Pages from Armenian History

[MJ]

...The period in question, starting from the development of the Bagratid kingdom until its conquest by the Seljuqs, coincided with remarkable cultural and economic expansion of the country and the great flourishing of its urban centers. The accounts of contemporary historians, the larger number of extant monuments, information furnished by inscriptions, all bear witness to this period. In the second chapter I have tried to explain the basis for this cultural and economic progress. It is generally accepted that Armenia's economy and culture attained an exceptionally advanced level of development.

 

It is in this context that many modern Armenian historians have studied and evaluated the T'ondrketc'i movement, in terms of it being a proletarian movement in revolt against the intolerable oppression of a feudal society. It formed the ideological basis of the "Armenian Renaissance." In the rest of this chapter we shall try to state the evidence of such conclusion. That such oppression did exist is beyond doubt. From the accounts of contemporary writers it is not difficult to see that the process of economic development, extension of monetary economy, accumulation of wealth in the cities brought with it brutal exploitation of the lower classes of the population. Aristakes Lastiverc'i and Grigor Magistros give us definite information concerning the events which took place during the reign of Gagik I (990-1020). In his description of the pillage of the city of Aren by Seljuqs in 1049, Aristakes Lastiverc'i relates that:

 

Here was set up a law on growth and tithes and surtax on grain: the land is polluted by this and at the present time impediments are set in the way of those bringing the fruits of the earth to feed the people. He who deceives his friend boasts that he is wise and he who robs says that he is mighty. [How contemporary...-MJ] The wealthy have seized the houses of their unprovided relatives and the boundaries of their fields.

 

The same author, speaking of the capture and destruction of the city of Ani in 1064, notes particularly in it the presence of usury and social unrest:

 

Because of the excess of injustice that took place in it, a mighty and beautiful place was burned down and all of the buildings where reduced to heap of earth, and the licentiousness and evil which had occurred in it came to an end. This is the lot of unjust cities which are built on the blood of others and which grow rich at the expense of the homeless, of those who toil in the sweat of their brow; they build their houses on luxury and the infringement of rights, they seek for themselves pleasure and profit having no pity in their souls for their poor and the homeless, withdrawing not from evil deeds, because they are possessed by their passions. [Aristakes Lastiverc'i, History, pp. 79-80.]

 

The Tondrakian Movement

Vrej Nersiessian

Pickwick Publication

Allison Park, Pennsylvania, 1988

pp. 74-75

 

[To be continued- MJ]

 

[ July 16, 2002, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: MJ ]

[MJ]

….In the last days of the Armenian Kingdom in Ani before the invasion of the Turkish tribes, as has justly been shown by N. Marr, the life of the feudal Armenia presented the antithesis of the economic oppression of the Armenian working population with the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few members of the ruling classes. The Armenian historian, Matthew of Edessa [Mathevos Edesatsi – MJ] , gives an interesting information the enormous wealth in the hands of the clergy at least. At the time of the taking of the city of Arcn by the Seljuq general Ibrahim he writes that:

 

….the treasures of the chorepiscopuse Dawt’uk were seized by Ibrahim. His treasures were loaded on forty camels. From his house eight hundred ploughs with six pairs of oxen apiece went forth ploughing. [2] (Mathew of edessa, Chronicle, p. 103)

 

During this period the wealth and the number of churches and monastic establishments doubled. [3] (K. Konstaneanc’, Annals of Stones, pp. 5-6, 13.) During the reign of Abbas I (928-953) the churches of Kamrjajor, Horomoc’, Glajor, Tat’ev, Narek and several others were completed. During the reign of Ashot III (953-977) the monastic complexes of Sanahin and Haghpat were completed. Asoghik testifies: ``The monstic establishments prospered and flourished. And in many places new monasteries were being constructed."”[4] (Asoghik, History, pp.173-77 .) From the forth century the newly established monastic and religious institutions were supported financially by the state which ceded to the church extensive lands. Through the centuries the acquisition of landed property constantly increased and formed the most profitable economic source and power of the church. During the period under the discussion, and with the rise of feudalism, another source of income was the donations made by the rich to the church. These donations consisted of both movable and immovable property, to which the architectural monuments of the epoch bear eloquent witness.

 

[To be continued. - MJ ]

 

The Tondrakian Movement

Vrej Nersiessian

Pickwick Publication

Allison Park, Pennsylvania, 1988

pp. 75-76

[MJ]

...The period in question, starting from the development of the Bagratid kingdom until its conquest by the Seljuqs, coincided with remarkable cultural and economic expansion of the country and the great flourishing of its urban centers. The accounts of contemporary historians, the larger number of extant monuments, information furnished by inscriptions, all bear witness to this period. In the second chapter I have tried to explain the basis for this cultural and economic progress. It is generally accepted that Armenia's economy and culture attained an exceptionally advanced level of development.

 

It is in this context that many modern Armenian historians have studied and evaluated the T'ondrketc'i movement, in terms of it being a proletarian movement in revolt against the intolerable oppression of a feudal society. It formed the ideological basis of the "Armenian Renaissance." In the rest of this chapter we shall try to state the evidence of such conclusion. That such oppression did exist is beyond doubt. From the accounts of contemporary writers it is not difficult to see that the process of economic development, extension of monetary economy, accumulation of wealth in the cities brought with it brutal exploitation of the lower classes of the population. Aristakes Lastiverc'i and Grigor Magistros give us definite information concerning the events which took place during the reign of Gagik I (990-1020). In his description of the pillage of the city of Aren by Seljuqs in 1049, Aristakes Lastiverc'i relates that:

 

Here was set up a law on growth and tithes and surtax on grain: the land is polluted by this and at the present time impediments are set in the way of those bringing the fruits of the earth to feed the people. He who deceives his friend boasts that he is wise and he who robs says that he is mighty. [How contemporary...-MJ] The wealthy have seized the houses of their unprovided relatives and the boundaries of their fields.

 

The same author, speaking of the capture and destruction of the city of Ani in 1064, notes particularly in it the presence of usury and social unrest:

 

Because of the excess of injustice that took place in it, a mighty and beautiful place was burned down and all of the buildings where reduced to heap of earth, and the licentiousness and evil which had occurred in it came to an end. This is the lot of unjust cities which are built on the blood of others and which grow rich at the expense of the homeless, of those who toil in the sweat of their brow; they build their houses on luxury and the infringement of rights, they seek for themselves pleasure and profit having no pity in their souls for their poor and the homeless, withdrawing not from evil deeds, because they are possessed by their passions. [Aristakes Lastiverc'i, History, pp. 79-80.]

 

In the last days of the Armenian Kingdom in Ani before the invasion of the Turkish tribes, as has justly been shown by N. Marr, the life of the feudal Armenia presented the antithesis of the economic oppression of the Armenian working population with the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few members of the ruling classes. The Armenian historian, Matthew of Edessa [Mathevos Edesatsi – MJ] , gives an interesting information the enormous wealth in the hands of the clergy at least. At the time of the taking of the city of Arcn by the Seljuq general Ibrahim he writes that:

 

….the treasures of the chorepiscopuse Dawt’uk were seized by Ibrahim. His treasures were loaded on forty camels. From his house eight hundred ploughs with six pairs of oxen apiece went forth ploughing. [2] (Mathew of edessa, Chronicle, p. 103)

 

During this period the wealth and the number of churches and monastic establishments doubled. [3] (K. Konstaneanc’, Annals of Stones, pp. 5-6, 13.) During the reign of Abbas I (928-953) the churches of Kamrjajor, Horomoc’, Glajor, Tat’ev, Narek and several others were completed. During the reign of Ashot III (953-977) the monastic complexes of Sanahin and Haghpat were completed. Asoghik testifies: ``The monstic establishments prospered and flourished. And in many places new monasteries were being constructed."”[4] (Asoghik, History, pp.173-77 .) From the forth century the newly established monastic and religious institutions were supported financially by the state which ceded to the church extensive lands. Through the centuries the acquisition of landed property constantly increased and formed the most profitable economic source and power of the church. During the period under the discussion, and with the rise of feudalism, another source of income was the donations made by the rich to the church. These donations consisted of both movable and immovable property, to which the architectural monuments of the epoch bear eloquent witness.

 

[To be continued. - MJ ]

 

The Tondrakian Movement

Vrej Nersiessian

Pickwick Publication

Allison Park, Pennsylvania, 1988

pp. 74-76

[MJ]

Sorry for the double-post. Could the moderators clean delete the last (#3) posting, please?

 

Thanks.

 

M.