Vardan Mamikonian Վարդան Մամիկոնյան | |
|---|---|
_(14803073943).jpg) Illustration of Vardan Mamikonian in the 1908 bookIllustrated Armenia and Armenians[1] | |
| Born | c. 387 |
| Died | 451 (aged 63–64) |
| Rank | Sparapet |
| Conflicts | Battle of Avarayr † |
Vardan Mamikonian (Armenian:Վարդան Մամիկոնեան; variants:Vartan,Wartan;c. 387 – 451) was anArmenian military leader who led a rebellion againstSasanian Iran in 450–451. He was the head of theMamikonian noble family and holder of the hereditary title ofsparapet, the supreme commander of the Armenian armed forces. Vardan and most of his comrades died at theBattle of Avarayr in 451, but their sacrifice was immortalized in the works of the Armenian historiansElishe andGhazar Parpetsi. He is regarded as a national hero among Armenians and venerated as amartyr and asaint of theArmenian Apostolic Church and theArmenian Catholic Church. Vardan and the rebellion he led are commemorated in numerous works of art and literature. According toArshag Chobanian, "To the Armenian nation, Vartan [...] is the most beloved figure, the most sacred in their history, the symbolical hero who typifies the national spirit."[2]
The name Vardan (Armenian: Վարդան) is ofMiddle Persian origin, derived from ward, meaning "rose". While Vardan is the standard spelling in the Republic of Armenia, the name is traditionally rendered asVartan orWartan by Armenians from West Armenia and the resulting diaspora across the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. These variants refer to the same historical figure and reflect the distinct pronunciation and transliteration systems used by Armenians outside of the modern Republic.
Vardan Mamikonian was born in approximately 387 in the settlement ofAshtishat in theTaron region to Hamazasp Mamikonian and Sahakanoysh, daughter of PatriarchSahak of Armenia. He had two younger brothers, Hamazasp and Hmayeak.[3] He was educated inVagharshapat at the school founded by Patriarch Sahak andMesrop Mashtots. After the death of his father, he became the head of the Mamikonian noble family. In 420, he went toConstantinople with Mesrop Mashtots and was appointedstratelates (general) ofByzantine Armenia byTheodosius II. In 422, he returned to Vagharshapat, then went toCtesiphon, where Sasanian kingBahram V recognized him assparapet of the Kingdom of Armenia; the office ofsparapet, the supreme commander of the Armenian armed forces, was held hereditarily by the Mamikonian family. Vardan retained this title after the abolition of the Kingdom of Armenia in 428.[4]
Conditions worsened inSasanian Armenia with the accession ofYazdegerd II in 439. At first, Yazdegerd and his officials imposed heavier taxes and obligations on Armenia and its nobility, but did not yet openly move against the Armenian Church.[5] In 442, Yazdegerd sent the Armenian cavalry commanded by Vardan east to fight theHuns. In 449, the Sasanian king issued an edict officially imposingZoroastrianism on Armenia.[4] That same year, the Armenian elite gathered atArtaxata under the presidency ofmarzpanVasak Siwni, Vardan, thebidaxsh of theIberian March, and the acting Catholicos of Armenia to declare their loyalty to the Sasanian state and their Christian faith. Yazdegerd did not accept this decision and summoned the Armenian magnates (nakharars) to Ctesiphon and forced them to convert to Zoroastrianism.[5] Yazdegerd released most of the nobles after an unexpected attack from the east and sentmagi to convert Armenia.[6]
Upon their return to Armenia, Vardan and most of the Armenian nobles repudiated their conversion, although Yeghishe and Ghazar Parpetsi give conflicting accounts of Vardan's initial apostasy and the origins of the Armenian rebellion that broke out in 450.[7] Vardan may have initially intended to retire into exile, but soon emerged as the leader the popular rebellion against the imposition of Zoroastrianism.[6] Vardan and his allies made a solemn oath and captured a number of fortresses and settlements. Vardan's forces won a major victory over the Persians in the summer of 450 and secured an alliance with the northern Huns; however, an embassy to Byzantium asking for aid was unsuccessful. Vardan was opposed by a significant pro-Persian party of Armenian nobles, andmarzpan Vasak Siwni refused to follow him out of Armenia to meet the Persians in battle.[8]
In the summer of 451, a large Sasanian army including the elite cavalry corps of theImmortals and war elephants marched against the Armenian rebels. Vardan's army battled with the Persians atAvarayr nearMaku on June 2. The supporters of Vasak Siwni deserted during the battle and Vardan's forces were defeated, with Vardan and most of the Armenian nobility dying in the fighting. The aftermath of theBattle of Avarayr is not completely clear, but it appears that Yazdegerd, alarmed by the Persian losses, withdrew his troops and imprisoned Vasak Siwni. Vardan's surviving supporters were imprisoned in Iran, although many of them were eventually released in the following years.[8] In 481, a new rebellion manifested under the leadership of Vardan's nephew,Vahan Mamikonian, which succeeded in securing recognition of Armenian religious rights and autonomy with theTreaty of Nvarsak in 484.[9]
Vardan Mamikonian was the father of Vardeni Mamikonian, known asShushanik, born around 439 AD. Shushanik marriedVarsken, a prominentMihranid feudal lord (pitiakhsh). When Varsken took a pro-Persian position renouncingChristianity and adoptingZoroastrianism, he tried to force his wife Shushanik to convert as well, but she refused vehemently to submit and abandon her Christian faith, so she was put to death in AD 475 on her husband's orders. Shushanik has been canonized by theEastern Orthodox Church and is venerated by theArmenian Apostolic Church. Known asSaint Shushanik, herfeast day is celebrated onOctober 17.
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Vardan | |
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| Martyr | |
| Venerated in | Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian Catholic Church |
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| Patronage | Armenia |
Vardan Mamikonian is as asaint of theArmenian Apostolic Church.[10][11] He is also revered by theArmenian Catholic Church andArmenian Evangelical Church.[dubious –discuss]
His commemoration day in the official Armenian Church calendar is usually in the month of February and on very rare occasions may fall in the first week of March. The actual feast day of Saint Vardan is amoveable feast, as it is on the last Thursday beforeGreat Lent. Armenian churches named after him include theSt. Vartan Cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church inNew York City[11] and the St. Vartan Armenian Catholic Church inBloomfield Hills, Michigan.[12][13] There is also aSt. Vartan Park near the cathedral. A segment of theBerlin Turnpike inWethersfield, Connecticut is signed as the "Vartan Mamigonian Memorial Highway."[14]
The Armenian-American fraternal organizationKnights of Vartan is named in honor of Vardan Mamikonian.
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