Ashot III Bagratuni also known as Ashot the Blind () ( – 762) was an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

noble and member of the Bagratuni family who was

presiding prince of Armenia Arminiya, also known as the Ostikanate of Arminiya (, ''Hayastani ostikanut'yun'') or the Emirate of Armenia (, ''imārat armīniya''), was a political and geographic designation given by the Muslim Arabs to the lands of Greater Armenia, Cauca ...

as '' ishkhan'' from 732 to 748. He was the nephew of

Smbat VI Bagratuni Smbat VI Bagratuni (ca. 670 – 726) was a member of the Bagratuni family who was presiding prince of Armenia with interruptions from 691 to the 710s. During his reign, he frequently shifted alliances between the Byzantines, who gave him the title ...

. He won the favour of the

Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a member o ...

by defeating one of the

emir Emir (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...

s who had revolted against

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

and attacked

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

. His ascension signaled the coming to power of the Bagratids. He was blinded by the rival

nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

of the

Mamikonian Mamikonian or Mamikonean () was an Armenian aristocratic dynasty which dominated Armenia between the 4th and 8th centuries—through the late antique kingdom, Sasanian, Byzantine, and Arab dominations. They were the most notable noble house in ...

clan. The new power of Armenia had reached such a level that the country, at short notice, could summon an army of 90,000 men, ready to be sent out to battle. He had two sons,

Smbat VII Bagratuni Smbat VII Bagratuni (; died 25 April 775) was an Armenian noble of the Bagratuni (Bagratid) family. He and his brother Vasak were the sons of Ashot III Bagratuni. He served as presiding prince of Armenia in 761–775, playing a leading role i ...

and Vasak Bagratuni.

References

* * 690s births 762 deaths 8th-century kings of Armenia Bagratuni dynasty 8th-century monarchs in Asia Blind royalty and nobility Governors of the Umayyad Caliphate Princes of Armenia Armenian people with disabilities {{Armenia-royal-stub