History of House Arevmaneli (from 936 AD) - An Armenian AAR

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The Armenians in Middle Ages
History of House Arevmaneli (from 936 AD)


The birthplace of House Arevmaneli was the sprawling, but underpopulated, region of Kakheti.
Once a part of the historic Kingdom of Georgia, it extended in the southern slopes of central Caucasus.
During the time of Kvirike (the first known Arevmaneli Count), the major settlements of the region were the castle of Telavi,
the city of Mtskheta and the bishopric of Kharnabuji, and the population was mainly Georgian Orthodox.

We don't know much about Kvirike's ancestors. His father was an armenian warlord, who married a local noblewoman of Kakheti,
and he was definetely dead by 936. Kvirike was about 18 years old at the time. The available sources describe him as an able,
bold and deeply religious young man. He was raised an Armenian, and of the Apostolic Christian doctrine.
He was hostile to the Muslims, having fought several skirmishes against the neighboring Sheikhs of Tbilisi and Hereti,
as an adolescent under his father's command. He was, also, mistrustful to the Orthodox Christians,
especialy to the Georgian Prince Davit II, a man of doubtful reputation,
whose territory expands from the south-east coast of the Black Sea to the western border of Kakheti.

South of Kvirike's domain lied the Kingdom of Hayastan.
At first, Kvirike thought to swear fealty and ask for the protection of King Abas Bagratuni,
who was the most important Armenian lord at the time.
It seems he was led to that thought, not only due to fear of Prince Davit's actions,
but also due to respect for the Armenian King as well. Whichever motivations he had,
he never swore fealty to the King. Kvirike hosted many members of House Siwnik,
who served him in various positions. They were exiled from their motherland, Siwnik,
by the Bragratuni Kings several decades ago, therefore they weren't fond of them.
They suggest a betrothal of Kvirike's infant son, Gakik, for a millitary alliance, instead.
Kvirike wished to arrange a betrothal with a noble Armenian family, but there weren't
many promising prospects at the time. It was Babgen Siwnik who persuade Kvirike
to search into the Byzantines, since he had connections with noble Greek families of Anatolia.
Eventually, Babgen managed to arrange a betrothal between young Gakik and Sophia, of the prominent House Phokas.
Her father, Count Leon of Lower Galatia in Cappadocia, was the secondborn of Doux Bardas of Armeniac,
one of the most influential imperial vassals. When these matters were settled, and Kvirike felt safe enough,
he started planning to take some serious action against his neighbouring Muslim lords.

 

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The County of Tbilisi was a relatively small, but populous and fertile region. It was considered a
birthplace of Georgian culture and an important Christian center, as well. At the end of the 930s
the region belonged to the Sheikhdom of Jaffarids, a remnant of the Arabic conquests of the 7th century.
Kvirike aspired to launch a big scale attack against them, but he didn't feel powerful enough yet.
He was afraid that the other Muslim lords of the vicinity will join forces to help the Jaffarids, especially
the Yazidid Emirate, the most powerfull of them, which was located roughly in the lands of modern-day Azerbaijan.
At the time, the only way for Kvirike to get reinforcements was to attract mercenaries. Thanks to the actions of
Smbat ''the Elder'' Siwnik, an experienced administrator, he found the required financial means, and then he contacted
with an Alanian mercenary captain, named Balsag, whose company's service managed to acquire. At the same time, Kvirike
proceeded to some last diplomatic contacts. Prince Davit II of Tao-Klarjeti was busy skirmishing with Muslim lords at
his southern border, while King Abas of Hayastan didn't hold any grudge about Kvirike's denial to swear fealty.
Moreover, in early 938, the two Armenian lords met together at a location in Lori region, where they cosigned trade rights
and, generaly, they developed the best of relationships.

At last, in early July 938, Kvirike and his army advanced into Jaffarid territory and by the end of the month
he had occupied the city of Rustavi, while messages were sent to Leon Phokas of Lower Galatia to send reinforcements.
Sheikh Mansur of Tbilisi was teribly concerned about the Armenian advance. He could possess fewer than 600 men at the time,
when his opponent had twice as much, and Kvirike was already considered a capable commander. He sent some last pleas for help
to the Sheikh of Hereti and the Yazidid Emir, but either they couldn't or they didn't want to assist. Nevertheless, he decided
to make an attempt to stop Kvirike's advance. In a battle, about 20 miles east of Tbilisi, Kvirike's army managed to chase away the Arabs.
Sheikh Mansur's son and heir, Jaffar, was killed in action and Mansur himself, severely injured, withdrew to Tbilisi castle.
Kvirike arived there in early September 938 and began sieging it. The castle held for half a year. By the end of February 939
the food stock and the hopes for external help were depleted. Finally, when Sheikh Mansur died from his wounds, the defenders
had no other choice but to surrender the castle in exchange for their lives. On 3 March, Kvirike made his entrance in Tbilisi and raised
his banners.

Armenians' first concern was to suppress any Muslim resistance in the County and to reorganize the conquered lands. Even though
an important Armenian minority existed, the vast majority was the Orthodox Georgians. Although, they detested the Muslims,
they didn't like the Apostolic Armenians either. The reorganization of the region was assigned to the ageless Smbat ''the Elder'',
while Rustavi was under the control of Mikayel, a wealthy and influential member of the native Armenian minority. After Kvirike's
arrival in Rustavi, Mikayel had swore fealty to him and was assigned with the regular tax collection of the vicinity.

But, Kvirike didn't stay in Tbilisi for long. He was encouraged by the Muslims' failure to cooperate and he decided to invade
in Hereti, the last Muslim stronghold in the old Duchy of Georgia. At the end of May 939 he marched east, he crushed the small
forces of a surprised Sheikh Wasif al-Shirvani and he laid siege to Zaqatala castle, which was surrendered a few months later,
while Wasif and his family fled in exile. Strangely enough, Wasif returned to Hereti after a couple of years, begging Kvirike
to accept him in his former lands, a fact which reveals the lack of cooperation between the Muslim lords at the time.
Kvirike, who probably wanted to keep a close eye to this potential pretender, admited him under the condition that he will renounce his old
religion. Wasif accepted and became christened.

By the end of 939, Kvirike was the undisputed lord of the whole old Duchy of Georgia and his coffers were filled from the effective taxation,
as well as the looting and ransoming during the previous wars. Owing these success to God, he started planning a pilgrimage to the Saint Grigor cathedral
of Dvin, in King Abas' territory. But, he was forced to change his plans, for a new challenge emerged.

Sheikh Mansur of Tbilisi in 936

The Alanian Mercenary Band

The friendship between King Abas of Hayastan and Kvirike Arevmaneli

The battle for Tbilisi

Mikayel of Rustavi and Kvirike's councilors

The conquest of Hereti

Wasif al-Shirvani returns

 

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In that period, Kvirike's co-father-in-law and ally, Count Leon Phokas, was a vassal of Doux Michael Maleinos of Kapadokia,
an anatolian greek patrician. At the end of February 940, he caused a breach of the relations with his overlord for insignificant reason and,
without much deliberation, he rised up with the intention to replace Michael with his brother, Doux Ioseph Maleinos of Anatolikon.
One of his first acts was to ask Kvirike for repaying the help he sent for the wars with the Muslims of Georgia. Kvirike, who had disbanded
his troops just before few months, was quite annoyed. Nevertheless, he started regathering his men and got ready to march west.
Balsag and his Alanian mercenaries were, also, still employed. But, only in the summer of 940 he was ready to campaign.

He followed a direction through the Kingdom of Hayastan and in early August he passed into Byzantine territory. While he was in Koloneia
he received disturbing news by the local Armenians. Ioseph Maleinos, who wasn't tempted by Leon's intentions, accepted to join forces
with his brother against the rebel. Kvirike and his army cautiously continued their march southwest and, at the end of September, he arrived
towards the Kyzistra-Lower Galatia borders. There he found out that Leon Phokas' army was completely scattered by the
Maleinos brothers' forces and that Parnassos, Leon's castle, was besieged. Interestingly, one of Ioseph Maleinos commanders was Count
Nikephoros Phokas of Pisidia, Leon's own older brother. Their father, Doux Bardas of Armeniacon, devastated, took no part in this familial
tragedy. Kvirike camped about 7 miles east of Parnassos. His scouts reported that the enemy forces were not much bigger, yet they were
well-equiped, a typical Byzantine regiment. Kvirike found himself in bewilderment. Balsag suggested that they will have better chances if
they will try to lead the enemy into an ambush. But Kvirike thought that the Greeks will not fall into the trap and, eventually, decided
to charge. On the morning of 26th November 940, Kvirike's forces ferociously attacked the besiegers and there was a diversion from the castle.
But, the Maleinos' forces were ready. They were informed about Kvirike's moves and they knew what was going on in Parnassos, and the well-trained
Greek units were to much for Kvirike's forces in open battle. At last, Kvirike's army was repeled and some of his knights were captured.

Kvirike didn't have a hard time to regroup his army. But, he understood that it was extremely difficult to break the Maleinos' lines.
Also, Balsag, who was somewhat annoyed for his strategy was ignored, informed Kvirike that he and his company were about to depart
for Alania, because their contract was expiring. Kvirike prefered then to move towards the Byzantine-Hayastani borders and to watch the
turn of events from there. When he learnt that Parnassos was fell and Leon was deposed and imprisoned, he rushed to negotiate the liberation
of his men, and after this issue was settled, he returned to Telavi (summer 941).

Upon his return, his first concern was to cancel the troth with the hothead Greek nobleman, whose recklessness costed his County.
Kvirike didn't feel much remorse for it, let alone Babgen Siwnik, who arranged this betrothal, was dead for some years. But, he was
once again in need for an alliance. After a brief search, it was decided that young Gagik will get engaged with Ajmaani, the daughter
of the Nutsal (translated as chieftain) Pilan-shah of Avaristan, an Avaric lord. The Caucasian Avarics were a somewhat primitive, yet tough
tribe, settled in the northern slopes of Caucasus, who were christianized by the Orthodox Georgians a century ago. They were engaged
into continuous skirmishes with the Muslims of Derbent (in Northeastern Caucasus), so they welcomed the opportunity for a millitary
alliance.

In this way, Kvirike was disengaged from the Greek internal struggles. Although his western campaign was a failure, he didn't lose much.
His economy was, still, flourishing, largely through the efforts of the inventive Mikayel of Rustavi and he din't find difficulties
to achieve another alliance. After the officialization of Gagik's new betrothal, he started planning, again, an official visit in Hayastan's
holy sites and arranging meetings with the political and religious authorities of the Kingdom.