Chapter 1
Overview of Armenia – Noble Houses of Armenia – Neighbors of Armenia – Ashot's Vow
In the year 312 by Armenian calendar (863 AD) sparapet (hereditary supreme military commander) of Armenia Ashot Bagratuni defeated the coalition of Muslim emirs in a battle of Karasounk, which effectively ended Arab dominion over Armenia. Proclaimed by an assembly of Armenian princes and Catholicos of all Armenians as ishkhan of Armenia, Ashot was reluctantly recognized as an independent ruler by both Caliph in Bagdad and Emperor in Constantinople. Former granted him a title of “prince of princes” of Armenia, while the latter the title of “archon of archons.”
Ashot found himself ruling over the lands of fiercely independent feudal houses: Pahlavuni, boasting descent from royal house of Parthia of old, Artsruni, rulers of Vasparukan principality, member of their house once ruled ERE as emperor Leo V, Syunik and Arranshahik, the latter claiming to be shahs in their homeland of Arran, while the former is satisfied with being just princes, as long as their absolute authority in their lands isn’t contested.
And like the inner politics is not enough, newly independent state truly is surrounded by enemies.
It goes without saying that both Constantinople and Baghdad don’t plan to let Armenia in peace, but even without these empires, there are more than enough enemies, poised to strike in a moment of weakness.
In the east and south the grandson of Yazid al-Shaibani, caliphal governor of Armenia, Haytham, used the turmoil of anarchy at Samarra to break free and accepted the ancient Persian title of Shirvanshah. No longer satisfied with a tribal ways of his Arab ancestors, he seeks to create new Persian Islamic empire.
In the west Abu’l Ward of Kaysite clan, on the other hand, is perfectly happy with the nomadic ways of his Banu Sulaym tribe. Send by caliphs to restore Arabic rule in Armenia, Kaysites instead carved out nice little kingdom for themselves, centered in Manzikert. Abu’l Ward is not going to follow the Caliph and accept Ashot as a ruler of Armenia, he knows someone way better suited for the job, like himself.
Behind the Kaysite land lays the lands of Kurdish Marwanid dynasty. Not long ago their leader was just a highwayman in Mosul, who used his loot, luck and money to capture the city of Diyarbakyr, none other, but an ancient Armenian capital of Tigranakert.
And finally to the north is Georgia, ruled by a side branch of house Bagratuni, who nevertheless, abandoned the true ways of Apostolic Church in favor of Greek Orthodoxy. Yet he is the only one neighbor, who is not outright hostile.
In the year of 867, Ashot married his son and heir, Smbat, to a Greek noblewoman, a move seen as an insult by many Armenian noble families. He sent an embassy to Constantinople with lavish gifts to try and create an alliance against Muslim princes, though his most trusted spies followed the embassy, poised to steal as much secrets of Romans as they can.
In the same year Ashot was approached by a non-descript monk after church service. The monk presented the prince with a book, written by himself, on a subject of ancient Armenian history, specifically the exploits of the great king Tigran and the empire he built.
It is said, that Ashot was lost in a book for weeks, reading and re-reading it, and he was not the same ever since. In the holiest of places, Saint Etchmiadzin monastery, he wowed, that he will not rest, until Armenia regain its past greatness, and its enemies won’t be obliterated.
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