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Amberd Castle
Amberd () is a 10th-century fortress located above sea level, on the slopes of Mount Aragats at the confluence of the Arkashen and Amberd rivers in the province of Aragatsotn, Armenia. The name translates to "fortress in the clouds" in Armenian. It is also the name incorrectly attributed to Vahramashen Church, the 11th-century Armenian church near the castle. The village of Byurakan is from the site of Amberd. In 2024, the pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage Europa Nostra included Amberd, a medieval fortress, in the list of the 7 most endangered European monuments and heritage sites. The buildings of the complex may collapse due to age, lack of funding for reinforcing the structures, and because of erosion and earthquakes. History The site started as a Stone Age settlement. During the Bronze Age and Urartian periods, a fortress had been built that is now obsolete. Some sources say that Amberd used to be a summer residence for kings. The castle of Amberd and some ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aragatsotn Province
Aragatsotn (, ) is a administrative divisions of Armenia, province (''Marz (country subdivision), marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of Ashtarak. The Statistical Committee of Armenia reported its population was 128,941 in the 2022 census. Etymology Literally meaning "the foot of Mount Aragats, Aragats" (the highest mountain of Armenia), it is named after the Aragatsotn canton of the historic Ayrarat province of Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity), Ancient Armenia, ruled by the Amatuni noble family under the reign of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia, Arsacid dynasty. Geography Aragatsotn Province occupies the northwestern part of Armenia and covers an area of 2,756 km2 (9.3% of the total area of Armenia). It has internal borders with Shirak Province from the north, Lori Province from the northeast, Kotayk Province from the east, Armavir Province from the south and the city of Yerevan from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vache I Vachutian
Vache I Vachutian also Vace Vacutian, also known as Amberdtsi Vachutyan (Վաչե Ա. Ամբերդեցի, ruled 1206–1230), was an Armenian prince, and a Court official of the Kingdom of Georgia holding the offices of '' Msakhurtukhutsesi'' (Majordomo), founder of the Vachutian dynasty, themselves vassals to the Zakarid dynasty of Zakarid Armenia. He was married to Mamakhatun, daughter of Abuserh. Vache I Vachutian is known for the foundation of various monastic buildings in historical Armenia. He built the churches of the Saghmosavank Monastery (1215) and Hovhannavank Monastery (1216–1221), while his son Kurt built the ''zhamatuns'' attached to them, in 1250 for Hovhannavank and 1255 for Saghmosavank. Vache Vachutian also built the church of Tegher Monastery (1213), and the vestibule (''gavit'') of St. Astvatsatsin Church in Sanahin Monastery (1211), which is evidenced by the inscription preserved on the south wall inside the vestibule. He is also known for building a m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grigor Magistros
Grigor Magistros (; "Gregory the ''magistros''"; ca. 990–1058) was an Armenians, Armenian prince, Linguistics, linguist, scholar and public functionary. A layman of the princely Pahlavuni family that claimed descent from the dynasty established by St. Gregory the Illuminator, he was the son of the military commander Vasak Pahlavuni. After the Byzantine Empire annexed the Ani, Kingdom of Ani, Gregory went on to serve as the governor (''dux, doux'') of the province of Edessa, Mesopotamia, Edessa. During his tenure he worked actively to suppress the Tondrakians, a breakaway Christian Armenian sect that the Armenian and Byzantine Churches both labeled heresy, heretics. He studied both ecclesiastical and secular literature, Syriac as well as Greek. He collected all Armenian manuscripts of scientific or philosophical value that were to be found, including the works of Anania Shirakatsi, and translations from Callimachus, Andronicus of Rhodes and Olympiodorus of Thebes, Olympiodorus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bagratid Armenia
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 A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shirak Province
Shirak (, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province () of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering the provinces of Lori Province, Lori to the east and Aragatsotn Province, Aragatsotn to the south and southeast, and the countries of Turkey to the west and Georgia (country), Georgia to the north. Its capital and largest city is Gyumri, which is the second largest city in Armenia. It is as much semi-desert as it is mountain meadow or high alpine. In the south, the high steppes merge into mountain terrain, being verdant green in the spring, with hues of reddish brown in the summer. The province is served by the Gyumri Shirak International Airport, Shirak International Airport of Gyumri. Etymology Shirak Province is named after the Shirak canton of the historical Ayrarat province of Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity), Ancient Armenia. The early medieval Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi writes that the name Shirak derives from Shara, who was the great-grandson o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashot IV
Ashot IV (, died c. 1040–41), surnamed Kaj (), i.e. "the Brave, the Valiant", was the younger son of King Gagik I of Armenia. Life When his eldest brother Hovhannes-Smbat (known also as Smbat III) was enthroned as King of Armenia as the legal heir of the Bagratuni dynasty as King of Armenia (King of Ani), Ashot was greatly displeased as he had aspirations to the throne. So he organized a military campaign through his supporters besieging and later conquering the Armenian capital Ani, usurping the power and dethroning the king Hovhannes-Smbat in 1021. But later on a compromise agreement was reached between the two feuding brothers such the legal heir would reassume his power but on a much smaller territory in provinces near the capital, whereas Ashot would become king in provinces closer to Persia and Georgia. The simultaneous rule of the two brothers continued with Hovhannes-Smbat ruling (1020–1040) and that of Ashot IV (1021–1039). However, despite the compromise agreeme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hovhannes-Smbat III Of Armenia
Hovhannes-Smbat III () was King of Ani (1020–1040). He succeeded his father Gagik I of Ani (989–1020) being the king's elder son and legal heir to the throne. Life His enthronement in 1020 was strongly opposed by his younger brother Ashot, who one year later in 1021 rebelled against him, driving his forces to Ani the capital, surrounding and conquering the city and dethroning his brother Hovhannes-Smbat III in 1021 and usurping power from him. But following a compromise agreement between the two feuding brothers, he agreed to withdraw his rebel forces from Ani and let the legal heir Hovhannes-Smbat III to return to power continuing as Hovhannes-Smbat III of Ani on limited areas around the capital, whereas Ashot (known as Ashot IV) would be enthroned a concurrent king and rule in further Armenian provinces closer to Persia and Georgia. Despite the agreed compromise, conflicts, sometimes military, continued between the two brother kings thus greatly weakening the Arm ... [...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] |
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] |
Ashot II Of Armenia
Ashot II the Iron (; died 929) was king of Bagratid Armenia from 914 to 929. He was the son and successor of King Smbat I of Armenia, Smbat I. His reign was filled with rebellions by vassals and pretenders to the throne, as well as foreign invasions, which Ashot fought off successfully, for which he is remembered by the epithet (), or the Iron. Reign Ashot II succeeded his father Smbat I upon the latter's death in 914. Smbat had fought off an invasion launched by the Emir of Atropatene, Yusuf ibn Abi'l-Saj, Yusuf Ibn Abi'l-Saj, but when Smbat surrendered he was tortured and beheaded by Yusuf in Alinja, Yernjak. Having taken control of the central lands of Armenia, Yusuf installed Ashot II's first cousin, also named Ashot, in Dvin (ancient city), Dvin as the "anti-king" of Bagratid Armenia. Harried by Yusuf's forces, Ashot II visited Constantinople to receive aid from Empress Zoe Karbonopsina. Ashot II was well received, and a Byzantine force was assembled to assist Armenia in def ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi
Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi (, John of Drasxanakert, various spellings exist), also called John V the Historian, was Catholicos of Armenia from 897 to 925, and a noted chronicler and historian. He is known for his ''History of Armenia.'' He is also the author of a list of Armenian Catholicoi titled ''Shar Hayrapetatsʻn Hayotsʻ''.Yovhannes Drasxanakertc'i/John Katholikos (1987). '' History of Armenia by John Katholikos''. Translated by Maksoudian, Krikor H. Atlanta, Georgia: Scholars Press. p. 8–23. What little is known about Catholicos Hovhannes's life comes from his own written works. He gives his own birthplace as Draskhkert (Draskhanakert), which has been variously identified with modern Ashtarak or placed near the historical canton of Shirak in Ayrarat province (later medieval Armenian historians claimed he was from Garni or Dvin). He was related to his predecessor as catholicos, Mashtots I, under whom he studied. Hovhannes's pontificate coincided with the reigns of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
