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

causes of the unrest remained unaddressed by the Mongols.
After the accession of the Great Khan MSngke (1251-59)
a thorough census was made of all parts of the empire
during 1252-57 . The Iranian emir Argjiun personally
conducted the census of Caucasia in 1254. Although the
study made by Arghun has not survived, modern scholars
estimate the Armenian population of Greater Armenia
(excluding Cilicia) to have been about 4 million in the
mid-13th century . The thoroughness of Argjmn's work
boded ill for Armenian laborers. Kirakos Ganjakee'i
instigators, C'otne Dadiani, came all the way from Abxazia
voluntarily, and repeated the same story (KC pp. 211-16;
Mur. pp. 90-94).
SMP pp. 339-40.
HAP III p. 625; VA p. 148 merely mentions the census.
Aknerc'i provides information not met with in the other
Armenian sources: "In one small village [the Mongols]
counted 30 or 50 men all from 15 to 60 years of age.
They took 60 spitaks from each person counted. When they
captured one who had fled or hid, they cruelly tied his
handa back and beat him with green rods until his body
was all cut and caked with blood. Then they pitilessly
let loose their ferocious dogs, which they had trained
to eat human flesh, and they let them devour the miserable
and impoverished Christians'1 (GA p. 325). The EC, though
somewhat confused, has a passage which appears to relate
to the census of 1254. It characterizes Archun, strangely,
as a just, honest adviser, quite the opposite of the
Armenian sources. First Argjiun was sent to the domains
of Batu, north of the Caucasus; "to survey and record
those soldiers and warriors who had gone with the senior
and junior noyina campaigning, and to stipulate according
to their worth the uluf. which is a gift for those who
have taken to the road and recompense for horse and
saddle" (KC p. 234; Mur. p. 107). Argjiun then went to
Qubilai-Khan in China where he engaged"in the same work.
"When he reached Httlegti-Khan, the latter received his
with honor and sent him to Georgia to king David, then on
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