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

and Nisibis . By that year the Armenian populations,
be they in Caucasian Armenia, western Armenia, southern
Armenia, or even Cllician Armenia were to a greater
or lesser degree all formally under the overlordship of
the Mongols. A unique situation had been created.
During the more than 100 years of Mongol domination,
the Armenians experienced periods of benevolent, even
enlightened, rule and of capricious, benighted misrule.
From 1236-43 Mongol rule resulted in little if any
radical change in the lives of Caucasian Armenians. As
was mentioned above, many if not most of the naxarara
retained control of their lands. Probably Mongol
garrisons were maintained in the key cities, but, as was
the case during the Saljuq conquests, it seems unlikely
that there would have been enough troops to police all
areas. During this early period the sources unanimously
note that the Mongols returned each winter to the warm
Mughan plain of Azerbaijan, so for part of the year the
majority of them were outside of Armenia (though hardly
2
very far away). Apparently, prior to 1243 no permanent
Once more they took Konya and Axsar with all the greatest
villages and monasteries. Then they attacked Sewast and
took it, warring. But they did not kill them, rather
they took their goods as booty" (GA pp. 307-309).
HAP III p. 612; SEPHA p. Ill; KG pp. 292-93.
See following page, note 1.
116