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

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is Italy are not unknown. In <strong>the</strong> 14th century, <strong>the</strong><br />

Crimea became a favorite refuge for mecatun merchants,<br />

<strong>and</strong> its trad<strong>in</strong>g capital <strong>of</strong> Kafa also became a major<br />

center <strong>of</strong> <strong>Armenia</strong>n culture .<br />

Given <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>extricable connection between <strong>the</strong><br />

Church <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> State <strong>in</strong> <strong>Armenia</strong>, it should come as<br />

no surprise that <strong>the</strong> powerful families diversified <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

talents <strong>and</strong> wealth <strong>in</strong>to both areas <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>13</strong>-14th<br />

centuries. Just as <strong>in</strong> Arsacid times, <strong>in</strong> this period<br />

also <strong>the</strong> bishop <strong>of</strong> a given district usually was <strong>the</strong><br />

bro<strong>the</strong>r or o<strong>the</strong>r close relation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> district's<br />

secular lord. When a given regime granted <strong>the</strong> Church<br />

tax-free status or o<strong>the</strong>r privileges, <strong>the</strong> secular lords<br />

attempted to transfer <strong>the</strong> family hold<strong>in</strong>gs to <strong>the</strong> (family)<br />

Church, to avoid pay<strong>in</strong>g taxes, or to obta<strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

advantages. Each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> major naxarar families groomed<br />

certa<strong>in</strong> members (sometimes selected at birth) for<br />

specific <strong>of</strong>fices <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church. <strong>The</strong>ir ideal was <strong>the</strong><br />

situation obta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> late <strong>13</strong>th century <strong>in</strong> Siwnik',<br />

ruled by <strong>the</strong> secular naxarar Elikum Orbelean. <strong>The</strong> 2<br />

metropolitan <strong>of</strong> Siwnik' was his bro<strong>the</strong>r, Step'annos .<br />

For example: 1233/34 col. Alilan, Hay. #318 "B", p.#57? „<br />

1238/39 col. Alilan, #318 "C", p.458;1239/40 col. Yov. YiS..<br />

PP. 936-37; 1240/41 col. Yov. YiS.,pp. 941-42, to cite<br />

a few <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earlier ones. See 27 K. Eorkhmazian's<br />

ianekaia mlniatiura Kryma [<strong>Armenia</strong>n M<strong>in</strong>iatures <strong>of</strong><br />

(Ei Erevan, """ 1978 —<br />

•SO pp. 178-79.<br />

229

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