Movses Kaghankatvatsi

Movses Kaghankatvatsi (Armenian: Մովսէս Կաղանկատուացի Movses Kaġankatvac’i), or Movses Daskhurantsi (Մովսէս Դասխուրանցի Movses Dasxuranc’i) is the reputed author (or authors) of a tenth-century Classical Armenian historiographical work on Caucasian Albania and eastern provinces of Armenia, known as The History of the Country of Albania (Պատմութիւն Աղուանից, Patmutʿiwn Ałuanicʿ).^[1][2][3][4]

Authorship

The first historian to mention Movses' work was medieval Armenian legal scholar Mkhitar Gosh, referring to him as "Movses Daskhurantsi."^[5] A later historian, Kirakos Gandzaketsi, author of the History of Armenia, referred to a statement in the History itself, to attribute the name of the author as Movses Kaghankatvatsi. The statement in question (Book II, ch. 11) says:

Movses narrates the Khazar invasion of Transcaucasia and other events up to the seventh century in Book I and II of History. Book III of his History differs from the previous ones in style of writing^[6] and date. It deals with the Caspian expeditions of the Rus and their conquest of Partav in the tenth century. Because of such time lapse and difference in style, attribution of the work to a single author seems doubtful. For this reason it has been common to assume two consecutive authors or editors, Kaghankatvatsi (7th century) as the author of Books I and II, and Daskhurantsi (tenth century) as the editors of Kaghankatvatsi's text and the author of Book III.^[5]

Publications and translations

• Movses Kaghankatvatsi (1983). History of Aghuank in original Old-Armenian (Մովսէս Կաղանկատուացի.Պատմութիւն Աղուանից աշխարհի), critical text and introduction by Varag Arrakelian (in Armenian). Yerevan: "Matenadaran" Institute of old manuscripts after Mesrob Mashtots. Armenian SSR Academy of Sciences. 
• Movsēs Dasxuranc'i (1961). The History of the Caucasian Albanians (translated by C. F. J. Dowsett). London: (London Oriental Series, Vol. 8). 
• Movses Kaghankatvatsi (1984). The History of the Country of Aluank (translated by Š.V. Smbatian) (in Russian). Yerevan: Matenadaran. 
• Movses Kaghankatvatsi (1985). The History of Albania (translated by L. Davlianidze-Tatishvili) (in Georgian). Tbilisi. 

References

Medieval Armenian historians and chroniclers 5th century Koryun Agathangelos Yeghishe Faustus of Byzantium Movses Khorenatsi Ghazar Parpetsi 6th century Atanas Taronatsi Abraham Mamikoneits 7th century Sebeos John Mamikonean Anania Shirakatsi Anastas Vardapet Narratio de rebus Armeniae 8th century Ghevond Abraham Vanakan 9th century Tovma Artsruni 10th century Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi Shapuh Bagratuni Ukhtanes of Sebastia Movses Kaghankatvatsi Zenob Glak Aharon Vanandetsi Mesrop Vayotsdzoretsi 11th century Stepanos Asoghik Hakob Sanahnetsi Aristakes Lastivertsi 12th century Matthew of Edessa Grigor Yerets Samuel Anetsi Mkhitar Gosh Mkhitar Anetsi 13th century Vardan Areveltsi Hovhanes Avagerets Kirakos of Gandzak Sempad the Constable Mekhitar of Ayrivank Hayton of Corycus Gregory of Akner Vahram Rabuni Stepanos Episkopos Stephen Orbelian 14th century Nerses Palianents 15th century Thomas of Metsoph Kirakos Banaser Sebastatsi Abraham Ankyuratsi David Merdintsi Martiros Yerznkatsi 16th century Barsegh Arjishetsi Hovhanes Arjishetsi Simeon Aparantsi Andreas Evdokatsi Hovanisik Tsaretsi 17th century Grigor Daranaghetsi Simeon Lehatsi Arakel of Tabriz Khachgruz Kafaetsi Hovhanes Kamenatsi David Baghishetsi Hakob Karnetsi Zakaria Sarkavag Zakaria Aguletsi Minas Amdetsi Yeremia Chelebi Keomurjian Hakob Hisusi Grigor dpir Varagetsi Gabriel Tokhatetsi Vardan Baghishetsi Stepanos Dashtetsi 18th century Esai Hasan-Jalalian Petros di Sargis Gilanents Stepanos Roshka Abraham Kretatsi Simeon Yerevantsi Tovmas Khojamalian Khachatur Jughaetsi Isahak Vardapet Avetik Baghdasarian Abraham Yerevantsi Stepanos Yerets