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Tiran of Armenia

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"Tigranes VII" redirects here. For other people with the same name, see Tigranes.
Tiran
King of Armenia
Reign338/39–350
PredecessorKhosrov III
SuccessorArshak II
Diedc. 358
Issue
Detail		Artashes
Arshak II
Tiridates
DynastyArsacid
FatherKhosrov III the Small
ReligionChristianity (possibly Arianism)

Tiran[a] (died c. 358)[2] was an Arsacid king of Armenia in the second quarter of the fourth century. The chronology of his reign is problematic, and scholars have proposed different dates for its beginning and end. According to one version, he succeeded his father Khosrov III in 338, placed on the throne by the Roman emperor Constantius II after a Persian invasion of Armenia. His reign appears to have marked the beginning of the antagonism between the Arsacid kings and the Armenian Church, possibly because of the Arsacid kings' promotion of Arianism, in following with contemporary Roman policy. Tiran ordered the assassination of the head of the Armenian Church, Catholicos Husik. He also came into conflict with the nobility because of his attempts to centralize power. During the course of the Sasanian king Shapur II's campaigns against the Roman Empire in the 340s, Tiran was reportedly betrayed by one of his vassals, captured by the Persians, and blinded. He was later allowed to return to Armenia and abdicated in favor of his son Arshak II. According to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi, Tiran was later strangled on Arshak's orders.

Name

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The name Tiran (Armenian: Տիրան) is of Iranian origin and derives from the name of the Zoroastrian deity Tir,[3] who shares a name with the Armenian god of scribal arts Tir.[4] Robert H. Hewsen argues that there was no Armenian king named Tiran in the fourth century, and that tiran was actually a title of the earlier king Tiridates III.[5] Nina Garsoïan considers this version unlikely.[6] Tiran has incorrectly been referred to as Tigranes VII in some sources.[1]

Ancestry

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Tiran was a child of King Khosrov III Kotak.[6] According to the fifth-century Armenian history Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ (traditionally attributed to Faustus of Byzantium), Tiran had a sister named Bambishn, who married Atanagines, son of Catholicos Husik, and bore Nerses I, who later became catholicos himself. However, this poses certain chronological and genealogical difficulties, as Atanagines's father Husik is said to have married a daughter of Tiran, which would mean that Atanagines married his own great-aunt.[b] Additionally, Bambishn was a title borne by royal ladies in the Sasanian period, so this is probably a title rather than her actual name.[8]

Reign

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Tiran succeeded his father, King Khosrov III. The chronology of Tiran's reign is problematic. According to Nina Garsoïan, he was likely the king—not mentioned by name—returned to the Armenian throne by the Roman emperor Constantius II in 338 after a Persian invasion, as recorded in the emperor Julian's panegyric to Constantius.[6][c][d] Robert H. Hewsen argues that the beginning of the reign of Arshak II should be dated to 338 and that Tiran's reign should be eliminated altogether.[5] M. L. Chaumont accepts the 338 dating of Arshak's accession but places Tiran's reign before that, ending in c. 334/335 or not long after that.[1]

The antagonism between the Arsacid kings and the Armenian Church seems to have started during Tiran's reign.[6] The Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ attributes this antagonism to Tiran's sinful behavior.[11] According to Nina Garsoïan, it was more probably the result of the Arsacid kings' support of Arianism, in following with the policy of the Byzantine court at the time.[12] Suren Yeremian suggests that Tiran sought to free himself from the tutelage of the clergy and adopt a more lenient attitude towards his non-Christian subjects, thus winning over the anti-Roman and anti-Church section of the nobility.[13] According to the Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ, Tiran ordered the murder of Catholicos Husik, the head of the Armenian Church, after the catholicos denied him entry to a church in Sophene on a feast day.[14] After this, the prominent chorbishop Daniel was also murdered on Tiran's orders,[15] and the leadership of the Armenian church passed, for a time, from the Gregorids to the patriarchs of the line of Albianos, who were obedient to the king.[13] The Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ also records Tiran's conflict with the Armenian nobility, incited by the eunuch official Hayr Mardpet. In particular, Tiran is said to have ordered the massacre of the Rshtuni and Artsruni houses, provoking the outrage of the Mamikonians.[16] In Yeremian's view, Tiran, with the help of Hayr Mardpet, centralized royal authority, punished the Armenian magnates with "separatist aspirations" and seized their holdings; this turned the nobility, especially its pro-Roman wing, against him.[13]

During Tiran's reign, the Sasanian king Shapur II launched several campaigns against Rome, during which Armenia was devastated by the Persians.[17] Both Khorenatsi and the older Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ report that Tiran was captured and blinded by the Persians, after which he was succeeded by his son Arshak II. However, the two accounts differ on some details and are mixed with epic elements.[6] Per the Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ, Tiran was betrayed to the Persians by his chamberlain (senekapet) Pisak Siuni.[18] According to Yeremian, at one point Tiran attempted to appease Shapur, which angered the Romans and the pro-Roman party in Armenia; after this, the Romans executed Tiran's son Trdat, who was being held as a hostage in Constantinople (as reported by Khorenatsi). Tiran's grandsons Gnel and Tirit were also hostages in Constantinople and were under threat. At this point, writes Yeremian, Tiran changed his policy and reconciled with the pro-Roman party, provoking Shapur's wrath. During the Roman-Sasanian fighting in 344, Tiran was captured and blinded by the Persians. However, after the Battle of Singara and the death of the Persian prince Narseh, he was allowed to return to Armenia in 345 to be succeeded by his son Arshak II.[19][e] Garsoïan estimates the date of Tiran's capture and deposition as 350.[6][f] Hakob Manandian considers the story of Tiran's capture and blinding to be an invention of the Armenian epic tradition.[21] According to the fourth-century Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus, Tiran's successor Arshak II was blinded by the Persians. It is possible that Tiran and Arshak were confused in the Armenian epic tradition, from which the Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ drew heavily.[6] Khorenatsi writes that Tiran spent the rest of his years in the village of Kuash on the slopes of Mount Aragats, until he was strangled on Arshak II's orders after he admonished his son for his treatment of Gnel, Arshak's nephew; the Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ gives no information about Tiran's death.[22]

Blinding

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In 350 AD, the Persian Varazshapuh, marzban of Atropatene, began negotiations with Tiran II on behalf of the Persian royal court. During these negotiations, Tiran’s chamberlain, Pisak, who served as Tiran's delegate, played a disruptive role. Betraying Tiran, Pisak advised Varazshapuh to demand Tiran’s best stallion as a gift. Varazshapuh sent a messenger to Tiran to demand it. Unwilling to part with his own horse, yet not wanting to ruin relations over a single animal, Tiran sent a different horse that resembled his own to the marzban. Pisak revealed Tiran’s deception to Varazshapuh. Infuriated, Varazshapuh came to Kingdom of Armenia with 3,000 men. Under the pretext of negotiations, he deceitfully captured Tiran, blinded him, and took him prisoner to Sasanian Empire․[23][24]

Foreign Policy

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To form an understanding of the foreign policy pursued by Tiran, the following words of Movses Khorenatsi are of great importance:

Having arrived, he (Tiran) keeps our lands in peace, making peace with the Persians and not war; paying tribute to the Greeks, but also some [tribute] to the Persians, he remained in tranquility, like his father...

Judging by the information provided by the historian, Tiran succeeded in maintaining peace in the country; he paid certain taxes to the Romans and the Persians, and pursued an independent foreign policy, remaining faithful to the Armenian-Roman alliance concluded during the reign of Trdat the Great, while simultaneously normalizing relations with Persia. Movses Khorenatsi's reports that Shapur II established friendly relations with King Tiran, even acting as a protector and ally by saving the Armenian king from the attacks of northern tribes, prove that at a certain point, a rapprochement took place in Armenian-Persian relations. Tiran reaffirmed his loyalty to Rome․[25] Initially, Armenian troops, along with the Romans, participated in the Battle of Singara, where Emperor Constantius II was defeated. The information from Movses Khorenatsi, stating that the Armenian king went to meet Constantius, provided auxiliary troops, and gave hostages as a sign of loyalty, likely refers to the Emperor’s time in the East in 345 AD:

And Tiran, our king, having gone down to meet Julian (Constantius – E. V.), advanced against the Persian forces and put them to flight; and having rendered service, he brought the impious Julian (Constantius – E. V.) through with a multitude of cavalry, and was greatly honored by him. And he (the Emperor) made a request that he (the King) should not take him with him into Persia, as he was unable to ride, and Julian (Constantius – E. V.) having agreed, he asked for troops and hostages. And Tiran, sparing his second son Arshak, gave his son Trdat III, along with his wife and children, and his grandson Tirit, son of his deceased eldest son Artaxias. Having taken them, Julian (Constantius – E. V.) sent them to Byzantium, and released Tiran to his own country.

Zora, the nahapet of the Rshtunik and commander of the southern division of Kingdom of Armenia, was supposed to participate in the Persian campaign with the Romans. However, hearing the news of the murder of Husik, he said:

Let us not follow the orders of one who brings scandal upon the worship of Christ and murders His saints; and let us not travel with this impious king

Having persuaded his troops to join him, he returned and fortified himself in Tmorik. Upon learning this, Emperor Constantius sent a letter to Tiran through couriers with the following content:

The troops you sent with us, having taken their commander, have turned back; and we were capable of sending our countless divisions to pursue and seize them; but we refrained for two reasons: first, so that the Persians might not say about us that we lead troops by force and not willingly; second, to test your sincerity. Therefore, if he did this not by your will, destroy him and his entire kin, leaving no survivors; but if not, then upon our return with our invincible power, we shall banish you and your country.

Seeing this, Tiran became angry and sent the Hay Mardpet to Zora. Finding himself alone, Zora was forced to come to the king. Upon capturing him, the king seized Aghtamar, his strong fortress, and slaughtered everyone. Only a small child, the son of his brother Mehendak, survived, having been spirited away by his nurses, and the Armenian King Tiran appointed Saghamut, the lord of Anzit, in his place[25].

Internal Policy

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The reign of King Tiran II (30s-40s of the 4th century) is one of the periods in Armenian history when the Arsacid court undertook a decisive policy to strengthen the centralized state. Tiran's internal policy is characterized by the consolidation of royal power, which was accompanied by clashes with both the noble aristocracy (nakharars) and the clergy․[26]

The historian Pavstos Buzand closely links Tiran’s internal policy and his attitude toward the noble houses with the activities of the chamberlain, Hay Mardpet. Buzand characterizes him as an "unlawful and meddlesome" man who, through his slander and intrigues, constantly incited the king against noble houses. According to the historian, many nobles fell victim to Hay Mardpet's schemes, but his most brutal blow was directed against two major houses: the Rshtunis and the Artsrunis․[27]

By Tiran's order, these two houses were exterminated; not only the men were killed, but also the women, so that the lineages would be forever "childless." According to Buzand's account, only two children miraculously survived: Tachat, the son of Mehendak Rshtuni, and Shavasp, the son of Vache Artsruni. They were saved by Artavazd and Vasak Mamikonyan, who were the tutors of the crown prince Arshak II. Risking their lives, the Mamikonyans smuggled the children to their domains in Tayk, nurtured them, and later married them to their own daughters, preventing these houses from disappearing.

St. Husik I

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The other key direction of King Tiran's internal policy was his relationship with the church. As long as St. Vrtanes I was alive, the king avoided open confrontation. However, in 341/342, when Vrtanes' son St. Husik I ascended to the catholicosal throne, the situation escalated. Despite his young age and the fact that he was married to Tiran's daughter, Husik adopted a policy of church independence and opposition to the court․[23]

Tiran was concerned about the growing economic and political influence of the church. As a counterweight, he began to sponsor the return of certain pagan customs, which is characterized by Buzand as "conduct not according to the will of God." The conflict reached a tragic end when, on a festive day, Tiran tried to enter the church of Benaberd, but Husik forbade him, saying: "You are not worthy, why do you come?" By the order of the enraged king, Husik was beaten in the church, from which he soon died.

Daniel I of Armenia and Pharen I of Armenia

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After the murder of Husik, the king tried to seat someone obedient to him on the catholicosal throne. First, Daniel I of Armenia was proposed, but as soon as he met the king, he began to accuse him of following paganism and murdering Husik. Tiran ordered Daniel to be strangled․[28]

Finally, the patriarchate was handed over to Pharen I of Armenia. Well aware of the cruel fate of his predecessors, he adopted a policy of complete obedience and never rebuked the king or the nobles. Thus, Tiran managed to temporarily subordinate the church to the royal will.

Family

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Tiran was succeeded by his son Arshak II. According to Movses Khorenatsi, Tiran's eldest son was named Artashes and predeceased him. Artashes was the father of Tirit, later killed by Arshak. Khorenatsi also names a third son of Tiran named Trdat, who was the father of Gnel (also later killed by Arshak) and was executed while a hostage in Byzantium.[29]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Also Diran according to the Western Armenian pronunciation. Erroneously called Tigranes in some sources.[1]
  2. ^ According to Nina Garsoïan, the generational gap is likely the result of a slip of the pen, but these marriages may also reflect the continuance of Zoroastrian-style consanguineous marriages in early Christian Armenia.[7]
  3. ^ 338 is also the date given by Suren Yeremian for Tiran's accession.[9]
  4. ^ According to the history of Movses Khorenatsi, Tiran was taken to Constantinople with Catholicos Vrtanes after the death of Khosrov III; he was made king of Armenia by Constantius and sent back to Armenia in the seventeenth year of Constantius's reign (i.e., 354).[10]
  5. ^ Yeremian follows Nicholas Adontz in placing the beginning of Arshak II's reign in 345.[20]
  6. ^ This date is also given for Arshak II's accession by historians Leo, P. Asdourian, and others, whereas Hakob Manandian considered the date to be uncertain.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Chaumont, M. L. (1986). "Armenia and Iran ii. The pre-Islamic period". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. II/4: Architecture IV–Armenia and Iran IV. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 418–438. ISBN 978-0-71009-104-8. King Tiran (incorrectly called Tigranes VII) seems to have had serious conflicts with the Christian clergy and is said to have put St. Gregory's successor, the catholicos Yusik, to death.
  2. ^ Hovhannisian, P. (1986). "Tiran" Տիրան. In Arzumanian, Makich (ed.). Haykakan sovetakan hanragitaran Հայկական սովետական հանրագիտարան [Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia] (in Armenian). Vol. 12. Erevan: Haykakan hanragitarani glkhavor khmbagrutʻyun. p. 16.
  3. ^ Acharian, Hrachia (1962). "Tiran" Տիրան. Hayotsʻ andznanunneri baṛaran Հայոց անձնանունների բառարան [Dictionary of Armenian personal names] (in Armenian). Vol. 5. Erevan: Petakan hamalsarani hratarakchʻutʻyun. pp. 155–157.
  4. ^ Petrosyan, Armen (2002). The Indo‑European and Ancient Near Eastern Sources of the Armenian Epic. Washington, D.C.: Institute for the Study of Man. pp. 133–134. ISBN 9780941694810.
  5. ^ a b Hewsen, Robert H. (1978–1979). "The Successors of Tiridates the Great: A Contribution to the History of Armenia in the Fourth Century". Revue des Études Arméniennes. New series. XIII: 124. Cited in den Boeft, J.; den Hengst, D.; Teitler, H. C. (1987). Philological and Historical Commentary on Ammianus Marcellinus XX. Groningen: Egbert Forsten. pp. 245–246. ISBN 978-90-6980-012-7.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Garsoïan, Nina G. (1989). The Epic Histories Attributed to Pʻawstos Buzand (Buzandaran Patmutʻiwnkʻ). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 414. ISBN 0-674-25865-7. Hewsen even suggested recently that no such king existed in the fourth century and that he should be identified with the third-century Armenian ruler Trdat III (287–298) or removed from the succession, though this is unlikely.
  7. ^ Garsoïan 1989, pp. 247–248.
  8. ^ Garsoïan 1989, pp. 247–248, 364.
  9. ^ Yeremian, Suren (1984). "Paykʻar Mets Haykʻi tʻagavorutʻyan ankakhutʻyan hamar" Պայքար Մեծ Հայքի թագավորության անկախության համար [Struggle for the independence of the Kingdom of Greater Armenia]. In Yeremian, Suren; et al. (eds.). Hay zhoghovrdi patmutʻyun Հայ ժողովրդի պատմություն [History of the Armenian People] (in Armenian). Vol. 2. Erevan: HSSH GA hratarakchʻutʻyun. p. 85.
  10. ^ Moses Khorenatsʻi (2006) [Orig. published 1978]. History of the Armenians. Translation and commentary by Robert W. Thomson (Revised ed.). Ann Arbor: Caravan Books. pp. 259–260 (Book 3, Chapters 10–11). ISBN 978-0-88206-111-5.
  11. ^ Garsoïan 1989, pp. 431–432.
  12. ^ Garsoïan, Nina (1997). "The Aršakuni Dynasty". In Hovannisian, Richard G. (ed.). The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times. Vol. 1. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 86. ISBN 0-312-10169-4.
  13. ^ a b c Yeremian 1984, pp. 85–86.
  14. ^ Garsoïan 1989, pp. 83–84 (Book 3, Chapter 12).
  15. ^ Garsoïan 1989, pp. 86–91 (Book 3, Chapter 14).
  16. ^ Garsoïan 1989, pp. 92–93 (Book 3, Chapter 18).
  17. ^ Garsoïan 1997, p. 86.
  18. ^ Garsoïan 1997, p. 87.
  19. ^ Yeremian 1984, pp. 86–87.
  20. ^ a b Yeremian 1984, p. 87, note 34.
  21. ^ Yeremian 1984, p. 87, note 31.
  22. ^ Moses Khorenatsʻi 2006, pp. 273–274 (Book 3, Chapter 22).
  23. ^ a b «Faustus the Byzantine, History of the Armenians, Yerevan, 1968, Book 3, Chapter 20 (pp. 65, 106-110, 112).)․ Cite error: The named reference ":5" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  24. ^ «Հայ ժողովրդի պատմություն, սկզբից մինչև 18-րդ դարի վերջը», Երևան, ԵՊՀ հրատ., 1975, էջ 234․
  25. ^ a b Khorenatsi, Movses (1981). History of the Armenians. Yerevan.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  26. ^ Harutyunyan, Hmayak (1945). Armenia during the Arsacids (1-429 AD). Yerevan.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  27. ^ Buzand, Pavstos. History of the Armenians. pp. Book 3, Chapter 18 (18).
  28. ^ Buzand, Pavstos. History of the Armenians. pp. Book 3, Chapter 14 (14), 17 (17).
  29. ^ Moses Khorenatsʻi 2006, pp. 262–263, 271–272 (Book 3, Chapters 13 and 21).
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