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Akhtala Monastery 119
Akhtala (), is a town and municipal community in the Lori Province of Armenia, located along the Shamlugh river, on the slopes of Lalvar mountain, at a distance of north of the capital Yerevan and north of provincial centre Vanadzor. As per the 2011 census, Akhtala had a population of 2,092. Based on the 2016 official estimate, Akhtala's current population is around 1,300. As per the 2022 census, Akhtala had a population of 2,360. Etymology The modern name of Akhtala was first recorded in a royal decree of 1438. The etymology of the name ''Akhtala'' is believed to be of Turkic origin, meaning ''white glade''. The original Armenian name of the settlement where the monastery is built is ''Pghindzahank'' (), literally meaning ''copper mine''. History Archeological excavations showed that the area of Akhtala has been occupied by human since the early Bronze Age. During the 1887-89 excavations conducted by French archaeologist Jacques de Morgan, the site of a historical cemete ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Akhtala Monastery
Akhtala (), also known as Pghindzavank (, meaning ''Coppermine Monastery'') is a 10th-century Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Apostolic monastery located in the town of Akhtala in the Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz of Lori Province, Lori, north of Yerevan and 87 kilometers south of Tbilisi . The monastery is currently inactive. The fortress played a major role in protecting the north-western regions of Armenia (Gugark) and is among the most well preserved of all in modern Armenia. The main church at the compound is famous for its highly artistic frescoes, which cover the inside walls, the partitions, and the bearings of the building. The frescoes of Akhtala Monastery, in Armenian-Chalcedonian style, were commissioned by the Zakarid ruler Ivane I Zakarian in 1205–1216. The modern name of Akhtala was first recorded in a royal decree of 1438. The etymology of the name ''Akhtala'' is believed to be of Turkic languages, Turkic origin, meaning ''white glade''. The o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bagratuni Dynasty
The Bagratuni or Bagratid dynasty (, ) was an Armenian royal dynasty which ruled the medieval Kingdom of Armenia from until 1045. Originating as vassals of the Kingdom of Armenia of antiquity, they rose to become the most prominent Armenian noble family during the period of Arab rule in Armenia, eventually establishing their own independent kingdom. Their domain included regions of Armenia such as Shirak, Bagrevand, Kogovit, Syunik, Lori, Vaspurakan, Vanand and Taron. Many historians, such as Cyril Toumanoff, Nicholas Adontz and Ronald Suny, consider them to be the progenitors of the Georgian royal Bagrationi dynasty. Early history The name ''Bagratuni'' derives from ''Bagarat'' (), a Parthian variant of the Old Iranian name ''Bagadata'' ('God-given'). Historian Cyril Toumanoff speculated that a general of King Tigranes II of Armenia () named Bagadates may have been the earliest known member of the Bagratuni family, which first emerged as '' nakharars''—memb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David The Builder
David IV, also known as David IV the Builder ( ka, დავით IV აღმაშენებელი, tr; 1073 – 24 January 1125), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the 5th king ('' mepe'') of the Kingdom of Georgia from 1089 until his death in 1125. Popularly considered to be the greatest and most successful Georgian ruler in history and an original architect of the Georgian Golden Age, he succeeded in driving the Seljuk Turks out of the country, winning the Battle of Didgori in 1121. His reforms of the army and administration enabled him to reunite the country and bring most of the lands of the Caucasus under Georgia's control. A friend of the Church and a notable promoter of Christian culture, he was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church. Sobriquet and regnal ordinal The epithet (), which is translated as (in the sense of "built completely"), , or , first appears as the sobriquet of David in the charter issued in the name of "King of Kings Bagrat" in 1452 and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tavush
Tavush (, ) is a province of Armenia located at the northeast of Armenia, bordered by Georgia from the north and Azerbaijan from the east. Internally, Tavush borders the Gegharkunik Province from the south, Kotayk Province from the southwest, and the Lori Province from west. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of Ijevan. Etymology The name of the province is derived from ''Tavush''; a variant of the original name of the Tuchkatak canton of the historical Utik province of Ancient Armenia. It first appeared during the 9th century as the name of the 9th-century Bagratid fortress near modern-day Berd. Geography Tavush has an area of 2,704 km2 (9% of total area of Armenia). It occupies the northeastern part of Armenia. It is bordered by Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to the east. Domestically, it is bordered by the Gegharkunik Province from the south, Kotayk Province from the southwest and Lori Province from west. The territory is mainly mountainous ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seljuk Empire
The Seljuk Empire, or the Great Seljuk Empire, was a High Middle Ages, high medieval, culturally Turco-Persian tradition, Turco-Persian, Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim empire, established and ruled by the Qiniq (tribe), Qïnïq branch of Oghuz Turks. The empire spanned a total area of from Anatolia and the Levant in the west to the Hindu Kush in the east, and from Central Asia in the north to the Persian Gulf in the south, and it spanned the time period 1037–1308, though Seljuk rule beyond the Anatolian peninsula ended in 1194. The Seljuk Empire was founded in 1037 by Tughril (990–1063) and his brother Chaghri Beg, Chaghri (989–1060), both of whom co-ruled over its territories; there are indications that the Seljuk leadership otherwise functioned as a triumvirate and thus included Seljuk dynasty, Musa Yabghu, the uncle of the aforementioned two. During the formative phase of the empire, the Seljuks first advanced from their original homelands near the Aral Sea into Greater Kho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingdom Of Tashir-Dzoraget
The Kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget ( ''Tashir-Dzorageti t'agavorut'yun''), alternatively known as the Kingdom of Lori or Kiurikian Kingdom by later historians, was a medieval Armenian kingdom formed in the year 979 by the Kiurikian dynasty, a branch of the Bagratuni dynasty, as a vassal kingdom of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia. The first capital of the kingdom was Matsnaberd, currently part of modern-day Azerbaijan. It was located on the territories of modern-day northern Armenia, northwestern Azerbaijan and southern Georgia. The founder of the kingdom and the Kiurikian dynasty was king Kiurike I (also known as Gurgen I). In 979 King Smbat II of Armenia granted the province of Tashir to his brother Kiurike with the title of king. The branch went on to outlive the main one in Ani. It became especially strong during the reign of King David I Anhoghin who succeeded his father Kiurike and ruled between 989 and 1048. David I Anhoghin conquered some territories from Emirates o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingdom Of Armenia (Middle Ages)
Bagratid Armenia was an independent Armenian state established by Ashot I of the Bagratuni dynasty in the early 880s following nearly two centuries of foreign domination of Greater Armenia under Arab Umayyad and Abbasid rule. With each of the two contemporary powers in the region—the Abbasids and Byzantines—too preoccupied to concentrate their forces on subjugating the region, and with the dissipation of several of the Armenian '' nakharar'' noble families, Ashot succeeded in asserting himself as the leading figure of a movement to dislodge the Arabs from Armenia. Ashot's prestige rose as both Byzantine and Arab leaders—eager to maintain a buffer state near their frontiers—courted him. The Abbasid Caliphate recognized Ashot as "prince of princes" in 862 and, later on, as king (in 884 or 885). The establishment of the Bagratuni kingdom later led to the founding of several other Armenian principalities and kingdoms: Taron, Vaspurakan, Kars, Khachen and Syunik. Duri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gagik I Of Armenia
Gagik I () was a Bagratid king of Armenia who reigned between 989 and 1020, under whom Bagratid Armenia reached its height and enjoyed a period of uninterrupted peace and prosperity. Rule It is unknown when Gagik I was born. He succeeded his brother Smbat II in 989. He followed the footsteps of his predecessors in building churches and religious buildings in the capital Ani. Using the favorable economic conditions of Armenia, Gagik increased the size of the army up to 100,000 soldiers. He subsequently united various Armenian provinces to Bagratid Armenia, including Vayots Dzor, Khachen, Nakhichevan and the city of Dvin. He made alliances with Gurgen of Iberia and Bagrat III of Georgia, whose armies defeated Mamlan, the emir of Khorasan, in 998 in the village of Tsumb, northeast of Lake Van. Under Gagik I, the Kingdom of Armenia extended from Shamkor to Vagharshakert and Kura River to Apahunik near Lake Van. The country's economy, culture and foreign trade developed; Ani ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Smbat II
Smbat II () reigned as King of Armenia from 977 to 989. He was of the Bagratuni line of kings, and the son of Ashot III, whom he succeeded. Life Smbat was crowned king on the same day of his father's death. He ruled from the city of Ani, which he fortified. In particular, he ordered the construction of a wall around Ani, also building towers and fortifications to protect the city from north to west. He began the construction of the Cathedral of Ani. His reign was generally a time of peace, only disturbed by conflict between Smbat and his uncle Mushegh in Kars. The latter in 982 incited the Sallarid ''emir'' of Āzarbāijān, Abu'l-Haija, to capture and Dvin, attack Smbat's domains and demand from him a tribute. This state of affairs was quickly brought to an end when Abu'l-Haija was captured by Abu Dulaf, the Muslim ''emir'' of Goght'n. Smbat concluded a peace with Abu Dulaf that left the ''emir'' in control of Dvin and Goght'n. Smbat inspired contention with the Armenian Chu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashot III
Ashot III () was a king of Armenia, ruling the medieval kingdom of Bagratid Armenia from 952/53–77. Known as Ashot III the Merciful (Աշոտ Գ Ողորմած) and acknowledged by foreign rulers as the ''Shahanshah'' (king of kings) of ''Mets Hayk''' ( Greater Armenia), he moved his royal seat of residence to Ani and oversaw its development and of the kingdom as a whole. Armenia reached the height of its golden era during his reign and that of his sons and successors, Smbat II (977–89) and Gagik I (990–1020). Reign During the first year of his reign Ashot launched a military assault to free the city of Dvin from Muslim rule, an undertaking that ultimately ended in failure. Despite this setback, he took steps to centralize power in the kingdom, patronizing the Armenian Church in exchange for its support. During his reign Catholicos Anania I Mokats'i moved his patriarchal seat to Argina, near the city of Ani. In 961 Ani was proclaimed the capital of the kingdom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
