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Revision as of 07:55, 15 August 2006 editTigranTheGreat (talk | contribs)2,360 edits Rules don't say that Syunik has to have Azeri spelling either. Otherwise we would have Armenian names for all 7 Azeri rayons.← Previous edit Revision as of 08:05, 15 August 2006 edit undoGrandmaster (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers25,547 edits Rules don't say that Nakhichevan should have Armenian name either. Leave it alone.Next edit →
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'''Syunik''' (also spelt '''Siunik''') is one of the ('']'') (administrative regions) of ]. It was a feudal principality in ancient Armenia. The territory of the marz has also been called Zangezur for several centuries. It is in the south-east of the country, bordering the ''marz'' of ] to the north, ]'s ] ] to the west, the Azerbaijani rayons of ], ], and ] to the east, and ] to the south. Its capital is ]. '''Syunik''' (also spelt '''Siunik''', and also known as '''Zangezur''' (]: Zəngəzur)) is one of the ('']'') (administrative regions) of ]. It was a feudal principality in ancient Armenia. The territory of the marz has also been called Zangezur for several centuries. It is in the south-east of the country, bordering the ''marz'' of ] to the north, ]'s ] ] to the west, the Azerbaijani rayons of ], ], and ] to the east, and ] to the south. Its capital is ].


==Geography and climate== ==Geography and climate==

Revision as of 08:05, 15 August 2006

Armenian province Syunik

Syunik (also spelt Siunik, and also known as Zangezur (Azerbaijani: Zəngəzur)) is one of the (marzes) (administrative regions) of Armenia. It was a feudal principality in ancient Armenia. The territory of the marz has also been called Zangezur for several centuries. It is in the south-east of the country, bordering the marz of Vayots Dzor to the north, Azerbaijan's Nakhichevan exclave to the west, the Azerbaijani rayons of Lachin, Qubadli, and Zangilan to the east, and Iran to the south. Its capital is Kapan.

Geography and climate

Modern Syunik was divided in the early 20th century, when Armenia ceded a portion to neighboring Azerbaijan. It was divided into two regions: Western Syunik, to the west of Lake Sevan; and Eastern Siunik, which stretches southward from the lake to the neighbouring mountains where the capital Tatev is located.

The high-water major rivers are the Meghri, Voghdji, and Vorotan. Summertime temperatures can reach more than 50°C, although the average temperature is around 22°C.

History

Early rulers

The first dynasty to rule Siunik was the Siak, beginning in the 1st century. The first known ruler was Valinak Siak (c. 330). His successor was his brother Andok (c. 340).

Siunik was occupied by Persia, c. 369. In 379, King Babik, son of Andok, was re-established as ruler by the Mamikonians. His sister, Pharantzem, was married to Gnel, nephew of Archak II, king of Armenia. This lasted for less than ten years and by about 386 or 387, king Dara was deposed by the Persians.

King Valinak (c. 400-409) was followed by Vasak (409-452). Vasak had two sons, Bagben and Bakur, and a daughter who married Vasak's successor, Varazvahan (452-472). His son Gelehon ruled from 470 to 477 and died in 483. Babik (Bagben) the brother of Varazvahan, became the new king in 477. Hadz, brother of Gelehon, died on September 25, 482.

Siunik was later ruled by other kings: Vahan c. 570, Philipo c. 580, Stephanos c. 590-597, Sahak c. 597, and Grigor until 640.

Late first millennium

A dynasty was formed, governed by a branch of the Bagratuni, with minor vassal princes from one or more previous dynasties, perhaps of Persian origin. Vasak III (c. 800) suffered an assault from the emir of Manazkert, Sevada. He established a garrison in Chalat, in the district of Dzoluk. He then called for help from the Persian revolutionary chief Babek, who had married a daughter of the king.

After Vasak III (821) died, Babek inherited the country, which revolted against him. Babek suppressed the revolt, but was harassed by both Muslims and Armenians. Finally, he abdicated and the children of Vasak, Philipo, and Sahak regained power. Philipo governed Eastern Siunik, with the districts of Vaïots, Tzor, and Balq (Goucha). Sahak governed in Western Siunik, also known as Gelarquniq, with capital in Khoth. These local dynasties disappeared during the ephemeral domination from Babek.

In 826, Sahak allied with his ancient enemy - Sevada, the Qaisite emir of Manazkert - against the governor of Caliph, but he was defeated and died in Kavakert. His son Grigor-Sufan succeeded him as prince of Western Siunik. In the Eastern region, Philipo died on August 10, 848. He was succeeded by three children (Babgen, Vasak-Ichkhanik and Achot) that ruled jointly. Babgen fought with Grigor-Sufan and killed him (sometime in 849-851) but Babgen died shortly after (851) and Vasak-Ichkhanik (Vasak IV) followed him. Vasak-Ichkhanik had peaceful relations with Vasak-Gabor, who had ascended to the throne of Western Siunik, replacing his father Grigor-Sufan. Nerseh, brother of Babgen, directed (851?) an expedition to Aghuania defeating and killing the prince Varaz-Terdat (of the Persian dynasty Mihrakane of Aghuania) in Morgog. A general sent by the Caliph, Bogha al-Kabir, destroyed Armenia and Aghuania in these years, and sent a detachment to Eastern Siunik where was governing Vasak IV with his brother Achot. The Siunik people were protected in the fortress of Balq, but Vasak fled to Kotaiq, and was pursued to the region of Gardman on the eastern border of the Sevan Lake. Gardman's prince (ichkhan) Ketridj or Ketritchn betrayed him and delivered him to Bogha (859). Achot was also seized (859). But Bogha invaded Gardman and imprisoned Kertridj. He then went to Outi where he captured the prince of Sevordiq, Stephannos Kun.

The Caliphate tried to control all these regions, and for this reason Bogha decided to repopulate the city of Chamkor in the Kura river with Muslims. Chamkor, being near Bardáa and Gandja, was intended to act as a regional monitoring post. By order of the new Caliph in 862, imprisoned princes to be released and allowed to return to their former domains on the condition of becoming Muslim. (However, they all abandoned Islam after their return.)

The prince of Western Siunik, Vasak-Gabor, was married to a daughter of the Bagratid prince Achot the Great named Miriam, and received the title of Ichkhan from the Siunik people - delivered to him by Achot in name of the Caliph. His successor was his son, Grigor-Sufan II (887-909). The prince of Eastern Siunik, Vasak IV, died around 887, and was followed by his brother Achot who died c. 906.

The son of Vasak IV, Sembat, that received the fiefdom from Vaïots-Tzor. Chahaponk (Djahuk) governed from 887 until sometime after 920. He revolted in 903 against the Bagratid Sembat I, refusing to pay him taxes. Because of this, he was assaulted by the prince of Vaspurakan, Sargis-Achot. Sembat submitted and was forgiven and married to the sister of the principe of Vaspurakan, receiving the city and district of Najichevan, which in 902 was upset with the Kaysites or Qaisids.

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The prince of Vaspurakan did not have to be in agreement with this transfer of a nearby territory to its dominances that could to wait receive.

A few years later, the prince after was allied with the emir of Sadjid, Yusuf, against Eastern Siunik, which they invaded together.

Sembat was sheltered in the fortress of Erendchak (today Alindja, northeast of Najichevan) and Yusuf remained owner of Eastern Siunik. Sembat requested refuge from his brother-in-law Khatchik-Gagik, which was granted. In the same year (909), the prince of Western Siunik, Grigor Sufan II, submitted to the emir Yusuf in Dwin. Only Byzantine movements and the withdrawal of the Sadjids permitted him to recover the throne some time later. Sembat, with his three brothers Sahak, Babgen, and Vasak, governed again. Also in Western Siunik, Sahak, Achot and Vasak, brothers of Grigor-Sufan II, were governing the country. After them the dynasty of Western Siunik became extinct and the territory was subsumed by the Muslims.

The Eastern part remained divided: Sembat, which had the main title, governed the western part of the Eastern Siunik with the Vaïots-Tzor, bordered by Vaspurakan. Sahak governed the eastern part until the river Hakar. Babgen governed the district of the Balq, and Vasak (who died in 922) an indeterminate territory. Nasr, the emir of Azerbaijan, captured territory through perfidy against Babgen and Sahak in Dwin. After the invasion, Sembat unseated Nasr and obtained the freedom of his brothers. Sembat was followed by his son Vasak, and Sahak in turn by his son Sembat. Vasak received the royal title from the Muslims at the end of his reign, which lasted until 963.

The throne was inherited by his nephew Sembat (963-998) who was recognized as king by the emirs of Tauris and of Arran. He was married to the princess of Aghuania, Chahandoukht. At his death, he was followed by Vasak (c. 998-1019). Vasak was succeeded by two nephews (the children of his sister and a Prince Achot) called Sembat and Grigor (1019-1084). The latter was married with the princess Chahandoukht, daughter of Sevada of Aghuania. The only successor to the two princes, was a daughter of Grigor's called Chahandoukht. Rule passed to the prince of Aghuania, Seneqerim Ioan who governed both territories from 1084 until his death in 1105. Seneqerim Ioan was followed by his son Grigor of Siunik and Aghuania, who governed until 1166, when the country was conquered by the Seljucids Turks.

Later, the dynasty of the Orbeliani, one of whose members wrote an important history of the country, governed Siunik in times of Timur (Tamerlan) as vassals.

Twentieth Century

With the collapse of the Russian empire Zangezur became a territory, hotly disputed between the newly created states of Armenia and Azerbaijan. After the proclamation of the Soviet Republic of Armenia in 1921, Siunik proclaimed its independence as the Republic of the Mountainous Armenia, but it only encompassed part of the High Karabag (South of Zangezur), and the Eastern and Western Siunik had been occupied. After some resistance, the authorities of the Republic fled to Iran.

Rulers

References


External links

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