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

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from personal acqua<strong>in</strong>tance with <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>cipals <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> day.<br />

As was mentioned above, <strong>the</strong> erudite Vardan, praised as<br />

"<strong>the</strong> learned <strong>and</strong> brilliant vardapet" by his classmate<br />

Kirakos was a valued friend both <strong>of</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g Het'um I <strong>of</strong><br />

Cilicia, <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> kat'otikoa. Kirakos wrote: "He went<br />

to <strong>the</strong> kat'o^ikoa [Constant<strong>in</strong>e] who rejoiced exceed<strong>in</strong>gly<br />

at his sight. <strong>The</strong> kat'o^ikos kept [Vardan] with him for<br />

a long time, b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> latter to himself with affection,<br />

o<br />

for he never wanted him to depart" . When Vardan took<br />

<strong>the</strong> kat'oilkoa* encyclical £ast for ratification, he visited<br />

all <strong>the</strong> important Church <strong>and</strong> lay personalities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

period. In addition to his <strong>in</strong>timacy with prom<strong>in</strong>ent <strong>Armenia</strong>ns,<br />

Vardan was personally acqua<strong>in</strong>ted with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Mongol</strong> Il-Khan<br />

HUlegU (1255-65) <strong>and</strong> his Christian wife Doquz-Khatun'.<strong>The</strong> account<br />

KG ch. 41 p. 294: "zimaatun ew zhanSarejt vardapetn zVardan. . . " .<br />

ew<br />

ew ar iwr paheal y<br />

oS.kamer erbek' me<br />

kat'otikosn. zor teaeal* uraxae *aw ypyz1.<br />

ov zamanaks . sirov kapeal <strong>and</strong> nma. zi<br />

il i nmane".<br />

Vardan attended <strong>the</strong> <strong>Mongol</strong> New Year celebration <strong>in</strong> Iran<br />

<strong>in</strong> 1265/66 at HUlegU's <strong>in</strong>vitation. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to his own<br />

account <strong>of</strong> his audience with HUlegU, Vardan, as an honored<br />

cleric was not required to bow. He agreed to bless <strong>the</strong><br />

Khan's w<strong>in</strong>e (VA ch. 96 p. 156). HUlegU later grew Vardan<br />

aside <strong>and</strong> by means <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>terpretora urged him to criticize<br />

<strong>and</strong> advize freely <strong>and</strong> fearlessly (ibid, p. 157). Vardan<br />

was given a patent <strong>of</strong> authority (yarligh) <strong>and</strong> was promised<br />

an audience aga<strong>in</strong>, <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g year, though HUlegU had<br />

died before it took place. "Howgver, [HUlegtt's Christian<br />

wife] <strong>the</strong> great queen Toluz-Khatun prior to announc<strong>in</strong>g<br />

HUlegU's death, secretly sent to me, say<strong>in</strong>g:<br />

'God loved <strong>the</strong> Il-Khan <strong>and</strong> took him away. Whatever<br />

he loved here <strong>and</strong> gave to this world will be given<br />

to him <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> next. Should <strong>the</strong>re be a mass or not?1...<br />

She also <strong>in</strong>quired regard<strong>in</strong>g Abaqa, HUlegU's senior son,

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