| Ashot I Աշոտ Ա | |
|---|---|
| King of Armenia | |
| Reign | 885–890 |
| Successor | Smbat I the Martyr |
| Prince of Princes of Armenia | |
| Reign | 862–885 |
| Born | c. 820 |
| Died | 890 (aged 69–70) Gugark,Greater Armenia |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Katranide I |
| Issue | Smbat I Sahak David Shapuh |
| Dynasty | Bagratuni dynasty |
| Father | Smbat VIII the Confessor |
| Mother | Hripsime |
| Religion | Armenian Apostolic |
Ashot I (Armenian:Աշոտ Ա; c. 820 – 890) was a king ofArmenia who oversaw the beginning ofArmenia's secondgolden age (862 – 977). He was the son ofSmbat VIII the Confessor and was a member of theBagratuni dynasty.
Ashot was born around 820 toSmbat VIII Bagratuni and his wife Hripsime. Smbat VIII wassparapet (supreme commander) and the son ofAshot Msaker, the Prince of Armenia (r. 806–826).[1] Ashot also had a brother named Abas. The family, theBagratunis, was one of the most powerful in the kingdom, along with theArtsruni. Both families struggled for power through warfare againstArab invaders. The kingdom was later taken over by Armenians who overthrew theArab government. Smbat VIII was exiled toSamarra, where he later died.[2] Ashot continued to live in his father's quarters,[3] located around the city ofBagaran.[4] He was married to Katranide.[5] Like Smbat before him, Ashot was namedsparapet in 856 by theAbbasid Caliphal-Mutawakkil.[6]
During theArab-Byzantine Wars, much of Ashot's territory was located near the main site of conflict. In 862, following theBattle of Karasounk Ashot was recognized as the prince of princes of Armenia, of Georgia and of the lands of the Caucasus by Abbasid Caliphal-Musta'in, who saw this as a measure of protection against the local autonomousemirs.[7][8][9] This title essentially granted Ashot the status ofde facto king[10] and placed him at a similar level of power as the emirs,[7] but did not allow Ashot to have administrative rule over the kingdom.[11] Ashot kept this status during the reigns of Abbasid Caliphsal-Mu'tazz (866–869),al-Muhtadi (869–870) andal-Mu'tamid (870–892).
Ashot annexedBagrevand in 862, shortly after the death of the rulingMamikonian dynasty's head, Grigor Mamikonian.[3] Ashot mediated between Grigor-Derenik Artsruni and Gurgen Artsruni, cousins and members of the Artsruni family who controlledVaspurakan.[3] Ashot then captured Grigor-Derenik[12] and reduced the size of the cantons aroundVan.[13] Ashot released Grigor-Derenik to avoid further conflict with the Artsruni family. Ashot later arranged a marriage between his daughter, Sophie, and Grigor-Derenik, in order to reconcile.[14] Ashot also strengthened relations with theSiunia dynasty by arranging another marriage between his second daughter, Mariam, with Prince Vasak Gabur IV.[15] These familial ties helped strengthen relations between Ashot's sons and the surrounding dynasties.
Ashot used this support to wage war against the emirs. He began by defeating theKaysites ofManazkert in 863,[16] with the help of his brother andsparapet, Abas Bagratuni.[3] In 877, he began to fight against the emir ofBarda alongside hisostikan; however, failure of this ostikan led to his replacement.[17] The new ostikan made a secret peace treaty with the emir and betrayed Ashot. Ashot learned of the conspiracy against him and sent Abas to disarm the ostikan inDvin; Abas escorted him to the border under Ashot's orders in order to prevent the caliph's retaliation.[18] Ashot defeated the emirs of Barda and Manazkert, laying siege to the latter city in 884; however, the siege was ceased prematurely. The siege caused Grigor-Derenik to worry about the borders ofTaron, which was under Grigor-Derenik's control.[19] Ashot gained control of theGugark andUtik regions[20] as early as 860.[21]
Ashot's reach also extended toCaucasian Iberia, where some of his Bagratuni family had settled in the late 7th century. There, around 875, he formed an alliance withBagrat I of Iberia, his stepbrother, against Bagrat's brother,Guaram Mampali.[22] Together, Ashot and Bagrat defeated Guaram. In 881, Ashot formed an alliance withDavid I of Iberia andAdarnase IV of Iberia, Bagrat's son and grandson, respectively, to defeat Guaram's son,Nasra of Tao-Klarjeti.[23]
Several contemporary prominent Armenians, including Grigor-Derenik Vaspurakan, insisted on Ashot's coronation.[24] Ashot was crownedKing of Armenia through the consent of Caliphal-Mu'tamid in 885 to prevent intrusion into Armenian territory byBasil I, aByzantine emperor of Armenian origin.[25] As a result of his coronation, Ashot restored the Armenian monarchy and became the founder of themedievalKingdom of Armenia, also known asBagratid Armenia, named after the contemporary rule of the Bagratunis. The Bagratid kingdom lasted until 1045, when it was annexed into theByzantine Empire.[26]
Despite his status, Ashot remained a subordinate to the Caliph and was put under the supervision of the emirs of Atropatene.[27] Every Armenian prince fell under Ashot's authority (though in the effect ofprimus inter pares[28]). Dvin and the emirates of Manazkert andKarin (and, according toConstantine VII,Khoy andSalmas)[29] also fell under Ashot's control, despite the local governments' unwillingness to accept.[27] The emir of Manazkert was in this way defeated and was forced to submit to Ashot's rule in 885.[30]
Ashot's influence continued not only in Armenia but also in Iberia. After the death of Grigor-Derenik Artsruni in 887, Ashot placed his own grandson (and Grigor-Derenik's son), Ashot-Sargis Artsruni, under the rule of relative Gagik Aboumerwan Artsruni.[31] In 887 and 888, Ashot supported his nephewAdarnase IV of Iberia in overthrowingBagrat I of Abkhazia.[29] Also in 888, Ashot sent his brother Abas toKars to stop a rebellion led by Prince Sahak-Mleh ofVanand.[29]
Ashot travelled toGugark to stop another rebellion, fighting alongside his son and heir,Smbat I. He died in 890. Contemporary historianHovhannes Draskhanakerttsi gives an account of his death:
Since he died on the road, in an inn at a rocky place called K'arsparn, they carried away his body in a coffin and brought it to the town (awan) of Bagaran, the royal residence, where they covered the coffin with robes and veils interwoven and adorned with gold; and carefully selected detachments of military forces clad in arms and ornaments stood guard. The great katholikos, accompanied by the rest of the clerics of the church, also came forth and solemnly chanted psalms and raised the voice of [their] praise. His three sons, the senior [gaherec'] princes of the royal house and other friends followed the coffin, and thus they arrived at the cemetery....Then, building a tomb [suitable] for royalty, they buried him in the cemetery of his ancestors.[32]
Smbat I succeeded him.
Ashot's restoration of the Armenian monarchy was accompanied by economic growth[28] and a revival of the arts and religion.[33] Several cultural buildings were restored and renovated. Under Ashot's reign, the firstkhachkar was created in 879 as a tribute to Ashot's wife, Katranide.[34] Urban growth began to occur[35] and agriculture flourished. Vineyards became a very successful industry.[36]
Ashot supported theArmenian Apostolic Church during his reign.[38] Ashot saw the possibility of the church merging with theOrthodox Byzantine Church, due to the Byzantine Empire's influence in the region,[7] and feared that the Byzantine Empire would deny him his claim to the throne. In 862, when theEcumenical Patriarch of ConstantinoplePhotios I attempted to unite the Armenian Church by sending two letters to CatholicosZacharias I and Ashot, Zacharias and Ashot summoned a council in Yerazgavors;[39] the ambiguous response[10] was formulated by Ashot.[7] Ashot continued to receive epistolary communication; in 882, he received a letter with a piece of theTrue Cross awarded to CatholicosMashtots I, who was a friend of Ashot (the cross has since been lost).[40] Ashot also supported the Armenian Church's desire to separate from theChurch of Caucasian Albania.[25] Ashot donated several treasures to the Armenian Catholicos to distribute to the churches.[41]
| Ashot the Great Prince of Princes,sparapet (855–885) king of Armenia (885–890) | Katranide I Queen of Armenia (885–890) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Smbat king of Armenia (890–914) | Sahak | David (†902) | Shapuh sparapet (†912) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sofya | Grigor-Derenik prince ofVaspurakan (857–887) | daughter | Vahan Artsruni | Mariam (†914) | Vasak Syuni prince ofSyunik (855–859) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ashot prince ofVaspurakan (898–904) | Gagik prince andking ofVaspurakan (904–908) / (908–943) | Gurgen prince ofParskahayk (904–925) | Grigor prince ofSyunik (855–859) (859–913) | Sahak | Vasak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ashot the Iron king of Armenia (914–928) | Sahakanuysh Sevada | Abas king of Armenia (928–953) | Gurgendukht Bagratuni | Seda | son | Ashot | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| Preceded by | Sparapet ofArmenia 855–884 | Establishment of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia |
| Vacant Suspended due to Armenian rebellion Title last held by Bagrat II Bagratuni | Prince of princes ofArmenia underAbbasid suzerainty 862–884 | |
| New title | King ofBagratid Armenia 884–890 | Succeeded by |
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