Atrnerseh () (d. 870's) was an Armenian ruler of the

Principality of Khachen The Principality of Khachen ( hy, Խաչենի իշխանություն, Khacheni ishkhanutyun) was a medieval Armenian principality on the territory of historical Artsakh (present-day Nagorno-Karabakh). The provinces of Artsakh and Utik were ...

. He was the son and successor of

Sahl Smbatean Sahl Smbatean EṙanshahikMovses Kaghankatvatsi. ''History of Aghuank''. Critical text and introduction by Varag Arakelyan. Matenadaran" Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mashtots. Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 198 ...

. According to the 10th century Armenian historian

Movses Kaghankatvatsi Movses Kaghankatvatsi ( hy, Մովսէս Կաղանկատուացի ''Movses Kaġankatvac’i''), or Movses Daskhurantsi ( ''Movses Dasxuranc’i'') is the reputed author (or authors) of a tenth-century Classical Armenian historiographical work on ...

, Atrnerseh's family was descended from the Arranshahiks, the ancient ruling dynasty of

Caucasian Albania Caucasian Albania is a modern exonym for a former state located in ancient times in the Caucasus: mostly in what is now Azerbaijan (where both of its capitals were located). The modern endonyms for the area are ''Aghwank'' and ''Aluank'', among ...

, although the historian

Robert H. Hewsen Robert H. Hewsen (May 20, 1934 – November 17, 2018) was an American historian and professor of history at Rowan University. He was an expert on the ancient history of the South Caucasus. Hewsen is the author of ''Armenia: A Historical Atlas'' (2 ...

considers Atrnerseh and his father as members of a branch of the Armenian House of Syunik.Hewsen, Robert H., ''Armenia: A Historical Atlas''.

The University of Chicago Press The University of Chicago Press is the largest and one of the oldest university presses in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including ''The Chicago Manual of Style'', ...

, 2001, pp. 119, 163. In 822, Atrnerseh married the last heir of Mihranid dynasty (which previously ruled

), princess Spram. Subsequently, the princedom of Atrnerseh's father Sahl expanded to the east and included the territories of Artsakh and

Gardman Gardman ( hy, Գարդման), also known as Gardmank, was one of the eight cantons of the ancient province of Utik in the Kingdom of Armenia and simultaneously, together with the canton of Tuchkatak, an Armenian principality. It roughly corresp ...

. Atrnerseh's possessions mainly covered the region of Upper Khachen, also known as Tsar. His residence was at Handaberd, a fortress he built in the second quarter of the 9th century. Together with his father and brother John, he participated in the anti-Arab uprising of 854, as a result of which he was arrested by the Arab commander

Bugha al-Turki Bugha al-Kabir (), also known as Bugha al-Turki (), was a 9th-century Khazar general who served the Abbasid Caliphate. He was of Khazar origin, and was acquired along with his sons as a military slave (''ghulam'') by al-Mu'tasim in 819/820.Gordo ...

and sent to exile in

Samarra Samarra ( ar, سَامَرَّاء, ') is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Saladin Governorate, north of Baghdad. The city of Samarra was founded by Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutasim for his Turkish professional army ...

.Иованнес Драсханакертци. История Армении, гл. XXVI
/ref> However, he was freed from exile, unlike his brother, whose estates were inherited by Atrnerseh. Atrnerseh ruled over an area approximately corresponding to the historical Armenian province of Artsakh.

References

{{authority control Year of birth unknown House of Aranshahik 9th-century Armenian people Princes of Khachen