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==Population==
==Population==
[[Image:Dadivank fresco.JPG|300px|thumb|right|Fragment of a fresco with [[Armenian language|Armenian]] inscribed text in [[Dadivank Monastery]], shows a masterpiece of [[Culture of Nagorno Karabakh|medieval culture of Artsakh]].]]
[[Image:Dadivank fresco.JPG|300px|thumb|right|Fragment of a fresco with [[Armenian language|Armenian]] inscribed text in [[Dadivank Monastery]], shows a masterpiece of [[Culture of Nagorno Karabakh|medieval culture of Artsakh]].]]
Though the most recent theories suggest that the Armenians were native to the Armenian Plateau, the modern consensus concerning the origin of the [[Armenian people]] has been that they represent a fusion of the mostly non-Indo-European natives of the Armenian Plateau (including Artsakh) and the incoming proto-Armenians conventionally called the "Armens", who moved eastwards through the Armenian Plateau after the collapse of [[Urartu]] in the [[6th century BC]] <ref name="Atlas4">Hewsen. ''Armenia'', p. 58.</ref>. Of these pre-Armenian people who dwelled in the region of [[Arran]] (the region between the [[Kur]] and [[Araxes]] rivers) the following are known from Greek, Roman and Armenian authors:
Though the most recent theories suggest that the Armenians were native to the Armenian Plateau, the modern consensus concerning the origin of the [[Armenian people]] has been that they represent a fusion of the mostly non-Indo-European natives of the Armenian Plateau (including Artsakh) and the incoming proto-Armenians conventionally called the "Armens", who moved eastwards through the Armenian Plateau after the collapse of [[Urartu]] in the [[6th century BC]] <ref name="Atlas4">Hewsen. ''Armenia'', p. 58.</ref>. Armenian the the region between the [[Kur]] and [[Araxes]] rivers:

* [[Udi people|Utians]] and Mycians — apparently migrants from the south,
* [[Udi people|Utians]] and Mycians — apparently migrants from the south,
* [[Caspians]], Gargarians and Gardmans — related to the [[Georgians]],
* [[Caspians]], Gargarians and Gardmans — related to the [[Georgians]],
Line 53: Line 54:
Many of these people probably inhabited Artsakh in ancient times, thus the original ethnic character of Artsakh may have been varied as in other parts of northeastern Armenian Plateau, but it is not certain.<ref name="Atlas3">Hewsen. ''Armenia'', pp. 10, 58.</ref>
Many of these people probably inhabited Artsakh in ancient times, thus the original ethnic character of Artsakh may have been varied as in other parts of northeastern Armenian Plateau, but it is not certain.<ref name="Atlas3">Hewsen. ''Armenia'', pp. 10, 58.</ref>


The proto-Armenians came to Artsakh somewhat later than the central parts of the Armenian Plateau and intermarried with its pre-Armenian natives to form its present Armenian people, although many of the aforementioned people were still cited as distinct ethnic entities as far as the [[4th century|4th century AD]] <ref name="Atlas4"/>. According to the [[Encyclopedia Iranica]], they have settled in Artsakh and Utik already in the [[7th century BC]], though until the 6th-5th centuries BC<!--Armenia under Darius (c. 549 BC–486 BC) and Xerxes (485–465 BC)--> the Armenians in the strict sense must have lived in areas between [[Cappadocia]], the [[Tigris]], the [[Euphrates]], and the [[Lake Van|lake of Van]].<ref>Papazian, H. [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v2f4/v2f4a071a.html Armenia and Iran]. [[Encyclopedia Iranica]]</ref> Certain is that the Armenians have lived in Artsakh since the [[2nd century BC]] <ref name="Hewsen"/>. Notably, [[Strabo]] described Armenia (Artsakh and Utik included) in the 2nd century BC as "monolingual".<ref name="Strabo">[[Strabo]]. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0198&loc=11.14.1 ''Geography'' 11.14].</ref> <ref>Shnirelman, Viktor A. ''Memory wars. Myths, identity and politics in Transcaucasia''. Academkniga, Moscow, 2003 ISBN 5946281186</ref>
The proto-Armenians came to Artsakh somewhat later than the central parts of the Armenian Plateau and intermarried with its pre-Armenian natives to form its present Armenian people, although of the aforementioned people were still cited as distinct ethnic entities as far as the [[4th century|4th century AD]] <ref name="Atlas4"/>. According to the [[Encyclopedia Iranica]], they have settled in Artsakh and Utik already in the [[7th century BC]], though the 6th-5th centuries BC<!--Armenia under Darius (c. 549 BC–486 BC) and Xerxes (485–465 BC)--> in areas between [[Cappadocia]], the [[Tigris]], the [[Euphrates]], and the [[Lake Van|lake of Van]].<ref>Papazian, H. [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v2f4/v2f4a071a.html Armenia and Iran]. [[Encyclopedia Iranica]]</ref> the have the <ref name="Hewsen">. , [[Strabo]] described Armenia (Artsakh and Utik included) in the 2nd century BC as "monolingual"<ref name="Strabo">[[Strabo]]. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0198&loc=11.14.1 ''Geography'' 11.14].</ref> <ref> A. Memory wars. Myths, identity and politics in Transcaucasia. Academkniga, Moscow, 2003 ISBN 5946281186</ref>

Strabo reports that King Artaxiad expanded his state in all directions at the expense of his neighbors. At this time, he conquered the lands of [[Kaspiane]] and "Phaunitis", which is believed to be a copyist error for Saunities, i.e. [[Siwnik]]. Thus, it is generally believed that it was in the 2nd century B.C. that the Armenians conquered the lands of Artsakh and Utik, laying between Kaspiane and Siwnik.<ref name="Hewsen"/>


By [[Middle Ages|medieval times]], from at last the [[9th century]], Artsakh has been a stronghold of Armenian [[national identity]].<ref name="Atlas3"/> Its people spoke a local [[Eastern Armenian]] dialect, the ''Artsakhian dialect'' (today known as the Karabakh dialect), which is mentioned by [[7th century]] grammarian Stepanos Syunetsi in his earliest record of the Armenian dialects <ref name="Atlas2">Hewsen. ''Armenia'', pp. 85-86.</ref>
By [[Middle Ages|medieval times]], from at the [[9th century]], Artsakh has been a stronghold of Armenian [[national identity]].<ref name="Atlas3"/> Its people spoke a local [[Eastern Armenian]] dialect, the ''Artsakhian dialect'' (today known as the Karabakh dialect), which is mentioned by [[7th century]] grammarian Stepanos Syunetsi in his earliest record of the Armenian dialects <ref name="Atlas2">Hewsen. ''Armenia'', pp. 85-86.</ref>


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 08:39, 30 January 2009

For the republic, see Artsakh Republic
The lands of Syunik (left) and Artsakh (right) until the early 9th century

Artsakh (Template:Lang-hy, Armenian pronunciation: [ɑɾˈtsʰɑχ], Arc'ax) was the tenth province (nahang) of the Kingdom of Armenia and afterwards a region of Caucasian Albania.[1][2][3] In 821, it formed the Armenian principality of Khachen and in around 1000 was proclaimed the Kingdom of Artsakh, which was one of the last medieval eastern Armenian kingdoms and principalities to maintain its autonomy following the Turkic invasions of the 11-14th centuries.[4]

Etymology

Folk etymology has that the name is derived from "Ar" (Aran) and "tsakh" (woods, garden) (i.e., the gardens of Aran Sisakean, the first nakharar of northeastern Armenia).[5].

According to David M. Lang, the ancient name of Artsakh probably recalls the name of King Artaxias I of Armenia (190-159 BC), founder of the Artaxiad Dynasty and the kingdom of Greater Armenia.[6]. The name today is used mostly by Armenians to refer to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Geography

Part of a series on the
History of
Artsakh
Antiquity
Middle Ages
Early Modern Age
Modern Age

Artsakh covered the north-eastern range of the Armenian Plateau[7] and was mostly mountainous and afforested [8]. In medieval Armenian sources it is styled as a strategical and fortified region.[9][10] It was bounded by the following Armenian principalities: Utik to the east, Gardman to the northeast, and Syunik to the southwest [11]. The river Arax formed the southern boundary. The Kingdom of Artsakh (1000-1261) also included Gardman, Gegharkunik and Sodk (the southeastern shore of the Sevan Lake) [12]. Its area is estimated to have been 11,528 km² [13].

Important places (mostly fortified towns) included Parisos, Tigranakert, Sodk, Tsar, Vaykunik, Asteghblur, Goroz, Berdaglukh. The fortress of Tigranakert, which was first excavated in 2005, was probably founded by King Tigranes I of Armenia (123-55 BC).[14] Later, in the Albanian period, the village of Guetakan (known as the “Royal Village”) became of great importance as the residence of Vachagan III the Pious (467-510 AD), the last King of Caucasian Albania. By early medieval times, the castle of Khachen served a considerable time as the centre of Artsakh.

According to anonymous 7th century Armenian “Geography” (Ashkharatsoyts) Artsakh comprised 12 cantons (gavars): [15]

  1. Myus Haband,
  2. Vaykunik,
  3. Berdadzor,
  4. Mets Arank,
  5. Mets Kuenk,
  6. Harchlank,
  7. Mukhank,
  8. Piank,
  9. Parsakank,
  10. Sisakan Vostan,
  11. Qusti Parnes,
  12. Koght.

Status

It is not certain how Artsakh was administrated as a province of Armenia. According to some Armenian, scholars Artsakh formed a principality with the adjacent canton of Sodk, however this is not certain. Conceivably it was royal land. Its northern part also comprised the principality of Koght and it is possible that the princes of Koght were the original owners of Artsakh [15]. Under Albanian rule Artsakh, while often referred to, was not a recognized political entity. By the 9th century it comprised a number of small political units, including the principalities of Khachen in the center and Dizak in the south. Only in the 13th century these two states merged into one - the Kingdom of Artsakh [4].

Population

Fragment of a fresco with Armenian inscribed text in Dadivank Monastery, shows a masterpiece of medieval culture of Artsakh.

Though the most recent theories suggest that the Armenians were native to the Armenian Plateau, the modern consensus concerning the origin of the Armenian people has been that they represent a fusion of the mostly non-Indo-European natives of the Armenian Plateau (including Artsakh) and the incoming proto-Armenians conventionally called the "Armens", who moved eastwards through the Armenian Plateau after the collapse of Urartu in the 6th century BC [16]. Greek, Roman and Armenian authors provide the names of the following pre-Armenian and non-Armenian people who inhabited the region between the Kur and Araxes rivers:

Many of these people probably inhabited Artsakh in ancient times, thus the original ethnic character of Artsakh may have been varied as in other parts of northeastern Armenian Plateau, but it is not certain.[18]

The proto-Armenians came to Artsakh somewhat later than the central parts of the Armenian Plateau and intermarried with its pre-Armenian natives to form its present Armenian people, although most of the aforementioned people were still cited as distinct ethnic entities as far as the 4th century AD [16]. According to the Encyclopedia Iranica, they have settled in Artsakh and Utik already in the 7th century BC, though though according to the same article Armina under Darius and Xerxes had much narrower boundaries than the future Armenia of the Artaxiads and the Arsacids and the Armenians in the strict sense must have lived in the 6th-5th centuries BC in areas between Cappadocia, the Tigris, the Euphrates, and the lake of Van.[19] According to Robert H. Hewsen the original population of Artsakh and Utik was "certainly not of Armenian origin", and "although certain Iranian peoples must have settled here during the long period of Persian and Median rule, most of the natives were not even Indo-Europeans".[17] Noteworthy, Strabo described Armenia (Artsakh and Utik included) in the 2nd century BC as "monolingual"[20], though this does not mean that its population consisted exclusively of ethnic Armenians.[21].

Strabo reports that King Artaxiad expanded his state in all directions at the expense of his neighbors. At this time, he conquered the lands of Kaspiane and "Phaunitis", which is believed to be a copyist error for Saunities, i.e. Siwnik. Thus, it is generally believed that it was in the 2nd century B.C. that the Armenians conquered the lands of Artsakh and Utik, laying between Kaspiane and Siwnik.[17]

By medieval times, from at least the 9th century AD, Artsakh has been a stronghold of Armenian national identity.[18] Its people spoke a local Eastern Armenian dialect, the Artsakhian dialect (today known as the Karabakh dialect), which is mentioned by 7th century grammarian Stepanos Syunetsi in his earliest record of the Armenian dialects [15]

History

Early history

Archaeological evidence reflects the competing influence from around 800 BC of the neighboring rival states Urartu, Assyria, and Mannai. After the fall of Urartu (6th c. BC), Artsakh, as well as most of the region south of the Kura, came under the domination of the Medes and Achaemenian Persians [citation needed]. In 189 BC, when the kingdom of Greater Armenia was established, Artsakh became part of the new Armenian state. Supposedly it was conquered from Medes as the neighboring Utik and Syunik [17], however it is also possible that it had been earlier part of Orontid Armenia in the 4th-2nd centuries BC [22].

Map of Orontid Armenia, 4th-2nd centuries BC (the inclusion of Artsakh and Utik is uncertain.)

According to a traditional Armenian view, based on the accounts of early medieval Armenian historiographers Movses Khorenatsi and Movses Kaghankatvatsi, Artsakh was the original dominion of a certain Aran who was the progenitor of the House of Aranshahik - "the ancient native Armenian family" [23]. Aran was called “the Aghu” (meaning amiable in Armenian[24]) because his good manners [25]. The genealogy of Aran (old spelling: Eran, hence: Eranshahik) is preserved by the historiographer Movses Kaghankatvatsi, who wrote that Aran belonged to the lineage of the ancient patriarchs and kings of Armenia, including Hayk, Armeneak, Aramayis, Gegham, Aram, Ara the Beautiful, Haykak, Norayr, Hrant, Perch, Skayordi, Paruyr, Hrachea, Ervand (Orontes) Sakavakeats, Tigranes et al [23].

Aran was appointed by the King Valarsace of Armenia as hereditary prince (nahapet or genearch) over the plain of Arran until the fortress of Hnarakert.[26] Aran is also known as the divine eponym[27]and the first governor of the Caucasian Albanians, appointed by Vagharshak I the Parthian.[23]

Strabo mentioned Artsakh (Orchistene) as one of Armenian provinces (along with others such as Phavneni and Kombiseni), which furnished the most cavalry [20].

Christianity

In 301 Armenia was converted to Christianity. The Armenian historian Agathangelos mentioned the princes of Utik and Sawdk (which probably comprised Artsakh) among the sixteen Armenian princes, who escorted Grigor the Illuminator to Cesaria, where he would be enthroned the High Priest of their land[28].

Artsakh became a major stronghold for Armenian missionaries to spread the Christianity in the neighboring countries. In 310 St Grigoris, the grandson of Grigor the Illuminator, was ordained bishop of Caucasian Iberia and Caucasian Albania in the monastery of Amaras, being just 15 years old [29]. After his martyrdom by the Mazkutian king on the field of Vatnean (near Derbent), his disciples conveyed his body back to Artsakh and buried him in Amaras, which has been built by Grigor the Illuminator and Grigoris himself. Hence St Grigoris became a patron saint of Artsakh. The historiographer Pavstos Buzand wrote that “… every year the people of that places and cantons gathers there [in Amaras] for the festive commemoration of his valor” [30].

In the 5th century, Christian culture flourished in Artsakh. In around 410 Mesrop Mashtots opened at Amaras the first Armenian school.[31]. Later, more schools were opened in Artsakh.[32]

Armeno-Persian wars

The second half of the 4th century saw a series of wars between the Kingdom of Armenia and Persian Empire. After it lasted 34 years, the Armenian nobility of Artsakh and most of other provinces of Armenia revolted and refusing to support the Armenian king Arshak II anymore because of war-weariness [33][10]. Following the defeat of the Sassanid and Albanian armies, the Armenian strategist (sparapet) Mushegh Mamikonian punished severely the rebelled Armenian provinces, among others Artsakh, and subjected them to the king’s rule. Then in 372 he attacked Caucasian Albanians and took back from them the neighboring province of Utik and made the river Kur the border between Armenia and Albania as it has been earlier [10].

Medieval Period

However, war between the Sassanid Persians and Romans continued, and in 387 AD, according to the peace treaty between the two powers, the Armenian kingdom was partitioned between them. Albania, as an ally of the Sassanids, gained all the right bank of the river Kura up to the Araxes, including Artsakh and Utik.[34].

Following the inconclusive Battle of Avarayr (451), where the Christian Armenian army clashed with the Sassanid army, many of the Armenian nobles retreated to impassable mountains and forests in several provinces, including Artsakh, which became a center for resistance against Sassanid Iran [35].

Furthermore, the Armenian rulers of Artsakh began to play a considerable role in the affairs of Albania [36]. In 498 in the settlement named Aghuen (in present-day Mardakert region of Nagorno-Karabakh[37]), an Albanian church assembly was held, in the presence of the nobility and princes (“azgapetk”) of Artsakh and the king Vachagan the Pious, to adopt the Constitution of Aghven, which would arrange relations between the of nobility (landlords), clergy and village people [38].

In the 7th-9th centuries the Southern Caucasus was dominated by the Arabian Caliphate. In the early 9th century two Armenian princes - Sahl Smbatian and Esayi Abu-Muse - who revolted against the Arab rule and established two independant principalities in Artsakh – Khachen and Dizak. At the time the Byzantine emperor Konstantinos Porphyrogennetos addressed letters "to prince of Khachen - to Armenia", being the residence of the Armenian prince Sahl Smbatian. The House of Khachen ruled Artsakh until the early 19th century, when it was conquered by Imperial Russia [4]. It was then often referred to the Land of Khachen (later Karabakh).

See also

References

  1. ^ Hewsen, Robert H (2001). Armenia: A Historcial Atlas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 102. ISBN 0-2263-3228-4.
  2. ^ Harvard international Review
  3. ^ Encyclopedia Columbia
  4. ^ a b c Hewsen. Armenia, pp. 118-121.
  5. ^ Shahen Mkrtchyan. Treasures of Artsakh. Yerevan: "Tigran Mets", 2000, p. 10.
  6. ^ Lang, David M.The Armenians: a People in Exile. London: Unwin, 1988, p. x. ISBN 0-0440-0289-9.
  7. ^ Robert H. Hewsen. The Meliks of Eastern Armenia: A Preliminary Study. Revue des Études Arméniennes. NS: IX, 1972, pp. 255-329.
  8. ^ Template:Hy icon Babakhanian, Arakel (Leo). Երկերկի Ժողովազու (Collected Works). volume IX. Yerevan, Armenian SSR, 1989, pp. 246-250. ISBN 5-5500-0407-0.
  9. ^ The History of Caucasian Albanians by Movses Dasxuranci. Translated by C. J. F. Dowsett, London 1961. 1.17, 2.11 2.14.
  10. ^ a b c Pavstos Buzand, The Epic Histories Attributed to P'awstos Buzand, English transl. by N. Garsoian, Cambridge, MA, 1983. IV.50; V.12.
  11. ^ Hewsen. Armenia, p. 63.
  12. ^ Hewsen, Robert H. "The Kingdom of Arc'ax" in Medieval Armenian Culture (University of Pennsylvania Armenian Texts and Studies). Thomas J. Samuelian and Michael E. Stone (eds.) Chico, California: Scholars Press, 1984, p. 50. ISBN 0-8913-0642-0.
  13. ^ Template:Hy icon Yeremyan, Suren T. Հայաստանը ըստ Աշխարհացույցի (Armenia according to “Askharatsoyts”). Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1963, p. 41.
  14. ^ Hewsen. Armenia, p. 62.
  15. ^ a b c Hewsen. Armenia, pp. 100-103. Cite error: The named reference "Atlas2" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  16. ^ a b Hewsen. Armenia, p. 58.
  17. ^ a b c d Hewsen, Robert H. Ethno-History and the Armenian Influence upon the Caucasian Albanians, in: Samuelian, Thomas J. (Hg.), Classical Armenian Culture. Influences and Creativity, Chico: 1982, 27-40. Cite error: The named reference "Hewsen" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  18. ^ a b Hewsen. Armenia, pp. 10, 58.
  19. ^ Papazian, H. Armenia and Iran. Encyclopedia Iranica
  20. ^ a b Strabo. Geography 11.14.
  21. ^ V. A. Shnirelman. Memory wars. Myths, identity and politics in Transcaucasia. Academkniga, Moscow, 2003 ISBN 5946281186
  22. ^ Hewsen]]. Armenia, pp. 32-33.
  23. ^ a b c The History of the Caucasian Albanians by Movsēs Dasxuranc'i. Translated by Charles Dowsett. London: Oxford University Press, 1961, pp. 3-4, 7, 24.
  24. ^ Template:Hy icon Dictionary of Modern Armenian (Ժամանակակից հայոց լեզվի բացատրական բառարան), volume I. Yerevan 1969, p. 45.
  25. ^ Template:Hy icon Alishan, Ghevond, Artsakh, translation from Grabar by G. B. Thorosian, University of Yerevan Press, 1993, p. 8.
  26. ^ Template:Hy icon Stepanos Orbelian, History of the House Sisakan (Պատմութիւն Տանն Սիսական), transl. A. A. Abrahamian, Yerevan, Armenian SSR: Sovetakan Grogh, 1986, pp. 73, 278.
  27. ^ Cyril Toumanoff. Studies in Christian Caucasian History. Georgetown University Press 1963, pp. 257-258.
  28. ^ Agathangelos, The Conversion of Armenia, 795-796.
  29. ^ Pavstos Buzand, III.5.
  30. ^ Pavstos Buzand, III.6.
  31. ^ Viviano, Frank. “The Rebirth of Armenia,” National Geographic Magazine. March 2004.
  32. ^ Movses Kaghankatsvatsi, 1.18.
  33. ^ Hewsen. Armenia, p. 73.
  34. ^ Chaumont, M. L.Albania. Encyclopedia Iranica.
  35. ^ Jeghishe, About Vartan and the Armenian War. Translation and notes by Ye. Ter-Minasian. Yerevan 1989, sec. 6, p. 252-258.
  36. ^ Vladimir Minorsky. A History of Sharvan and Darband in the 10th-11th Centuries. Cambridge, Heffer and Sons, 1958
  37. ^ Leo. History of Armenia, volume ii. Yerevan, Armenian SSR, 1947, p. 156.
  38. ^ Movses Kaghankatvatsi, 1.26
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