The History of the Country of Albania

The History of the Country of Albania (Armenian: Պատմություն Աղվանից, "Patmut'iwn Aluaniç") is a historical compilation about Caucasian Albania written in Armenian between 7th century and the 10th century, consisting of three volumes. While it focuses on the geographic region of Caucasian Albania, it starts with the origins of man and the the Flood, chronicling events up to the time of writing. [cite book | title = East Rome, Sasanian Persia and the End of Antiquity | author = James D. Howard-Johnston | year = 2006 | publisher = Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. | isbn = 0860789926 | accessdate = 2007-10-01 | pages = p.49 ]

Authorship

The identity of the author or authors is the subject to scholarly debate. The first historian to mention this author was Mkhitar Gosh, referring to him as "Movses Daskhurantsi", a name that does not appear anywhere elsecite book
last = Hacikyan
first = Agop Jack
author link =
title =The Heritage of Armenian Literature
publisher =Wayne State University Press
year =2000
location =
pages = p. 171-172
isbn = 0814330231] . However, a later historian, Kirakos Gandzaketsi, referred to a statement in the "History" itself, to attribute the name of the author as "Movses Kaghankatvatsi". The statement in question (Book II, ch. 11) says:

However, scholars question the content of this passage. It is unknown whether the “I” in question was the original author or someone else. Moreover, the passage suggests the author is from the province of Uti, and not necessarily from Kaghankatuk.

The attribution of the work to a single author was rejected from the beginning. Movses narrates the Khazar invasion of Transcaucasia and other events up to the 7th century in Book I and II of "History".

However, Book III of his "History" differs from the previous ones in style of writing [cite book
last = Hewsen
first = Robert H.
author link =
title =Notes and Communications
publisher = Bulletin of Oriental and African Studies, University of London vol. 27Museum History
year =1964
location =London
pages = pp. 151-156
isbn = ] and date. It deals with the Caspian expeditions of the Rus and their conquest of Partav in the 10th century.

Because of such time lapse and difference in style, attribution of the work to a single author seems impossible. Some have tried to solve this dilemma by attributing Book I and II to "Kaghankatvatsi" and Book III of the compilation to "Daskhurantsi".

Editions

*ru iconcite book | author=Movses Kaghankatvatsi | title= [http://www.vehi.net/istoriya/armenia/kagantv/index.html The History of the Country of Albania] (translated by Š.V. Smbatian)| publisher=Matenadaran|year=1984|location = Yerevan|isbn=
*ka iconcite book | author=Movses Kaghankatvatsi | title= The History of Albania (translated by L. Davlianidze-Tatishvili)| publisher= |year=1985 | location= Tbilisi |isbn=
*en iconcite book | author= Movsēs Dasxuranc'i | title= The History of the Caucasian Albanians (translated by C. F. J. Dowsett)| publisher=(London Oriental Series, Vol. 8) |year=1961|location = London|isbn=

References