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

CHAPTER THREE
ARMENIA'S LORDS AND THEIR REACTIONS TO THE
TURCO-MONGOL INVASIONS AND DOMINATION OF
THE 13-14TH CENTURIES
This part of the study examines several aspects
of the history of the lords or naxarars of Armenia
in the 13-14th centuries: (1) who were the naxarars
on the eve of the 13th century invasions (during the
so-called Zak'arid revival) and where were their lands;
(2) how did the naxarars react to the Turco-Hongol
invasions/migrations of the 13th century; (3) how did
the Mongols (both before and after Islamization) attempt
to control the naxarars; and finally, (4) what were the
reactions of the naxarars to Mongol policies?
Considerable debate exists among Armeniats regarding
many aspects of the history of Armenia's nobility. The
derivation and thus the literal meaning of the term
naxarar itself is debated . The genesis of the naxarars
too has been depicted differently by the foremost invest-
igators of the institution or phenomenon of naxararism,
by Nicholas Adontz, Hagop Manandyan, and Cyril
On the various derivations see Adontz, Armenia in the
Period of Justinian, published originally in Russian in
1908, translated into English with extensive editorial
remarks and notes by N.O. Garaoian (Lisbon, 1970) p.514
n. 44; also Anahit Perixanyan's "Drevnearmianskie vostaniki
[The oatanik's in Ancient Armenia]". VPI jST
PP. 49-50.
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