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The Turco-Mongol Invasions and the Lords of Armenia in the 13 ...

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subjugated by sword or treaty all <strong>of</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>astern <strong>and</strong><br />

nor<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>Armenia</strong>. <strong>The</strong>y net with no serious resistance<br />

anywhere.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Mongol</strong> conquest <strong>of</strong> western <strong>and</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>Armenia</strong><br />

took place between 1242 <strong>and</strong> 1245. <strong>The</strong>se l<strong>and</strong>s, it will<br />

be remembered, though <strong>in</strong>habited by <strong>Armenia</strong>ns were under<br />

<strong>the</strong> political dom<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Saljuqs or, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> case<br />

<strong>of</strong> Xlat', <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ayyubids1. In 1242 BaiJu-noy<strong>in</strong> (<strong>the</strong><br />

successor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> former supreme comm<strong>and</strong>er Chonnaehun<br />

who had lost his hear<strong>in</strong>g) took Kar<strong>in</strong>/Erzerum after a siege<br />

<strong>of</strong> two months. <strong>The</strong> population was massacred <strong>and</strong> led away<br />

<strong>in</strong>to slavery . <strong>The</strong> <strong>Mongol</strong>s spent <strong>the</strong> w<strong>in</strong>ter <strong>of</strong> 1243 at<br />

1 See pp. 63-64.above.<br />

2 HAP III p. 611; SEPHA p. 109! JS. P. <strong>13</strong>7; Ibn Bibi<br />

describes how <strong>the</strong> rulers <strong>of</strong> Xlat <strong>and</strong> Erzerum were argu<strong>in</strong>g<br />

over money for hir<strong>in</strong>g mercenaries to defend <strong>the</strong>mselves<br />

(Ibn Bibi pp. 222-37); BH describes <strong>the</strong> tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> Erzerum<br />

(p. 406). Dur<strong>in</strong>g 1242 <strong>the</strong> <strong>Mongol</strong>s looted as far south as<br />

Xarberd (BH pp. 406-407). KG; "As soon asBaiju assumed<br />

authority he forthwith mustered troops from all <strong>the</strong> peoples<br />

under his dom<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>and</strong> went to that part <strong>of</strong> <strong>Armenia</strong> under<br />

<strong>the</strong> dom<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sultan <strong>of</strong> Bum". He beseiged Kar<strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>vited <strong>the</strong> city to surrender. Receiv<strong>in</strong>g a negative<br />

reply, Baiju broke down <strong>the</strong> walls with seige mach<strong>in</strong>ery<br />

<strong>and</strong> destroyed <strong>the</strong> city. "And at that time <strong>the</strong> city was<br />

very heavily populated be<strong>in</strong>g filled not only with Christians<br />

<strong>and</strong> Taeiks, but all <strong>the</strong> people from <strong>the</strong> whole district had<br />

assembled <strong>the</strong>re [for protection],<br />

"In <strong>the</strong> city were countless holy gospels [belong<strong>in</strong>g to]<br />

<strong>the</strong> great <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> small. <strong>The</strong> foreigners took <strong>the</strong>se <strong>and</strong><br />

sold <strong>the</strong> expensive ones to <strong>the</strong> Christians <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir army<br />

cheaply. In glee <strong>the</strong>y spread through each district, divid<strong>in</strong>g<br />

up <strong>the</strong> churches <strong>and</strong> monasteries. May Christ reward <strong>the</strong><br />

Christian pr<strong>in</strong>ces Awag, Sahnsah, Vahram's son Albula, pious<br />

Dop''a son Grigor Xajenc'i, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir troops. For <strong>the</strong>se<br />

pr<strong>in</strong>ces bought out <strong>of</strong> slavery as many men, women, <strong>and</strong><br />

children, bishops, priest <strong>and</strong> eacons as was possible"<br />

(KG pp. 279-80); GA pp. 307, 309.<br />

112

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