During this seemingly endless war, the worst ever to afflict mankind, Armenia has undoubtedly been the most unfortunate of all lands, the most racked and tortured, more so even than Belgium, more so than Serbia! Victim of the frightful massacres by the Turks, subjected to the crudest horrors, partly delivered by the Russians and then woefully abandoned by them, Armenia has seen her fine and industrious rural population decimated to an unthinkable extent through a most abominable series of slaughters. Not only is she the unhappiest of nations, but no national history is so little known as is hers, despite the fact that this history was once so famous. The reason for this is that for several centuries Armenia has been constantly held down beneath the most unbearable of servitudes, the bloody Ottoman yoke. In our western civilization hardly any but a very few scholars know the early history of the Armenians, those ancient and medieval times when this then warlike race played a most ...
Contents
Dedication / 5 Preface / 7 Foreword / 9
Chapter I. Physical features of Armenia. — Geography. — Generalities / 15-49 Ararat, 15. — The Alagheuz, 16, — The Gheuk-tchaï or Sevanga, 20. — The Araxes. 21. — The plain of Erivan, 22. — The Qara-bagh and the Qara-dagh, 24. — The plain of Moughan, 27. — Azerbaïdjan, 28. — Persian Kurdistan, 29. — The Erzerum plateau, 30. — Lazistan and the Pontic Alps, 32. — Climate of the Armenian plateau, 34. — The Armenian stronghold, 35. — Southern Armenia, 37. — Turkish Kurdistan, 38. — Western Armenia, 39. — Frontiers of Armenia, 41. — The provinces of Armenia, 43. — Greater and Lesser Armenia, 45. — New Armenia or Sissouan, 45. — The three Armenias, 49.
Chapter II. Origin of the Armenian people. — Sojourn of the Armeno-Phrygians in Thrace. — Their crossing into Asia. — Their march to the Ararat country. — Conquest of the Erzerum plateau. — The Haikian patriarchs. — The legendary dynasty. — Median ascendancy. — The kingdom of Armenia under Achaemenean suzerainty. — The Macedonian conquest. — The dynasty of Phraataphernes. — Rule of the Seleucids of Syria / 50-84
Armenian beginnings, 51. — The Armeno-Phrygians of Herodotus, 52. — The Armenians of the 12th to the 8th century B.C., 53. — The Iranians in the 8th century B.C., 54. — The Urartaeans not the ancestors of the Armenians, 55. — Armenian traditions concerning the kingdom of Urartu, 58. — Migration of the Armenians, 59. — Legendary dynasties, 62. — The invasion of the Scythians, 65. — Conquest of Armenia by Haik, 65. — The Armenian language, 67. — The religion of the Armenians in ancient times, 69. — Armenia subdued by the Persian Achaemeneans, 72. — The Anabasis of the Ten Thousand through Armenia, 75. — The Alexandrian conquest, 78. — Armenia under Alexander's successors, 79. — Erivan founded, 79. — Ervand (Orontes), governor of Armenia, 79. — Artaxias, king of Armenia, 81. — Zariadras, 82. — Numismatic records, Charaspes, Arsames, Abdissares, and Xerxes, kings of Armenia, known only from their coins, 83. sq. —
Chapter III. Reign of Tigranes II the Great, — Lucullus and Pompey in Armenia. — The country divided by the Romans. — The last kings of the dynasty of Artaxias / 85-109 Artavazd II, 86. — Tigranes II the Great, 87. — Mithidrates V. defeated by Sulla, 89. — Lucullus, 90. — Battle of Tigranocerta, 91. — Recall of Lucullus, 94. — Pompey in Armenia, 95. — Submission of Tigranes II, 96. — Armenia under Tigranes II, 98. — Marcus Crassus in Asia, 100. — Artavazd III, 100. — Defeat of Crassns, 101. — Mark Antony in Asia, 104. — Alexander, son of Antony and Cleopatra, king of Armenia, 107. — Artashes II, 107. — Last successors of Artaxias, 108. — Tigranes III and Tigranes IV, 108.
Chapter IV. The foreign dynasty (A.D. 2-53). — The Arsacids of Armenia (A.D. 53-429). — Tiridates II the Great (A.D. 217-238). — Conversion of Armenia to Christianity. — Saint Gregory the Illuminator / 110-136
Ariobaizanes, 110. — Artavazd V, 111. — Tigranes V, 111. — Erato, 111. — Vonones, 111. — Artashes III, 112. — Archak I, 112. — Mithidrates, 112. — Rhadamistus, 112. — Tiridates I, 115. — Corbulo, 116. — Tigranes VI, 116. — Exedares, 117. — First Arsacids of Armenia, 118. — Tiridates II (Chosroes I), 118. — Accession of the Sassanids to the Persian throne, 226. — Tiridates III and St. Gregory the Illuminator, 124. — Conversion of Armenia to Christianity, 124. — Founding of the Patriarchal See of Etchmiadzin, 127. — The Armenian Church, 130. — Artavazd VI, 132. — Chosroes H, Tiran, Archak II, Pap, Varazdat, Archak III, Chosroes III, Vrampachouh, 132. — St. Sahak and St. Mesrop 133. — Invention of Writing, 133. — Last Arsacid kings of Armenia, 135. — The Marzpans, 135. — Vardan Mamikonian, 135. — Vahan Mamikonian, 136.
Chapter V. The Arab conquest. — Armenia a province of the Empire of the Caliphs / 137-152
End of the Sassanid Empire, Yezdedjerd IV, 138. — Abd-er-Raham enters Armenia, 139. — Struggle between the Byzantines and Arabs in Armenia, 140. — Arab government set up in Georgia and Armenia, 142. — Ashot, governor of Armenia for the Arabs, 143. —Description of the site of Ani, 144. — Ashot, "prince of princes", (king of Ani), 148. —
Chapter VI. The Dynasty of the Bagratids / 153-186
Origin of the Bagratids, 153. — Aehot I, 154. — Sembat I, 157. — Khatchik-Gaghik, king of Vaspurakan, 159 Ashot II, king of Ani, 161. — Abas, 163. — Ashot III, 163. — Division of Armenia into seven kingdoms, 165. — Sembat II, 167. — Gaghik I, 168. — Sembat III, 172. — Arrival of the Turks in Armenia, 173. — Armenian principality of Sivas, 174. — Gaghik II, 176. — Exile of Gaghik II, 177. — Assassination of Gaghik II, 179. — Taking of Ani by the Seljuk Turks, 182. — Role of the Armenian nobility, 184.
Chapter VII. The Barony of New Armenia / 187-221
Revolt of Rupen, 188. — Cilicia, 190. — Constantine I and Thoros I, barons, 194. — Arrival of the Second Crusade, 195. — Leo I, baron, 198. — Captivity of Leo I, 200. — Thoros II, baron, 201. — Mleh, baron, 209. — Rupen II, baron, 211. — Leo II, baron, 212. — Arrival of the Third Crusade, 212.
Chapter VIII. The Kingdom of New Armenia / 222-274
Leo I, king of Armenia, 222. — The Court of Armenia, 227. — The Commerce of the Armenians, 228. — Isabel, queen, 231. — Hetum I, king of Armenia, 232. — Leo II, king of Armenia, 237. — Helum II. 240. — Thoros, 242. — Sempad and Constantine, usurpers, 242. — Return of Hetum II to power, 244. — Leo III, 245. — Ochin, 246. — Leo IV, 247. — Guy of Lusignan (Constantine II), 250. — Constantine III, 253. — Constantine IV, 255. — Leo V. of Lusignan 258. — Leo V in Cyprus, 260. — Crowning of Leo V, 265. — Siege of Sis, 266, — Taking of Sis by the Moslems, 269. — Capitulation of the Castle of Sis, 269. — Captivity of Leo v., 270. — Liberation of Leo V, 271. — Death of Leo V, 271.
Chapter IX. Armenia, after the loss of its independence / 275-314
Moslems' attitude to Christians in conquered countries, 275. — Turkish domination in Armenia, 278. — The Mongols in Armenia, 278. — Persian rule, 281. — The Armenians appeal to Europe, 282. — Peter the Great and Catherine, 283. — Conquest of Upper Armenia by Russia, 285. — Treaty of Adrianople, 287. — Zeitoun, 290. — Treaty of San Stefano, 291. — Congress of Berlin, 292. — Cyprus Agreement, 293. — The causes of the massacres, 296. — Armenian nobility in the 20th century, 298. — The Patriarchs, 300. — The Young Turks, 303. — The massacres, 304. — The population of the Ottoman Empire, 313. — The Armenian population, 313.
Chapter X. The Armenians outside of Armenia. — The population of Armenia and of the Armenian Colonies / 315-337
The Armenian Emperors of Byzantium, 315. — Manricius Tiberius, 317. — Flavius Heraclius I, 318. — Constans II, 320. — Constantine IV Pogonatus, 320. — Justinian II, 321. — Tiberius IV, 321. — Filepicus Bardanes, 321. — Artavazdus, 321. — Leo V the Armenian, 322. — Michael III and Basil I, 322. — Alexander, 323. — Constantine X. Porphyrogenetus, 323. — Romanus I, 324. — John Zimesces, 325. — Constantine XI Porphyrogenetus, 325. — Armenian Empresses and Princesses, 326. — The Armenian officials of the Greek Empire, 326. — The Bagratid dynasty of Georgia, 327. — The Armenians in Persia and Constantinople, 328. — The Armenians in Poland, 330. — The Armenians in western Europe, 333. — The Armenians in India and the Far-East, 334. — The Armenians in Venice, the Mekhitharists, 334. — The Armenians in Russia, 334. — Russian administration of the Armenians, 335. — The Armenians in America, 336.
Chapter XI Literature, Science, and Art among the Armenians / 338-391
Ancient writing of Asia, 338. — Armenian writing, 340. — Mesrop, 341. — Ancient Armenian literature, 345. — Moses of Khoren, 351. — Liturgical poetry, 352. — Secular poetry, 353. — Armenian troubadours, 355. — Modem Armenian literature, 356. — Armenian versification, 362. — The Sciences, 363. — Printing, 364. — Newspapers and Reviews, 364. — Music, 368. — The Stage, 370. — Architecture and Sculpture, 370. — Frescoes and Icons, 381. — Illumination of Manuscripts, 381. — Coining of money in Georgia, 385. — The industrial arts, 389. — Dancing, 391.
Chapter XII. Events in Armenia, since the fall of the Czar's government in Russia (1917-1918) / 392-397
Appendices
Chronology. — Remotest times. — Legendary data, 401. — Historical data. Earliest times, 402. — First Period of Independence, 402. — Rule of the Seleucids, 402. Second period of Independence, Dynasty of Artaxias, 402. — Foreign Dynasty, 402. — Arsacids of Armenia, 403. — Persian Rule, Marzpans or Governors-General, 403. — Governors-General of Byzantine Armenia, 404. — Arab rule, Ostikans or Governors-General, 405. — Third Period of Independence, Dynasty of the Armenian Bagratids, 407. — Fourth Period of Independence, Dynasty of the Rupenians in New Armenia, I, the Barons, II. the Kings, 407-8.
Ecclesiastical Chronology. — Catholici of Etchmiadzin, 409. — Catholici of Cilicia, 411. — Catholici of Akhthamar, 412. — Catholici of Aghouan, 412. — Patriarchs of Jerusalem, 413. — Patriarchs of Constantinople, 414.
PREFACE
During this seemingly endless war, the worst ever to afflict mankind, Armenia has undoubtedly been the most unfortunate of all lands, the most racked and tortured, more so even than Belgium, more so than Serbia! Victim of the frightful massacres by the Turks, subjected to the crudest horrors, partly delivered by the Russians and then woefully abandoned by them, Armenia has seen her fine and industrious rural population decimated to an unthinkable extent through a most abominable series of slaughters. Not only is she the unhappiest of nations, but no national history is so little known as is hers, despite the fact that this history was once so famous. The reason for this is that for several centuries Armenia has been constantly held down beneath the most unbearable of servitudes, the bloody Ottoman yoke. In our western civilization hardly any but a very few scholars know the early history of the Armenians, those ancient and medieval times when this then warlike race played a most important role in the hinterland of the Eastern world, first the Roman and then the Christian.
A few noble-minded men of this long and sorely tried nation, along with some French friends devoted to their cause, felt it urgent to bring Armenia's hitherto neglected history to the knowledge of the general French public and that of our Allies, through a published work of high standing and practical value. This they deemed one of the best ways to interest the world, and France in particular, in the salvation of so worthy a people. These friends of Armenia, choosing as spokesman one of the best among them, the great patriot Archag Tchobanian, kindly asked my advice as to whom they should appeal to carry out this difficult task. One name came at once to my thought, that of my friend Jacques de Morgan, the intrepid explorer, the scholarly and enthusiastic traveler and great archaeologist, renowned for his excavations at Susa and in Egypt. No one is better acquainted with the vast regions around Armenia, and with Armenia itself, which he has traveled over more than anyone. No one has more carefully studied the mysterious beginnings and the history of those races that settled over the magnificent lands south of the Caucasus. Many years of incessant labor had impaired his health, yet when upon my advice my Armenian friends asked him to write the history of their nation and to compass its glorious but forgotten annals in a volume of striking interest, to be widely disseminated in behalf of this sacred cause, he at once accepted, despite his poor health and comparative reclusion. He set to work immediately, happy to be able still to serve the sublime cause of oppressed peoples. In two years of ardent labor he completed this important work, of such great interest to a vast public so lacking in knowledge about Armenia. I have been done the great honor of being asked to write a few introductory lines to this volume. For this honor I am perhaps indebted to my own works on the Crusades and Byzantine history, in which I so often had to refer to the valorous deeds in the East of the illustrious Armenian race. "This is the first time," wrote Jacques de Morgan to me,, "that I am not writing the preface myself to one of my books!" I accepted, however, this pleasurable task, with the stated intention of writing briefly, not to re-introduce to the public my friend Morgan already so well known, but if possible to draw the further attention of all the allied nations to the unhappy Armenian people and to the abominable injustice they have endured for centuries.
I fondly hope that very many French people, and very many of our allies, will read this admirable and clear outline, so understandingly set forth, of the history of Armenia, a history of centuries of valor, of energy, and of suffering, lived under the shadow of the two mountains of Ararat, the giants that tower over the land. For my part, I feel that of all the different periods of this people's constantly sublime and tragic history, none offers more interest than that of the Armenian nation during the Crusades and the large part their doughty sovereigns took by the side of the Latin princes for the cause of Christendom overseas. I wish this splendid volume the very great success it deserves. May it contribute, upon the final victory now so near, towards the entry of Armenia, freed from the unbearable Turkish yoke, into the rightful and definite place to which she is entitled in the future Society of Nations!
Gustave Schlumberger September, 1918.
Jacques de Morgan
The history of the Armenian people
Hairenik
Hairenik press The history of the Armenian people Jacques de Morgan Former Director-General of the Egyptian Department of Archaeology and former General Delegate in Persia of the French Ministry of Education
From the Remotest Times to the Present Day Preface by Gustave Schlumberger of the Academy of Ancient Monuments and of Literature
Victrix causa diis placult, sed victa Catoni. (Lucan, Pharsala, L 128)
Illustrated With 296 Maps, Plans, and Documentary Sketches by the Author.
