his zeal, he accumulates words upon words which signify the same: I have
passed over some of these repetitions. Vahram, without being aware of
it, describes his master more as a pious monk than as a prudent king.
Why does the Secretary of State not give any reason for the rebellious
designs of the Armenian chieftains?
Note (80), page 55.
From the time of Herodotus and Zoroaster to this day, the Turcomans
carried on their nomadical life, and as it seems, without much change
in their manners and customs. The text of Herodotus and Polybius may
be explained by the embassies of Muravie and Meyendorn to Khiva and
Buchara. Many of these Turcoman shepherds were driven to Asia Minor by
the destruction of the Charizmian empire by the Moguls; the inroads and
devastations of the Charizmian shepherds have been described by many
contemporary authors, and the Crusaders experienced a great defeat from
these savages.
Note (81), page 57.
The Egyptians having retired, Leon went against their allies one by one.
Note (82), page 58.
The successor of Hulagou, khan of Persia.
Note (83), page 58.
Here Vahram calls even the Moguls Tadjiks,—is it because they governed
Persia?
Note (84), page 58.
Vahram calls here the territory of the Seljuks of Iconium _Turkestan_.
As regards the etymology of the word, he is quite in the right; but what
we are accustomed to call _Turkestan_, is a country rather more to the
north-east.
Note (85), page 59.
Here ends the Chronicle; but Vahram adds some reflections which I thought
proper to subjoin, and only to pass over his so often repeated pious
sentiments.
Note (86), page 60.
The monk Vahram is not tired of repeating the same thought in twenty
different ways, but I was tired of translating these repeated variations
of the same theme, and the reader would probably have been tired in
reading them. Why should we waste our time in translating and reading
sermons, from which nothing else could be learned, than that the author
said what had been said long before him, in a better style. Why should
we think it worth our while to study the groundless reasoning of a mind
clouded by superstition?
APPENDIX.
_Letters between Pope Innocent III. and Leon the First Armenian King of
Cilicia._
During the middle ages, the clergy governed the world, and the Pope, as
the head of the clergy, was also the head of what then was called the
Christian Republic. All transactions of any note are therefore contained,
or at least spoken of, in the vast collections of letters or Regesta
of the followers of St. Peter. To be united with the Roman Catholic
Church was, in fact, (particularly during the Crusades,) the same as
acknowledging the Pope as the supreme umpire, not only in the spiritual
but also in the civil government of the country; this is clearly to be
seen in the following letters. If the Popes could not speak to every king
as they did to the impotent sovereign of Cilicia, it was certainly not
their fault. The following letters exist only, as far as I know, in the
Latin tongue, and are taken from the _Regesta Innoc. III._, lib. ii., pp.
208, 209, 247, 44. I give the text of these letters according to Galanus,
who accompanied them with a translation into the Armenian language.
(Conciliat. Eccles. Arm. cum Romana. Romæ, 1650; vol. i., p. 357).
* * * * *
Leo Armeniæ Rex, Reverendissimo in Christo Patri et Domino, Innocentio,
Dei gratia Summo Pont. et universali Papæ, tanto, ac tali honore
Dignissimo.
_De suo erga veram Religionem, et Sedem Apostolicam amore; et quod petat
auxilium contra Sarracenos._
Leo per eandem, et Romani Imperii gratiam Rex omnium Armeniorum,
cum salutatione seipsum, et quicquid potest. Gloria, laus, et honor
omnipotent Deo, qui Vos tantum, et talem pastorem Ecclesiæ suæ præesse
voluit, vestris bonis meritis exigentibus: et tam fructuosam, et firmam
fabricam super fundamentum Apostolorum componere, et tantum lumen, super
candelabrum positum, toti Orbi terrarum ad salutem totius Christianitatis
effundere dignatus est. In vestri vero luminis gratia, salutaribus
monitis Reverendiss. Patris nostri Archiepiscopi Moguntini,[4] instruct
et informati _omne Regnum nobis à Deo commissum, amplissimum, et
spatiosum, et omnes Armenios, huc illuc in remotis partibus diffusos, ad
unitatem Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ_, divina inspirante dementia, _revocare
cupimus, et exoptamus_. Ad hæc calamitates, miserias, paupertates,
et imbecillitatem. Regni Syriæ,[5] et nostrum, per ipsum prædictum
Moguntinum (quia difficilior labor erat scripto retexere) Pietati vestræ
patefacimus. Ipse vero per singula rei veritatem vobis explicabit:
in cujus notitiam ista non præteriere. Hanc utique contritionem, et
collisionem in valle destituti lacrymarum jamdiu sustinuimus; quod de
cætero sine spe subsidii, et auxilii vestri sustinere nequimus. Verum
quia zelus domus Dei tepescere non debet in cordibus tam vestro, quam
nostro, non ut personam instruentis geramus, ejusdem domus decorem
diligere, et pro eadem domo murum nos oportet opponere; ut impetus, quem
super eam faciunt inimici Crucis, co-operante Dei gratia, collectis in
unum animi viribus, resistendo excludamus. Hinc est, quod vestram flexis
genibus imploramus pietatem, quatenus lacrymabilibus Domini Moguntini
precibus, et nostris divino intuitu aures misericordiæ porrigatis:
et miseriis Christianitatis compatientes, subsidium Christianissimum
nobis accurrendo mittatis, antequam irremeabile, quod absit, incurramus
diluvium; immo cum Dei, et vestro auxilio, evaginato ense, de Hur
Chaldæorum, et persecutione Pharaonis liberari possimus. Datum Tarsi,
anno ab incarnatione Domini, MCXCIX. mense Majo. die xxiij.
* * * * *
_Innocentii III. ad præcedentem Leonis epist. responsio; qua laudat
illius studium erga Sedem Apost. cujus primatum demonstrat; hortatur, ut
in obedientia ejusdem S. Sedis fideliter perseveret; et subsidium contra
Sarracenos cito se missurum pollicetur._
Is Ecclesiam suam, congregatam ex gentibus, non habentem maculam, neque
rugam super gentes et Regna constituit; is extendit palmites ejus usque
ad mare, et usque ad terminos terræ ipsius propagines dilatavit; cujus
est terra, et plenitudo ejus, Orbis terrarum, et universi qui habitant in
eo, ipse etiam Romanam Ecclesiam non solum universis fidelibus prætulit,
sed supra cæteras Ecclesias exaltavit: ut cæteræ ab ea non tam vivendi
normam, et morum sumerent disciplinam, sed et fidei etiam catholicæ
documenta reciperent, et ejus servarent humiliter instituta. In Petro
enim Apostolorum Principe, cui excellentius aliis Dominus ligandi et
solvendi contulit potestatem, dicens ad eum: quodcunque ligaveris super
terram, erit ligatum et in cœlis: et quodcunque solveris super terram,
erit solutum et in cœlis: Ecclesia Romana, sedes ejus, et Sessores ipsius
Romani Pontifices, successores Petri, et vicarii Jesu Christi, sibi
invicem per successivas varietates temporum singulariter succedentes,
super Ecclesiis omnibus, et cunctis Ecclesiarum Prelatis, immo etiam
fidelibus universis a Domino primatum et magisterium acceperunt: vocatis
sic cæteris in partem solicitudinis, ut apud eos plenitudo resideat
potestatis. Non enim in Petro, et cum Petro singulare illud privilegium
expiravit, quod successoribus ejus futuris usque in finem Mundi
Dominus in ipso concessit; sed præter vitæ sanctitatem, et miraculorum
virtutes, par est in omnibus jurisdictio successorum; quos etsi diversis
temporibus, eidem tamen Sedi, et eadem auctoritate Dominus voluit
præsidere. Gaudemus autem, quod tu, sicut Princeps catholicus, Apostolicæ
Sedis privilegium recognoscens, venerabilem fratrem nostrum Moguntinum
Archiepiscopum, Episcopum Sabinensem, unum ex septem Episcopis, qui
nobis in Ecclesia Romana collaterales existunt, benigne, ac hilariter
recepisti; et non solum per eum institutis salutaribus es instructus,
quibus juxta continentiam litterarum tuarum totum Regnum tuum licet
amplissimum desideras informari, et universos Armenos ad Ecclesiæ Romanæ
gremium revocare; sed _ad honorem, et gloriam Apostolicæ Sedis, quam
constitutam esse novisti super gentes, et regna, diadema regni recepisti
de manibus ejus_; et eum curasti devote, ac humiliter honorare: et nos
per ipsum, et litteras tuas ad orientalis terræ subsidium invitasti. Ei
ergo, a quo est omne datum optimum, et omne donum, perfectum, qui habet
corda Principum in manu sua, quas possumus, gratias referentes, quod
tibi tantæ humilitatis animum inspiravit; rogamus Serenitatem Regiam,
et exhortamur in Domino, ac _per Apostolica tibi scripta mandamus_,
quatenus in timore Domini, et Apostolicæ Sedis devotione persistens,
ad expugnandam barbariem Paganorum, et vindicandam injuriam Crucifixi,
tanto potentius, et efficacius studeas imminere; quanto fraudes et
versutias hostium vicinius positus melius cognovisti: non in exercitus
multitudine, aut virtute, sed de ipsius potius miseratione confidens,
qui docet manus ad prælium, et digitos movet ad bellum; qu arcus
fortium superat, et robore accingit infirmos. Jam enim per Dei gratiam
ad commonitionem nostram multi Crucis signaculum receperunt, et plures
Domino dante recipient, in defensionem orientalis Provinciæ opportuno
tempore transituri. Jam etiam duo ex fratribus nostris de manibus nostris
vivificæ Crucis assumpsere vexillum, exercitum Domini præcessuri. Confide
igitur, et esto robustus, quia citius forsitan, quam credatur, orientalis
Provincia subsidium sentiet expectatum. Dat. Later. viii. kal. Decembris.
* * * * *
_Idem Innocentius Papa ad illustriss. Regem Armeniæ. Quod ipsi
transmittat vexillum beati Petri, quo contra Crucis inimicos utatur._
_After some previous passages_:—Et tibi congaudemus, et Nobis, immo etiam
universo Populo Christiano; quod eum tibi Dominus inspiravit affectum,
ut Apostolicæ Sedis instituta devote reciperes, et præcepta fideliter
observares, et contra inimicos Crucis propositum illud assumeres, ut in
eos vindicare cupias injuriam Crucifixi, et hæreditatem ejus de ipsorum
manibus liberare. Nos igitur de tuæ devotionis sinceritate confisi, ad
petitionem dilecti filii Roberti de Margat militis, nuncii tui, in nostræ
dilectionis indicium, vexillum beati Petri tuæ Serenitati dirigimus; quo
in hostes Crucis duntaxat utaris, et eorum studeas contumaciam cum Dei
auxilio, suffragantibus Apostolorum Principis meritis, refrænare. Datum
Later. xvi. kal. Januarii.
* * * * *
_Leonis Armeniæ Regis ad Innocentium III. epistola; qua ad præcedentem
respondet, et privilegium ab eo petit._
_After some other passages_:—Paternitatis vestræ litteras, quas per
dilectum fidelem Nuncium nostrum nobis direxistis, ea qua decuit
reverentia, et devotione suscepimus; et per earum significata pleno
collegimus intellectu, Vos charitatis visceribus Regiam Majestatem
nostram amplexari. Continebant etiam quod in devotione, et amore
Apostolicæ Sedis persisteremus; et in hoc semper perseverare cupimus;
et optamus, et testis est rerum effectus, dum _de omnibus negotiis
nostris ad Sedem Apostolicum appellamus_. Misistis autem nobis per eundem
Nuncium vexillum sancti Petri in memoriale dilectionis Sedis Apostolicæ,
quod semper ante nos portari contra inimicos Crucis ad honorem Sanctæ
Romanæ Ecclesiæ faciemus ... Præterea nos obedientiæ vinculis de
cætero Apostolicæ Sedi esse alligatos, non dubitetis; ea propter, si
placet Sanctitati vestræ, cuilibet alteri Ecclesiæ Latinæ nec volumus,
nec debemus alligari. Hinc est, quod Sanctitatem vestram humiliter
flagitamus, quatenus nobis litteras apertas mittere dignemini, ut non
teneamur videlicet cum Latinis de terra nostra de qualibet conditione,
excepta sancta Romana Ecclesia, cuilibet Ecclesiæ Latinæ: et quod non
habeat potestatem, nos, seu Latinos de terra nostra excommunicandi, vel
sententiam in Regno nostro proferendi super Latinos quælibet Ecclesia,
excepta, ut dictum est, Sede Apostolica.[6] Præsentium quoque latorem,
dilectum, et fidelem nostrum militem, nomine Garnere Teuto ad pedes
Sanctitatis vestræ dirigimus; cui super his, quæ ex parte nostra vobis
indixerit, tanquam Nobis ipsis credere, ne dubitetis, &c.
* * * * *
_Ex indulto Regis Armeniæ, a Domino Papa Innocentio III. sibi facto._
Volentes igitur, quantum cum Deo possumus, tuæ Serenitati deferre,
et _cum honestate nostra petitineso Regias exaudire_; tuis precibus
inclinati, auctoritate præsentium inhibemus, ne quis in te, vel Regnum
tuum, aut homines Regni tui, cujuscunque conditionis existant qui
mediantibus tamen ejusdem Regni Prælatis, Sedi Apostolicæ sunt subjecti,
præter Romanum Pontificem, et ejus Legarum, vel de ipsius speciali
mandato, districtionem Ecclesiasticam audeat exercere,[7] &c.
CHRONOLOGY OF THE ARMENIAN BARONS AND KINGS OF CILICIA
(ACCORDING TO CHAMCHEAN.)
Rouben I. 1080
Constantine I. 1095
Thoros I. 1100
Leon I. 1123
_Interregnum_ 1138
Thoros II. 1144
Thomas Bail, regent 1168
Meleh 1169
Rouben II. 1174
Leon II.[8] 1185
Sabel or Isabella, queen 1219
Philippus 1220
_Interregnum_ 1222
Hethum or Haithon I. 1224
Leon III. 1269
Hethum II., also called Johannes 1289
Thoros III. 1293
Hethum II. (second time) 1295
Sembad 1296
Constantine II. 1298
Hethum III. 1300
Leon IV. 1305
Odshin 1308
Leon V. 1320
Constantine III. 1342
Guido 1343
Constantine IV. 1345
_Interregnum_ 1363
Leon VI. 1368
End of the Armenian kingdom in Cilicia 1375
FOOTNOTES
[1] Nicetas II. p. 148. I wonder that Montesquieu, in making use of this
passage of Nicetas (Grandeur et Decadence des Romains, ch. xxii.), has
not been struck with its incorrectness; it did not escape the critical
discernment of Gibbon: the Decline and Fall, etc. ch. 49. n. 17.
[2] Bruce’s Annals of the East-India Company, iii. 88. The mercantile
companies trading to different parts of Asia found every where the
Armenians in their way; the Armenians became jealous on the new intruders
of their commerce, and tried to remove them by intrigues. See Hanway, i.
303.
[3] Pompey the Great had vanquished the Albanians, who brought into
the field twelve thousand horse and sixty thousand foot. Plutarch in
Pompeio., t. ii. p. 1165. Gibbon, chap. xlvi. n. 6.
[4] See the Notes 53 and 54 to the text of Vahram’s Chronicle.
[5] This part of Palestine and Syria, which belonged to the Latins.
[6] Leon was on bad terms with the clergy of Antioch, and the latin
princes were eager to unite Cilicia with their dominions.
[7] There are some other matters, regarding the history of the Armenian
kingdom in Cilicia, spoken of in the _Regesta Innocentii III._; but it
is not our object to write the history of that kingdom. We only collect
materials for a future historian, who might certainly draw some other
valuable accounts from _Belouacensis Spec. Hist._, from _Sanutus_ and
from _Hayto_ or _Hethum’s Hist. Orient_. We may here observe, that
Vahram, who is eager to tell all that is to the honour and glory of the
Church, says nothing about the baptism of the great Chan of the Moguls.
[8] Leon was the first king, the former princes are only called barons of
Cilicia.
The Translator finds it necessary to remark for the information of the
reader of “_The History of Vartan_,” that, not being in this country when
the work went to press, there occurred some slight errors, particularly
in the orthography of proper names. We shall at present only notice the
following:—
Preface, p. vii, line 6, for _Esrick_ read _Esnik_.
p. xxii, line 13, for _of_ Moh. read _before_ Moh.
p. 5, line 21, for _Dadjgabdan_ read _Dadjgasdan_.
p. 75, line 21, for _Bardesares_ read _Bardesanes_.
Transcriber’s Note
The errors above refer to a different book. The following probable
mistakes in _this_ one were noticed and changed.
Page 69, “geoprapher” changed to “geographer” (the geographer
alluded to)
Page 73, “Amenian” changed to “Armenian” (printed in Armenian,
at Venice)
Page 73, “seasame” changed to “sesame” (abounding in sesame,
panic, millet, wheat and barley)
Page 76, “certrin” changed to “certain” (it is likewise certain
that the language)
Page 90, “Mogolian” changed to “Mongolian” (the head of the
Mongolian confederacy)
Page 91, “Quardo” changed to “Quadro” (Quadro della Storia)
Page 92, “Palastine” changed to “Palestine” (our author means
Palestine and Syria)
Page 101, “calamitatess” changed to “calamitates” (Ad hæc
calamitates, miserias, paupertates)
Page 101, “omus” changed to “domus” (ejusdem domus decorem
diligere)
Page 101, “not ... faciuns” changed to “nos ... faciunt” (nos
oportet opponere; ut impetus, quem super eam faciunt)
LONDON:
Printed by J. L. Cox, Great Queen Street,
Lincoln’s-Inn Fields.