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

Jalal al-Dln's destructive actiYities in Armenia
and Georgia hardly can be considered a strategy to win
popular support. Jalal himself was a desperate fugitive
from the Mongols. He did, however, entertain hopes of
creating a state in his conquered areas, and, as Kirakos
noted, he did establish an administration of sorts in
Ganjak . In those areas where Muslin enclaves lived
surrounded by Christian majorities—Tiflls, for example-
lie was able to rely on Muslims as a base of support.
Kirakos and the History a£ £'a£t'ii both etate that Jalal
was able to capture Tiflie with the complicity of resident
Persians who opened the city gates and regarded him as
o
their liberator . However areas ruled by Muslims regarded
him and his uncontrollable Turkmen warriors as a danger,
and allied to fight him . Jalal al-Din was not unaware of
the Caucasian nobility. According to Kirakos, when he
captured Hat' on the northeastern shore of Lake Tan, he
married that city's figurehead ruler, Iwane's daughter
T'amt'a Zak'arean4.According to the Hiatory a& K-'art'll.
Jtlftl •Is* Hoped to marry the queen of Georgia, Susudan,
and even urged Awag to serve as match-maker,but Susudan
KG pp. 226-27.
KG p. 226; KG pp. 175-77; Mur. pp. 64-65.
KC p. 182; Mur. pp. 69-70.
KG p. 228.
'170