Vaspurakan

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Vaspurakan (also transliterated as Vasbouragan in Western Armenian; Armenian: Վասպուրական, meaning the "noble land" or "land of princes"^[1]) was a province and then kingdom of Greater Armenia during the Middle Ages centered around Lake Van. The region is considered to be the cradle of Armenian civilization.^[1] During most of its history it was ruled by the Ardzruni dynasty, who first managed to create a principality in the area. At its greatest extension Vaspurakan comprised the lands between Lake Van and Lake Urmia (also known as Kaputa) in 908. During this time they were under the seniority of the Kingdom of Ani.

Vaspurakan was elevated to kingdom status in 908. It was annexed by the Byzantine Empire on 1021.

The kingdom of Vaspurakan had no specific capital, the court moving as the king transferred his residence from place to place – Van, Ostan, and so on.^[2]

Contents 1 Rulers 2 Cantons 3 Sites of Interest 4 Notable People from Vaspurakan 5 References 5.1 Footnotes 6 Further reading

[edit] Rulers

This article is part of the series on: History of Armenia

Early History

Haik

Armens

Hayasa-Azzi

Metsamor Kingdom

Nairi

Kingdom of Urartu

Kingdom of Armenia

Orontid Armenia

Artaxiad Dynasty

Arsacid Dynasty

Medieval History

Marzpanate Period

Byzantine Armenia

Bagratuni Armenia

Kingdom of Vaspurakan

Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia

Foreign Rule

Persian Rule

Ottoman Rule

Russian Rule

Hamidian Massacres

Armenian Genocide

Early Independence

Democratic Republic of Armenia

Soviet Armenia

Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic

Modern Armenia

Republic of Armenia

• Hamazasp II, Prince (800-836). Married to a daughter of Ashot Msaker of the Bagratuni family.
• Ashot I Abulabus Ardzruni, Prince (836-852). Son of Hamazasp II.
• Gurgen I Ardzruni, Prince (852-853). Brother of Ashot I.
• Abu Djafar Ardzruni, Prince (853-854). Probably brother of Ashot I.
• Gurgen II Ardzruni of Mardastan, Prince. (854-857). Distant relative.
• Grigor Derenik Ardzruni, Prince (857-868). Married Sofia, daughter of Ashot I Bagratuni the Great, Prince of Armenia. Son of Ashot I Ardzruni.
• Ashot I Abulabus Ardzruni, Prince (868-874). Second term.
• Grigor Ardzruni, Prince (874-887). Second term.
• Gagik Abu Morvan Ardzruni, regent for Sargis Ashot (887-897), then prince (897-898).
• Sargis Ashot, Prince (898-900). Son of Grigor Ardzruni.
• Emir Afshin (900).
• Safi, as governor of Van (900-901).
• Sargis Ashot (901-904). Reinstated.
• Khatchik Gagik III Ardzuni, Lord of Rechtuniq (887-897). Prince of northwest Vaspurakan (904-937). King of Vaspurakan (937-943). Brother of Sargis Ashot.
• Gurgen III Artzruni, Lord of Parskahaiq (887-897). Prince of southeast Vaspurakan (904-925). Brother of Sargis Ashot.
• Derenic Ashot III, King (943-953). Son of Gagik III.
• Abushal Hamazasp III, King (953-972). Brother of Derenic Ashot III.
• Ashot Sahak, King (972-983). Son of Abushal Hamazasp III.
• Gurgen Khatchik, King (983-1003) and Lord of Antzevaziq. Brother of Ashot Sahak.
• Seneqerim Ioan, King (1003-1021) and lord of Rechtuniq. Also King of Sebaste (1021). Brother of Gurgen Khatchik.

After the Byzantine annexation the dynasty continued with Derenic, son of Gurgen Khatchik, who became lord of Antzivaziq by 1004 and had two brothers: Gugik and Ashot. King Senequerib Ioan also had several children: David, Atom, Abushal and Constantine. David had a daughter that married King Gagik II of Ani.

Another branch of the family appeared on the person of Khatchik the Great in 1040, who had three children: Hasan, Djendjluk and Ishkhanik. Hasan had a son called Abelgharib who had a daughter that married King David of Ani.

[edit] Cantons

Vapusrakan was divided into 35 cantons. They usually took the name of the local nashrakar (canton chief) that ruled them:

• Aghiovit
• Aghvandrot
• Akeh
• Andzakhidzor
• Antzevasiq - ruled by the Antzevatsi.
• Arberani
• Archishaovit
• Arnoyotn
• Artavanian
• Artashesian
• Artaz
• Atrpatunik
• Bagan
• Bujnunik
• Bogunik
• Darni
• Ervandunik
• Gavityan
• Gazrikan
• Gokhten
• Gukan
• Kirchunik
• Kughanovit
• Mardastan
• Metz Aghbak
• Metznunik
• Nakhichevan
• Rechtuniq - ruled by the Rechtuni.
• Patspatounik
• Palouniq
• Taygirian
• Tchevashrot
• Tornavan
• Tosb
• Varajnuniq - ruled by the Varajnuni.

[edit] Sites of Interest

• Former Armenian Katholicosate of Aghtamar on the Isle of Aghtamar
• Varagavank, an Armenian monastery on the slopes of Mt. Varag (9 km. east of Van), founded by King Sennacherib-John early in his reign (1003-1024). It became the richest and most celebrated monastery of the Lake Van area. Here, Khrimian Hayrik founded Arciv Vaspurakani (The Eagle of Vaspurakan), the first newspaper ever printed in Armenia. The archbishop of Van resided here until the late nineteenth century.^[2] On April 30, 1915, the Turkish army destroyed the monastery; its ruins are still visible, though.

[edit] Notable People from Vaspurakan

• Khrimian Hayrik
• Aram Manougian

[edit] References

[edit] Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b} Hovannisian, Richard G. (1999). Armenian Van/Vaspurakan. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers.
2. ^ ^{a b} Hewsen, Robert H. (2001). Armenia: a historical atlas. The University of Chicago Press, 116. ISBN 0-226-33228-4.

[edit] Further reading

• Der Nersessian, Sirarpie. Armenia and the Byzantine Empire: a Brief Study of Armenian Art and Civilization. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1947.