Vahram Pahlavouni
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Vahram Pahlavouni (967-1045) was an Armenian commander in the army, a Prince of Bjni and Nik and a sparapet in the Armenian army.
In 1041 Vahram Pahlavouni prepared the coronation of the successor to Smbat III, the king’s nephew Gagik II who at that time was only fourteen years old.
The Byzantine emperor began supporting a rebel, Vest Sarkis, an Armenian pro-Byzantine prince of and minister of the former King who took over the city of Ani with Byzantine support. After this the Kingdom of Ani resisted three assaults of the Byzantine Empire, forcing the Byzantines to retreat. Byzantium exerted its forces to in order to conquer Armenia and annex it to the empire. To this end, they sent a large army to the southern part of Armenia and at the same time convinced the Albanian king to attack Armenia from the east.
At the fierce battle that was fought by the walls of Ani, general Vahram Pahlavuni heavily defeated the Byzantine army, killing at least 20,000. This victory allowed Vahram Pahlavuni along with Catholicos Petros Guedadarts to crown Gagik II king of Armenia and subsequently take the fortress of Ani, which was in the hands of Vest Sarkis. Sarkis ran away to the fortress of St. Mary and was eventually captured. After this victory, the new Armenian king, together with Vahram, defeated the Seljuk Turks. Nevertheless, Byzantine diplomacy, the fault of Gagik II, treachery of Catholicos Petros led to the occupation of the Kingdom of Ani in 1045 by Byzantine troops.
Vahram's military talent and heroic contributions were sung in Armenian literature and popular songs. Vahram built the Marmashen fortress and Marmashen monastery where he might have been buried.
