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

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<strong>The</strong> sane may be true <strong>of</strong> Malak'ia's teacher, vardapet<br />

Tovhannes kaxik Orotnec'i, "son <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> great pr<strong>in</strong>ce<br />

Iwane, from <strong>the</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> first pr<strong>in</strong>ces <strong>of</strong> Siwnik" .<br />

At <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> our period, <strong>the</strong> Spanish ambassador Clavijo<br />

reported on a similar situation. Enroute to Ximur <strong>in</strong><br />

1403, Clavijo lodged <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>astern district <strong>of</strong><br />

Maku with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Armenia</strong>n lord <strong>of</strong> that mounta<strong>in</strong>ous area,<br />

a Roman Catholic named Nur ad-D<strong>in</strong>:<br />

<strong>The</strong> governor CKur ad-D<strong>in</strong>] fur<strong>the</strong>r had at<br />

home <strong>the</strong>re ano<strong>the</strong>r son, younger than that o<strong>the</strong>r,<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> conversation he <strong>in</strong>formed us that this<br />

second son <strong>of</strong> his, not be<strong>in</strong>g a man <strong>of</strong> arms like<br />

his bro<strong>the</strong>r, but learned <strong>and</strong> a skilled grammarian<br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Armenia</strong>n language, he desired that<br />

should God grant us to return home from Samark<strong>and</strong><br />

pass<strong>in</strong>g by <strong>the</strong> way <strong>of</strong> this his castle, he would<br />

fa<strong>in</strong> confide this youth to our care, to carry<br />

him with us to Spa<strong>in</strong>. <strong>The</strong>n our K<strong>in</strong>g, who, he<br />

trusted might favor him, would recommend him to<br />

<strong>the</strong> Pope, beseech<strong>in</strong>g his hol<strong>in</strong>ess to orda<strong>in</strong> him<br />

a bishop over his fa<strong>the</strong>r's prov<strong>in</strong>ce. It is<br />

<strong>in</strong>deed a wonder how <strong>the</strong> Christians <strong>of</strong> this<br />

Castle <strong>of</strong> Maku hold <strong>the</strong>ir own thus surrounded by<br />

<strong>the</strong> Moslem folk <strong>and</strong> so far estranged from all<br />

Christian succour: <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>in</strong> fact <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Armenia</strong>n nation, but <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Roman Catholic belief,<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y serve God <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> orthodox rite. 2.<br />

<strong>The</strong> above quotation has elements <strong>in</strong> common with Rubruok's<br />

remarks also. Sahnsah <strong>and</strong> Nur ad-D<strong>in</strong> both were attempt-<br />

<strong>in</strong>g to ally with <strong>the</strong> might <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Catholic Church, to<br />

br<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a powerful foreign power to give <strong>the</strong>m political<br />

TM pp. 14-15.<br />

Clav. p. 147.<br />

231

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