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

14th century they raided districts in southern Armenia
and by the mid-1380'a had extended their rule over parts
of central Armenia . The other nomadic group was the
Ottomans. The latter were a part of the Ghuzz tribesmen
who had first come into Asia Minor in the llth century, but
greatly increased with new arrivals during the 13th century.
By the beginning of the 14th century, the Ottoman entity
had emerged as the strongest of the many small states to
arise on the ruins of the Sultanate of Bum. Throughout
the 14th century the Ottomans continued to expand at
the expense of other Turkmen principalities. Toward the
end of the century, they controlled areas of western
Armenia, such as Sebastia/Sivas, Erzfrjan, and Melitene/
Malatya2.
The confused situation thus created in the Caucasus
and in Asia Minor did not go unnoticed by Khan Tokhtamysh
of the Golden Horde. In 1385, with an army of 50,000,
he invaded Azerbaijan via Barband and Shirvan. After
taking Tabriz, his marauding army divided into sections,
one group going via Maraud to Naxijewan and Siwnik', which
latter district was plundered from south to north. Khan
Tokhtamysh1 s divided army reunited in Qaraba*£h and then
1 SA£ IV p. 21; 1368 harassment of Christians in Mua
14CC #590 p. 483; 1370 Ekeieao' district, #601 p. 491;
Al-t'amar #607 p. 495; Kamax #681 p. 546.
2
IjAP IV pp. 30-31; Mokk' 14CC #643 p. 520; Taron #652
P. 52S.
146