The Greek army returned, but Thoros remained in the country;

VAHRAM’S CHRONICLE OF THE ARMENIAN KINGDOM IN CILICIA.

VAHRAM’S

CHRONICLE

OF

THE ARMENIAN KINGDOM IN CILICIA,

DURING THE

TIME OF THE CRUSADES.

TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL ARMENIAN,

WITH

NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS,

BY

CHARLES FRIED. NEUMANN.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR THE ORIENTAL TRANSLATION FUND,

And Sold by

J. MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET;

PARBURY, ALLEN, & CO., LEADENHALL STREET;

THACKER & CO., CALCUTTA; TREUTTEL & WÜRTZ, PARIS;

AND E. FLEISCHER, LEIPSIG.

1831.

LONDON:

Printed by J. L. Cox, Great Queen Street

Lincoln’s-Inn Fields.

TO

PROFESSOR WILKEN,

AUTHOR OF

“THE HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES,”

AND

LIBRARIAN TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF PRUSSIA,

THIS VOLUME

IS DEDICATED,

WITH PROFOUND RESPECT AND ESTEEM,

BY

THE TRANSLATOR.

PREFACE.

The greatest defect of the following Chronicle is its brevity. VAHRAM,

of whose life little more is known than that he was a native of Edessa,

a priest, and the secretary of king Leon III., exhibits almost all the

faults of the common Chroniclers of the Middle Ages. He relates many

barren facts, without stating the circumstances with which they were

connected, and he mistakes every where the passions of men for the finger

of God. The compilers of chronicles were in those ages ignorant of the

true end, and unacquainted with the proper objects of history. But

with all its defects, the chronicle of the Armenian kings of Cilicia,

written by a contemporary writer, is valuable. The friend of history may

now be enabled to form an estimate of the origin and the increase of

an empire, which for want of materials has been overlooked by the most

learned and acute historians. Gibbon, of whom it is doubtful whether

we should most admire his genius or his erudition, in his celebrated

work simply mentions the _name_ of Cilicia, a kingdom, which carried on

successful wars against the emperors of Constantinople; and which, from

the beginning of the Crusades remained the friend and ally of the Franks,

and to whom belonged a part of the sea-coast, that continued from the

time of Ezekiel the theatre of the commerce of the world. The Venetians

and Genoese were so impressed with the importance of Cilicia, that they

made several commercial treaties with the Armenian kings; the Armenian

original of one of these agreements, together with a translation and

notes, has been printed by the learned orientalist, Saint-Martin.

The Crusaders were astonished to find within the frontiers of the

Byzantine empire a powerful prince and ally of whom they had never

before heard mention. Nicetas betrays a want of historical knowledge and

research, in saying that the Armenians and Germans were united together,

because they both disliked holy images.[1] The Germans and a great part

of the Armenians, on the contrary, felt no aversion to the worship of

images, but the latter, ever since the first division of the Arsacidian

kingdom of Armenia between the Sassanides and the Greeks, in the year

three hundred and eighty-seven, had been in perpetual warfare with the

Byzantine empire; and this warfare caused a degree of animosity between

the two people (Greeks and Armenians), of which traces may be seen even

at the present time.

By the unjust and cruel division of the kingdom of Armenia, the largest

and most fertile part of the country fell (as the contemporary historian

Lazar of Barb observes) to the empire of Persia. The Byzantine emperors

and the Sassanian princes for a while permitted native kings to hold a

precarious sceptre; but they were speedily dismissed; and the Byzantine

part of Armenia was governed by a Greek magistrate, and the Persian by a

Marsban or Margrave. This state of the country, somewhat similar to that

of the Maronites in our times, was on a sudden changed by the conquests

of the Arabs; but the Armenians would not accept the Koran, and their

condition became worse under the zealous and fanatical followers of the

prophet of Mecca than under the descendants of Sapor the Great, while

weak and dismayed by civil wars.

Ashod the Bagratide, an Armenian nobleman of a Jewish family, who had

fled to Armenia after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadanozor, at

last gained the confidence of his Arabian masters; and in the year eight

hundred and fifty-nine was appointed Emir al Omra, Ishkhan Ishkhanaz

(prince of princes),—as the native historians translate the Arabian

title—over all Armenia: and was soon after it (888) favoured with a

tributary crown. The Bagratides and the rival kings of the family of the

Arzerounians, were the faithful friends (or slaves) of the Arabs, and

often suffered from the inroads and devastations of the Greeks. We learn

from Vahram the means through which the Bagratian kingdom in Armenia

Proper was extinguished; and that a new Armenian kingdom arose on the

craggy rocks of Mount Taurus, and which gradually extended its boundaries

to the sea-coast, including the whole province of Cilicia. Vahram carries

his monotonous historical rhymes no farther down than the time of the

death of his sovereign, Leon III. (1289); but the Cilicio-Armenian

kingdom, which during the whole time of its existence perhaps never was

entirely independent, lasted nearly a hundred years longer. Leon, the

sixth of that name and the last Armenian king of Cilicia, was in 1375

taken a prisoner by the Mamalukes of Egypt, and after a long captivity

(1382) released by the generous interference of King John I. of Castille.

He was not however permitted to return to his own country; but wandered

through Europe from one country to another till his death, which happened

at Paris, the 19th of November 1393. He was buried in the monastery of

the Celestines.

The Mamalukes did not long remain masters both of Cilicia and of a part

of Armenia Proper; but yielded to the fortune and the strength of the

descendants of Osman or Othman: when the Armenians again felt, as in

former times, all the disasters to which the frontier provinces between

two rival empires are usually exposed. The cruel policy of the Sophies

transplanted thousands of Christian families to the distant provinces of

Persia, and transformed fertile provinces into artificial deserts. The

Armenians therefore, like the Jews, were obliged to disperse themselves

over the world, and resort to commerce for the necessaries of life.

Armenian merchants are now to be found in India, on the islands of the

Eastern Archipelago, in Singapore, in Afghanistan, Persia, Egypt, in

every part of Asia Minor and Syria, Russia, Poland, Austria, Italy; and

even the present patriarch of Abyssinia is an Armenian. The valiant

descendants of Haig are now, like the offspring of Abraham, considered

every where clever and shrewd merchants: they were of great service

to the East-India Company in carrying on their trade with the inland

provinces of Hindostan; and it was once thought that they were fitter

for this part of the mercantile business, than any agents of the Company

itself.[2]

It is not more than half a century since the modern Armenian provinces

began to look on Russia for succour and relief, when the Empress

Catherine behaved in many instances most generously to the ruined house

of Thorgoma. The fortunate wars of Russia against the Shah and the Sultan

have within the last ten years brought the greater part of the old

Parthian kingdom of Armenia under the sway of the mighty Czars. It seems

probable, that we may see yet in our times a new kingdom of Armenia,

created out of barbarian elements by the generosity and magnanimity of

the Emperor Nicholas.

The following Chronicle is translated from an edition printed at Madras

in the year 1259 of the Armenian era, that is the year 1810 _Anno

Domini_. The volume is printed by the command of that great promoter of

literature, Ephrem, archbishop and primate of the Armenians in Russia,

and contains, besides the chronicle of Vahram, the Elegy of Edessa

by Nerses Shnorhaly; and the elegy on his death, written by the most

eminent of his disciples, Nerses of Lampron. It is said in the preface

of the before-mentioned volume, that the work of Vahram, the secretary

of Leon III., had been previously printed, though in a very negligent

and careless manner. I have never however seen any other than the Madras

edition, where the proper names of places and foreign nations are

often incorrectly spelt. I am sorry to add, that I made the following

translation in a place where it was impossible for me to refer to the

well known works on the geography of Armenia, of Cilicia, and of Asia

Minor generally; neither could I compare the narrative of Vahram with the

statements of the contemporary Byzantine and Latin writers: but I trust

the learned reader will easily supply these defects.

Vahram is nearly the latest author who is considered by the Armenian

literati to write classically. The classical Armenian language had been

preserved from the beginning of Armenian literature in the fifth century,

amidst various political and religious disturbances, for a period of

eight hundred years. During the course of the thirteenth century the

language became corrupted; and in the fourteenth authors began to use in

their writings the corrupted vernacular idiom. The ancient native writers

were neglected, their classical translations and imitations of the

celebrated Greek patterns became superseded by the barbarous literature

of the Latins, and John of Erzinga, otherwise Bluz (1326), the last

who wrote the language of Moses and Elisæus, translated a work on the

sacraments by St. Thomas Aquinas.

We thus find some orders of monks in Armenia, educated in the Latin

schools and in latin manners, who corrupted the native Haican language

by the introduction of many foreign scholastic expressions; and a new

race of sanguinary barbarians, the Dominicans, became the authors of

works worthy of their titulary saint. The Armenian literature remained

in this abject condition, to which these holy fathers had reduced it,

for nearly four hundred years; but about the middle of the eighteenth

century the nation roused itself from this lethargy, and Madras,

Calcutta, Djulfa, New Nakshivan, Etshmiadsin, Tabris, St. Petersburg,

Moscow, Amsterdam, Smyrna, and principally Venice, bear witness to the

literary energy of the far dispersed descendants of Haig. With the dawn

of Armenian literature, history has been enriched by the Chronicle of

Eusebius; yet more and weightier literary treasures may be expected from

its meridian splendour. There are hints in the writers of the fifth

century, of translations of Polybius, Diodorus Siculus, and the Chronicle

of Julius Africanus. Besides these versions of the classical writers of

Greece, there exist very valuable original histories, which have never

been printed or translated, and many a chasm might be filled up in the

history of the middle ages by these authors. We should, perhaps, be

introduced to nations now totally lost, or so mingled with others, that

it is impossible to distinguish them. There is a rumour of a manuscript

history of the Albanians,—a nation well known to Strabo and to Moses

of Chorene,[3] said to exist at a monastery in Armenia Proper,—of those

Albanians, who lived between Iberia or Georgia and the confines of the

Caspian Sea; but of which people no traces are to be found in our times.

A literary journey to Armenia, undertaken by an active laborious scholar,

who unites the knowledge of the Armenian language with classical studies,

would prove of the greatest importance to the knowledge of ancient

history and to the advancement of general literature.

THE CHRONICLE OF VAHRAM.

THE CHRONICLE.

The Patriarch Nerses, called the Gracious,(1) has written a history

of Armenia in verse, informing us of the manners and customs of our

forefathers, from the highest antiquity down to his own time; and by so

doing he admonished the people to walk in the path of righteousness.

Seeing and reading this history, Leon, the anointed king of Armenia,(2)

has been pleased to command me, the poor in spirit, to subjoin to

the work of our holy father both what has been reported by faithful

witnesses, and what we have seen with our own eyes. And he commanded me

to write this supplement (also in verse), that it may be read with more

pleasure.(3)

Now I, Raboun Vahram, am convinced of my want of talents, but am well

versed in the law of God, and have never deviated from the path of

righteousness. Receiving the commands of the king, I have been ever since

uneasy in my mind, out of fear that in not obeying, I may bring on me the

two-fold punishment spoken of by St. Paul.(4) For, if to subjoin my mean

composition to those of the ancients be audacious, to think that it could

be compared with their finished productions, would be folly. This alarmed

me, and I abstained from writing. Considering this very seriously, I

thought at last that my humble and mean writing would increase the beauty

of others, to which it was subjoined: the same as painters intentionally

surround a gold ground by a black colour, not to adorn this black border,

but to raise the beauty of the gold.(5) These considerations made me

regain confidence, and I felt resolution enough to undertake this work. I

confide in Him, whose grace is unbounded, who knows what nobody has seen,

who under three appearances is only of one nature, _Father_, _Son_, and

_Holy Ghost_; whose reign is for ever, who alone should be worshipped,

and who alone creates and preserves all beings. With his name I begin,

and with his name I will finish. Both the Son and the Holy Ghost

proceeded from the Father.(6) Going back a little to former times, I will

give (till I come to our age), in a cursory manner, what has been written

down by our forefathers.

The Christian nations have been favoured with the inheritance of God;

they have been enlightened by the faith, and had excellent laws; but

they strayed from those laws, and were polluted by their bad works. The

measure of their sins being filled, it excited the wrath of the Lord,

and a burning fire arose in the desert of Arabia called Mahomed, the son

of darkness.(7) This Father of heresy drew many after him; he arose and

preached by the sabre and the sword, and subdued many countries. The

wickedness remained after the death of the wicked, the son followed the

father, and the usurpation was confirmed.

[Sidenote: Togrul Beg. 1037]

In the course of the following centuries, the nations, whom we call

Turks, came (divided into twenty-four tribes)(8) from the north,

conquered the realm of Persia and adhered to the heresy of Mohamed; they

humbled the kings and vanquished the emperor;(9) they filled the world

with their victories and destroyed its inhabitants, endangering both body

and soul of their captives.(10) They came at last to Babylon,(11) and

there erecting the seat of their empire, they marched to the westward,

[Sidenote: 1042] came to Armenia, dealt hardly with its inhabitants, and

laid a heavy yoke on them.(12)

Tired of this oppression, and unable to sustain all the hardships which

the barbarians laid on them, the inhabitants preferred being strangers

in foreign countries to remaining slaves in their own home; they left

the land of their forefathers, and fled to the western and northern

regions. Cakig II, the anointed king of Armenia, considering these

disastrous circumstances, and the dire necessity of the case, [Sidenote:

1045] gave up his country to the Roman Emperor, in exchange for the

great and celebrated town of Cæsarea, and other places in Cappadocia;

and in consequence of this, the Armenians lived as emigrants under the

Greeks.(13)

But the jealousy which had existed for so many centuries between the

two nations, was rooted too deep in the heart of every individual, and

caused many disorders. The metropolitan of Cæsarea, named Marcus, had a

dog, whom he called Armen.(14) Cakig hearing of this, [Sidenote: 1079]

invited Marcus to dinner, and asked of him the name of the dog: the

frightened metropolitan called the dog by another name, the animal did

not hear; but as soon as he called him by the proper name, _Armen_, the

dog ran to him. The king then gave orders that both the metropolitan

and his dog should be put into one sack together, and tortured until

they could bear it no longer. As soon as the Greeks heard this news,

they rose against the Armenians; and the sons of one Mandal killed the

King Cakig.(15) This discouraged the chieftains and the leaders of the

army, they ran away and were scattered over various parts of the world.

A famous chief of the blood royal, _Rouben_ by name, baron of the fort

Kosidar,(16) hearing the news of the king’s death, fled with his whole

family to Mount Taurus,(17a) descended then the mountains on the other

side of Phrygia, and [Sidenote: 1080] took possession of a place called

_Korhmoloss_, and remained there. Many other Armenians also took refuge

in these mountains; the great Rouben united them together, and so

increased his strength, that he could [Sidenote: 1095] take possession of

the whole mountain district, expel the Greeks, and secure the country for

himself. He lived a holy life, and was at last raised to Christ.

_Constantine_ (or Costantin, as the Armenians write the name), the son

of Rouben, succeeded him in the principality,(17b) and was a valiant

and magnanimous prince; his principal place was Vahga, where he had his

residence, and from whence he governed his dominions. He fought many

battles, and conquered many forts; he destroyed the armies of the Greeks,

and took many captives. The dominions of Constantine extended to the

sea;(18) he was highly honoured by the Franks, and was their ally against

the Turks; they raised his possessions to the dignity of a comitatus, or

county, and appointed him the Count and Margrave.(19) Valiant, kind and

benevolent, and a true believer, his fame reached to the other side of

the sea; he cultivated the country and rebuilt the towns, and all was

blooming and cheerful during his lifetime. There occurred a sign from

heaven, announcing the death of this extraordinary man; the meat brought

to him on a silver plate started suddenly away, and fled to the corner of

the house and hid itself among the poultry. Wise men looked on this as a

sign that the king would soon be gathered to his forefathers, and so it

happened. He reposeth in Christ with his father Rouben, and was buried in

the church called Castalon.(20)

Constantine had two sons, the elder, who [Sidenote: 1100] succeeded his

father, was called Thoros, and the younger Leon. Thoros superabounded

in wisdom, and his military valour is highly spoken of. He sought to

revenge the blood of Cakig the Great, and made war against the sons of

Mandal; he reduced their fort Centerhasg,(21) killed the inhabitants, and

carried away great booty. He found in this place a likeness of the Holy

Virgin, and treated it with great esteem: by this he became more and more

powerful, and vanquished the Greeks many times. He took Anazarbus, built

therein a large church, and adorned it with the names of his generals and

with the likeness of the Holy Virgin. He governed valiantly, and so much

was he esteemed that Cilicia lost its proper name, and has been called

_The Country of Thoros_. Thoros loved God with all his heart, favoured

his servants, built churches, and held the convents in high esteem, in

particular those which are called _Trassarg_ and _Mashgevar_; he bestowed

on these and on others many gifts. Living such a holy life, he went at

last in to the Lord, [Sidenote: 1123] and was buried in the holy church

called Trassarg.(22)

After the death of Thoros, his only son and heir was cast into prison by

some wicked people, who administered to him a poisonous drug,(23) thus

the principality came to Leon, the brother of Thoros, and his equal in

reputation. _Leon_ conquered Mamestia and Tarsus;(24) he invited many

famous warriors to join him, and allured them by great rewards. Forward

in battle, he prepared himself, and often fought against the foreigners

or infidels,(25) took their forts and put all the inhabitants to the

sword. He was the admiration of warriors, and the fear of foreigners

or infidels, so that they called him the new _Ashtahag_.(26) After his

return with honours and fame to his own country, four sons were born to

him, so incomparable among men; the first was called _Thoros_ the Great,

who was adorned by Stephanus (or the crown). Next to Stephanus came

_Meleh_, and then _Rouben_.

The Roman Emperor (Calo-Johanes), who had the surname of

Porphyrogenitus,(27) hearing all that Leon had done, became very angry.

He assembled a great army and brought them down into Cilicia. Leon,

finding that he was surrounded by a large army, lost all confidence

in his forts and fled to the mountains; but he was speedily taken and

brought in fetters before the emperor. There are some who even affirm

that the emperor broke his oath, and took Leon by fraud. His two sons

were also arrested, and with their father carried into captivity;

[Sidenote: 1137] they were detained together in prison in Constantinople.

Meleh and Stephanus were fortunately not in Cilicia at the time their

father was taken prisoner; they were on a visit in Urha or Edessa, with

their uncle, the count of that place.(28)

The Armenian army was destroyed, and the emperor took possession of

Cilicia; he left a part of his soldiers in that country and then returned

to Constantinople. The eye which looks down from heaven on the earth

below had pity upon Leon and his two unfortunate sons, and the emperor’s

heart turned to clemency. He honoured Leon exceedingly, and gave

permission to his children to stay with their father; he invited him to

dinner, and permitted him the recreation of hunting; he gave him handsome

clothes and many other fineries.(29) On one occasion the emperor, being

in his bathing-room, called Leon and his sons before him, treated them

most kindly, and was so pleased with the prowess of Rouben, that he made

him one of his household, and promised to raise him yet higher.

Rouben once took the bathing tub of the emperor, which was full of water,

and swung it quickly round, which excited much surprise. The news reached

the emperor, and all who saw the act called him a new Sampson; but this

excited envy in the soldiers and filled them with hatred. They gained the

ear of the emperor, accused Rouben, and ultimately killed him by their

wicked devices.(30)

Thoros was now left alone with his father in prison, where he had a

dream, which he instantly imparted to his father. “I saw in a dream,”

said he, “a man of very superior appearance offering me a loaf of bread,

on which was a fish; I being very astonished, took from the man what he

offered to me; when thou, Oh father! earnest, and I enquired the meaning

of that; but what further happened I know not.” Leon, hearing these words

from his son, was enlightened by heaven, and turning to him joyfully,

embraced him ardently and said: “Be joyful, O my honourable son! for thou

wilt be honoured as thy forefathers. After evil cometh a twofold good

fortune,—our country, which was taken from us on account of our sins, and

other lands, will again be governed by thee. The fish which thou hast

seen, means,—that thou wilt be master of the sea, but I shall not enjoy

these good tidings.”

Leon died and was elevated to Christ; the emperor then felt compassion

for Thoros, [Sidenote: 1141] took him out of prison, and received him

into the imperial guards. Being now in the imperial palace, and a soldier

among the soldiers, he very soon distinguished himself, and even the

emperor looked upon him with benevolence. Before the end of the year

(1141) the emperor left Constantinople with a large army, and went to

assist the Prince of Antioch, who was hard pressed by the Turks.(31)

Being on a hunting party in the valley of Anazarbus, one of his own

poisoned arrows wounded him, and he fell dead on the spot; he thus met

with his deserved fate.(32) The army buried him on the place where he

lost his life, and erected a monument which is even now to be seen,

called _Kachzertik_, that is, _The corpse of the Calos, or Beautiful_.(33)

The Greek army returned, but Thoros remained in the country; though the

traditions concerning this fact are different. Some say, Thoros withdrew

himself quite alone, went by sea from Antioch to Cilicia, and took

possession of his dominions, finding means to gain at first the town of

Amouda, and afterwards all the other places. But the emperor’s party say

that Thoros, during the time the Greeks stayed in the country, lived with

a lady who gave him a great sum of money; with these treasures he fled

to the mountains, and discovered himself to a priest as the Son of Leon,

the true king of the country. The priest was exceedingly happy at these

tidings, and Thoros hid himself under a shepherd’s disguise. [Sidenote:

1143] There were many Armenians in this part of the country who, being

barbarously treated by the Greeks, sighed for their former masters; to

these men, as it is said, the priest imparted the joyful tidings; they

instantly assembled and appointed _Thoros_ their _Baron_;(34) he gained

possession of Vahga, and afterwards of many other places. Let this be

as it may, it was certainly ordained by God that this man, who was

carried away as a prisoner, should become the chief of the country of his

forefathers, that he should take the government out of the hands of the

Greeks, and destroy their armies.

After the death of the Porphyrogenitus, his _son_ Manuel succeeded him,

who is commonly called _Pareser, the Virtuous_.(35) Immediately after he

had taken possession of the empire, Manuel assembled an army to assist

the Franks, who came by sea to these countries, and were hardly pressed

by the Turks. Coming to Cilicia, and hearing what Thoros had done; how he

wronged the Greeks, and behaved himself as the master of the country, the

emperor became very angry, and ordered that Thoros should be brought to

him a prisoner, which he thought an easy matter. But Thoros shut himself

up in a steep and high fort, occupied all the narrow passes by his

soldiers, and easily repulsed from thence the Greeks, many of whom were

taken and brought in fetters before the victor. [Sidenote: 1146] Manuel

being informed of what had happened, became still more enraged.(36)

It happened that the emperor sent at that time, under the guard of many

great men, a large sum of money, and that Thoros took the guard and the

treasure, and divided the latter among his soldiers. These Greek nobles

seeing this, said to Thoros: “Having taken such great riches, why dost

thou squander them away to the common people?” Thoros answered nothing

to this question, and only remarked: “These same men will bring you back

to fetters, although you are now allowed to return to your friends.”(37)

The emperor heard with astonishment what these men, on their return,

reported to him, and wished to keep on good terms with Thoros. The Prince

of Antioch became the umpire between them. The emperor came to Antioch,

where also Thoros was invited, and gained the admiration of every body

by his prowess and valour. The emperor wanted Anazarbus and many other

places, which were in the possession of Thoros; he accordingly delivered

them up for a large sum of money.

Thoros returned to Cilicia, and the emperor put a stop to the campaign

in order to return to his own country. As soon as the imperial army

started from Anazarbus, Thoros proceeded suddenly in the night time to

Vahga. Now, whether the king presumed upon(38) any thing, or whether

some communication had been made to him, he did not wish to hold to the

treaty. Thoros, as soon as the Emperor Manuel went back, again began

his inroads. He again took Anazarbus and conquered Mamestia and the

surrounding towns. The Duke of Tarsus, who was appointed governor of

the country by the emperor, hearing of these proceedings of Thoros,

assembled the great Greek army left him by the emperor, and those

Armenian barons who belonged to the emperor’s party, and enjoyed many

honours by his kindness, such as Oscin the baron of Lampron, and the

family of Nathaniel, who were the chiefs of Asgourhas.(39) They now

united together to besiege Mamestia; when Thoros behaved himself very

valiantly. With only a few men he made a sally out of the town, gained a

complete victory over a large army, and took many prisoners; some of the

Greeks he put to death, while others gained their liberty for a ransom.

His Armenian captives he set instantly at liberty, and contrived to gain

their friendship. Oscin having been won by a large sum of money, gave up

his connexion with the emperor, and made a treaty with Thoros; and Thoros

gave his daughter in marriage to the son of Oscin.(40) The Baron having

thus settled his affairs collected a fresh army, took the famous Tarsus,

and all the country from the precipices of Isauria(41) to the sea; he

conquered Cilicia, beginning from Isauria, from one end to the other.

The Emperor Manuel hearing these occurrences grew enraged on feeling

himself unable to chastise Thoros. He sent a message to the Sultan of

Iconium,(42) Chlish-Aslan, and promised him a great sum of money if he

would make war against Thoros. The first time, the sultan objected to

the treaty which existed between him and Baron Thoros, and so withstood

the temptation; but his reluctance was overcome by a second message.

[Sidenote: 1154] He collected a large army, carried them into Cilicia,

descended into the plain, and besieged Anazarbus. But God was against

them and punished them with plagues, like those of the Egyptians; he sent

flies and wasps against the infidels, and harassed them with many other

heavy calamities. Thoros made inroads into the Sultan’s own country, won

Iconium itself, returned with a large booty, and sent Chlish-Aslan a

present out of the booty. By this, and by the hardships they suffered,

the Sultan and his followers were disgusted, and returned to their own

country. [Sidenote: 1156] They came back a second time, and returned

again in confusion. The Sultan then kept his oath, and remained the

friend of our hero.

Thoros was of a tall figure and of a strong mind: his compassion was

universal; like the light of the sun he shone by his good works, and

flourished by his faith; he was the shield of truth and the crown of

righteousness; he was well versed in the Holy Scriptures and in the

profane sciences. It is said that he was of such profound understanding,

as to be able to explain the difficult expressions of the prophets—his

explanations even still exist.(43) In a word, he was so accomplished in

every thing, that God was pleased to call him to heaven. [Sidenote: 1167]

He was buried in Trassarg.

His brother Stephanus, of whom we have spoken before, remained near the

_Black Mountain_, making himself illustrious by his prowess, and gaining

Carmania and the surrounding places;(44) but the Greeks came again

against him, and he was consumed by the “seething pot.”(45) He died in

the field and was buried in the church of Arkagal (or the Archangel). He

left two sons, Rouben and Leon, who became afterwards king of Cilicia.

Thoros left a child under age, whom he committed, together with the

country, to the care of a certain Baron and Baillie Thomas, his

father-in-law, with an injunction to deliver to him the country as soon

as the child should have attained his majority.(46) [Sidenote: 1168]

_Meleh_, of whom we have spoken above, was with the Sultan of Aleppo,

and hearing of the death of his brother, he came with an army into the

country, and dealt very cruelly with its inhabitants. Not being able to

conquer the possessions of his brother he returned to Aleppo, and came

back with still greater forces. Receiving a message from the Armenian

Barons that they would freely acknowledge him as their sovereign, he

sent back the Turks, and governed in peace for some time. But he soon

drove into exile the Baillie Thomas, who went afterwards to Antioch. The

child of Thoros was killed by the command of Meleh by some wicked people.

[Sidenote: 1169] This cruel man was at last killed by his own soldiers,

and buried in the church called _the great Car_.(47)

The sons of Stephanus, Rouben and Leon, were very much honoured by a

certain Baron _Pakouran_, by the whole Armenian nobility, and the army;

they therefore appointed _Rouben_ as their Baron. [Sidenote: 1174] He

was an excellent prince, compassionate and kind; he ruled the country

very well, and was praised by every body. He was a friend of the

Greeks, and married a lady of that nation, by whom he had two daughters

blooming in chastity. He besieged Lampron and pressed its inhabitants

very hard; they not being able to withstand him, called the Prince to

their assistance; he [Sidenote: 1182] invited Rouben to Antioch, and

fraudulently held him a prisoner, thinking to conquer Cilicia with

ease during his captivity. But his brother Leon and the army behaved

themselves very valiantly; they pressed Lampron so closely in the absence

of the Baron, and defended their own country so well, that they released

Rouben and acknowledged his supremacy. The inhabitants of Lampron gave

themselves and their treasure up to the Baron of Cilicia. On his return

to his own country Rouben was kind and humane to every one, and at his

death left the crown to Leon; he gave him many rules concerning the

government of the country, and committed to him his daughters, with an

injunction not to give them foreign husbands, that the Armenians might

not be governed by foreigners and harassed by a tyrant. [Sidenote: 1185]

Rouben was buried in Trassarg.

_Leon_ was a valiant and learned prince; he enlarged his principality and

became the master of many provinces. A few days only after his taking

possession of the country, the descendants of Ismael, under the command

of one Roustam, advanced and came against Cilicia.(48) [Sidenote: 1186]

Leon was not frightened, but confiding in God, who destroyed Sanacherib,

he vanquished with a few men the great army of the infidels. Roustam

himself being killed by St. George,(49a) the whole Hagarenian army then

fled and dispersed; the Armenians pursued them and enriched themselves

by the booty. The power of Leon thus increased, and being confident

in his strength, he chased the Tadjiks(49b) and pursued the Turks; he

conquered Isauria and came as far as Iconium; he captured Heraclea,(50)

and again gave it up for a large ransom; he blockaded Cæsarea,(51) and

had nearly taken it; he made a treaty with the Sultan of Iconium, and

received a large sum of money from him; he surrounded Cilicia on every

side with forts and castles; he built a new church called Agner, and was

exceedingly generous to all monasteries erected by his ancestors; his

bounty extended itself even to the leprous; they being shunned by every

body and expelled from every place, he assigned to them a particular

house, and provided them with necessaries.

By such proceedings Leon attained a great name and became known to the

Emperor of the Franks and the Greeks, and both, by Heavens’ grace,

favoured him with the diadem; and, indeed, the mission by which Leon the

Great was crowned King,(52) was very famous. [Sidenote: Jan. 6, 1198] The

Armenians assembled together in the city of Tarsus, and in the cathedral

of that town the Catholicos(53) anointed Leon, as it is the custom,

king of the house of Thorgoma,(54) to sit on the throne and flourish

in kindness; to glorify the church, and to govern well the country; to

collect together the dispersed people, and to renovate its power; lastly,

to fill the country with peace and to make it as happy as paradise.

This great king brought the Prince of Antioch over to him, by marrying to

him his niece, the daughter of his brother. He then made an inroad into

the province of Arasu and conquered the place called Balresay; by his

excellent wisdom he also gained Lampron.

[Sidenote: 1201]

The great Sultan of Iconium Caicaiuss(55) marched from Camir against the

king, and besieged the fort Capan. The unruly Armenian troops attacked

the enemy without waiting for an order of the king, and being partly

killed and partly taken prisoners, the Turks pressed very hard the fort

Capan. Leon did not let his spirits droop by this defeat; he collected

what troops remained with him, and went plundering the territories of the

Sultan as far as Camir. He laid waste the Sultan’s country, and returned

with a large booty. Hearing this the Sultan started from Cilicia to his

own principality, and made peace with Leon, on the condition that the

booty should be restored.

Leon, having governed the country twelve years as Baron and twenty-two as

King, felt his end approaching, and appointed in an assembly of the whole

nobility of the kingdom, a certain baron named Atan to be Regent(56) of

the country and guardian of his daughter. Leon died soon after and was

buried in the church of Agner; a part of his body was brought into the

town of Sis, and a church was built thereupon.

[Sidenote: May 1, 1219]

After the assassination of Atan, Constantine was appointed regent, when

he gave the daughter of the king and the heiress of the empire (the good

and chaste lady Isabella), in marriage to one of the family of the king,

the barons acknowledged him as their lawful sovereign, [Sidenote: 1220]

and swore the oath of allegiance.(57) But there arose a disturbance in

the country; one Rouben(58) came from the Prince of Antioch, gained over

many of the nobility and aspired to the crown. He soon took possession of

Tarsus and was about to march against Sis; but Constantine met him near

Tarsus with a great army, and vanquished this enemy. Rouben and the chief

men of his party died in prison.

By this victory Constantine became more powerful, and governed the

country with a firm hand; he built churches and honoured the clergy. At

this time the patriarch was called John, the sixth since Nerses, from

whom, as we have said, we began our chronicle, and think it therefore

proper to mention these blessed persons.

After the death of Nerses, that is to say, after his migration from one

life to another, Gregorius, called _Degha_, or the _child_, was anointed.

He was a fine and strong man. After him Gregorius, called _Carawesh_, or

_killed by the stone_;—then Gregorius Abirad;—and at last John, whom we

have before mentioned.(59) Leon entered into a dispute with John, and

appointed David in his place. This man governed the church for two years

in an excellent manner: but after this, the king being reconciled to

John, elevated him again on his seat. After this reconciliation king Leon

fell sick and died, very much lamented by the Armenians. [Sidenote: 1223]

The Lord Constantine succeeded him, who excelling in kindness, betrothed

the heiress of the empire, Isabella, before an assembly of the whole

nobility, to his son Hethum.(60)

Hethum was then anointed king of Armenia; he was crowned with a golden

crown, and held a golden consecrated sceptre in his hand, with a globe

mounted in gold; he was placed on a high golden throne, and having

these signs of royalty in his right hand, he promised to deal justice

to the people at large and protect the poor from injustice. Hethum was

an excellent and gracious king; fine and handsome in body and soul;

religious, kind, compassionate, upright, bountiful, and generous. The

lawful heiress of the empire, Isabella, governed the country together

with her husband, and led a pious, religious life. She was blessed

for her good deeds and exemplary life by many children, the numerous

offsprings of a famous race.(61) The first was the pious Leon, who is now

the anointed king, and after him Thoros, the blessed, who died the death

of a hero.(62) Isabella brought also into the world five daughters and

another son, Rouben, who died young. [Sidenote: 1252] The queen being

near the end of her life, and staying in a place called _Ked_, she heard

a voice from heaven, crying aloud, “come my dove, come my love, thy

end is near.” She felt joyful on this happy vision, imparted it to the

bystanders, and died in the Lord; her body was brought to the grave by a

large assembly of the priesthood and laid in consecrated earth.

After the death of the Queen, the King was much occupied in the

government of his country; for there arose an insolent people from the

north, called _Tatars_, and also called, after their country, Mugal or

Mogul,(63) who laid waste all the countries which fell into their hands.

The words of the prophet Jeremiah, that “the seething pot will run over

from the north,” have been found true a second time, this being the

case we must expect the same consequences. There were four kings, each

of whom was accompanied(64) by ten chiefs, which is even now the case.

These four kings met together with their ten followers; one arose and

spoke with a loud voice in this high assembly, and he being foremost in

power, was declared “_The son of God in heaven_.”(65) [Sidenote: 1254]

To him went king Hethum,(66) and there remained four years. Hethum had

considerable trouble, but he obtained friendly words, and a written

treaty after the custom of the Tatars.(67) He then came back with great

honours and conquered many provinces; he routed the armies of the

Persians or Turks,(68) and took their country; he won by force Carmania;

and Sebehesny was taken out of the hands of the Turks, whose splendour

faded away.(69) God’s will was changed, and he looked again on us with

a benevolent eye; the doors of heaven were opened to let through his

kindness on earth. The country was fruitful and happy like paradise, and

every man sat in peace, as it is said in the scriptures, under his own

vine. But the Armenians in Cilicia caused themselves, like in former

times, Sodom and Ghomora, by their intemperance and wickedness to be

very soon devoured by the wrathful fire(70) of heaven.

[Sidenote: 1265]

The proud slaves who governed Egypt took by force Damascus, very hard

pressed the Sultan of Berea or Aleppo, and conquered all the country

called by the name of Shem.(71) These slaves united themselves with all

the other Hagarenians, and it was as if the sand of the sea arose to

grasp swords and daggers, and to fight the battles of men; they went

against the Christians, like avengers sent from God. The sea-coast (from

Gaza to Cilicia) suffered in particular; all the forts were destroyed.

Antioch, the great Antioch, fell into their hands—they burned the houses,

and the inhabitants were carried away into foreign countries.(72)

Having taken possession of the before-mentioned territories, they went

against Cilicia, sent to Hethum and demanded tribute of him.(73) The

king collected his soldiery under the command of his sons, and hurried

himself away to the Moguls for aid.(74) He had not yet returned, when

the Hagarenians came into the country; the army fled, but the princes

remained. Thoros was killed in battle, and Leon was carried away

prisoner from his country. [Sidenote: 1266] This unfortunate country

was destroyed by fire, and the inhabitants were put to the sword; but

the forts, having received private encouragement from Leon, could not

be taken by the enemy, who retreated from them with shame. The famous

church in Sis and the town itself was given up to the flames, but the

inhabitants had time to fly.

Having done whatever they chose, the enemy returned to his own country

in great triumph, and with a large booty. After their departure Hethum

returned at the head of a Mogulian army into his own kingdom, and saw

all the misfortunes which had befallen him during his absence; he wept

bitterly, but he did not despair, and placed reliance on the mercy of

God. His son, who had been carried away a prisoner, being endowed with

a courageous nature, did not let his spirits droop or show any fear;

on the contrary, he cheered the captives and consoled every man; for

some he provided food, for others he paid their ransom and set them at

liberty. The army presented Leon to the Sultan, who continued in his own

country, and who, looking on Leon and hearing his wise speech, received

him graciously, and spoke very kindly to him. With the permission of the

Sultan, Leon went to Jerusalem to adore the holy cross, and to pray for

the remission of his sins. He then went back to Egypt, into that prison

where Joseph was in former times. The priests admonished him to think

only of God; moreover, he constantly read the Scriptures and was always

ways absorbed in prayer. Therefore God looked upon him with compassion,

and turned the heart of the Sultan to pity.

Leon, when taken prisoner, was thirty years of age; remaining one year

and ten months in Egypt, he made a treaty with the Sultan, which was

ratified by King Hethum his father. This being done, Leon was set at

liberty with great demonstrations of honour. The whole country rejoiced

when Leon returned to his father: crowds of people ran to meet and see

him; he embraced them all, and received them with heavenly kindness.

The king went, on foot, to thank God that he had lived so long as to

see his son Leon again, and [Sidenote: 1268] in the presence of the

highly-gifted patriarch Jacobus,(75) the follower of Constantine, he

earnestly entreated Leon to take on him the government of the country,

and to be anointed King of Cilicia; but Leon could not, by all his

entreaties, be moved to accept this offer; and Hethum was compelled,

therefore, to see his son only Baron of the Armenians, until he could

enjoy the kingdom. The king happened to fall sick at this time and never

recovered. There was consequently a great consternation in the country,

and the people united together to give him the surname of _Makar_.(76)

[Sidenote: 1269] Having finished this mortal, and gained an immortal

life, he was buried in Trassarg, and was celebrated in a poem. The Baron

Leon was so afflicted by the death of his father, that he fell into a

mortal sickness, and although all men supplicated him to be speedily

crowned King of Cilicia, he would not do it instantly, but mourned three

months. The neighbouring sovereigns, the Sultan of Egypt, the Khan, and

other princes, sent missions of peace to him, entreating that he might

be crowned King of Cilicia. Moved and encouraged by these messages, he

called a great assembly of Armenians to Tarsus with the patriarch to

anoint him, and to fulfil the duties of the church. Leon received the

sceptre with the golden globe in his right hand,—and the Holy Ghost

descended on him,—to be king on the house of Thorgoma; to govern and to

defend the flock after the law of God.

Leon, sitting on the throne of his forefathers, was gracious to every

body; he pardoned those who had offended him, and was in general

exceedingly humane; he augmented the officers of the royal household, and

held the clergy in high esteem. He provided for the poor ecclesiastics,

and generally for all poor people; in what place soever he stayed,

the indigent were provided for from the court. This being known, many

people came from foreign parts, soldiers and others, and remained months

although not invited; their expenses were payed by the court. Leon

benefited the clergy even more than his forefathers, and gave to the

Vartabeds their proper rank,(77) for he was a friend of learning;(78)

every person who was elevated to the dignity of a Vartabed received a

present from the king, and it was registered as an eternal remembrance.

The army received higher pay than before, and the king was so kind to

every body, so generous, so compassionate,(79) that all were delighted;

and the whole nation of Armenians became, as it were, renovated. Satan,

the author of all mischief, saw this, and he contrived to fight against

the king; he tempted him by misfortunes like Job; he tried him by many

wounds, but the king was found of more patience than even Job himself,

for Job spoke of his temptations with his friends, and uttered curses as

the misfortunes came one after the other.

[Sidenote: 1273]