosate to Berdak, the site of his summer residence, removing it from Partaw.
Lord Movse's, half a year.
Lord Dawit', 28 years, from the episcopate of Kapaghak. He had blessed the illicit marriage of the lord of Shak'i. Now the lay brother of the same lord asked him: "Where are you coming from, lord?" And he answered: "From your brother's house." And the prince said to Dawit': "May that tongue of yours which gave the blessing, never speak again, and may your right hand wither!" Now this came to pass at that very instant, nor was he healed to the day of his death.
Lord Yovse'p', 25 years, from the episcopate of Mets Kueank'. His 3rd year coincided with the 300th year of the Armenian Era [851/852].
Lord Samue'l, 17 years, from the episcopate of Mets Kueank'. He assumed the title himself, and was afterwards deposed by Ge'org, kat'oghikos of the Armenians, but then [re]ordained by him at Dwin.
Lord Yunan, 8 and a half years. He was bishop of Dwin, Armenia. He went to Aghuania without the permission of the kat'oghikos Ge'org and was ordained there; he also was [re]ordained by the same Ge'org.
Lord Sime'on, 21 years. He was the court bishop of the Holy See who greatly adorned the Holy Cross with many ornaments.
Lord Dawit', 6 years, from the prelacy of the monastery of P'ar'isos.
Lord Sahak, 18 years, from the episcopacy of Mets Kueank'.
Lord Gagik, 14 years, from the episcopacy of Gardman. His 4th year coincided with the 400th year of the Armenian Era [951/952].
Lord Dawit', 7 years, from the episcopacy of Kapaghak.
Lord Dawit', 6 years. He was ordained by Anania, kat'oghikos of the Armenians.
Lord Petros, 18 years, from the episcopacy of Gardman.
Lord Movse's, 6 years from the prelacy of the monastery of P'ar'isos.
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