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

Although the focus of this chapter has been on
the invasions of the 13-14th centuries, the survey
commenced with the Saljuq invasions of the llth century
and with the remark that they were a sort of "dress rehersal*
for the later invasions. In what ways were the invasions
qualitatively similar and dissimilar vis-a-vis treatment
of the Armenians? All of the invasions fron the llth
through to the 14th centuries contained a Turkmen element
which at times was "controllable" by the leaders of the
invasions, but at times uncontrollable. This element
worked to the detriment of settled societies (such as
Armenia's) and to later Turco-Mongol governments as well.
The Saljuq invasions and conquest of Armenia occurred
over a period of 50 years (ca. 1020-70). The initial
Mongol invasions and conquest occurred over a shorter
period, 1236-60. Both the Saljuq invasions and the
13th century Mongol invasions were facilitated by a
weakened Armenia. In the llth century, Armenia had been
weakened by the policies of Byzantium. In the 13th century,
the five year rule of Jalal al-Din destroyed the Caucasian
potential for resisting the Mongols. The Turco-i-fongol
invasions of the 14th century also encountered an Armenia
weakened and exhausted—this time by the experience of
Mongol domination.
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