- Marzpanate Period
Marzpanate period ( _hy. Մարզպանական Հայաստան) refers to the period in Armenian history after the fall of the
Arshakuni Dynasty ofArmenia in428 , whenMarzpan s (governors-general of the boundaries), nominated by theSassanid Persian King, governed the eastern part of Armenia. Meanwhile,Byzantine Armenia was at that time ruled by several princes under Byzantine control and was finally organized into four provinces under the emperorJustinian in 536 (Governors). The Marzpanate period ended with theArab conquest of Armenia in the7th century when thePrincipality of Armenia was established. An estimated three million Armenians fell under the sway of the Persian marzpans during this period.Yeremyan, Suren. "«Մարզպանական Հայաստան»" ("Marzpan Armenia").Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia . vol. vii. Yerevan:Armenian Academy of Sciences , 1981, pp. 313-315.]The Marzpan was invested with supreme power, even to the imposing of death sentences; but he could not interfere with the age-long privileges of the Armenian
nakharar s. The country as a whole, enjoyed a considerable autonomy. The office ofHazarapet , corresponding to that of a Minister of the Interior and Public Works, was entrusted to an Armenian, as was also the post ofSparapet , Commander-in-chief. Each nakharar had his own army, according to the extent of his domain. The "National Cavalry" or "Royal force" was under the Commander-in-chief. The tax collectors were all Armenians. The courts of justice and the schools were directed by the Armenian clergy. Several times, an Armenian nakharar became Marzpan, as Vahan Mamikonian 485 after a period of rebellion against the Persians.Three times during the Marzpanic period, Persian kings launched persecutions against Christianity in Armenia. The Persians had tolerated the invention of the
Armenian alphabet and the founding of schools, thinking these would encourage the spiritual separation of Armenia from the Byzantines, but, on the contrary, the new cultural movement among the Armenians actually proved to be conducive to closer relations with Byzantium.Marzpans of Armenia
*
Vasak of Syunik , 442-451
*Sahak II Bagratuni , 482-483
*Vahan Mamikonian , 485-505/510
*Vard Mamikonian , 505/10-509/514
*Mjej I Gnuni , 518-548
*Phillip Syuni , 574-576
*Mushegh II Mamikonian , 591
*Varaz-Tirots II Bagratuni , 628Notes
Notes
*This article incorporates text from [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/home.html "History of Armenia"] by Vahan M. Kurkjian, a publication in the
public domain .ee also
*
Armenian alphabet
*Battle of Avarayr
*Vardan Mamikonian
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