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Chapter
15
Dach'i ruled Iberia as king [522-34], and
rebuilt all that had been destroyed by the Iranians. kat'oghikos
Petros died and was succeeded by Samuel, then T'ap'ejan, then Ch'imak'. King
Dach'i died, and his son [Bacurius/Bakur II, 534-47] succeeded, then the
latter's son, P'arsman reigned [Pharasmanes/ P'arsman V, 547-61]. In his day
the Ossetians arose and ravaged K'art'li. Now because the Byzantines were too
busy in the West to help P'arsman, he sought aid from the Iranians [saying
that] he would submit to them in matters of taxation but let them use no
force regarding the faith and the Church. The Iranians heeded him and in no
way harassed them regarding their faith. After P'arsman's death, his
brother's son, another P'arsman, [g94] reigned [Pharasmanes/P'arsman VI, 561-
?]. He was a benevolent man, a builder and adorner of churches. Kat'oghikos
Ch'imak' died and they seated Saba as kat'oghikos without [the
ordination of] Antioch,
for thereafter the Iberians themselves designated kat'oghikoi from the
line of the naxarars. After Saba,
Yelat'i served. In his day Yovhannes (John) came from Mesopotamia to Iberia,
a blessed man and a wonder-worker who wrought many miracles--both he and his
students. The deeds were written down and placed in the church of K'art'li.
From king Mirian to the second P'arsman, [88] two hundred years elapsed.
[P'arsman] left a good memory of himself.
In his day [Step'an Curopalate, ca. 590-627], Samuel died
and his office was occupied by Bart'ughomeos. [g95] In these days the emperor
Maurice [582-602] was killed by a soldier named Phocas, who himself ruled the
Byzantines [602-610]. Now when [Maurice's] wife's father, K'asre [Xosrov II]
king of Iran heard these sad tidings, he became angered, went to the country
of the Byzantines, destroyed many districts, captured Jerusalem and the
Lord's Cross. Step'ane, prince of Iberia,
turned submissively to the Iranians out of fear of them, and resided at Tiflis. Then Maurice's relative Heraclius killed Phocas
and ruled over the Byzantines [Heraclius I, 610-641]. He assembled a very
large army from the Turks of the west and went in search of the envivifying
Cross. [g96] Journeying through Armenia,
he came to Bznunik' and thence ascended to Tiflis.
But Step'anos did not forsake allegiance to the Iranians. Rather, he closed
the city and warred with the emperor, sallying forth each day. And many of
the Byzantine braves perished. After [Step'anos] was killed, they took the
city, excepting tbe citadel. From the citadel, the senior [commander] of the
fortress insulted the emperor, [89] shouting: "Depart, you goat! For you
do not resemble a king. Instead you have a goat's neck and beard." When
the emperor heard this he laughed inwardly, had the book of Daniel fetched,
opened it and sought the passage where it states: "The goat coming from
the West will grow strong and attack the ram in the East with great
force." And he said to the army: "Although the man dishonored me in
his heart, nonetheless he revealed this thing to me." [Heraclius]
summoned Adarnase [Atrnerseh, Adarnase I, 627-37/42] of Dach'i's line, who
was in Kuxet' and gave Tiflis to him. With
him he left the military commander Jibagh, and then went on to Iran.
[The Byzantines] took that citidel and Jibagh seized the man who had
dishonored the emperor. First he filled his mouth with gold, "For",
he said, "the emperor rejoiced at the words which issued from your
mouth." Then, removing his skin he sent the man to the emperor for
insulting him. Now K'asre's son killed him [i.e., Kawad killed his father
Xosrov II], made peace with the emperor and gave him the Lord's Cross. After
five years Heraclius returned and came to Mts'xet'a. He took Mankli and
Erushet', the tablet [placed] at the Lord's feet, [g97] as well as the nails
which Constantine had given to king Mirian. And he took them with him, not
heeding the pleas of Adarnase and the tears of all Iberia.[90]
After the death of kat'oghikos Bardoghomeos, the
[patriarchal] throne was occupied by Yovhannes, then Babelas, then Tap'or.
After Atrnerseh's death, authority in Iberia was exercised by his son
Step'anos [Stephen/Step'anoz I, ca. 591/602-627], a man firm in the faith and
a lover of [religious] festivals. It was he who convened a great assembly
before the blessed Cross on the day of Cross Friday and Holy Thursday at the kat'oghikosal
residence at [the church of] saint Sion and [on] Tuesday the festival of the
proto-martyr Step'anos and all the [other] martyrs. "And", he said,
"let Friday and Thursday not differ from Good Friday and Good
Thursday."
In this period Muhammad (Mahmet) the leader and legislator
of the Saracens and Arab people appeared and ruled many lands. After holding
sway for twenty years, he perished. His place was occupied by Abu Bakr
(Abubak'r) who entered Iran
with a great force. Now since [the Iranians'] kingdom had become weakened, he
brought it into submission. Entering Babylon,
[Abu Bakr] made it abandon fire-worship and converted it to the faith of the
Saracens. When he died, the authority was wielded by Omar. And they told
Heraclius that the Saracens wanted to enter the land of Mesopotamia, Syria
and Jaziret'. The emperor went to the Pghshtats'ik' country and saw here a
man of God, a monk, who said: "Flee from those who put Sarah to
flight," (for the Saracens are called Sarah's servants). [91] "For
the Lord gave to their people the south, east, and north. [g98] They are
wandering stars who rule over those who do not wander." And they found
prophecies about them in the writings of the philosophers Hermitron and
Ijintos, that in 5840 of the Great Era, there would appear the son of the
maidservant from the line of justice, and that [his rule] would last 240
years, that is 615 - (5 x 75) + 5. King Heraclius turned and came to
K'art'li, declaring: "Iranian people who emigrated
from the Ishmaelites to the northern regions, behold, your kingdom is
finished. The Saracens have grown strong. Arise, come to us." And they
at all hazards left their treasures, taking along a written [description of
where the treasures had been concealed] and went with Heraclius. But the
Byzantines came with those documents and found them. Now the prince of Iberia,
Step'anos, had two sons, named Arch'il and Mihr, to whom he gave all of his
property. They buried [the treasures] in various places, concealing it from
the Ishmaelites, and then fled to Egris, because Mahumad's son Mruan, called
Xul, was coming against them and K'art'li The latter seized the Darial Gate
and destroyed the population of mt. Kovkas. Hearing that the lords of
K'art'li had fled to Egris and thence to Abkhazia, [Mrwan] pursued, and took
[92] the fortress of Egre. Then he descended upon the fortress of Anakop'os.
Here was located an image of the Lord's Mother fashioned by no human hand,
and no one knew where it had come from since it was discovered at the head of
Gori mountain. In that fortress Arch'il and Mihr were staying after their
father's death. Meanwhile Lewon (Leo) [g99] the Byzantine military commander
had entered and fortified himself into Subagh fortress at the entrance to
Oset'. The brothers said to each other: "If we remain here and they take
the stronghold, we shall not be remembered; the treasure accumulated by the
Christ-crowned Mirian and Vaxt'ang (who was made wise by God) will be lost,
undiscoverable. So will that which Heraclius left here, the document
[describing where] we concealed the two emerald crowns. Encouraged by God,
with the intercession of Peter and Paul, and with the power of the image of
the Lord's Mother which is here with us, let us attack them from the side
where the sea rushes down." And they arose with 3,000 and the Lord
struck dead on the spot an enormous number of [the enemy]. Thirty-five
thousand died in pain because of the Lord, while 3,000 were killed by men's
swords. Sixty of the Christians died, and Mihr was wounded. A certain Saracen
said to his army: "God gave us ten victories, as He had promised Abraham
and Hagar, but not [victories] over men of God and the temples [erected] in
His name." They arose thence and went and encamped by two [93] of the
rivers with seven springs. But suddenly the river rose up in a mighty flood
and carried off 23,000 of the Habashk' soldiers with them and 35,000 horses.
Thereafter, for its providential work, the rivers were called Dzxenis tsghal
["that which carried off the horses"] and Habashis tsghal
["that which carried off the Habashis"]. The survivors went over
the Gori road, crossed the district of Sper, and so departed. The Christians
who had been saved glorified God, and communicated to the emperor what had
transpired. When the latter heard about matters, he rejoiced in the Lord and
sent encouraging letters to the two brothers. However, Mihr, who had been
wounded there, died and was buried at Mts'xet'a [A.D. 736]. For twelve years
the country was calm. [g100]
In those days a certain prince, from the house of the
prophet David, named Adrnas [Adarnase], came to Arch'il. He had been in Armenia
and had been captured by the foreigners together with his sons. Escaping
thence, he asked him for a place to live. [Arch'il] gave him Rhisha, Shghuer,
and Atone. [Similarly] three brothers came from Taron and at Arch'il's
command they settled as far as Gaghgagh. Arch'il's wife was the daughter of
the curopalate Gorom [Guaram III c. 693-748], from the clan of king Vaxt'ang.
[g101]
Chapter
16
[94] No one can put into writing the disasters which the Christians
experienced from the Saracens, formerly called K'aghrt'akank'. It is said
even in the Bible that the tongues of K'aghrt' shall drink the blood of the
innocent. For at the beginning of the strengthening of [that] people, there
was a certain K'aghrt' who was prince of the few surrounding Ishmaelites. In
his day a certain Mesopotamian prince, named Sargis, ravished the goods of
[some] Ishmaelite merchants. K'aghrt' beseeched the plunderer not to do this
again, but [Sargis] did not heed him. Taking heart, [K'aghrt'] assembled a
huge crowd of his people, went and took back what was his and what was
theirs. Gaining in power, they became even stronger. That same day they found
Mahmet [Muhammad], persecuted by his own people. The latter had studied with
a certain monk Arianos who professed the resurrection in a diseased, physical
way [complete] with corporeal desire. They got [Muhammad] to come to them and
made him their military leader. They fought with all countries to fill up the
measure of the sin of the Christians of Greece, Armenia,
Syria, Aghbania and Iberia.
Thereby becoming rich, they also took the Iranians' scepter by which they
made all peoples tributary. [g102]
[95] Now after twelve years, Xul amir departed and Mahadi's
son Chichnaum [Khuzaima ibn Khazim c. 786] came. Prominent men turned against
him and did not allow him into Klarchet'. Some of them went to the Tayk'
country, found a rock there and built it into a stronghold, naming it Kamax.
King Arch'il planned to go to the tyrant so that perhaps he might relieve the
Christians, since the latter were tributary to him. As soon as he went, [the
tyrant] arose before him, elevated him, praised his good looks,
and the comliness of his form and held a banquet for him. But after a few
days he [tried to] force him to adopt his own religion. He heard a very rough
reply. The tyrant ordered [Arch'il] placed in irons. Then an aspostate
prince, named Gardambel, stepped forward and said to Chichnam (also called
Asim): "He is from the line of great kings and is lord of venerable
treasures. Furthermore, the [hidden] treasure of the Greek emperor is in his
hands." When [Asim] learned this, he rejoiced and summoned [Arch'il] for
an audience. He said: "Show me the treasures of the emperor and of your
ancestors, and convert to my religion, and I shall grant you what is yours,
you shall have your principality, and I shall make you spasalar of all
K'artli." Arch'il replied: "When Heraclius passed through our
country I was a boy. The treasure which they kept is in the castle of the
fortress whence emir Xul retreated, and which the Greeks hold at present.
What you seek did not pass into my [96] hands. I shall not change my faith
for the entire world, for my lord God is Christ, son of the living God."
Looking at him, the tyrant said: "Was it you who defeated the Saracens
in Abkhazia?" Arch'il responded: "I was there when God struck
them." Asil asked: "God struck at us?" The saint replied:
"Yes, Christ God, our hope, Who came to earth to save us, aided those
who depend on Him." Then the tyrant laid [g103] this order on the
honorable king: "Let him who chose a dead God die in His name."
They took him out and beheaded him as he thanked and prayed to God. And he
exchanged his mortal kingdom for the heavenly kingdom which does not fade [d.
786]. Taking the marytrs' crown, he stands before the holy Trinity in
sorrowless joy. Now in the night the Goderdzets'ik' and Tbets'ik' and other azats
who were with [Arch'il] came, stole his body, and buried it at Nutkara, a
church which he had built. His wife gave gifts to those who brought the
remains, and villages and awans to his place of rest. This abbreviated
history was found in the time of confusion and placed in the book called K'artlis
Ts'xorepa which means the History of K'art'li. It was found by
Juansher, [the history] written up to [the time of] king Vaxt'ang. Up to the
present point was added by Juansher himself. What follows [was written] by
eyewitnesses and contemporaries.
[97] Now Arch'il, the witness of Christ, left two sons,
Juansher and Iwane, and four daughters, named Goranduxt, Mariam, Mihranduxt,
and Shushan. The Khazar king heard that Shushan was beautiful and sent
requesting her in marriage, promising to free her country from the K'aghrt'
people. However, the mother and brothers did not want to give the lamb to the
beast. After three years the Xak'an dispatched his spasalar Buljan
with a large army by way of the Leket' road. He came, crossed into Kaxet' and
surrounded the fortress where Juansher and Shushan were. After a short while
he also took Tiflis [g104] and the entire
country of K'artli, and then departed. And the blessed Shushan said to her
brother: "I shall die a virgin in body and faith, and not be devoured by
a beast." Taking off her ring, she removed the gem, and there beneath it
was poison. She put this in her mouth and died unsullied before the Lord [d.
799/800]. Her brother buried her. Now when Buljan returned to the Xak'an and
told about the virgin, he became very angry since [Buljan] had not kept her
carefully and had not brought him even her corpse. [The Xak'an] had a rope
tied around [Buljan's] neck and then ordered two mounted men to pull it
between them until the head of this wicked polluter of the holy church was
severed. After seven years Juansher was set free with gifts, and came to his
own country. He found the Saracens at Tiflis
and encamped in many places. Submitting, he paid taxes to them and married
the daughter of Atrnerseh Bagratuni, named Latori [Georg. Latavr].
[98] After some time, Xosroydis, the ostikan of Armenia, came and rebuilt Tiflis,
which had been ruined by the Khazars. Now a certain Leon, son of the Khazar
king's daughter, took a crown and held Abkhazia and Egris as far as Lix
mountain. Arch'il's sons Iwane and Juansher died. Their place was taken by
Curopalate Ashot [Ashot I, the Great, 813-830]. The
emperor elevated him so that the Hagarites' [influence] be weakened. After Leon's
death, his place was taken by his son T'eodos. After some days, amir Xalil
[Halid ibn Yazid ibn Mazyad ash-Shaibani] came and killed Ashot, and was
himself slain in Jawaxet'. Two hundred and nineteen years after the first
Mahmet, Bugha arrived and cast the Armenian country into sorrow. Reaching Tiflis, he killed amir Sahak, for the latter did not
obey him. [g105] He went to Mt'elet' and took 300 hostages from them. [Bugha]
wanted to enter Oset' and encountered a severe snow storm from which many
perished However, no great harm was done to the multitude of survivors, who
numbered about 120,000. [Bugha] returned to Baghdad to winter there. When spring came
he went to Darband, opened the Gate, removed from there 300 Khazar houses and
settled them at Shamk'or. He removed 100 Ossetian [houses ]
from Darial and settled them at Dmanis. At that time the Abkhaz king, Giorgi,
and Lewon's son-in-law, Demetre, arose and captured K'art'li while Liparit
took T'rheghk' and built Kltekars. He made Bagrat's son, Dawit, his heir in
the [99] time of the world-ruler (tiezerakal) Smbat, king of Armenia,
who battled with the Abkhaz king, Constantine, and took K'art'li and
Up'lists'xe. Once again making peace, they became in-laws and he turned back.
In those days, the Saracen military commander, Bulkasim, came to Armenia, then to Tiflis
and thence to Ujarma fortress which he took. The suffragan bishop Koyrike
came to him, found affection and departed thence to Duin. Now Smbat, king of Armenia,
eluded him and went wandering about the mountains of Abkhazia. The tyrant
awaited him, for he had grown haughty with the conquest of Iberia, [g106] having taken all
of K'art'li and numerous fortresses, [such as] T'mok' and Xuila, wherein he
had slain the handsome and valiant lad Gorun, since he refused to deny
Christ. [Gorun's] martyrdom was written down by our blessed father,
Step'anos. The blessed king Smbat also was martyred by the same tyrant in the
city of Duin.
He was tortured for one full year, then strangled and hanged on wood, so that
he share the death and Cross of Christ. [g107]
Chapter
17
In that period the Abkhaz king, Constantine, died leaving
two sons, Gorgi and Bagarat, who fought for the realm until Bagarat died.
Then Georgi, a good man and a church-builder, reigned. The suffragan bishop
Koyrike died and was succeeded [100] by his son, P'atl, who built Lodzoban
fortress. In Georgi's day, amir Sajab came and burned Mts'xet'a and captured the fragmented cross of Nune. He became
afflicted with a stomach ailment and they realized that the scourge was
caused by the cross. Gathering together the broken fragments, they filled
them into a pan and hung it in its proper place. The Abkhaz king gave
K'art'li to his son, Constantine. But after three years [g108] he rebelled
and entered Up'lists'ixe. He was treacherously lured out and slain. The
suffragan bishop, Kiwrike, replaced P'atl, and Lewon, son of king Gorgi,
replaced his father. In this period, Ishxanik was king of the Heret' region
and was a heretic but his mother turned him to orthodoxy. After Lewon, his
son Demetre reigned. His brother T'eodos arrived from Rome and they quarreled about the
patrimony. But then they made peace and swore [oaths of reconciliation] with
each other. Demetre broke [the oath] and had his brother's eyes put out. But
after his own death, they placed T'eodos on the
throne.
David Curopalate, king of T'ayk', raised Gurgen's son, the
lad Bagrat. They sought him as king of Abkhazia. Now Rhat was at Kars and also held the
fortress of Aten and the south side of the Kur river. He did not submit to
Bagrat. So [Bagrat's] father, Gurgen, came to his son and they wanted to go
against Rhat. But [their foes] whispered to David the Curopalate, indicating
that [the two] wanted his head. [101] And [David] believed it. With Armenian
assistance, he put their forces to flight. Bagrat then went [to David] alone,
fell at his feet and swore that he was going against Hrat. [g109] [David] believed
that too and released him in peace. [Bagarat] then went to Abkhazia, and, in
wintertime, turned upon Kltekars to subjugate Hrat. The latter arose before
him, taking his son, Liparit, along. He entrusted Kltekars to him and then
resided at his patrimony, Arguet'. At that time the amir of Gandzak, P'atlun,
grew strong and struck at the princes of Kaxet' and Heret'. And Bagrat, king
of Abkhazia, sent to Gagik, king of Armenia, so that he go with him against amir P'atlun. The two went to Gandzak,
made it tributary, and returned with booty. Bagrat's kingdom prospered. He
built monasteries and churches [for] 36 years. He died in 235 of the Georgian
Era [1014].
His son Georgi succeeded him [George I, 1014-27], ruling
for 16 years. In the fifth year of his reign, the emperor Basil came, and
[Georgi] went against him in the Basen district, but when he observed their
multitude, he turned back. Now Basil pursued him and burned the city of Uxtik'. Georgi turned
back and they fought. Many fell on both sides at the place called Shirimk'.
They killed Liparit's son, Hrat, and Xursi. Georgi displayed great valor and
made Basil turn back. The Iberians, swelled with pride over their small
triumph, [102] pursued the Greeks and put them to the sword. Twice and three
times the Iberians provoked battles, but they were lost and wiped out, and
their land was ruined. For the saint-loving Basil had placed the envivifying
Cross before [him] saying: [g110] "If You destroy me before my enemies,
I shall not serve You as the cause of our salvation and the symbol of
victory." Consequently, Georgi defeated and in a state of total
confusion, gave his son, Bagarat, as a hostage for three years and promised
to serve [Basil]. Basil then went to Trapizon and summoned the great Armenian
kat'oghikos Petros for the feast of Epiphany. Petros blessed the
waters in his presence. The emperor saw a great miracle [unfold] above the
water, praised the faith of the Armenians, and then returned to Constantinople. After three years he sent the boy
Bagarat back to his father. Two years following the return of his son, Georgi
died leaving two sons, Bagrat and Demetre, and two daughters.
Then Bagrat reigned. His mother, Mariam, went to Constantinople and returned with a treaty of peace and
the dignity of curopalate for her son [ca.1031/32]. A woman named Heghine,
from the line of the Greek kings, was sent to be his wife. Bagrat married her
and [after her death] took another wife, Borena, daughter of the Ossetian
king. Under the urging of some princes, his brother Demetre, born of [103]
the same father but not of the same mother, planned to reign. Not succeeding,
he arose and went to Constantinople taking
with him the Anakop'os country, which has remained theirs until the present.
[g111] And Bagrat ruled his entire patrimony. The military commanders Liparit
and Iwane aided the kingdom. By siege they took Tiflis
from amir Jap'ar, but then regretted this and left it to him. However, he did
not remain loyal to the Abkhaz king. The king arose and besieged Tiflis, as did Gagik, king of Kaxet', son of the
Armenian king. The city was so reduced by hunger that one litr of ass
flesh cost 500 dram. They took Tiflis
but left it to the amir until Jap'ar died. Then king Bagrat entered Tiflis and took the fortress' stronghold. It was
[Bagrat] who built the wall of Axalk'aghak'. And since his mother, Mariam,
was the daughter of Senek'erim [Artsruni], the Armenian king, the residents
of Ani gave that city to the queen[-mother] Mariam.
Now great Liparit, in consultation with other azats, called Demetre
back from Greece,
to enthrone him. But this did not succeed. Rather, the Roman troops who were
with [Demetre] turned back, and Basil was obliged to cede to king Bagarat
nine fortresses. And Bagrat became extremely great. He gave the rule of his
monarchy to his son, Gorgi, and went to emperor Monomachus in Constantinople [1042-1055], who exalted him. After
three years the emperor returned him to his own country, requesting of Bagrat
his sister, Goranduxt. All the [104] grandees (didebuls) came before
him and rejoiced greatly. However, the curopalate Liparit held completely the
upper land and was displeased with Bagrat's rule, despite the fact that he
had raised his son and had been made [a] king. Consequently prince Sula
ambushed him and his son, Iwane, and took them before Bagrat. At this [the
king] was delighted [g112] and gave Sula Ts'ixisjuar, Odzrxe, and many gifts.
Torturing Liparit, the king took many [of his] strongholds, dressed him in
clerical garb, and sent him to the emperor. After a few years there, he died.
Servants took his body and buried it in his patimonial cemetary in Kats'xe.
And they made his son, Iwane, the lord of Arguet' only.
At that time a certain man from T'urk'astan, named
Dughlubak' [Tughril Beg] grew strong and became sultan, as the Saracens were
growing weaker. He ruled many peoples and districts. He was succeeded by his
son, Arp'aslan [Alp-Arslan]. He came and took all of K'art'li, killing and
enslaving. Then he went to Ani, capital of Armenia, took it, and filled it
up with the blood of the slain. He further threatened [to ravage] the land of Iberia if Bagarat refused to give him
for a wife his uncle's [mother's brother's] daughter who was daughter of
[his] brother Kiwrike, the Armenian king. Bagarat requested her with
entreaties, but Kiwrike refused. Then the Iberian military commanders,
Varazbakur and Gamrikel, entraped and seized him in the K'ushoy forest. They
notified [105] Bagarat, who went to him, took from him the girl and
Shamshoyte, and then set him free. But after three years he turned upon Iberia
and filled the country with blood. Capturing Tiflis,
he gave it to the amir of Gandzak, P'atlun. And Asxart'an, son of Gagik, king
of Kaxet', came to him and circulated around with the Sultan until he departed.
After this, king Bagrat wanted to go against Tiflis,
but P'atlun heard about this and came against him. And he dispatched
Liparit's son, Iwane, before him with all the Iberian troops and they
defeated the entire army such that only twelve men escaped by a hairsbreadth
over the Tsilkan road. Then he went and spread about by the sources of the
river Argag. He said to those he encountered: "I am P'at'lun's messenger
of glad tidings, for the Abkhaz army was defeated." [g113] Recognizing
him, a certain man said: "Why, you are the amir of amirs, P'at'lun
himself!" He roared with a great noise and the ground quaked. The
inhabitants of the district, informing each other, seized him and took him to
Bagrat. And [Bagrat] took from him Tiflis,
Gag, and K'ozin, which the Iranians had taken from the Armenians and
Iberians, 848 dahekans, and his son as a hostage, and then let him go.
After this, Bagrat died with a good reputation [A.D. 1072],
and his son, the curopalate Georgi [George II, 1072-1112], who had been ruling
with his father during his lifetime,[106] succeeded.
Liparit's son, Iwane, rebelled from him. Winning over the guards at the keep
of Gag, he sold it once again to the lord of Gandzak. In those days, Sultan
Melik' Shah [Malik-Shah] came and took Shamshoyte, looted K'art'li, and
turned to Gandzak. Leaving amir Srahang there, he went to his own place.
After some days Srahang came against Georgi; but, vanquished by him, he fled
back to Gandzak. Georgi took back from the Greeks all the fortresses which they
had taken from them: Anakop'i to the head of Abkhazia, and in the Klarchet'
country, and in Shawshet', Jawaxet', and Artahan and many strongholds, plus Kars, and Vanand as well
as Shamshoyte from the Turks. As soon as sultan Malik-Shah heard about this,
he came and retook Shamshoyte, captured Iberians and prince Iwane, and
departed. In those days, while Georgi was in the army, Grigor, son of
Bakuran, lord of Uxtik', Kars and Karin city,
came to him and requested Kars
of him, leaving the matter to him. In those days, the Turks raided Iberia,
spilling much blood, [g114] taking captives, and then departing. Their head
was named Buzhghub. And the word of Isaiah was fulfilled, that "Woe to
the people sinful and full of blame, for there shall be no health given them
from head to foot." When king Georgi saw and bore this, as he expected
salvation from no quarter, he gave up to [Buzhghub] his son and went to
sultan Malik-Shah. He found favor with him and returned thence with gifts and
a peace treaty [to the effect that] if he would obediently [107] see to
[paying] taxes, he should have no fear. But because our wickedness comes back
upon us, our multiplied sins prevented us from joyously celebrating the
resurrection of Christ on Easter. For the Lord looked upon the country in
anger and shook it from its foundation. For mountains of rock crashed down
like dust, and cities, villages and churches were overturned, and our feast
turned to mourning, as it is written. [g115]
Chapter
18
However, the Lord did not become totally angry, and did not
keep His grudge forever. Rather, He pardoned [us] as a father [pardons a] son
and gave us a son so that we not resemble Sodom
and Gomorrah.
He raised up for us the horn of salvation from the House of David--Georgi's
only son, David, from the very same line of the father of God, David--from
the Bagratid house. His father Georgi, in his old age, crowned him, speaking
the truth: "The heavenly Father said unto him, 'I have found my servant
David and I annoint him with my holy oil. May my hand lift him up and my arm strengthen him, with others.' It became morning for
us, and the spirit of life breathed in us and blew [cool air] upon our weary
brows. [David] was 16 years old and full of brilliant wisdom. For [in]
Liparit's son, Iwane, he recognized a rebel and after [108] [Iwane] returned
from captivity, [David] put him into prison so that he be counseled. But as
soon as he had removed his fetters and honored him with the same greatness
[he had enjoyed before], [g116] then, like a dog, he returned to his own
vomit. Once again [David] seized him and sent him to the Greeks.
In the fourth year of David's reign, sultan Malik-Shah died
[1092]. Then the Franks arose and (re)took Jerusalem,
Antioch and the
entire [Levantine] coast. David grew powerful and built up K'art'li, and did
not pay taxes to the Turks. King Kiwrike of Kaxet' died and Asxart'an, his
brother's son, reigned. David looked upon the Church wisely--for it had no
light. Rather, the leaders were blind and avaricious and robbers had entered
[the churches] through the walls and windows rather than through the doors,
like shepherds. Such were the bishops in this period. They ordained priests
for bribes, as they themselves [had been ordained], they
set up stupid, greedy suffragan bishops and emplanted lawlessness in the
House of God. The great eye observed this and was displeased. For the sins of
the church and land were not those of shepherds and flocks, vardapets
and common people but rather [resembling] the servant who, knowing his lord's
will and straying, must take many beatings. Consequently [David] assembled by
him [109] the kat'oghikos, the bishops, and the stupified priests, and
ordered that an election be held among the good and bad and that the
worthless ones be expelled. [So that] seeing the canonical orders the church hierarchy so act and [so] command the ignorant. They moved
in accord with the command of Scripture, giving the [ecclesiastical] throne
to the good, and removing the worthless, just as the inedible and loathsome
are removed from the nets. He did this like Constantine the Great. Receiving
strength from God, he struck the multitude of Turks with but a few troops and
stopped their comings and goings in the land of the Christians. For the Lord
had given him the promise of the just, and one [man] could put to flight
1,000 [enemies], and two [men], 10,000. For [he acted] not as Eghiazaros
Awaran, who grew dazed, [g117] sticky with the enemies' blood, on the
contrary, himself dripping with blood, he turned back the multitude, and then
loosened his belt, bled, and relaxed. He was, moreover, a builder of
monasteries and churches, just as he constructed two churches to the blessed
Mother of God in a charming spot. He went in person to see after the
monasteries, the orders of worship, and the comfort of hostles, and he
provided whatever was lacking. In various places he constructed houses for
the soul, for the rest of travelers.
[110] In that period some 10,O00
Turks raided in Trialeti (T'rheghk'). David was at Nacharmad. When he heard
about them, he came in the night with few troops. In the morning, with God's
aid, he beat them until evening. Only a few survivors fled at night.
Similarly there were tens of thousands of Turkic troops which had descended
into the Tayk' country. [David] went and struck them, and took their goods;
and the country of Iberia
filled up with good things. He sent his son, Demetre, to the Shruan area, and
he succeeded in taking the fortress of K'aladzor, returning thence in joy.
But while the great David was celebrating the feast of Easter at Naxedran,
they brought him news that the Turks had slain Beshken in Jawaxet' and had
come and encamped on the shores of the Erasx. He went against them and
destroyed and captured their entire army. David made marriage alliances with
the kings of Greece
and Shruan giving his daughters to them and [thereby] getting [their]
support. His wife, Goranduxt, was the daughter of the Qipchaq chief, that is At'rak of the Huns. With their aid he
subjugated the Ossetian kings, took hostages from them and made peace between
the Ossetians and Huns. He took the Darial fortress and all the gates of
Oset' to mount Kawkas. From there he sent the
Qipchaqs, who went and destroyed the might of the Turks. [David] also took
the fortress-city [g118] of the Armenians, Lorhe. At this time Malik-Shah's
son, Malik', died, as did the Greek king Alexs and Georgi Dchqondideli [111]
(Chghunditel) who had been loyal from birth. The king and the entire kingdom
mourned him for twenty days and buried him at Nor vank'.
Now [David] kept with him on Iberian land 40,000 Qipchaqs
with their families and sons, plus 500 young children whom he raised at his
court as Christians, and still others, day by day, were baptized and studied
the faith of our Lord. He armed the 40,000 and designated spasalars
for them and repelled Iran
and T'urk'astan with them. It is said that he resembed a swift, fleet-footed
panther, by which the vision of Daniel described Alexander. Our Alexander was
no less than he, although younger, yet comparable in fortune. For he struck
at the Turks in [their] wintering grounds of T'ughark' and filled up with
booty. On the thirteenth of February and on the same septenary of fasting, he
took Kapa city and filled Iberia
up with gold and silver. On May fifth he raided Layizhk' as far as K'urdawan
and Xshtalan and returned to K'art'li in wealth. The same year he went to
Ashorni and beat the army of Turks until there were not [even] mourners left
in their tents. During wintertime he went to Abkhazia as far as Binchit'a and
put [these areas] in order. Now the Turkmens ascended the mountains of Armenia
in summertime and in wintertime descended to the warm meadows by the banks of
the [112] Kur river--but not without great preparation due to fear of David.
However, that year they were without a care because of the king's distance.
The king returned, skirting mount
Lix before him, and
came to K'art'li. [g119] He found prepared troops in the month of March and
went to Xunan and did not allow [any] of the multitude of Turks to live. He
crossed to Partaw and, in the villages, he discovered fugitives from the
Turks. He put them to the sword and returned in peace…
Originally published at: http://rbedrosian.com/hsrces.html
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