Battle of Manzikert

[Guest]

Did we go along and colloborate with the Turks and Muslims? Or, did most of us stuck out to the end with the Byzantine Greeks? If the Greeks weren't so repressive, Christianity could have still prevailed in all of Anatolia. Just look at the siege and battles of Vienna: all the Europeans--Germans, Italians, French, Dutch, Poles, Czechs, Hungarians, Croats ardently fought on to the last man and still ultimately repelled the Turks.

[Guest]

Armenians are known to have viciously attack each other even during the direct threat of outside invaders. Just take for example...the Mamigonian-Bagratuni blood feuds during the Arab invasions??? The arabs were crafty in dividing one over the other. Or, before that all Mamigonian sparapets had trouble securing the support and free entry of certain nakharar domains in their wars against Sassanian invaders due to personal greed and ambition???

 

Same bs yesterday and same bs today.

[Guest]

http://groong.usc.edu/news/msg25014.html

 

Read the second article by Eddie Arnavoudian.

[Guest]

Interesting article. But, for all intents and purposes, our great Sparapet Vardan Mamigonian still decided the fate of Hayastan and the entire Hay race at that Battle of Avarayr whatever his motives. Let's not question it. Rest in peace.

[Guest]

It's not me who's questioning it. My mood can be guessed from my other postings. The author of the article questions it. As for my personal opinion, I think he is a very ordinary Armenian critic. What do you do to become popular, you find sensational issues, if you don't find them, you make them. To criticize or make a dispute over history is an almost meaningless waist of time. To criticize the statesmen in Armenian history is a totally meaningless pastime.

[Guest]

Leave this aside now, and come and marvel at the Sultan's stupidity and at God's magnificent wisdom. [Wonder at the stupid Sultan] who declared himself omnipotent and God's co-adjutor, and [marvel at] God's wisdom, for miov tamb xaghac' end nma, and sent him back to his own land heaped with contumely. Attend, now. The first time that [the Sultan] came with numberless troops and surrounded the city [of Manazkert], its residents and livestock were caught unawares. Had he but prolonged the seige for 10 days, he would have taken the city. However, God Who does [100] not remain forever angry, does not eternally hold a grudge, and does not deal with us in accordance with our sins, caused a foolish plan to enter [the Sultan's] head. After three days [the Sultan] and his entire army moved down into Tuaraca Tap' and thence descended onto the extensive plain of Basen by the impregnable fortress called Awnik.

 

He observed there a great concourse (ashxarhazhoghov) of people and animals, but did nothing, because he could tell just by looking that [the place] was unassailable. So, passing by it, he came to the head/beginning (glux) of Basen, close to the village named Du. with a few men [the Sultan] [g89] ascended the promontory which looks toward Karin, and saw that the city was completely prepared [to withstand a seige]. After observing it for many long hours, he turned away. Now the people of Manazkert had gone forth out of the city without suspicion, and had prepared plentiful provender for themselves and for the animals, for it was harvest-time. By the time the Sultan, occupied with one thing or another (zaysu zaynu egheal) finally returned, the people were unconcerned [because they were prepared]. He came, boiling with anger and commenced battling with the city. Now the prince who had the duty of superintendency of the city, since he was a pious man, called upon omnipotent God to aid [101] them, disciplining himself with fasting and prayer. Armed with this, he became yet stronger in the faith. Reading psalms, he said to God: "Lord, I fear no evil, for Thou art with me"[Psalms 22.4], and "I fear not the myriads of their soldiers which surround me"[Psalms 3.7]. He encouraged the men of the city and the troops, saying: "Take heart, my comrades and brothers, take heart and fear not, for this is a simple matter for God. As they come upon us with their carts and horses, let us recall the name of our Lord, be proud of God eternally, and confess His name, that He give strength and steadiness to His people, He Who is blessed for all time". He urged the priests to pray and sing psalms, and they individually beseeched God night and day, with the Cross and the loud noise of the clapper (zamaharaw barjrajaynut'eamb), upon the walls they beseeched God to come to the aid of the threatened [people]. The tyrant's ears were wearied by the din and he inquired what the ceaseless clamor was and learned from the learned that [the people] were crying to God.

 

 

[The Sultan] remained there warring against the city for one month, and each day he would offer battle twice: once at daybreak, [g90] and again at nightfall. But observe here [102] God's wisdom, how He knows how to use adversaries to help [one] party. For while the city stood in such consternation and danger, [God] caused a wonderful idea to be implanted in the heart of a prince who was one of the Sultan's close associates, that is, [the prince] informed the city either orally or in writing what [military] plans he learned from [the Sultan]. Often he would write [such information] on paper, attach it to the shaft of an arrow, approach the [city] wall in the course of battle, and shoot the arrow into the city. Thua did he acqusint [the citizensa with all the battle tactics, [for example) that tomorrow the battle would be fought in such a way, or that at night via such and such a place [the Saljuqs] wanted to excavate under the walls and enter the city, and that [the citizens] ("you") should remain firm and guard those places.

 

 

This was done by God Who knows how to lay the foundation for great deeds [even] from afar. If God was able to turn Baghaam into a prophet during Baghak's day (or zBaghaam arh Baghakaw margare gorceac') in order to govern the people, and made a dumb beast speak with a prophetic tongue, [or if God] during a time of famine was able to feed Eliah in the K'eriat' valley for three years by means of crows, [103] then why should it be surprising if he directed the city's salvation by means of its adversaries?

 

 

Thus wherever [the Saljuqs] commenced battle, at night or during the daytime, they found [the citizens] there armed and ready. After this they erected [war] machinery and fought vrith them. However, one of our presbyters, who was quite old and extremely informed about the art [of utilizing seige machinery] erected a catapult (p'ilikuann) of his own, and when [the Saljuqs] would place a rock in the catapult's sling, and hurl it at the city, this presbyter [g91] would aim his own missile at their rock so that they would collide, and fall upon the infidels. The infidels tried [using their catapult] seven times, but were unable to accomplish anything, since the presbyter's rock was the stronger.

 

 

Then [the Saljuqs] readied another military device which they themselves called baban-a very frightful thing, vrhich it was said required 400 attendants to pull [back] ropes. They placed a rock weighing 60 litrs in the sling, and hurled it at the city. In front of it they set up a wall of cotton loads and many other materials, so that the presbyter's rock would not touch it. When everything was so [104] arranged, they released a rock which violently struck the wall, caused it to crumble, and opened up a passageway. When the citizens observed this, they began to tremble, and with great sighing they beseeched God to come to their aid. The infidels were delighted. Now the following day, the prince of the Delmic' troops took his soldiers and came to battle with our people, for he was a brave man. Coming to the breach [in the wall] he wanted to enter in force, but suddenly he himself fell. Then those who were stationed upon the wall threw down an iron claw, seized him, and drew him up over the wall. When the troops saw this, they turned back full of grief, but within the city there was no small amount of rejoicing.

 

 

At that time a certain general of the Byzantine troops, brave-hearted and manly, prepared [a mixture] of sulphur and flamable oil (hur nawt'iw), put it into a glass vessel, mounted a blueblood steed, and, protected by merely a shield, rode out of the city gates going to the foreigners' army claiming to be a mandator or messenger. He rode up to the [g92] baban and around it, and then unexpectedly poured the contents of the bottle [he was carrying] upon the baban. Instantly a fire ignited, a purplish flame shot forth, while [105] [the general] hastily turned back. When the infidels saw this they were astounded, jumped onto their horses and pursued him, but they were unable to catch up. As for [the general], he peacefully entered the city unharmed, with the aid of God. Now when the Sultan saw what had happened, burning with rage he ordered the [machine's] guards executed.

 

 

Do you see the humane concern of God, [do you see] how close His salvation is to those who fear Him? How He knows the way to overcome great [ones] by means of small things? [Through God's aid] Moses [overcame] the colossal giant Ovgin who was nine cubits tall; the child David [overcame] Goliath; K'aber's wife Hayel [overcame] the foreign titan Sisar, and another woman [overcame] Hoghep'erhnes. I have recited this so that we do not become disheartened when we fall into unbearable difficulties. For it is God's way to temporarily countenance such dangerous straits, so that the patient people merit the crown of glory, while the impious receive recompense for their wickedness by righteous verdicts. We see this in the case of the children in the [fiery] furnace. God countenanced [matters] until the king expresssed all of his anger and rage, and prepared a furnace the flames [106] of which reached up 49 cubits. Then [the king] said with terrible impiety: ''Who is God to save you from my hands?"* Compare this with the children's stout-hearted faith, how when they were at trial with that beast replied even more [g93] boldly after that tyrant's insults: "We need not answer you"**. After this what happened when the king's threats were exhausted, and when [the children] bound, were tossed into the furnace? It was then that [God] speedily came to their aid, and did not shame those who correctly called upon Him. Note here the deep wisdom of God, which none can attain. For He divided the fire into two and it burned those Chaldeans it encountered. but an angel sprinkled the children with dew, and the fire neither approched them, saddened, nor harasssd them. This put sense into [the head of] that barbarian [king] who, at the sight of such unutterable marvels, confessed, saying: "Come forth, servants of God, that I along with you bless Him Who is blessed for all eternity***". In this case also, God , by means of an insignificant man, displayed very great wonders. Let this serve as counsel and teaching for us.

 

 

Now Basil, the prince of the city, ordered the rabble (rhamkin) to insult and curse the Sultan from the walls. [107] After two days [the Sultan] departed with his army. He went away, and en route encountered a city called Arcke located in the Sea of Bznunik' (=Lake Van) which possessed closeby a secure, impregnable fortress. The citizens, placing their hopes on the sea and stronghold, remained unconcerned. But those bloody beasts found a shallow way through the waters-either because someone pointed it out to them, or because they craftily discovered it themselves-and entered the city. Putting swords to work, they killed [almost] everyone. Then taking captives and the city's loot, they departed. Although this calmed the Sultan's heart a little, nonetheless he returned to his own land in great sadness, since he had been unable to accomplish what he had wanted. [g94]

 

From “The History of Vardapet Aristakes Lastivertc'i "Regarding the Sufferings Occasioned by Foreign Peoples Living Around Us”

 

Translated (I presume) by Robert G. Bedrosian http://www.virtualscape.com/rbedrosian/a7.htm