Amberd River
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Amberd River
Amberd ( hy, Ամբերդ) is a 10th-century fortress located above sea level, on the slopes of Mount Aragats at the confluence of the Arkashen and Amberd rivers in the province of Aragatsotn, Armenia. The name translates to "fortress in the clouds" in Armenian. It is also the name incorrectly attributed to Vahramashen Church, the 11th-century Armenian church near the castle. The village of Byurakan is from the site of Amberd. History The site started as a Stone Age settlement. During the Bronze Age and Urartian periods, a fortress had been built that is now obsolete. Some sources say that Amberd used to be a summer residence for kings. The castle of Amberd and some sections of walls were constructed in the 7th century as a possession of the noble House of Kamsarakan. Four centuries later the fortress and surrounding lands were purchased by the House of Pahlavuni and rebuilt by Prince Vahram Pahlavouni, as is recorded in the manuscripts of Grigor Magistros Pahlavuni. Va ...
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Aragatsotn Province
Aragatsotn ( hy, Արագածոտն, ) is a province ('' marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the western part of the country. The capital and largest city of the province is the town of Ashtarak. The Statistical Committee of Armenia reported its population was 132,925 in the 2011 census. Etymology Literally meaning "the foot of Aragats" (the highest mountain of Armenia), it is named after the Aragatsotn canton of the historic Ayrarat province of Ancient Armenia, ruled by the Amatuni noble family under the reign of the Arsacid Dynasty. Geography Aragatsotn Province occupies the northwestern part of Armenia and covers an area of 2,756 km2 (9.3% of the total area of Armenia). It has internal borders with Shirak Province from the north, Lori Province from the northeast, Kotayk Province from the east, Armavir Province from the south and the city of Yerevan from the southwest. The Akhurian River at the west separates Aragatsotn from the Kars Province of Turkey. Historica ...
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Zakare II Zakarian
Zakare Zakarian ( hy, Զաքարե Զաքարյան or Զաքարե Երկայնաբազուկ, ) or Zakaria II Mkhargrdzeli (, ), was an Armenian general of Queen Tamar of Georgia army during the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He was the ruler of feudal lands in the Kingdom of Georgia. Biography Zakaria along with his father Sargis supported the rebellion of Prince Demna and the Orbeli family in 1177, however they soon sided with George III and fought for the monarchy against the insurgents. The uprising was suppressed, and King George III elevated the Zakarid–Mkhargrdzeli family. Following the death of George III, Queen Tamar elevated Sargis Mkhargrdzeli — a well-born valorous man, well-trained in battle — to the office of ''Amirspasalar'' ( Lord High Constable) and granted him possessions over Lori (which was deprived of from Kubasar). She gave presents to his elder son, Zakaria, and his younger son, Ivane, and she made him a member of the Darbazi. During a ...
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Bagratid Armenia
The Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia, also known as Bagratid Armenia ( xcl, Բագրատունեաց Հայաստան, or , , 'kingdom of the Bagratunis'), was an independent Armenian state established by Ashot I Bagratuni of the Bagratuni dynasty in the early 880s following nearly two centuries of foreign domination of Greater Armenia under Arab Umayyad and Abbasid rule. With each of the two contemporary powers in the region—the Abbasids and Byzantines—too preoccupied to concentrate their forces in subjugating the region, and with the dissipation of several of the Armenian ''nakharar'' noble families, Ashot succeeded in asserting himself as the leading figure of a movement to dislodge the Arabs from Armenia. Ashot's prestige rose as both Byzantine and Arab leaders—eager to maintain a buffer state near their frontiers—courted him. The Abbasid Caliphate recognized Ashot as "prince of princes" in 862 and, later on, as king (in 884 or 885). The establishment of the Bagratuni k ...
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Shirak Province
Shirak ( hy, wikt:Շիրակ, Շիրակ, ) is a provinces of Armenia, province (''Administrative divisions of Armenia, marz'') of Armenia. It is located in the north-west of the country, bordering Turkey to the west and Georgia (country), Georgia to the north. Its capital and largest city is Gyumri, which is the second largest city in Armenia. It is as much semi-desert as it is mountain meadow or high alpine. In the south, the high steppes merge into mountain terrain, being verdant green in the spring, with hues of reddish brown in the summer. The province is served by the Gyumri Shirak International Airport, Shirak International Airport of Gyumri. Etymology Shirak Province is named after the Shirak canton of the historical Ayrarat province of Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity), Ancient Armenia, ruled by the Kamsarakan noble family between the 3rd and 8th centuries. According to Movses Khorenatsi, the name Shirak is derived from Shara, who was the great-grandson of Hayk, the lege ...
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Ashot IV
Ashot IV ( hy, Աշոտ Դ, died c. 1040–41), surnamed Kaj, i.e. "the Brave, the Valiant", was the younger son of King Gagik I of Armenia. Life When his eldest brother Hovhannes-Smbat (known also as Smbat III) was enthroned as King of Armenia as the legal heir of the Bagratuni Dynasty as King of Armenia (King of Ani), Ashot was greatly displeased as he had aspirations to the throne. So he organized a military campaign through his supporters besieging and later conquering the Armenian capital Ani, usurping the power and dethroning the king Hovhannes-Smbat in 1021. But later on a compromise agreement was reached between the two feuding brothers such the legal heir would reassume his power but on a much smaller territory in provinces near the capital, whereas Ashot would become king in provinces closer to Persia and Georgia. The simultaneous rule of the two brothers continued with Hovhannes-Smbat ruling (1020–1040) and that of Ashot IV (1021–1039). However despite the comprom ...
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Hovhannes-Smbat III Of Armenia
Hovhannes-Smbat III was King of Ani (1020–1040). He succeeded his father Gagik I of Ani (989–1020) being the king's elder son and legal heir to the throne. Life His enthronement in 1020 was strongly opposed by his younger brother Ashot, who one year later in 1021 rebelled against him, driving his forces to Ani the capital, surrounding and conquering the city and dethroning his brother Hovhannes-Smbat III in 1021 and usurping power from him. But following a compromise agreement between the two feuding brothers, he agreed to withdraw his rebel forces from Ani and let the legal heir Hovhannes-Smbat III to return to power continuing as Hovhannes-Smbat III of Ani on limited areas around the capital, whereas Ashot (known as Ashot IV) would be enthroned a concurrent king and rule in further Armenian provinces closer to Persia and Georgia. Despite the agreed compromise, conflicts, sometimes military, continued between the two brother kings thus greatly weakening the Armenia ...
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Gagik I Of Armenia
Gagik I ( hy, Գագիկ Ա) was the king of Armenia who reigned between 989 and 1020, under whom Bagratid Armenia reached its height, and "enjoyed the accustomed experience of unbroken peace and prosperity." Rule left, 220px, 11th century inscription mentioning Gagik I. Aragatsotn_Province.html"_;"title="Parpi,_Aragatsotn_Province">Parpi,_Aragatsotn_Province_ It_is_unknown_when_Gagik_I_was_born._He_succeeded_his_brother_Smbat_II_of_Armenia.html" "title="Aragatsotn_Province_.html" ;"title="Aragatsotn_Province.html" ;"title="Parpi, Aragatsotn Province">Parpi, Aragatsotn Province ">Aragatsotn_Province.html" ;"title="Parpi, Aragatsotn Province">Parpi, Aragatsotn Province It is unknown when Gagik I was born. He succeeded his brother Smbat II of Armenia">Smbat II in 989. He followed the footsteps of his predecessors in building churches and religious buildings in the capital Ani. Using the favorable economic conditions of Armenia, Gagik increased the size of the army up to 100,000 ...
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Bagratuni Dynasty
The Bagratuni or Bagratid dynasty ( hy, Բագրատունի, ) was an Armenian royal dynasty which ruled the medieval Kingdom of Armenia from c. 885 until 1045. Originating as vassals of the Kingdom of Armenia of antiquity, they rose to become the most prominent Armenian noble family during the period of Arab rule in Armenia, eventually establishing their own independent kingdom. Their domain included regions of Armenia such as Shirak, Bagrevand, Kogovit, Syunik, Lori, Vaspurakan, Vanand and Taron. Many historians, such as Cyril Toumanoff, Nicholas Adontz and Ronald Suny, consider them to be the progenitors of the Georgian royal Bagrationi dynasty. Early history The name "Bagratuni" derives from ''Bagarat'', a Parthian variant of the Old Iranian name ''Bagadata'' ("God-given"). Historian Cyril Toumanoff speculated that a general of King Tigranes II of Armenia () named Bagadates may have been the earliest known member of the Bagratuni family, which first emerged as ...
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Ashot II Of Armenia
Ashot II the Iron ( hy, Աշոտ Բ; r. 914–929) was an Armenian king of the royal Bagratuni line. He was the son and successor of King Smbat I. His reign was filled with rebellions by vassals and pretenders to the throne, as well as foreign invasions, which Ashot fought off successfully, for which he is remembered by the epithet ''Yerkat'' (Երկաթ), or the Iron. Reign Ashot II succeeded his father Smbat I upon the latter's death in 914. Smbat had fought off an invasion launched by the Emir of Atropatene, Yusuf Ibn Abi'l-Saj, but when Smbat surrendered he was tortured and beheaded by Yusuf in Yernjak. Having taken control of the central lands of Armenia, Yusuf installed a pretender also named Ashot, son of Shapuh and first cousin of Ashot II, in Dvin as the "anti-king" of Bagratid Armenia. Harried by Yusuf's forces, Ashot II visited Constantinople to receive aid from Empress Zoe Karbonopsina. Ashot II was well received, and a Byzantine force was assembled to assist Armen ...
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Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi
Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi ( hy, Յովհաննէս Դրասխանակերտցի, John of Drasxanakert, various spellings exist), also called John V the Historian, was Catholicos of Armenia from 897 to 925, and a noted chronicler and historian. He is known for his ''History of Armenia.'' He is also the author of a list of Armenian Catholicoi titled ''Shar Hayrapetatsʻn Hayotsʻ''.Yovhannes Drasxanakertc'i/John Katholikos (1987). '' History of Armenia by John Katholikos''. Translated by Maksoudian, Krikor H. Atlanta, Georgia: Scholars Press. p. 8–23. What little is known about Catholicos Hovhannes's life comes from his own written works. He gives his own birthplace as Draskhkert (Draskhanakert), which has been variously identified with modern Ashtarak or placed near the historical canton of Shirak in Ayrarat province (later medieval Armenian historians claimed he was from Garni or Dvin). He was related to his predecessor as catholicos, Mashtots I, under whom he studied. Ho ...
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Hypocaust
A hypocaust ( la, hypocaustum) is a system of central heating in a building that produces and circulates hot air below the floor of a room, and may also warm the walls with a series of pipes through which the hot air passes. This air can warm the upper floors as well. The word derives from the Ancient Greek meaning "under" and , meaning "burnt" (as in ''caustic''). The earliest reference to such a system suggests that the temple of Ephesus in 350 BC was heated in this manner, although Vitruvius attributes its invention to Sergius Orata in c. 80 BC. Its invention improved the hygiene and living conditions of citizens, and was a forerunner of modern central heating. Roman operation Hypocausts were used for heating hot baths and other public buildings in Ancient Rome. They were also used in private homes. It was a must for the villas of the wealthier merchant class throughout the Roman Empire. The ruins of Roman hypocausts have been found throughout Europe (for example in Ital ...
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