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

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eplaced by an elaborate schedule <strong>of</strong> payments <strong>of</strong> "blood<br />

price" with each class <strong>of</strong> society hav<strong>in</strong>g its monetary<br />

worth, written <strong>in</strong>to a law code. <strong>The</strong> old term for <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>alienable clan patrimony, <strong>the</strong> harrenik *. which <strong>in</strong><br />

Araacld times had meant l<strong>and</strong>, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>13</strong>th century referred<br />

to both moveable <strong>and</strong> immoveable property, hereditary or<br />

purchased, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>cluded money <strong>and</strong> shares <strong>in</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />

enterprises as well. <strong>The</strong> service obligation <strong>of</strong> a subord<strong>in</strong>ate<br />

to his lord <strong>in</strong> this period did <strong>in</strong>deed <strong>in</strong>clude military<br />

service, but <strong>the</strong> vassals also paid taxes <strong>in</strong> cash. Hereditary<br />

tenure <strong>and</strong> seniority were not <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> features <strong>of</strong> this<br />

society. Many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>cipals <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day were appo<strong>in</strong>tees<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Zak'arids, rewarded for <strong>the</strong>ir talents. <strong>The</strong><br />

Zak'arids established marriage ties with <strong>the</strong> most prom<strong>in</strong>ent<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> old prestigious families <strong>of</strong> eastern <strong>Armenia</strong>. Thus,<br />

for a brief moment, it appears that a feudal "comm<strong>and</strong>" type<br />

<strong>of</strong> society had been generated—with <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>cipals<br />

appo<strong>in</strong>ted by <strong>the</strong> Zak'arids <strong>and</strong> firmly under <strong>the</strong>ir control.<br />

In this connection, it is most <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g to note<br />

certa<strong>in</strong> remarks made by Adontz toward <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> his study,<br />

as he compared <strong>and</strong> contrasted his <strong>in</strong>terpretation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

genesis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> naxarars with <strong>the</strong> legendary account provided<br />

by <strong>the</strong> late 8th century antiquarian, Movses lorenac'i:<br />

244

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