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

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

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described it as follows:<br />

[Census-takers] also reached <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> <strong>Armenia</strong>,<br />

Georgia, Albania, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> districts around <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>and</strong><br />

began record<strong>in</strong>g all those from 11 years <strong>and</strong> up, exceptt<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> women. And <strong>the</strong>y dem<strong>and</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> most severe<br />

taxes, more than a man could bear. And people became<br />

impoverished. <strong>The</strong>y harassed <strong>the</strong> people with unbelievable<br />

beat<strong>in</strong>gs, torments, <strong>and</strong> tortures. Those who hid were<br />

seized <strong>and</strong> killed. Those who were unable to pay <strong>the</strong> rate<br />

had <strong>the</strong>ir children taken to pay <strong>the</strong>ir debt, for [<strong>the</strong> censustakers]<br />

circulated around with Persian Muslim attendants...<br />

all <strong>the</strong> artisans, whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> cities or <strong>in</strong> villages<br />

were taxed. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, fishermen <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> seas <strong>and</strong> lakes,<br />

m<strong>in</strong>ers <strong>and</strong> blacksmiths <strong>and</strong> pa<strong>in</strong>ters/plasterers [were taxed]<br />

...And <strong>the</strong>y alone pr<strong>of</strong>itted. <strong>The</strong>y took all <strong>the</strong> salt m<strong>in</strong>es<br />

<strong>in</strong> Kolba <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r regions.<br />

Arghun similarly pr<strong>of</strong>itted greatly from <strong>the</strong> merchants<br />

<strong>and</strong> heaped up vast quantities <strong>of</strong> gold, silver, <strong>and</strong> precious<br />

stones. Thus everyth<strong>in</strong>g became expensive <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s<br />

became filled with lamentation <strong>and</strong> compla<strong>in</strong>ts. <strong>The</strong>n he<br />

left <strong>in</strong> charge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>s a wicked governor (ostikan)<br />

who dem<strong>and</strong>ed <strong>the</strong> same amount every year by list, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />

writ<strong>in</strong>g. 1<br />

to Rum to survey all <strong>of</strong> his hold<strong>in</strong>gs. When Arghun reached<br />

Georgia, all <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>habitants <strong>of</strong> David's k<strong>in</strong>gdom were<br />

greatly menaced. <strong>The</strong>y started survey<strong>in</strong>g people <strong>and</strong> beasts<br />

fields, <strong>and</strong> plants, v<strong>in</strong>eyards <strong>and</strong> vegetable gardens. From<br />

[each] 9 l<strong>and</strong>-own<strong>in</strong>g peasants it was ordered that 1 soldier<br />

should be provided. Thus David's k<strong>in</strong>gdom provided by<br />

census to <strong>the</strong> Tatars 9 dumans, which is 9 x 10,000.[From<br />

eachjvillage <strong>the</strong>y stipulated gifts: to <strong>the</strong> Thous<strong>and</strong>er<br />

one lamb <strong>and</strong> one drahkan (?); to <strong>the</strong> Ten Thous<strong>and</strong>er, one<br />

sheep <strong>and</strong> two drahkan; for <strong>the</strong> horseman (?) 3 tetris da.ily<br />

(«a silver co<strong>in</strong>TTHe so stipulated <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>n went to Hum<br />

Baghdad, <strong>and</strong> everywhere" (KG pp. 234-35; Mur. pp. 107-108).<br />

KG pp.. 362-63: "ew zamenayn arueetageta. e£ e i ^<br />

ew et e j, giwia. zamenayn i harki kac ue <strong>in</strong>. Ayl ew zcovaks.<br />

ew zliSs jknorsae , ew zerEat 'ahans. ew zd"arb<strong>in</strong>s. ew<br />

zSparars. ..ew <strong>in</strong>Tc'canSc* miayn sahe<strong>in</strong>. ew zamenayn aSahansn<br />

ar<strong>in</strong>. or ^ Kol_5ew or yayl kotmans kp^mans.<br />

"Na ew ^ va^arakanae oazum <strong>in</strong>fsaheal. kutec <strong>in</strong> ganjs _<br />

aaatiks os'kwoy ew arcat *oy ew aganc patuakanac'. Ew ayspes<br />

zamenes<strong>in</strong> a^ac a^ac'uc'eal uc eal ew vayiw vayTw ew asxa: asxarov ic'eal z^Sxarhs<br />

t'ot<strong>in</strong> {ar ostikans i veray asxarhac'a '<br />

yamenavn ani. nov<strong>in</strong> Hamarov ew grov^.""<br />

124

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