Hye-monghol Dashink

[Arpa]

 

Hye-Monghol Dashink, Armenian Mongol Treaty.

Note: I intended to write a longer article about the the subject but I decided to give just a few highlights as the Sites below tell it much better than I ever could.

 

Mogholner@ Hayastanum;

 

The Mongols first invaded Hayastan and Southern Caucasus under he leadership of Jebe and Subada in the year 1220 AD. They defeated the Armenian and Georgian forces ruining north eastern Armenia(south eastern Georgia at Aghstev (1220), Kotman(1221) and Khunan (1222). In the year 126 the Mongols, under the leadership of Charmaghan they further invaded and ruined those regions. During 1242-45 they invaded south western Armenia. The Armenian feudal nobility fiercely resisted at first and eventually conceded and expressed their willingness to be subjugated to their relentless invasions. Even then some Armenians fought back heroically at Ani, Artsakh, Karin, Erznka and Kesaria. The Armenian territories were initially included within the 1. Governorship of Atrpatakan with its five subgovernorships; Eastern Georgian Kingdom (the Zakarian principality of Ararat, Syunik,and Gougark) which was popularly known as the Vilayet of Gurjistan. 2. The South western Armenian regions known as the Vilayet of Mets Hayk. 3. Shirvan. 4. Aran and Mughan and 5. Atrpatakan which was further divided into smaller military governorships known as Tumans.

The northeastern Armenian territories comprised 3 of the 8 Tumans of Gurjistan where the Zakarian princes were entrusted with the local governance acting as enforcers and tax collectors. The rich pastures Greater Armenia were chosen as summer and winter resorts for the Mongol nobility. The mountainous regions which were already inhabited by Kurds and Seljuks were left unmolested and entrusted to the latter. The Taurus (Tavrus) region, at Sasun, Mogk and Rshtunik (Artsrunis and the Mamikonians), who had pledged their allegiance to Mongols were relatively left to their fate. In the year 1256 Armenia was consolidated into the regions conquered by Hulavu (Hulagu). The alongside the native governors the Mongols would assign "observers" whose main duty was militaristic with the main purpose of weakening the local nobility and leaders. To further weaken the local authorities the Mongolian Empire conducted an "ashkharagir" (census?) cataloguing all fixed and movable assets as well as animals and herds. This had the most devastating effect. Until the reign of Ghazan Khan (1259-1304), the above measures had caused the most devastating damage to the lands, what with corruption and capricious acts of personal gain. By the start of 14th c. the local authorities, the Zkarians, the Vachutians, the Khaghpak-Proshians, the Orpelians and the Artsrunis had virtually lost all their power. The Armenian princely houses were all practically ruined and the invading nobility had all but replaced them. The peasantry had the most to lose with double taxation. To escape this unbearable oppression the common folk could not help but try and move away from places like the once prosperous Ani, Kars and Dvin which by this time were reduced to devastated villages.

Armenian and Georgians twice attempted to rid themselves and staged uprisings (1249 and 1259) which were proven to be futile. These cost the locals dearly and incited more furor whereby the local nobility were severely punished. Finally, during the 1290's the Mongolian presence in Armenia proper had diminished considerably. For further developments see Cilician-Mongol relations (Mongols in Cilicia below).

 

Hye Mongholakan Dashink.

The Armenian Mongol Treaty was was signed at Karakorum in the year 1254 AD between Hethum I and the Mongolian great Khan Mangu.

To anticipate and to attempt to prevent Mongol invasion of Cilician Armenia, (Tagavorahayr) Kingfather Constantine succeeded to sign an entente with the military commander Bachu at Kesaria (1243). At the advice of the latter Commander Smbat was delegated to Karakorum (1248), where he conferred with the Great Khan Kuyuk in preparation for King Hethum's journey to the Mongolian Capital. In the year 1254 King Hethum I traveled to Karakorum and a treaty was signed with Khan Mangu, whereby the Mongols agreed to collaborate with Kilkia against the Iconian and Egyptians Sultans, at the same time acknowledging the independence of Cilician Armenia with a promise to liberate from the Seljuks and unite the adjacent lands. The treaty also guaranteed commercial access to the vast Mongolian lands. Pursuant to the treaty the Armenians had to collaborate and participate in the conquest of Northern Mesopotamia, Assyria and Palestine. According the the Treaty, during the years 1256-62 the Armenian inhabited lands of Capadoccia, Herclia, Manion , the cities of Marash, Aintab and Pehesin were annexed to Kilikia. In 1259 the Armenian and Mongolian forces invaded and conquered Northern Assyria whereby the region with its center Aleppo was incorporated into the Cilician Kingdom. Initially the Treaty greatly enhanced Armenia's position in the region and helped them to successfully deal with multiple threats by the now proliferating Moslem pressures. However all this had to come to crashing end at the islamization of the Mongols. The Treaty lost its meaning when at Anarzaba in 1308 the Mongol Tatar military governor Pilardo had treacherously assassinated King Levon IV and forty of his companion nobles. This was the end of the Armenian Mongolian Treaty. (for more info see below)

 

Map Mongol Empire;

http://www.lacma.org/khan/map.htm

 

Mongols in Cilicia;

http://www.armenianhistory.info/cilician.htm

 

Timeline/Collaboration/Treaty;

http://www.florilegium.org/files/CULTURES/...nia-TL-art.text

 

[Accelerated]

Thanks for the links Arpa...I will just add a couple of important points.

 

The Mongols did not take religion seriously, wether it be Christian or Muslim and mostly only converted for political reasons. Also, the Mongols were almost successful in wiping out Muslim domminance of the Middle East. Their defeat at Ayn Jalut, was to the last remaining Muslim power in the region, the Mamluks of Egypt. And the Mongol force that was defeated was only a scouting/probing force that was outnumbered at least 2:1 (a conservative estimate, some say 5:1). A more powerful army would have been sent, had their emperor (Odegei Khan) not died, throwing the empire into uncertainty over the succession and the permanent postponement of the certain end of the Mamluks. The Mongol Army and its style of warfare (largelly thanks to the cavalry archer) dominated the world since the end of Rome, untill the widespread use of gunpowder. Even so, many cavalry archers were used in the Russian Imperial Army in the Napoleonic Wars.

 

Well....maybe more that a couple of points