Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
The Chronicle
of
Matthew of Edessa
TM
Dedication
To my mother Zepure (nee Panikian) of Bardizag
(Constantinople/Istanbul), who nurtured me in the
culture of my forebears and in the proper use of the
Armenian language;
To my father Levon of Yaraisar-Shghni (Sepasdia/
Sivas), who inculcated in me a love for and devotion to
the native soil of my ancestral homeland;
To Mary (Mariam) MeIjian (nee Aahjian), a loyal
daughter of Edessa (Urha1Urfa), who inspired me in
the writing of this tome.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Krikor H. Maksoudian
ix
Preface
xi
Acknowledgments
xv
Introduction
Text, Part I
19
Text, Part II
83
181
Text, Continuation
241
Notes, Part I
283
Notes, Part II
307
335
Notes, Continuation
351
Glossary
361
Maps:
Historic Armenia During the Medieval Period
Cilicia, Syria, and Palestine, 1012th Centuries
363
364
Select Bibliography
365
Index
367
Foreword
The Chronicle of Matthew of Edessa and that of his continuator,
Gregory the Priest, are indispensable sources on the period from the
mid-tenth to the mid-twelfth centuries. The renowned Seljuk
specialist Claude Cahen puts Matthew in the same class with
Michael the Syrian and Anna Comnena, calling him an "illustrious
writer" of Christian faith: The Chronicle serves as a primary source
not only for Armenian, but also for Byzantine, Crusader, Syriac, and
Islamic history, including otherwise unknown facts and documents.
Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, western scholars
have frequently cited Matthew's work, using partial French translations of excerpts by Chahan de Cirbied (1811 and 1812) and particularly by E. Dulaurier (1850). In 1858 Dulaurier published the entire
text, but left out certain sections. The works of both of these authors
appeared before the editio princeps (Jerusalem, 1869), which was
based on two manuscripts, and the complete edition of Vagharshapat
(Etchmiadzin, 1898), based on five manuscripts and the readings of
the Jerusalem text.
After more than thirteen decades, the French translation, long out
of print and out of date, remains the only translation available to the
western reader. The scholarly works that appeared in the past one
hundred and thirty years and the important advances in Byzantine,
Armenian, Crusader, Syriac, and Islamic studies make the notes of
Dulaurier's work obsolete. The accuracy of the translation also leaves
much to be desired.
The need for a new translation of Matthew's Chronicle was felt for
a long time, and Dostourian has come forward to fill that gap. Unlike
Dulaurier, he has used the Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin) text, which
contains much better readings, and has refrained from leaving out
any sections. Moreover, being a native speaker of Armenian and a
former seminarian, he has a much better command of Matthew's
language, which is the classical idiom mixed with words and
'Claude Cahen, "Historiography of the Seljuqid Period," Historians of
the Middle East, Bernard Lewis and P. M. Holt, eds. (London, 1962),78.
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Preface
The Chronicle of Matthew of Edessa is considered by scholars to
be a primary source of major importance for the history of the Near
East during the period of the early Crusades (tenth to twelfth centuries). The present work is the first translation of the Chronicle
from the original Classical Armenian into English. Three other
translations have been published: French, Turkish, and Modern
Armenian. Only the present work and the Modern Armenian
translation are based on the most complete and accurate text available. Therefore, this English translation of the Chronicle should be
of great benefit to those scholars working in the field of medieval
Near Eastern history who are not familiar with the original language.
The number of extant manuscripts of Matthew's chronicle is not
large. Moreover several of these manuscripts are incomplete. The
oldest surviving manuscripts date from the late sixteenth/early
seventeenth centuries, while the most recent were copied in the
nineteenth century. A number of libraries in the world have manuscripts of the Armenian historian's work, either complete or fragmentary: The Matenadaran (Manuscript Library) located in the Republic
of Armenia, the library of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem,
the Bibliotheque Nationale of Paris, the library of the Mekhitarist
Fathers of Venice, the library of the Mekhitarist Fathers of Vienna,
the Armenian Hostel in Rome, the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and
the British Museum in London.
The first published text of Matthew's chronicle was the French
edition prepared by E. Dulaurier (Matthew of Edessa, Chronique,
Paris, 1858). This edition, based on the three manuscripts found in
the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, contains several gaps (see, for
example, Part I, section 48, note 4; Part II, section 54, note 2;
Continuation, section 7, note 3), which were due no doubt to deficiencies in the available manuscripts. The French historian appended an
introduction and copious notes to the translation.
The first published text of Matthew's chronicle in its original
Armenian language appeared in Jerusalem in 1869 (Matthew of
Edessa, Patmut'iwn [History], Jerusalem, 1869). The editor (whose
xii
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
name is not given) states in the preface that the two manuscripts on
which he based the text are full of inaccuracies, and therefore he had
to rely on the Dulaurier text in several cases. This edition is inaccurate in some passages and contains many gaps. ~e only. other
published text of the Chronicle in the original Armeman was Issued
in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Armenia, in 1898 (~atthew. of
Edessa, Zhamanakagrut'iwn [Chronicle], edited by M. Mel~-Adanllan
and N. Ter-Mik'ayelian). This text is based on six manuscnpts found
in the library of the Holy See at Etchmiadzin (since incorporated into
the Matenadaran in Armenia). According to the editors, the best
manuscript was chosen as the basis for the text, while variant
readings from the others were incorporated in the footnotes. The
Jerusalem text was examined, and its variants and differences were
cited in the footnotes.
At the present time there are two translations of Matthew's
chronicle in addition to Dulaurier's. A Turkish translation by H. D.
Andreasyan (Vekaye Ndmesi [952-1136] ve Papaz Grigor'un Zeyli
[11361162], Ankara, 1962) is based wholly on that of Dulaurier and
includes Dulaurier's notes along with some additional notes by the
Turkish historian M. H. Yinanch. A translation into Modern
Armenian has been prepared by H. Bart'ikyan (Matthew of Edessa,
Zhamanakagrut'iwn, Yerevan, 1973) and is based on the Etchmiadzin
text cited above. This Armenian scholar has taken great pains to
render the original text into polished Modern Eastern Annenian.
Moreover he has prepared an extensive introduction together with
notes and commentary. Understandably this translation is oriented
to an Armenian-speaking audience.
The Etchmiadzin text published in 1898 has been used in the
preparation of the present translation. Armenian terms have been
transliterated into English according to the Library of Congress
system. Of the variants which have been incorporated into the
Etchmiadzin text, only those which appreciably alter the meaning of
a passage have been noted in the footnotes. The introduction, notes,
and commentary have been prepared for the educated layman rather
than the specialist and are designed to elucidate various parts of the
text (geographic place names, historical personages, etc.), as well as
to compare the Chronicle's narrative of events to those provided by
other contemporary historians and chroniclers of the period. It is
hoped that they will provide the educated layman with a tool for a
b~tter. understanding both of the contents of the text and the
hlstoncal context in which it was written.
PREFACE
xiii
Acknowledgements
The present work would not have been possible without the help
and inspiration of a number of people. It was my mentor and
advisor, Professor Peter Charanis of Rutgers University, who
proposed the idea of my translating Matthew of Edessa's chronicle as
a dissertation topic for a doctorate in Byzantine history. From the
inception of the work in the fall of 1962 to my completion of the
degree in 1972, Professor Charanis patiently encouraged and gently
prodded me, for which I am ever grateful. I only regret that he did
not live long enough to see the publication he initiated and so
inspired. Professor Ernest McDonnell, also of Rutgers University,
made some helpful comments and suggestions on the final form of the
dissertation.
I am indebted to Professor Isidore Twersky of Harvard University, through whom I obtained a teaching and research associateship
at Harvard for the year 1968~1969, which enabled me to write the
major portion of my dissertation. Professor Robert Thomson, Mesrob
Mashtots Professor of Armenian Studies at Harvard, gave me
invaluable assistance in my translation work. I am also indebted to
Professor Thomson for his helpful comments and suggestions on the
introduction, commentary, and notes.
The Board Chairman of the National Association for Armenian
Studies and Research (NAASR), Manoog S. Young, as well as the
Board of Directors, graciously consented to take on the responsibility
of publishing this work, for which I am very appreciative. I have
special thanks for Dr. Barbara J. Merguerian, NAASR's Director of
Information and Publications, who painstakingly edited, prepared,
and proofread the manuscript and made many helpful suggestions.
I would like to express my gratitute to Professor Hagop Nersoyan
of the University of Dayton and to the Very Reverend Dr. Krikor H.
Maksoudian of the Diocese of the Armenian Church for their very
helpful comments and suggestions. Lastly, my thanks to Janice
Chase of Carrollton, Georgia, for typing the final manuscript.
Ara Edmond Dostourian
Introduction
Very little is known about the life of Matthew of Edessa except for
the meager information contained in his chronicle. The dates of his
birth and death cannot be ascertained, although it is doubtful that
the Armenian chronicler lived beyond the year 1136, when his work
ends. The Armenian historian M. Ch'amich' suggests that Matthew
died in the siege of Edessa by the Turkish ruler Zengi in 1144 but
gives no basis for this assertion. Most probably Matthew spent the
latter days of his life in Kesoun and was in that town when the
Danishmendid ruler Amr-Ghazi laid siege to it in 1136. Matthews
native city was Edessa. According to his own testimony he was a
monk, l and he probably resided in one of the monasteries in the
vicinity of the city. He was a priest of lower rank and not a vardapet
(doctor). However, as can be discerned by his writing, he was
energetic and dedicated in the task which he undertook, the compilation of his chronicle. 2 Like most of his contemporaries, Matthew
perceived reality through religious eyes-that is, he believed that all
events occur through the foreknowledge and intervention of God.
The Chronicle, by its very nature, lacks homogeneity. The first
part, describing the events of the years 952 to 1051 A.D., is based on
the sources of others; the second, 1051 to 1101, on eyewitnesses living
in Matthew's time; and the third, 1101 to 1136, on Matthew's own
observations along with those of some others. A certain Gregory the
Priest continued the chronicle to the year 1162. According to the
lMatthew might have been the superior of a monastery rather than an
ordinary monk. The Armenian text uses vanakan and vanats' erets which
could mean "monk," or "monk of a monastery," or "superior of a monastery."
2S ee Part II, section Ii Part III, sections 1, 2, 3.
J
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
INTRODUCTION
of the Turks in Armenia (Part I, section 47), the account of the sack
of the opulent city of Arlsn (Part I, section 92), the narration of the
fall of Ani to the Seljuks (Part II, section 22), and the description of
the death of a Georgian warrior at the hands of an Annenian hero
(Part I, section 10). Another element in Matthew's chronicle which
needs to be mentioned here is the folk epic, one of the traditional
genres of classical Armenian literature. Two very good examples of
the Armenian chronicler's use of this genre are the accounts of the
battle of Khach'ik and his sons with the Muslims (Part I, section 82)
and the conflict between T'ornik and Philaretus (Part II, sections 60
and 61).
In analyzing Matthew's basic philosophy, there is a tendency to
oversimplify the Armenian chronicler's viewpoints and attitudes.
Indeed some scholars have characterized Matthew as simple-minded,
intensely nationalistic, deeply suspicious, and hateful of foreigners,
as well as superstitious and credulous. There can be no doubt that
some of these attitudes can be found in his work. However, Matthew
is too complex an individual to be presented in such oversimplified
terms. His motives for writing the Chronicle are simple and clear:
to provide instruction concerning the manner of God's intervention in
history, either to punish humans for their wickedness or to reward
them for their righteousness. To use the author's own words:
It is because of all this that I, Matthew of Edessa, a monk,
spared no efforts and left this work as a record for those who
enjoy studying chronicles so that, when they begin to inquire into
past events, they may be able more easily to learn about the
times and the epochs. These persons shall also learn about the
terrible misfortunes which occurred in those times and, once
again bringing these things to mind, shall remember the divine
wrath which we received from God the righteous judge as a
penalty for our sins. Because of these many calamities-namely
the destruction of the Christians and the reprimands which our
Lord God brought upon us by means of an infidel nation-we did
not wish that such threats and warnings of God be forgotten by
us. Now it is essential to heed the admonition of our God
ceaselessly and at all times. (Part II, section 1).
Writing within the prophetic framework of the Old Testament,
Matthew warns his readers throughout his work that destruction
came upon Israel when her people strayed from the path of righteousness. Numerous examples are given of divine wrath falling upon the
Christians because of their recalcitrance: God punished the Christians because of their sins, using the Turks as an instrument of his
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
wrath (Part II, section 49); a famine is brought upon the people of
Edessa because they sinfully killed their leader T'oros (Part II,
section 130); God punishes the Greeks because of their treachery
against the Franks (Part ill, section 5). Although a theological
motive permeates the work, Matthew strives to present historical
events as accurately as possible.3
Like most medieval chroniclers Matthew is steeped in religious
thinking which is sometimes noncritical. In this respect he is no
different from the contemporary Byzantine, Syrian, or Latin chroniclers. In keeping with the medieval world view, Matthew interprets
all natural phenomena either as omens of impending danger or as
miracles showing the glory and might of God. Examples of this
religious orientation can be seen in the description of the failure of
the lamps in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to burn due to
heretical thinking on the part of the Byzantine Christians (Part I,
section 43); the miracle of the blocking of a river by the Armenian
catholicos Peter (Part I, section 50); the incident of the preservation
of the Syriac Gospels after having been cast into a fire many times
(Part II, section 2); the "red snow" which brings famine and death in
its wake (Part IT, section 10); the incident in which lightening strikes
the fortress of Vahka, presaging the death of the Annenian prince
Constantine (Part II, section 128); and the appearance of a comet
foretelling that a great ruler will reign over a vast empire (Part III,
section 32).
Matthew has been styled as a super patriot, a passionate
adherent of the Armenian church, and a denouncer of all things
foreign, whether pertaining to an alien religious tradition or an alien
cultural background. This view of Matthew does not bear up under
close scrutiny. In the first place, to call him a super patriot or
chauvinist is to attribute to him a nineteenth century concept of
nationalism which was foreign to the Middle Ages. Instead of
allegiance to a state, peoples' loyalties were based on an attachment
to a local area or to a religious community. It cannot be denied that
Matthew has strong feelings for the cultural and religious heritage
to which he belongs, but the same can be said of most of the writers
and thinkers of the time. Can anyone deny that Bar Hebraeus,
Michael the Syrian, Anna Comnena, Michael PselluB, and William of
Tyre are partisan writers? And while a number of the Byzantine and
Arab historians do not evince as intense a feeling for their religious
3See Part III, section 3.
INTRODUCTION
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Latins, during the onslaughts of the Muslims (Part I, section 30; Part
II, sections 2, 110, 111; Part III, section 8).
Matthew has come under special criticism for his alleged spiteful
attitude towards the Byzantine church. An analysis of his statements
on that subject does not bear this out. It is true that he hurls
invectives at the Byzantine church, but only when that church, in his
opinion, strays from the Orthodox faith (Part I, section 43) or tries to
compel his people to follow the Byzantine tradition (Part II, sections
14, 30, 57). On the other hand, he has a very high regard for his own
church and considers its faith to be pure and orthodox (Part II,
sections 30 f). Under these circumstances, can Matthew be labeled
any more of a religious fanatic than his Byzantine coreligionists?
Matthew is generally consistent in his attitude towards the alien
peoples with whom the Armenians were in contact during this period.
He is very critical of those he considers to have worked against the
interests of both his own people and those of the other Christians
inhabiting the area. He eulogizes and praises all individuals,
including Muslims, who act benevolently towards the Christians. In
spite of his deep devotion to the Armenian church, Matthew does not
allow his loyalty to interfere with his allegiance to the universal
church of Christ (including Greeks, Latins, Syrians, and Copts). Of
all the neighboring peoples, he seems to be most concerned about the
Greeks. In essence the relationship between the Greeks and Armenians was more than a neighborly one during this period. The
Byzantine empire's very existence and preservation depended in large
part on the cooperation between the two peoples. It is no wonder
that Matthew condemns policies that created disharmonies between
the two Christian peoples but praises efforts to strengthen their
relationship and cooperation. Thus, when the Byzantine rulers
attempt, successfully in the end, to annihilate the Armenian states
in eastern Anatolia, they are condemned in no uncertain terms (Part
I, sections 84, 92; Part II, section 13). Moreover, whoever threatens
the empire and its unity is likewise condemned, whether it be an
individual rebel or an outside invader (Part I, sections 28,81; Part IT,
sections 57, 90). On the other hand, Matthew appears to contradict
his profession of loyalty to the empire when he severely castigates the
Greeks for their treacherous attitude towards the Latin Crusaders
(Part III, sections 4, 5). Perhaps Matthew here is following the Latin
sources which maintain that the Greeks were treacherous in their
dealings with the Crusaders, rather than the Byzantine sources
which state the opposite view (cf. Part III, section 4, note 4).
INTRODUCTION
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
INTRODUCTION
the period. Thomas dealt with the history of the Artsroni dynasty
from early times through the appearance of the Seljuk Turks in
Vaspurakan in the early eleventh century. Stephen Asoghik
(eleventh century) wrote a world history which in its third part deals
with the history of Armenia and the neighboring states from the
reign of Ashot I to that of Gagik I (885-1020). Aristakes of Lastivert
(eleventh century) has aptly been called the "Armenian Jeremiah" for
his account of the events in Armenia from 1001 to 1072, in which he
lamented the impending destruction of his native land by the Seljuk
Turks. Aristakes devoted a good portion of his history to the Seljuk
penetration of eastern Anatolia through the battle of Mantskert
(Manzikert, 1071); he is less successful in analyzing facts and events,
tending to attribute them to divine providence.
Four thirteenth-century Armenian historians have produced
useful accounts of some of the events included in Matthew's chronicle.
Stephen Orbelian, a scion of the famous Orbelian family, wrote a
history of Siwnik', one of the provinces of Greater Armenia. This
work includes a history of the Orbelian dynasty which ruled the
region for centuries, as well as a description of the area's topography
and geography. Vardan Vardapet (Areveltsi), in his history of
Armenia and the surrounding regions, provides an especially valuable
account of the period of the tenth to thirteenth centuries, with
emphasis on the relations between the Armenians and the neighboring peoples (Byzantines, Arabs, Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, Mongols,
etc.). 5mbat Sparapet (the Constable), a scion of the Hetumids of
Cilician Armenia, wrote a chronicle of the events in Cilicia and the
neighboring regions in the period 951-1272, which was continued to
1336 by others. The work presents a comprehensive view of the
political and socioeconomic relations of the Cilician state with the
neighboring states and peoples. Kirakos of Gandzak (Ganja) wrote
a history of Armenia in two parts: the first part a short presentation
of events in Armenia from St. Gregory the Enlightener (fourth
century) to the Mongol invasions (thirteenth century) and the second,
more valuable, section on the Mongol invasions of Armenia (12411266) and their political, social, and economic effects on the land, its
people, and the surrounding areas. 5
It is believed that Matthew died soon after his narration ends, in 1136;
therefore he could not have utilized these Armenian historians. It has been
suggested that some of his information on the tenth and early eleventh
centuries was based on the lost Chronicle of one John of Banahin.
10
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
INTRODUCTION
11
12
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
INTRODUCTION
13
tends to agree with or follow the Latin sources rather than the Greek
or Syriac (Fart Ill, section 4 and note 4; section 18 and note 2, section
105 and note 2). What this indicates is difficult to say, except that
the Armenian chronicler might have relied on some Latin sources for
events pertaining to the Franks, especially outside upper Mesopotamia. 10 There is no evidence that Matthew had any firsthand
information on Caucasian events, specifically those pertaining to
Georgia and its relations with the neighboring Muslims. Perhaps his
narration of these events (Part III, sections 83 and 84, section 98 and
note 2) was based on Armenian sources, although this must remain
a matter of conjecture. A further point to be noted here is that the
Armenian chronicler relates a number of events pertaining to the
decease of various Byzantine, Muslim, and Frankish mIers, giving
details on the manner of their deaths which differ substantially from
those of other sourcesll (Part II, section 132 and note 1; Part III,
section 95 and note 6, section 102 and note 4).
It is evident that Matthew is rather inconsistent in his handling
of sources. In spite of his contention that he thoroughly investigated,
weighed, and analyzed his materials (Part II, section 1), the Armenian chronicler has not always been correct in his chronological and
factual presentation (Part I, section 1 and note 6, section 2 and note
6, section 3 and note 4, section 5 and note 4, section 16 and note 3,
section 23 and note 2, section 35 and note 2, section 36 and note 1,
section 44 and note 3; Part II, section 5 and note 7, section 51 and
note 1, section 68 and note 1, section 69 and note 1). Nevertheless,
in other instances he has accurately described the events he relates.
In keeping with the mentality of a medieval chronicler, Matthew
tends to be credulous and exaggerates a great deal (Part I, section 9
and note 3, section 18, section 48; Part II, section 109), but such
shortcomings are offset by a not infrequent judicious presentation of
events and individuals.
Since medieval chronicles are basically simple catalogues of events
in chronological order, very little or no emphasis is placed on
lOOn events pertaining to the Franks in upper Mesopotamia, it is quite
evident that Matthew relied on his own observations, eyewitnesses, and
others of that region. As to the specific Latin sources on which the
Armenian chronicler might have relied, there seems to be no definite
indication.
llActually all the sources differ on the details concerning the manner
in which these rulers died. It is indeed surprising that there should be so
much disagreement on the details.
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
14
Ih'17ft
INTRODUCTION
15
16
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
TEXT
Part P
1. In those days, in the year 401 of the Armenian era [952-953],3
20
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART
21
22
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART I
23
24
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART
25
Ch'ortuanel and certain others. These were brave men and invincible
in battle. Vasak was unable to be patient of heart until the troops
gathered together, for there were as many as five thousand men
under him. Boastful of his strength, he went forth like a lion with
five hundred men into the district of Nig and entrusted his home of
Bjni to his son Gregory. When Vasak arrived at a monastery, he and
all his troops took communion and sincerely confessed their sins to
Jesus Christ. On the road, coming up to a village, they saw that the
infidels had completely destroyed it, and that these Muslims had
surrounded the church and were ruthlessly slaughtering the faithful
who were inside. When brave Vasak saw this, he roared like a lion
and fell upon the infidel forces. Three hundred of their men were
slaughtered, and the remaining fugitives took refuge with the main
infidel force.
Then moving forth, the main bulk of the Armenian army came
against the infidel forces; when the Armenians saw the Muslim army
to be very numerous and without measure, anticipating death
together, they began to take courage in battle; like wolves among
goats or like eagles in a flock of young birds they courageously went
into battle, wounding many and felling their bodies to the ground.
Then there arose a champion from the infidel forces, a dark Ethiopian
and a brave man, who was called "Ewt'n Gayl,"3 because whatever
seven wolves were able to accomplish among sheep and among their
flock, this man was able to accomplish that much more among troops
in a battle. Lo the Ethiopian, from whose coat of mail sparks flew,
came forth like a thundering cloud and, crying out, sought after
Vasak by name. Then brave Emran looked and saw him, for he was
advancing like a fuming mountain and, turning to Vasak, he said:
"Here is an invincible and brave man, the like of whom has never
been born on earth." Vasak said: "0 lion-hearted and brave Emran,
why are you frightened at his sight? Lo, I shall go forth against him
and give to him the gift that David gave Goliath, the blasphemer of
God." 4 At that moment the ferocious Ethiopian advanced, hurling his
lance at brave Vasak so that he might hang him on the end of that
weapon. But being quick, Vasak ducked and with a steel sword
struck the crest of his [attacker's] helmet and cleaved in two the
brave Ethiopian, whose members lay sprawled on the ground. Thus
the Armenians were given courage in the battle and in the impossible
task. As the combat grew intense and the sword wounds multiplied,
brave Emran disappeared; for the nobility strayed from one another
due to the extensive and difficult battle, and thus were unable to see
26
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART I
27
28
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART I
29
30
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART
31
32
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
20. "Thus all Phoenicia, Palestine, and Syria have been freed from
the bondage of the Muslims and have acceded to the rule of the
1
Romans. Also the great Mount Lebanon has submitted to our rule;
all the Muslims who were found there, [comprising] a very great
number, we have taken captive and handed over to our cavalry
forces. We have governed Syria humanely and benevolently; we have
removed as many as twenty thousand persons from there and
resettled them in Jabala. You can clearly see that God gave a victory
s~ch as has never occurred before. In that town of Jabala we
dIscovered the holy sandals of Christ our God, in which he had
roamed ab?ut wh?n he was on earth. We also discovered the picture
of aUf SaVIor, whIch ha? be.en pierce~ through in times past by the
Jews, blood and water ISSUIng from It immediately' [one could also
see] the spe~r wound on it. In that town we als~ discovered the
ven~ra~le haIr of ~he head of the precursor, John the Baptist;2 and
takmg It, brought It for safe keeping to our capital protected by God
In the month of September, with the blessings of God, we brought ou~
PART I
33
forces~
34
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART I
35
among all the living; he was merciful towards widows and captives
and rendered justice to the oppressed.
25. In this period a slaughter of Annenian troops took place in the
district of Andzewats'ik', in the camp known by the same name,
because of the treachery of the brave man Ablgharib. 1 For the rnler
of Andzewats'ik', whose name was Derenik,2 removed Ablgharib, a
mighty and brave man, from the generalship of his troops, putting in
his place a certain nobleman Sarkis. Mighty Ablgharib was hurt a
great deal. So he became an intelligence man for the forces 3 of the
infidels and made known to them all the means by which the
Armenians might be taken by surprise [and defeatedJ, saying the
following: "I shall not go forth in battle against you; now go forth at
night and come against our army; there shall be a signal for you [to
attack] my tent which is of ordan red,4 and my tent will stand pitched
on a hill and my troops will be with me." The infidel forces came
upon the Armenians at an unexpected hour, while the ruler [of
Andzewats'ik'] and his troops were making merry. On that night the
infidel forces fell upon the Armenian troops and caused a great
slaughter, many warriors and illustrious brave men dying. This was
regrettable, for the battle was not fought at an opportune time.
Derenik was taken prisoner. Moreover, no one dared pass under
Ablgharib's tent, for he was near his tent and ready with his troops.
Then Derenik was taken to the town of Her [by the infidel forces].
26. On that day Varag and all the other monasteries invoked
grievous and strong anathemas upon Ablgharib. Hermits and monks,
stirred up against him, excommunicated and expelled him from the
church of God. However Ablgharib, coming to his senses, wept, for
he was a man of faith and a fearer of God and so he greatly regretted
the shedding of the blood of the brave Armenian troops. Then he
began to ask questions concerning Derenik, namely in what fortress
in the town of Her he was imprisoned. He was informed that the
emir Abii'I-Hajji 1 had freed Derenik from his chains and always took
him to play ball in the maydan 2 outside the town of Her. When
Ablgharib heard this, he was very happy and, secretly sending to
Derenik, said the following to him: "At a certain hour I will be at
that place; with all your strength ready yourself, mount a choice and
swift horse, and in this way try to reach me." One day Abu'l-Hajji
went forth accompanied by many of his noblemen to play ball, and
with him also were a thousand men equipped with weapons.
36
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Ablgharib, on the other hand, was waiting in ambush with fifty men.
Derenik asked the head groom for his swift horse, and he gave him
his equipment. Then the Armenian ruler pushed forward the group
[in which he found himse1f], directing it to the place where Ablgharib
was hidden in the wooded gardens of Her; then, vehemently spurring
on his horse, he left the group behind and thus escaped. The emir
Abl1'lHajji and his troops, seeing this, very angrily pursued him.
Derenik, trusting in God, bravely went and took refuge with
Ablgharib. However, a certain Ethiopian from the infidel forces, a
brave and mighty man, pursued and came upon Ablgharib. Ablgharib roared like a lion and, falling upon him, savagely struck him and
cut the Ethiopian in two, splitting him from the head to the groin.
When the infidels saw this, they turned in flight. Then Ablgharib
signaled his brave men and, pursuing the emir Abii'l-Hajji, caught up
with him. Intent on taking the emir from his horse, he pursued him
up to the gates of the town. The emir, like lightening, entered
through the gates of the town of Her. Then Ablgharib struck the iron
gates of the town with a steel axe and broke through the iron,
pushing the axe clear through to the other side. This axe has
remained unextricated until the present time and has been fixed in
place like a bolt. In this manner brave Ablgharib freed Derenik from
captivity. This event took place in the district of Chuashs in
Annenia, in a village called Bak, bordering Vaspurakan.
27. At the beginning of the year 425 of the Annenian era [976-977]
God summoned the holy Armenian patriarch, Anania, to himself. 1 In
the presence of a great throng the most excellent and blessed Vahan2
was consecrated to the see of the Annenian catholicate. His lordship
John, the catholicos of the Albanians, presided over the assembly.
So, in this year, by order of Anania and the Armenian kings John
and ABhot,S his lordship Vahan occupied the patriarchal see of
Armenia, located in the renowned town of Argina. 4
28. In this period a certain wicked magnate called Scelerus1
rebelled against Basil, the Roman emperor. Gathering forces made
up of a large number of deceitful and wicked men, he gave the
country of the Romans over to the sword. With many troops he came
and entered Armenia, and this man, alienated from God, caused very
great slaughter there. The Armenian forces went against him and by
a great victory vanquished that wicked magnate and, slaughtering
his troops, caused him to flee. 2 But Scelerus did not dare return to
PART I
37
30. During these times the wicked and abominable Persian tyrant
Mamlan, the chief emir of the infidels,! collected troops and, rushing
forth in his ferociousness like a bloodthirsty serpent, came against
the Christian faithful, intending to bring much slaughter upon
Annenia. He came, advancing with a formidable and innumerable
army, and filled the mountains and plains with his troops. Shaking
from fear of this wicked man, the whole land trembled, for he
enslaved many areas by sword and fire. Burning down churches, he
deprived them of the blessings of God and spoke many blasphemous
words to the heavens above, to the Most High. At that time one
witnessed the great and frightful destruction of the Christians by the
terror caused by that wicked beast, for the wrath of his deadly poison
was shed upon the faithful like venomous bile. With a very great
army he came and reached the district of Apahunik', 2in the land of
the curopalatesS David,4the Georgian prince. This emir wrote a letter
to the pious and saintly man of God, the curopalates David, threatening him with strong words and saying the following: ItO David, you
who are a man abominable, wicked, and decaying in your old age, let
no one deceive you; for if you do not immediately send me ten years'
tribute, the sons of your noblemen as hostages, and a written
statement promising to serve me, I will come against you, arriving
quickly with my great might, and who will be the one who shall save
you from my hands? For I will bring upon you severe and harsh
38
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
0:
PART I
39
40
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART I
41
them off to Egypt. 2 Two years after, the great Roman nation went
forth and with many troops came against Armenia. Bringing the
sword and enslavement, the Romans mercilessly fell upon the
Christian faithful and passed through the land, killing savagely like
a poisonous serpent, in this manner being no different from the
infidel peoples. When the Romans entered Armenia, the forces of the
Armenian noblemen gathered against them. When the two armies
met, they clashed savagely, each side bravely fighting the other; thus
both sides fought without one side being able to vanquish the other.
At that time one witnessed violent slaughter on both sides. However,
when the fierce battle grew intense, the Roman forces were defeated
by the Armenians; and thus the Romans, narrowly escaping and
humiliated, turned in flight towards their country.
40. In this same year the Muslim emir, called "Long-Hand, "1 went
Basil gathered troops from all the lands of his empire and, moving
forth, went against the country of the Bulgars. He spent much time
in that country, conducting an extensive war. In those days a great
disturbance took place in the city of Constantinople and in the whole
empire of the Greeks, because on the important feast day of Easter
the Greeks had fallen into error concerning the celebration of the holy
day of the resurrection, [that is to say] of Easter. All the doctors of
the Greek nation wrongly abolished the true precepts of the Divine
Scriptures and adopted the false and fraudulent calendar of the
42
MATTHEW OF EDESS A
1
adverse [and opinionated] Irion. These Greek s would not accep t the
authenticated calendar of the eminent Andrew, but rathe r transf erred
the Easter full moon from Sunday to Satur day and celeb rated Easte r
on the following day, which should have been celeb rated after eight
days.2 Thus the whole Greek nation fell into error conce rning Holy
Easter, and much affliction fell upon the holy churc h of Const antinople and especially upon the divinely-established city of Jerus alem,
for, puffed up with arrogance, these Greeks had trans ferred Easte r
to the day of Palm Sunday. So the Greek nation on this matte r acted
contrary to all the [Christian] nations and especially to Chris t, for
this nation of philosophers warred again st the Holy Spirit . On that
Easter the lights of the lamps in the holy sepulc her which conta ined
God, in the city of Jerusalem, would not burn, becau se the Greek s
adhered to a false opinion and thus celebrated their Easte r illega lly.
On that day the infidel peoples who were in the city of Jerus alem ,
when they witnessed the Easter of the Chris tians inside the Chur ch
of the Holy Resurrection, slaughtered with the sword all the
Christians, as many as ten thousand persons; thus the holy sepul cher
of Christ was filled with the blood of those praying. To this day their
bones fill the grotto there in the weste rn section of the city of
Jerusalem; these bones are now called liThe Relics of the YOWlg
People." Now this was the situation the [would-be] intell igent sages
of the Greeks brought about,
. 44. When the emperor Basil had conquered and taken over the
kI~~om of the. Bulgars, he returned to Const antino ple with great
r~OlC1ng.. Heanng about all this slaughter, which had taken place on
t OccaSIon of the celebration of Holy Easte r, he summ oned all the
Willfully they began
~agde.sfliof the Greeks and asked them the cause.
. ,
In I erent ways to misle d th
e emperor With Irrele vant answ ers
a
Th
d answers and under stood that
maske
their
ized
recogn
~
th e emper;
a~~t~ee~e a,nderroneous. Now for a long time Basil had heard
skillful in the ~manl v;rdapets, namely that they were invinc ible and
books. He knew of Josep h the
abbot of the M nowte gefo!the holy
'
'1 d f J
onas ery a ~ndzayut ~,a~
ohn, whose surna me
0
was Kozern.2 So he wrote the
to him in Constantinople so t~ell1an ~mg John. to send these men
a rom t em he mIght learn the true
cause of the contro vers'
feaat day of] Easter. H y and t~ correct [method for calcu lating the
agree to go,
!>ut rather by a let~r c~:;~:~dt ~Be vardapets wouldandnotconta
ining an
In-depth analysis, they eXPlain:t~:legant words
whole matte r to the empe ror.
PART I
43
Nevertheless, the clergy, being opposed to all this, did not agree with
the letter, until once again the emperor Basil sent to Armenia to the
shahnshah Johns and to his lordship the Armenian catholicos Sargis;
through a firm request he had the Armenian vardapet Samuel, a
clever and invincible man, brought to him and had him seated in the
imperial court to speak to the Greek doctors. The Greek savants
used all the books of their tradition against Samuel, but they were
unable to move him from the truth. Then Samuel began with the
first day of creation and came to the most recent day on which this
event had occurred and before the savants he verified all the correct
reasons for the celebration of Easter, using the writings of the
theologians. Basil agreed with all the words said by Samuel.
However, the Greek savants said to the emperor: "0 sovereign
emperor, command to have brought here the eminent Hebrew doctor
who lives on the island of Cyprus, a skillful man and one erudite in
the calendar and in all the sciences since his childhood." So Basil
sent to Cyprus and brought over Moses, the Hebrew doctor. He, an
eloquent and imposing man, stood in the imperial court before the
emperor Basil; he began to discourse on the principles of the
calendar, shaming all the Greek savants and proving them in error,
while praising the words of Samuel, the Armenian vardapet. After
this the emperor was very vexed with the Greek doctors, depriving
them of their privileged positions; on the other hand, he sent the
Armenian vardapet back to Armenia with splendid gifts.
45. During the reign of Basil, the Greek emperor, and in the year
452 of the Armenian era [1003-1004] a certain star, appearing in the
form of fire, arose in the heavens, an omen of the wrath of God
towards all living creatures and also a sign of the end of the world.
There was a violent earthquake throughout the whole land, to such
an extent that many thought that the day of the end of the world had
arrived. Like the time of the flood all living creatures shook and
trembled, and many fell down and died from fear of the intensity of
this wrath. After this outpouring of God)s wrath a plague, called
khouik,t came upon the area and) spreading through many regions,
reached Sebastia. This plague clearly manifested itself on men's
bodies and, because of its harshness, many had no time to make their
confession or take communion. Man and beast diminished from the
land, and those remaining quadrupeds roamed about the countryside
without anyone to take care of them.
44
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
46. In the year 460 of the Armenian era [1011-1012] the emperor
Basil collected troops and went against the country of the Bulgars.
He conquered their kingdom and very fiercely devastated many
1
regions with the sword. He subjected the wh~le West to plunder and
enslavement and exterminated the entire kmgdom of the Bulgars,
forcing AliOskhan,2 who was a brave man and k~ng of ~he Bulgars: to
drink poison. In this manner Basil took the kmg'ss hfe and, takmg
his wife and sons, brought them to Constantinople.
47. When the year 467 1 of the Armenian era [1018-1019] began,
the divine-rebuking wrath of God was awakened against all the
Christian peoples and against those worshiping the holy cross, for a
fatal dragon with deadly fire rose up and struck those faithful to the
Holy Trinity. In this period the very foundations of the apostles and
prophets were shaken, because winged serpents came forth an~ w~re
intent on spreading like fire over all the lands of the Chnstlan
faithful. This was the first appearance of the bloodthirsty beasts.2
During these times the savage nation of infidels called Turks
gathered together their forces. Then they came and entered Armenia
in the province of Vaspurakan and mercilessly slaughtered the
Christian faithful with the edge of the sword.
48. The news of this event reached King Senek'erim. Thereupon,
his eldest son David, gathering together forces of the noblemen,
advanced against the Turkish camp, and the two armies clashed
violently in a horrible battle. Until that time the Armenians had
never seen Turkish cavalry forces. When they encountered these
Turks, armed with bows and having flowing hair like women, they
found them strange-looking. The Armenian troops were not accns~omed to resisting arrows. Nevertheless, they bravely attacked the
mfidels, fully unsheathing their swords from the scabbard; thus the
courageous Armenian army bravely rushed into battle and killed
many of the infidels. However, the infidels, shooting arrows, hit and
wound~~any of the Armenian troops. Seeing all this, Shapuh1 said
to DaVId: Turn back, 0 king, from before the enemy, for the greater
part of our troops have been wounded by arrows. Let us withdraw
and defend ourselves against these weapons we see in the hands of
the. infidels by preparing other types of garments which will resist
theIr arrow~." But Davi?, being conscious of his high rank, becam.e
w:ogant WIth great pnde and did not heed Shapuh's advice to
WIthdraw from the battle. Then Shapuh, irritated by this, ran after
PART I
45
David and, striking his back with his fist, vehemently forced him to
turn back. For Shapuh was a brave and mighty warrior, besides
which he had raised and educated David and, because of all this did
not fear him. In this manner Shapuh forced David to withdraw
together with his troops. The Armenian forces went back to the city
of Ostan and related everything to King Senek'eriro, telling him
about the appearance of the infidels. 2 When Senek'erim heard this,
he became greatly distressed. He neither ate nor drank, but rather
became pensive, grief-stricken, and passed the whole night sleepless.
Sitting down, he examined the chronicles and utterances of the
divinely-inspired prophets, the holy vardapets, and found written in
these books the time specified for the coming of the forces and
soldiers of the Turks. He also learned of the impending destruction
and end of the whole world. In these books he found written the
following: "At that time they will flee from the east to the west, from
the north to the south, and they will not find rest upon the earth, for
the plains and the mountains will be covered with blood";3 and this
is what Isaiah said: liThe hoofs of their stallions are unfaltering." 4
49. After this Senek'erim resolved to hand over the land of his
ancestors to the Greek emperor Basil and in its stead to obtain
Sebastia; so he immediately wrote to the emperor. When the
emperor Basil heard this, he rejoiced greatly and gave the Armenian
king Sebastia. In turn Senek'erim handed over the land of
Vaspurakan to the emperor, including seventy-two regional fortresses
and four thousand four hundred villages and the monasteries; he did
not give up, but kept, one hundred and fifteen monasteries where
prayers were said for him. 1 He gave all of this in writing to Basil.
Then the emperor asked the Armenian king to send him David in
royal splendor; so Senek'erim sent his son and with him the sons of
the noblemen; the bishop, his lordship Eghishe; three hundred packmules, laden with treasure and various articles; and also one
thousand Arabian horses. With such a splendid train David entered
Constantinople. The city was stirred up and everyone came to meet
him. The streets and palaces were decorated and the populace
strewed money on him [as he went forth]. The emperor Basil rejoiced
greatly when he saw David and, taking him to Saint Sophia, made
him his adopted child, and the populace honored him as the
emperor's son. Mter this Basil gave David many gifts and sent him
back to his father, and he gave Senek'enm Sebastia with its innumerable surrounding districts. Senek'erim, going forth with his whole
46
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
50. In the year 470 of the Armenian era [1021-1022] Basil went
forth to the East with innumerable forces, demanding Ani and Kars
from the Armenian king. John,l the son of Gagik, resolved to hand
them over since he was a cowardly person.2 Mter this Basil returned
to his country and wrote to George,S the Georgian king, to come to
him in submission, which the king neither accepted nor undertook to
do. 4 So the emperor came against him in battle. The Georgian forces
in turn went against him; and ~at and Zoyat, brave men and
brothers of Liparit,5 vehemently clashed with Basil's forces until ~at
was killed, for his horse became caught in a muddy place and the
brave Georgian perished there. Then the Georgian forces turned in
flight; and Basil's troops, pursuing, slaughtered them. The emperor
stayed there for three months until he had brought the Georgians to
submission and after this he wintered in Trebizond. His lordship
Peter,6 the Armenian catholicos, and the holy vardapet John Kozern
went to the emperor Basil, carrying with them many religious objects,
and the emperor received them with great honor. When the great
feast day of the baptism of our Lord arrived, the emperor honored his
lordship Peter and the Armenian vardapets; he had them seated in
a higher position than the Greek prelates and, in the presence of his
lordship Peter, ordered the water be blessed. When the catholicos
poured the miwron 7 of the holy oil into the water and blessed it with
the Holy Cross, 8 an intensely brilliant fIre appeared upon the water
and the river became blocked up at one place and would not flow. 9
When the emperor and his troops saw this, they became terrified, and
Basil, bowing down, poured the blessed water upon his own head
under the guidance of his lordship Peter. After this the Armenian
catholicos returned to Armenia laden with splendid gifts.1o Mer a
while Basil in tum secretly went to Antioch, accompanied by three
faithful men. Going up to the Black Mountains to a place called
Paghakdziak,l1 he received Christian baptism from the superior and
spiritual leader of the place and henceforth became like an adopted
father of the Armenian nation. , . ,12
51. In the year 471 of the Armenian era [10221023] his lordship
Sargis, the Armenian catholicos, died, and his lordship Peter1 was
installed in his place as patriarch. In the same year a certain
powerful magnate of the Greek nation, Nicephorus, surnamed
PART I
47
48
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART I
49
glorification of God by mankind will cease, and truth will not appear
among men. On the contrary, abominable and loathsome princes will
become rash and fall into error. They will forsake their concern for
the construction of buildings and for the successful outcome of their
undertakings;3 instead they will evermore dally in drunkenness
because of their love and desire for that evil and abominable disease.
The patriarchs, bishops, priests, and monks will be more avaricious
than pious. My children, henceforth the will of Satan shall be
executed among the sons of man more than the will of God. By
means of unworthy celebrants, which henceforth shall be the rule,
God shall vent his anger upon all living creatures, especially upon
those who celebrate the divine liturgy, since Christ shall be sacrificed
by the unworthy and distributed to the unworthy. Our Lord Jesus
Christ shall be wounded more by unworthy priests than he was by
his torment and crucifixion at the hands of the Jews, since Satan has
been freed from his thousand-year imprisonment in which Christ had
bound him. My children, I disclose all of these things to you, weeping
and lamenting with an oppressed heart, because many will be pulled
away from the faith, boastfully denying Christ. Thus it is because of
all these iniquities that darkness has taken hold of all creation,lI The
holy Armenian vardapet spoke in this manner concerning the
execution of the divine wrath. Moreover, he discoursed on many
other misfortunes which would befall the faithful; 10, all of these
things indeed came about, one after another, by the eruption of the
ferocious and savage nation of the Turks, those wicked and abominable children of Ham. 4
53. In this same year of the horrible omen [about which we have
spoken], the saintly Roman emperor Basil died,lhaving occupied the
imperial throne of the Romans for fifty-eight years. 2 While he was
still alive, he summoned his brother Constantine and placed the
imperial crown on his head. He then installed Constantine on the
imperial throne and prostrated himself [before his brother]. Basil
entrusted his whole empire to Constantine and drew up a will in
reference to Annenia, which directed the new emperor to watch over
that nation with paternal care. Moreover, Basil entrusted to
Constantine the Bans of Senek'erim-David, Atom, Abusahl, and
Constantine-and also all the princes of the Armenian nation,
enjoining his brother always to deal benevolently with the Christian
faithful. Basil reigned over the Romans for fifty-eight years. He led
a holy and chaste life and, having sincerely confessed his sins, went
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
'U
d as buried next to the other sam Y
an
to sleep in Ch~st Jes?-sd
memory (of his life and deeds].
emperors, leavmg behm a goo
1
. k' g Senek'erim also died,
54. In this same year the Armema? m
the former
and he was taken to the c~mete~ ofhlS :~~:s~~:~~ee:; of the Holy
Armenian kings were buned at ~r~~> a
tors The royal sover.
. ldest son
Cross' there he was buried next 0 16 ances
eignt; of the Armenian nation was transferred to hIS e
d
Da\'id, because he was an illustrious and honorable man an one
having a fearful reputation throughout the land.
.
':I
55. In this same year the Georgian king George also died, and ~is
son Hagrae was installed as his successor, reigning over the entIre
country of the Georgians.
56. Now in this same year Constantine, l the brother of Basil,
reigned over the whole empire of the Romans. Constantine w~s a
kind and pious man, compassionate towards widows and captIves,
and lenient towards all those guilty of crimes. For he had all those
imprisoned released from their chains and also ordered the prison of
the condemned-which Basil had built and which he had indeed filled
up with Greek magnates-burned to the ground. Out of fear for his
throne, Basil had secretly strangled the most illustrious personages
of the Greek nation; their bodies, still clothed, were hanging by their
necks on iron hooks. When Constantine saw this, he wept for them
and ordered that they be buried and the prison burned to the ground.
He found fault with his brother, saying: "When one is to die, why
does he have to die so cruelly, since life itself is material and
tra.nsitory anyway?" Constantine peacefully occupied the throne of
the Roman empire and benevolently governed all the faithful of God. 2
Hav.ing occupied the throne of the empire for four years, he died in
ChnBt Jesus, after having sincerely confessed his sins' thus leaving
behind a good memory [of his life and deeds], he joined his ~cestors.
Ind~d there was great sorrow in the country, which had been
depnved of such an emperor. While Constantine was still alive he
had given his daughter Zoe in marriage to the illustrious magn~te,
Romanus, because he did not have a son. So Romanus3 occupied the
throne of the Roman empire, and the whole land submitted to him.
57. In the year 479 of the Armenian era [1030-1031] the Roman
emperor Romanus collected all the forces of the country of the
PART I
51
52
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART I
53
Maniaces and handed over the citadel of Edessa to him. The Roman
commander went forth with four hundred men and at night secretly
came to the gates of the citadel. Since Salman knew of his coming,
he took the keys of the citadel and went to Maniaces; then he
prostrated himself before the Roman commander and turned over the
citadel to him. On the same night Salman took his wife and children
and passed over to Samosata.
When the Muslims heard of the coming of Maniaces, they set up
a formidable resistance against the Roman commander; numerous
companies of troops gathered against Edessa, and as the Muslims
attacked the city, many of their number who lived there left. But the
Syrians fortified themselves in the Cathedral of Saint Sophia; for,
because of their women and having much gold and silver, they did
not dare enter into the citadel, being afraid that their possessions
would be seized. Nevertheless, a few days after, many of them
together with all their possessions perished by fire. Those who
remained took refuge in the citadel with Maniaces and were thus
saved. For the Muslims had organized a great assault against the
Cathedral of Saint Sophia, placing a catapult against the northern
wall and vehemently bombarding the church until it was completely
demolished; then, throwing fire inside, they had burned many to
death, and thus innumerable possessions and provisions belonging to
the city's inhabitants had been destroyed. After this episode all the
Muslims were roused and came against Maniaces. Yet the Roman
magnate, trapped in the citadel of Edessa with four hundred men,
displayed tremendous courage. The most eminent emirs arrived from
their respective territories6 to the city of Edessa, from Egypt and from
the whole country of the Babylonians. Even Shabal of Harran, who
had been wounded by one of Maniaces' servants, a man called Uzar,
came; this man had come in the capacity of a messenger and thus
was without suspicion and, when he approached the emir, attacked
him, striking him upon the shoulder with an axe; then this servant
of Maniaces rushed to the moat of the town with the rapidity of an
eagle and took refuge in it, but his horse perished because of a severe
wound. [Here are the other distinguished Muslims who marched
against Edessa]: the emir Salil1 came from Aleppo, Mahmud from
Damascus Muhammad from Horns, al-'Azlz from Egypt, 'All from
Manbij, 'Abouliah from Baghdad, Quraysh from Mosul, Na~irad
Daulah from Maiyafariqin, 'All from Amida, Bashlr from JazlratIbn-'Umar 7 Al.mad from Khlat', Zura8 from Balish,9 ~usain from Her,
, ~.
af
Ct' h 10
Kutana from Salmast, Ahi8 from Arzan, Ahvar rom eSlp on,
54
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART I
55
sultan of the Persian empire, 9 the city of Edessa was captured by the
10
Mu;slims. Final~y, after all the afflictions, hardships, and torments
whIch brave Mamaces had endured, Romanus replaced him and gave
the command of Edessa to Abukab, the tent-guard of David the
curopalates.
60. At the beginning of the year 481 of the era of the Armenian
calendar [1032-1033] there was a severe famine throughout the entire
land. Many people died because of this famine and many sold their
women and children for want of bread. Because of the intensity of
the hardships, whenever one spoke, he yielded up his soul. In this
manner the land was consumed by famine.
61. In the year 484 of our era [1035-1036] the emperor Romanus
died1 because of a perfidious plot by his empress. For this impious
woman gave the emperor poison to drink, thus killing him. 2 So
Michae13 was installed on the throne of the Greek empire by order of
his empress, 4 who was the daughter of Constantine.
62. In this period king David, the son of the Annenian king
Senek'erim, died and passed on his hereditary sovereignty to his
brother Atom. This Atom was filled with virtue, justice, and saintly
conduct in Jesus Christ; moreover, he was imbued with gentleness
and graciousness, was compassionate towards the afflicted, a
supporter of the poor, a protector of monks, and [last but not least]
a builder of churches and monasteries.
63. In the year 484 of the Armenian era [1035-1036] the Muslims
marched forth with many troops and came against Edessa. They
passed over to the other side of the great Euphrates River and, by the
sword and enslavement, subjected the whole land to devastation.
Many Christians were led into captivity to the country of the
Muslims. Moreover, the Muslims ravaged Alar1 and Sewawerak. and
filled the fountains and water-conduits of these towns with blood.
Because of all this severe slaughter, the land flowed with the blood
of the Christians. In this same year the Roman forces gathered
together and came against the Muslims, and their general was the
brother2 of Michael the Roman emperor. With a large number of
horsemen he reach~d the town of Melitene, but he became frightened
and did not go up against the Muslims in battle. When t~e ~uslim
troops heard this, they returned to their own country. ThIS IS what
56
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
the Roman troops did; and they did not dare enter the territories of
the Muslims, rather they peacefully withdrew in order to return to
their own country. On their return they plundered the Christians
more than the Muslim army had. s
64. At the date of our calendar marked by the year 485 of the
Armenian era [1036-1037] the sun darkened with a frightful and
horrible appearance. For, as it became dark at the crucifixion of
Christ, in the same manner the sun's light was hidden and darkness
clothed it. The luminaries of the heavens turned gloomy and black,
and the whole sky was stretched out like a vault in darkness. The
sun became blackened at midday and all the stars appeared in toto
as they would in the middle of the night. The darkness and gloom
grew intense, all creatures cried together, and all the mountains and
hills resounded. The mountains and all the rocks, shaken [to their
foundations], trembled; the vast large Mediterranean Sea, moving
back and forth, billowed, and all mankind mourned and wept. It
happened that, when mankind sawall this, it was horror-struck with
fear as if dead. At that time the son wept for his father and the
father wept over his son. Boys terrified with fear fell into the laps of
their parents. Mothers, afllicted with a severe consumption as if by
fire, wept before their sons. In such a manner all creatures were
horror-struck and were beset by fear, and they could not find an
escape. Frightened by the horrible omen, they were altogether
stupefied and horror-struck.
At that time the Armenian patriarch, his lordship Peter, and King
John sent eminent men to John the holy Armenian vardapet, l called
Kozern, so that they might learn from him the interpretation of this
extraordinary omen. For he was a holy man and admired for his
austere conduct, an interpreter of the Old and New Testaments of
God, and filled with doctrinal graces. Indeed those who were sent to
the Annenian vardapet-Gregory Magistros, son of Vasak; the
eminent Sargis of the race of Hayk; and also many Armenian
noblemen and priests-were sent so that they might learn about the
second appearance of this fearful omen. When they went to the
Armenian vardapet, they found him prostrate and in deep sorrow,
and his gannent was drenched in tears. Because of the profuseness
of his weeping and the heavy groans which arose from his mouth, no
one dared to ask him anything. For they saw that he was in deep
mourning and in tremendous grief and was ceaselessly shedding tears
and beating his breast. At this point the Armenian princes sat next
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to the vardapet John and up to the sixth hour of the day they did not
dare say anything or ask about the fearful omen; all those who had
come to him [merely] wept together.
Then, when the Armenian vardapet saw the lamentation of all
those who had come, opening his mouth, he began to speak, while
groaning and shedding many tears. He wept over all the nations of
the faithful; he wept over the priestly order, over the destruction of
the purity of the holy sacrament; he wept over the church of God and
over the dissolution of the divine precepts which had been kept by the
church. Then he began to speak to the Annenian princes in the
following manner:
'0 my illustrious sons, listen to these words of the distressed and
grieved John. For today the thousand years of the torments of the
crucifixion of Christ have been completed and also the releasing of
Belial, who had been confined by the Savior in the Jordan River, [has
come about]. This is what was shown to us by the first omen forty
years before, as we predicted, and now once again the omen has
repeated itself; for first the heavens were rent and the earth became
obscured. In this year the luminaries became darkened and also all
of creation; for henceforth all the nations who believe in Christ will
walk. in darkness. Also henceforth the institutions of the church of
Christ will be obscured by all the nations of believers. They will
slacken from fasting and prayers and will no longer believe in the
future life. Fear for the judgement of God will be scorned, and true
faith will disappear from all the nations. Piety will grow weak;
people will loath the precepts of God and will be hostile to the words
of the Holy Gospel of Christ. Everyone will put themselves in
opposition to the holy precepts of God and will scorn the words of the
holy vardapets and will disregard the commandments of the canons
of the holy patriarchs. Because of this, many will fall from the
heights of faith and will stay away from the doors of the holy church;
because of the negligence of fasting and prayers, they will become
blind to the true religion. Many will come under the yoke of
anathemas, for they will not accede to the divine counsel of the words
of the holy prelates. Sons will be cursed by their parents because
they do not obey them, and parents will be tormented by their
offspring. The compassion of love for friends will fade from fathers
and from their children. Henceforth many schisms will enter the
church of God because of the negligence of the patriarchs; for they
will become feeble and weak and will not inquire into the faith,
rather they will become brainless as fools. For the sake of silver they
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
will forsake the faith, and benedictions will diminish from the house
of God. The fear and the horrible dread of God's judgement on that
fearful day, which is to come about, will disappear and be abolished
from all minds.
IIPeople will forget the recompense of the upright and of the
sinners, for they will be sinful and covetous of the evil way. With
longing they will go to the meeting place of sin, for the land will be
polluted by the kings, princes, and prelates. The prelates and princes
will become open to bribery, liars, and perjurers and, [falling] into the
hand of bribers, shall pervert their judgments of the rights due to the
poor. Because of this, God will be even more angry at them, since
they exercise their leadership and power with partiality and not
according to [the will ofJ God. They will rule over the destinies [of
.men] with absolute power, rather than directing and teaching them
in the fear of God as the holy apostle Paul commanded. The princes
and the judges will become whoremongers rather than godly men.
They will scorn holy marriage and cling to the disease of harlotry and
will glory in the ruin of people like themselves. They will honor
traitors and thieves and will unjustly seize the possessions of
laborers; (finally] they will be more strict in their judgments than is
necessary in order to carry out justice.
"My dear children, henceforth the doors of the holy church will be
closed because of the disputes between the spiritual leaders, and the
holy institutions [of the church] will be abolished from every nation.
Because of avariciousness, they will ordain many unworthy people
and will bring all the defiled ones into the priesthood. Then the
divine liturgy of Christ will be in the hands of unworthy priests; and
many will undeservingly take communion from them, not for
salvation but for the condemnation and destruction of their souls. In
some places and among different nations there will be found tme
celebrants of the holy mystery of Christ, through whom God will have
mercy on the world. My children, they will hurt the saintly and
virtuous; they will turn away the pure from the priesthood because
they do not have money and will not ordain them. As we said forty
years ago, when the other omen appeared, many will fall away from
their faith and religion, and the clergy will grow slack in their
religious practice. They shall become lecherous, longing after
perversions, and will take great delight in diabolical songs. Monks
shall flee from the wilderness and scorn the holy company of hermits.
They will scorn and dishonor the habits of former religious people.
They shall become confounders of order and piety and shall eschew
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
and the holy sepulcher which contained God will be freed from
bondage.3 After all this the land will be tormented with the sword
and enslavement for fIfty years by the forces of the Persians, and this
suffering shall be seven times more than that which the faithful had
formerly endured. Thus all the nations ofthe Christian faithful will
be terrified. Because of the tremendous amount of harassment, the
Roman forces will despair and will suffer much death and slaughter
at the hands of the Persians. Their choice soldiers will be killed by
the sword and enslavement, until the Roman forces finally give up all
hope of salvation. But, after some4 years, they will begin gradually
to strengthen themselves, and the remnants of their fanner regiments
will be found everywhere. Year by year they will advance gradually
and establish themselves as rulers in various lands and regions. At
that time the Roman emperor will be awakened as if from a sleep
and, like an eagle, rapidly come against the Persians with a very
great army, as numerous as the sands of the seashore. He will march
forth like a burning fire, and all creatures will tremble in fear of him.
The Persians and all the forces of the infidels will flee to the other
side of the Pyramus River. Then the Roman emperor will completely
rule over the whole country for many years. He will restore the
whole land and lay the foundations for [future] prosperity; and in
that way it will be renewed as it was before the flood. 6 The offspring
of men and beasts will multiply, and the springs will gush forth with
water. The fIelds will produce more than before. From then on
famine will come upon the country of the Persians for many years, to
such an extent that people will attack and devour one another. Out
of fear of the might of the Roman emperor many Persian chiefs will
leave their towns and regions and, without warring, flee to the other
side of the Pyramus River. All their accumulated treasures of gold
and silver collected for many years, that is the entire mass of their
treasure-an amount immeasurable like dust and pebbles-the
Romans will take from Persia and carry off to their country. All the
infants, little girls, and women will be carried off in bondage to the
country of the Romans. Persia will be devastated and made desolate
by the Roman forces, and the whole sovereignty of the land will be
firmly under the aegis of the Roman emperor." 6 The holy vardapet
John spoke these things in this manner. After this he let the
Armenian princes go, sending them away in peace, and so they went
back to their own country.
65. In this period1 the Armenian prince Gandzi collected troops
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and, going forth, captured from the Persians the town of Berkri, 2
located in the East. He slaughtered the whole town in toto and
consumed the forces of the Muslims with the sword. For many days
he battled against the citadel and put its occupants in dire straits,
many perishing in the moat. However, during these assaults the
Armenian troops were negligent and in a heavy state of intoxication.
Khetrik, who was the emir of the town of Berkri, seeing the disorderly state of the Annenian troops, sent a message to his townspeople to
come to his aid. The infidels gathered together and came forth and
found the Armenians totally unprepared [for battle]. In the morning
they attacked the Christian forces and severely slaughtered them.
On that day the distinguished Armenian prince, Gandzi, was killed,
and his son Tachat inherited his lands. In this way Gandzi and all
his forces perished in the town of Berkri. 3
66. At the beginning of the year 486 of the Armenian era [1037
1038] his lordship Peter, the Annenian catholicos, secretly left his see
and went to Vaspurakan because of some difficulties. For the king,
all the lords, and the military magnates of Armenia would not heed
the divine precepts of God. 1 His lordship Peter was in Vaspurakan
for four years and stayed in the Monastery of Dzor, 2 which the holy
patriarch Nerses 3 had built. There was incalculable sorrow in
Armenia due to his leaving the patriarchal see. Then King John and
all the Armenian lords wrote a deceitful letter to his lordship Peter,
saying that they were obedient to his precepts and followers of the
enlightened doctrine which he expounded. They wrote this letter,
taking a solemn oath, and they set up as mediators the Roman
commanders, who had come to the country as military governors. His
lordship Peter was deceived by their false oath and returned to his
see. When he was about to enter the city of Ani, his lordship Peter
was put in prison for a year and five 4 months by order of King John.
The king sent to the Monastery of Sanahin5 and had brought back the
distinguished Dioscorus, the superior of that monastery. He came
and was set up as the adversary of his lordship Peter. Dioscorus was
installed as catholicos on the patriarchal see of the Armenians for one
year and two months, but not in accordance with the will of God.
Because of all this, this eminent orator Dioscorus became very greatly
deceived and lost the immeasurable respect which he had [in the
past], and there was no one who would accept ordination from him,
which indeed was the prerogative of the holy see. His name was not
proclaimed in the churches with the other patriarchs, for he was
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
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63
hand, reached the borders of the Bulgar kingdom. The forces of the
Bulgars in turn gathered together against the Greek emperor. On
that day a severe slaughter took place. The Bulgar forces defeated
the Roman troops and caused them to flee, pursuing them with the
sword. On that day all the plains were covered with blood, and the
emperor Michael took refuge in Constantinople. Thus the Bulgars
strengthened themselves at the expense of the Greeks, recaptured
their own country, and were delivered from servitude to the Romans.
70. In this same year the Armenian king Ashot Bagratuni,1 the
son of Gagik and the brother of John, died. He left behind his Bon,
named Gagik,2 who was fIfteen years of age. ABhot was brought to
the city of Ani and was buried in the vaults of former Armenian
kings. During his lifetime Ashot did not enter the city of Ani except
on the day of his death because John greatly feared him, for he was
a brave and mighty man. Mter the death of Ashot the Armenian
forces grew slack and scorned the art of war. They became subject
to the Roman yoke, they reveled in drunkenness, and they took
delight in citternsS and in the songs of singers. They departed from
the unity [they had maintained] with one another and they no longer
came to each other's aid. They [merely] shed tears for the land which
was being put to the sword, weeping together for its destruction and
at the same time delivering up one another to the sword of the Greek
nation; they thus despoiled their kin and went over to the side of
their enemies.
71. In this period the great emir of the Persians, Abu'l-Dswar,l
collected troops from the nation of the infidels, as many as one
hundred and fIfty thousand. Full of rage he came and attacked the
Christians. With venomous wrath he entered the country of the
Albanians into the region held by David Anhoghin2 and brought much
affiiction to the faithful. David, fearing the enormous number of the
infidel forces, did not go forth in battle. On the other hand, the
wicked Abu'l-Uswar captured many districts and four hundred
regional fortresses. Remaining there for one year, he brought the
greater part of the country under his subjection and was intent on
marching against David. David, being powerless, sent to King John,
who reigned in Ani, and said to him: "Abu'I Uswar has captured all
the regions of Armenia and is coming against me. If you do not aid
me, I will go to him in submission, will serve him as a guide, and
thus bring desolation upon your district of Shirak..lIs When John
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
heard this, he sent four thousand men to David. Likewise David sent
to the ruler of Kapan,4 and he in turn gave him two thousand men.
In this manner he threatened the king of the Abkhazes,6 and that
king sent four thousand men to his aid. Then David himself collected
his troops, as many as ten thousand, and sent to the catholicos of the
Albanians, saying:
"This nation of infidels comes against us because of our Christian
faith and they are intent on destroying the ordinances of the worshipers of the cross and on exterminating the Christian faithful. It is
fitting and right for all the faithful to go forth with their swords and
to die for their Christian faith. Now gather together all the Armenian bishops who are in the country of the Albanians and come to our
camp so that you might die with us."
The catholicos did all this, and with two hundred bishops his
lordship Joseph went to the camp of the Christians. He wrote to the
superiors of the monasteries to come together with all their monks
and join the Christian forces. He brought together all the priests and
deacons of the country of the Albanians and proclaimed throughout
all the regions, saying: "If there be any man or woman desirous of a
martyr's death, 10, the opportunity [for such a martyrdom] has
presented itself to us at this time. Whoever is devoted to Christ 7 let
him immediately come to us." Having heard this, fathers with their
sons and mothers with their daughters came to the camp of the
faithful. The plain was completely filled with a very great throng,
like [huge] flocks with their lambs.
Having learned of this, Abul-Uswar mocked at all that was taking
place, and advanced and came against the forces of the Christians.
Then David commanded that it be proclaimed to the bishops, monks,
and priests that each one take in his hands as his weapon of battle
only a cross and the Gospels of Christ and with these march against
the swords of the enemy. So the whole camp took up the cross and
the Gospels; the forces of the wicked approached, and the multitude
of priests stood opposite them. David, in turn, with twenty thousand
brave men went against the infidels. When the two armies engaged
one another in combat, the priests in unison raised their voices to
God, weeping. The land resounded with their voices, and they said:
"Arise, Lord, help us and save us for the glory of your holy name."
The forces of the faithful then plunged into the midst of the army of
the infidels as one would plunge into the sea and disappeared [among
them]. Then the priests in unison moved the Christian cross back
and forth and, going towards the enemy, fell upon them. A burning
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zeal took hold of them and they struck at the infidels, and the infidels
in toto turned back in flight. The Annenian forces pursued them
sword in hand and for five days frightfully slaughtered the infidel
troops to such an extent that the plains and mountains were covered
with blood. They seized innumerable treasures of gold and silver and
much booty, while the remaining Persian troops, narrowly escaping
with their lives, naked and barefooted, took refuge in their own
country. The country of the Albanians stank. because of their filthy
corpses. In three days David had control of all the districts which the
infidels had formerly captured and with splendid gifts sent away all
the troops who had come to his aid. From the booty [he had taken]
he distributed many articles to the bishops, priests, and to all those
who had come to him, and then sent them away. Thus peace was
reestablished.
72. In this same year a certain wicked and evil prince from the
noblemen of Senek'erim went to the Greek emperor and severely
denounced Atom and Abusahl, the sons of Senek'erim, saying: "They
are intent on rebelling against you and thus causing you annoyance
and trouble." The emperor Michael, having heard this, believed these
falsely spoken words. He sent his acolyth 1 to Sebastia with fifteen
thousand men to bring them to him so that they might not escape,
and the acolyth reached the city of Sebastia with his troops. When
the sons of Senek'erim heard this, they became stupefied and at the
same time frightened. They saw that the prudence of the acolyth was
not equal to theirs and thus were afraid to go with him.
73. Then prince Shapuh said to Atom and Abusahl: "Do you wish
me to scatter the Roman forces throughout the fields?" As he said
this, he put seven coats of mail one on top of the other and struck
them with his sword, breaking off pieces of the iron mail. The sons
of the Armenian king said: "Let it not be this way, rather we will go
with those summoning us." They gave many gifts to the Roman
general and went with him to Constantinople. Upon entering the
city, they went weeping to the tomb of the emperor Basil and threw
the paper containing the oath given to them on it.! Then they said:
"You have brought us to the country of the Romans, and they
threaten us with death. 0 our father, vindicate us before our
accusers!" The emperor Michael, hearing such wisdom, marvelled
greatly and ordered the denouncer done away with.
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
74. In the year 490 of the Armenian calendar and era [1041-1042]
the Armenian king John died and was buried in the city of Ani in the
vaults of former Armenian kings. He was the brother of Ashot, the
son of Gagik, who in turn was the son of Ashot, 1 son of 5mbat, son of
Ashot the Iron of Bagratid lineage. When the nation of the Romans
heard of his death, the emperor Michael collected troops. He came
to Armenia and devastated it with the sword and enslavement. For
John, while he was alive, had given to the Romans a written
statement declaring that after his death Ani would belong to them;
in return for this promise he received gifts from the Romans for
:fIfteen years and also a high rank} After the death of John one of the
princes of Armenia, a perfidious man named Azat3 Sargis' of the
lineage of Hayk, infonned the Romans that he would give them
Annenia as a gift. He seized the treasury of the former Armenian
kings and carried it off to the Abkhazes and ensconced himself in a
fortress. He brought under his control many country towns5 and was
intent on reigning over the Armenians. But the Bagratid dynasty
would not accept him, for he was of the lineage of Hayk. 6
75. In this same year there was much slaughter in Armenia
because of David Anhoghin, high official of the Armenian king John.
Rising up against the Armenian kingdom, he subjected many regions
to the sword and to enslavement, and with many troops came and
passed into Armenia; for, having left the country of the Albanians, he
had come against Armenia. These regions were burned [and
devastated] by his troops, who caused much suffering and innumerable fires there. After this he returned to the country of the Albanians
to his own home.
76. In this same year for the second time the Romans marched
against Armenia, and because there was no commander for the
Arm.enian forces, many places submitted to the Romans; now, because
of this, great destruction was brought upon Armenia. At that time
one hundred thousand Roman troops gathered against the royal city
of Ani and encamped before its gates. The remnants of the Armenian
forces gathered around the great commander-in-chief Vahram
Pahlawuni1 and begged him to go forth in battle against the Roman
army, for the Roman forces had come to battle against them with
violent blaspheming and many insults. So the Armenian forces
became filled with rage; and, furious with wrath like ferocious beasts,
thirty thousand men, both foot soldiers and horsemen, went forth in
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total battle array towards the gate called Tsaghik. 2 Like lightening
they threw themselves upon the Roman troops and turned in flight
those very arrogant and haughty forces, pitilessly slaughtering them
with the edge of the sword. The Akhurian River,which was located
nearby, was turned into blood. Because of the cries of the ferocious
Annenian troops, the fugitives were unable to flee, but rather stood
stupefied and were delivered to the mercy of the sword. This was a
very frightful day for the Roman forces, for out of twenty thousand
men only one hundred remained. Then the saintly and distinguished
commander-in-chief, Vahram Pahlawuni, interceded and with many
supplications made entreaties to the Armenian forces through a
deputation; he was barely able to get them to agree to allow the
Roman troops to withdraw [unhannedl. In this way the remnants of
the Roman troops were saved. No longer did the Roman forces seek
to capture the city of Ani; rather they turned back humiliated and
went to Constantinople to [the emperor] Michael.
77. At that time a lad eighteen years old, named Gagik, l from the
same scion of the Bagratids, appeared. He was the son of King
Ashot, who was the son of Gagik, son of Ashot,2 son of Abas, son of
5mbat, son of Ashot the Iron. This lad Gagik was very wise, pious,
and religious. All the Armenian lords assembled before the patriarch
his lordship Peter, and Gagik was anointed king over all Armenia by
the grace of the Holy Spirit and at the behest of the distinguished
prince;s thus at his behest the virtuous and illustrious Peter4 anointed
Gagik. This [distinguishedl prince was of the lineage of Hayk and a
Pahlavid by descent. His name was Gregory like his ancestor, and
he was of the lineage of Saint Gregory.s He shone forth as a second
Samuel, he who anointed David king over all Israel. 6 This prince,
who was very pious, religious, and invincible among learned men,
made Gagik king over Armenia. Using his wisdom, he endeavored to
establish on a finn base the throne of the kingdom of the Armenian
nation and begged God to aid him, as well as the Pahlavid dynasty.
78. At that time Gagik, supported by his troops, seized Sargis and
subjected him to various kinds of tortures, until against his will the
Annenian king obtained control of the fortresses, districts, towns, and
his entire hereditary treasury, all of which Sargis had seized. At this
time, because of the benevolent will of God, the Roman forces became
pacified, and they no longer continued to seek after the city of Ani
and to make war upon the Armenians. By that time, through the
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
grace of the Holy Spirit, two successful years of the reign of Gagik
had gone by. Indeed, in these days King Gagik collected troops, and
went and marched through the country of his ancestors, bringing all
the rebellious to submission and fiercely pushing back his enemies.
Going forth with a great number of troops, he encamped in the
province of Ayrarat in order to wreak vengeance upon the nation of
the south.! Then the illustrious prince Gregory, the son of Vasak
Pahlawuni, prepared for battle and, going forth with his troops,
encamped near the Hrazdan River not far from the great fortress of
Bjni. The infidel forces came against the Armenian troops and a
severe battle took place. The Armenian troops defeated the Persian
forces, causing a great slaughter on the banks of the Hrazdan River
and taking prisoner the Turkish chiefs, after which the remnants [of
the infidels] fled to Persia.
79. At that time, inspired by evil thoughts, the Greeks once again
were stirred up [against the Armenians] through the treachery and
hypocrisy of the deceitful Christian, David Anhoghin. It has become
necessary for us to change his name and call him Dawit'/because he
put the Christian peoples into the abyss of tribulations. He himself
became afflicted in spirit because of his calumny and was delivered
up to eternal torments in the abyss of destruction.
80. In this same year the Roman emperor Michael! collected troops
from the whole empire of the Greeks and also from those Armenian
forces who were under Roman rule, in Sebastia, Taron, and all
Vaspurakan. With a very great army Michael came to the West and,
enslaving the whole country of the Goths, 2 brought to submission
those that had rebelled. He compelled the whole country to submit
to him and then returned to Constantinople. A short while after this
the emperor Michael died.
81. His nephew, who already was made caesar, reigned in his
place.! He occupied the imperial throne no longer than four months,
for he had a malicious mind and thus became the cause of his own
undoing, as it is written in Scripture: "He who digs a pit for his
companion will fall in it himself."2 Indeed he became so arrogant that
he was not conscious of his actions; for he even dared to cut the hair
of Zoe, the daughter of the emperor Constantine, as one would do to
a whore, a~d then exiled her to an island in chains. Also he seized
the patriarch of Constantinople3 and put him in a prison in chains,
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
10~j ~ the beginni1ng of the year 492 of the Armenian era [1043-
Rom
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
of Christians took place, and many of the Roman troops fell by the
sword or were taken captive. Among those Christians who were
killed in this great battle at the city of Dvin was the illustrious
Armenian commander-in-chief Vahram, together with his son
Gregory.
88. In this same year a great calamity, having its origin in Persia,
befell the Christians. There arose and came forth three men from the
court of the sultan Tughrul1 -Poghi, Puki, Anazughli2 -and with
many forces reached the country of the Muslims. s Taking countless
prisoners, they came and encamped on the banks of the Arean River"
in the territory of Mosul. Then the commander of Mosul, called
Kuraysh, [who also happened to be] the lord of that city, collected
troops and came against them with his Arab forces; a violent battle
was fought on both sides. However, the Turks defeated the Arab
forces and put them in flight, taking their women and children into
captivity. At that point the Muslim emir Kuraysh hoisted a black
standard and with a shrill cry entered into the ranks of the Arabs,
collecting a great number of troops and once again coming against the
Turks. He defeated them in a severe battle, and took back those of
his people taken captive [by the enemy] and also their belongings.
The Turks fled to Paghin and caused much slaughter in many places;
in the region of T'lkhum a heavy massacre of Christians took place.
Taking very numerous captives, the Turkish forces turned in the
direction of Persia and soon reached the Annenian town of Archesh.
A Roman commander, who was the catepan5 Stephen, resided there.
The Persian emirs sent much booty to the Roman commander so that
he might allow them to pass through, for they were going back to
their own country. However, he became arrogant and went forth in
battle against the Turks. Then the Turks defeated the Roman troops,
slaughtering them severely and, taking the catepan Stephen prisoner,
brought him to the town of Her. After many tortures Stephen died
at the hands of the infidels. They then flayed the skin of his body
and, filling it with grass, hung it from the ramparts. When his
people heard of this, they came and bought the body and skin for ten
thousand dahekans. 6
89. In the year 495 of the Armenian era [1046-1047] the Roman
emperor Monomachus collected troops and appointed an illustrious
Roman nobleman, who was called a telarches 1 and was a eunuch, as
commander of these forces. The telarches came against the city of
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Peros heard what the sons of Abel had done, he collected many troops
against the fortress of Arkni. However, when the general saw the
ruggedness of this fortress, he was greatly amazed and was unable
to assault it, for it was high and seemed impregnable to an enemy
[attack]; thus it was inaccessible to him. Then Peros conceived of a
malicious plan and said: "If anyone will bring the head of Harpik to
me, he will receive a great amount of gold and silver and also power
and high rank from the emperor." When Harpik's comrades and old
friends, who were with him in the fortress, heard this, they conceived
of a wicked idea similar to that of the fratricides Judas and Cain.
Not far from the fortress and right opposite it was a spot, and Harpik
had taken some men and gone forth to guard this place. For three
days he dared not sleep at all, and then these perfidious men said to
him: "My lord, why don't you sleep, for 10, we this day are ready to
die for your person." Believing them, he slept, for he was very
fatigued; now, when he was in a deep sleep, one of his relatives came
up and cut off the head of the mighty and valiant man Harpik, and
in the same night his head was delivered to the catepan Peros.
Nevertheless, the murderers gained nothing [from this betrayal]
except imprecations. Then Peros ordered Harpik's head put on a pole
and brought before the gates of the fortress. His brothers, seeing him
at daybreak, recognized him and immediately opened the gates.
Throwing ashes on their heads and weeping, the three brothers came
forth and fell down before the severed head of Harpik. They
lamented to such an extent that even all the troops in the camp
bemoaned and wept. In this manner Peros took possession of the
impregnable fortress of Arkni and took the brothers of Harpik- the
sons of Abel-to the emperor Monomachus in Constantinople. When
the emperor and all the Greeks saw the brothers, they were amazed
by their formidable appearance; for they were redoubtable in
appearance and even at the shoulders surpassed the Greeks in
stature. Because of their magnificent demeanor, the emperor did not
punish them, but commanded that they be transferred to a~ island.
Such was the fate of David, Leon, and Constantine, vahant and
mighty men and illustrious Armenian princes.
Part II
1. Now up to this point, by laborious investigation, we have
discovered and written down the materials of the past hundred years,
arranged in chronological order; having examined these materials for
a very long time, we have grasped their significance. We have used
materials from very many observers and hearers who were born in
times long past, from those who read the historians of these times
and were eyewitnesses of all these happenings and afflictions which
the Armenians endured because of their sins.1 Lo, many times I have
thought about writing down the violent events of these past times,
namely the horrible punishment which the Annenian nation endured
at the hands of the long-haired and abominable Eghimnats'~',2 the
nation of the Turks, and their brothers, the Romans. Because of all
this, it became necessary for me to investigate this matter [of the
destruction of the Armenian kingdom], always thinking about my
plan in terms of a great work. So I collected documents 3 and,
collating them, wrote down a narration of events up to the point we
have reached here, events concerning the three nations, 4 the patriarchs, and various other nations and kings; all these events which I
narrated before and which I have yet to narrate mark the beginning
of the destruction which took place in the days of our fathers, who
themselves witnessed these very same events many times with their
own eyes. These events were my very special preoccupation, and for
eight years I applied myself to incessant investigation, hoping to
bring all this to light and record it so that its memory would not be
lost to the inexorable harshness of time and thus be forgotten. It is
because of all this that I, Matthew of Edessa, a monk, spared no
efforts and left this work as a record for those who enjoy studying
chronicles so that, when they begin to inquire into past events, they
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may be able more easily to learn about the times and the epochs.
These persons shall also learn about the terrible misfortunes which
occurred in those times and, once again bringing these things to
mind, shall remember the divine wrath which we received from God,
the righteous judge, as a penalty for our sins. Because of these many
calamities-namely the destruction of the Christians and the reprimands which our Lord God brought upon us by means of an infidel
nation-we did not wish that such threats and warnings of God be
forgotten by us. Now it is essential to heed the admonitions of our
God ceaselessly and at all times. Once again we find ourselves
inflicted with the same chastisement for our sins, a chastisement
which we received for that which we justly deserve. Now I, Matthew
of Edessa, the superior of a monastery, have eighty years more [of
history] to relate to you by dint of my labors.
2. In the year 502 of the Armenian era [1053-1054] a fearful and
horrible omen appeared and a very calamitous event took place in the
city of Antioch. This phenomenon, which seemed awe-inspiring and
marvelous to those observing it, appeared inside the sun. The
phenomenon became an awful sign and a cause of perturbation for all
the Christian faithful, to whom God by violent threats now manifested his fearful judgement. The cause of this calamity was the
following. In the city of Antioch there were many Syrians who had
gold and silver, and possessed wealth and all types of affiuence.
When their children went to the church of their faith, l five hundred
boys seated on mules went forth. [Because of all this] the Romans
were very envious and harbored a deep hatred against them. Now
one of the important personages of the Syrian nation possessed many
slaves, and this became the pretext for bringing him to trial before
the Roman patriarch. 2 [Threatening him] with an [unfavorable]
verdict, the Romans converted him to their faith and by his own
volition rebaptized him. Thus this important personage, who had
forsaken his faith, now became an enemy to the great Syrian nation.
Also at that time the Syrians were subjected to many difficulties
because they were beginning to get into controversies with the
Romans concerning their faith every day. 3 The Romans became so
insolent that they were not even conscious of their actions for the
.
'
patnarch went so far as to order the [Syriac] Christian Gospels
burned. When they placed the Gospels of God in the fire, a voice
came forth from the Gospels and they escaped the flames of the fire.
They put the Gospels in the fire a second time, and once again [the
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trumpets gave forth, the sounds of the combatant troops caused the
ramparts to shake through and through. What shall I now say
concerning this town full of Christians who courageously fought as
combatants, the whole population of the town fighting together, and
who resisted the unceasing assaults [of the enemy]? The commander
of the town was the Roman general Basil, the son of Abukab,3 a kind
and pious man. He strengthened the entire town [by recruiting]
courageous men and women, and in the name of the emperor
promised all of them honors and high positions; thus day and night
he never ceased encouraging and exhorting the whole town.
Nevertheless, the infidel forces did not cease their assaults for
many days and began to dig under the ramparts so that they might
thus capture the town. When the troops of the town heard this, they
dug in their direction and captured all the sappers and even the
sultan's father-in-law, whose name was Osketsam;4 they then took
them on the ramparts and killed them. When the sultan saw this, he
was deeply offended and so sent to Baghesh and had brought to him
the catapult which the emperor Basil had constructed for [the walls
of] Her, a terrible and awe-inspiring machine weighing fifteen adil.5
When this frightful catapult was set up, all the inhabitants of the
town trembled, and the first ones struck by it were three sentinels
and a sentry of the advanced guard who was thrown into the town.
Then a priest appeared in the town and hastily set up a catapult to
oppose the one the infidels had and with the first rock struck the
enemy machine and smashed its tie beams.
Thus the town was given new strength and courage, for the
inhabitants had been beset by fear. After a few days the infidels
reinforced the catapult and made it inaccessible on all sides and
began to hit the ramparts with very large rocks. All the inhabitants
of the town were terrified and trembled in fear. Then Basil cried out
to them and said: ItWhoever is able to go forth and burn down that
catapult will receive much largess of gold and silver and many horses
and mules from me and honors and a high rank from the emperor.
If he is killed by the infidels and has a relative or son, all that will
go to him. It Then a FrankS came forth and said: "I will go forth and
burn down that catapult, and today my blood shall be shed for all the
Christians, for I have neither wife nor children to weep over me. He
asked for a strong and fearless horse and put on his coat of mail and
placed his helmet on his head. Taking a letter, he attached it to the
end of his spear and, putting three bottles of naphtha in his bosom,
went forth as if he were a courier. With the prayers of all the
1t
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sorrow upon the Greek nation. Then the patriarch and all the
aristocracy of Constantinople, going forth to meet Comnenus, swore
allegiance to him and installed him on the throne of the Roman
empire. Mter this peace was reestablished in the empire of the
Greeks. However, in this same year there was much devastation and
pillaging in the land, for the people loyal to Comnenus and those
loyal to Michael ravaged one another's regions. In this way Inuch
devastation was caused until the imperial throne was finnly in the
possession of Comnenus.
At that time the new emperor issued an edict throughout the whole
land and thus brought peace to the empire. Comnenus even went so
far as to honor those who unwittingly had taken Michael's side more
than those who had fought on his side. 4 Now, before Comnenus's
victory, the Roman magnates Pizshonit and Liparit had come to the
aid of Michael. When they reached Gergetha,6 hearing that
Comnenus was triumphant, they fled in the night and said to one
another: "We discovered our error in Gergetha. "S However, after a
few days they went to the emperor and he honored them highly.
Comnenus ordered that money be minted in his name and that he be
represented on the coin with a sword strapped to his shoulder, with
the caption: "By the sword I gained control of the imperial throne."
Comnenus was not liked because of these words and also because he
committed various perfidious acts against the Christians.
After some time the emperor collected a formidable army of troops
and was intent on making war against the Pechenegs. Marching
forth, he crossed over the great Danube River and advanced forward
in order to ravage the whole West. At whatever place he reached, he
roared like a savage beast, giving vent to his evil nature, and through
whatever place he passed, caused much blood to be shed. There was
great lamenting in the whole West and especially in the country of
the Bulgars. Now it was the summer season and the divine-rebuking
wrath [of God] fell upon the forces of Comnenus, a dreadful calamity
which words do not suffice to recount and which indeed his forces
deserved. For a cloud arose from the West and came over the caxnp
of Comnenus, and it was such a black cloud and one of horrible
appearance that no one dared look at it. There were crackling sounds
and thunder, and flashing lightening appeared. Then very large
hailstones began to fall and, striking and smiting the camp, heavily
showered upon all the troops. One after another the troops fled, not
being able to find an escape. When the emperor saw this, he was
filled with anger and against his will turned back like a fugitive;
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
filled with all kinds of pious virtue and had acquired a reputable
name' moreover he was endowed with apostolic and prophetic graces.
His l~rdship Peter was buried in the city of Sebastia, in the Monastery of the Holy Cross, with a great crowd in attendance.
8. In this same year of the Armenian era the nation of the infidels
once again attacked the Christian faithful. Lo, a certain great and
mighty emir named Dinar arose and came forth from Persia and,
accompanied by many troops, unexpectedly came with violent force,
perfidiously concealing his evil [intent]. He passed unharmed
through many places and, marching forth, went and reached the
famous and renowned city called Melitene; for this city had been
pointed out to the Persians for a long time as having measureless
wealth of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, and brocades.
Moreover, the city was unfortified. On the march he captured
Rasaw and totally massacred [its inhabitants] with the sword. Then
he went and passed on to Melitene. The commander of the infidel
forces was the son of Liparit,2 who had made an alliance with the
Persians.
It was the winter season at the beginning of Lent when the emir
besieged the city of Melitene, all because of its celebrated reputation
by which the fame of its splendor had spread throughout all Persia.
Like a black cloud he completely surrounded the city on all sides.
When the townspeople saw this calamitous situation, men and
women, the aged and children, together turned in flight, but there
was no place to flee. At this moment the concern for friends and the
hope of life became absent from the minds of all; because of the
calamitous situation, fathers forgot their sons, and sons, their fathers;
mothers wept over their daughters, and daughters over their
mothers; brothers over their brothers, loved ones over their loved
ones. Then, fleeing over the spacious fields surrounding the city, the
townspeople fell into the midst of the enemy. When the infidels saw
them, they stopped for a moment and marvelled at the immense
population of the city, for they were a countless number like the
sands of the sea. The infidels did not dare attack the city until the
townspeople had left. Finally they assaulted the city with their
weapons bare~1 and soon all their swords were totally applied to the
work of.sheddmg blood; thus after a short while the whole city was
filled WIth blood. Melitene rippled with blood from one end to the
other, and there was no one left to pity the aged or the children. In
that place one could see the bodies of illustrious and distinguished
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people who had fallen and were wallowing in [pools ofl blood; children
were cut up into pieces while on the laps of their mothers; and blood
and milk, mingling one with the other, coalesced. Who is able to put
down in writing the divine-rebuking wrath [of God] which the city of
Melitene endured on that day, for instead of sweet dew all the plants
of the green field were covered with blood? Mter so much shedding
of blood and taking of captives, the emir had marched before him
distinguished and beautiful ladies and boys and pretty girls-all who
were to be led into captivity; also a countless treasure of gold and
silver [was carried before him]. Rising up, he marched forth rejoicing
and began the journey back to Persia and, crossing over the Euphrates River, wintered in Handzit'. At this time the Roman forces
pursued the Turks but, when they reached them, did not dare give
battle, but peacefully returned to Roman territory.3
9. When the autumn season arrived, the infidel forces entered the
region of Taron and occupied the foot of the Taurus Mountains near
Sasun. When the mighty and brave Armenian prince T'oplik, l the
son of Mushegh, heard this, he collected troops from the whole
district of Sasun and went against the infidel forces. The infidel
troops sounded the battle trumpet and in a body went forth in battle.
It turned out to be an awe-inspiring and fearful day, for the two sides
clashed with one another like a pack of lions. Then brave T'ornik
roared and, calling out to his right flank, overtook the left flank of
the infidels and victoriously shattered it. Turning his eyes to the
Monastery of the Holy Precursor, he vehemently cried out and said:
"0 Monastery of Glak, 0 Holy Precursor, aid me and make this day
an illustrious one for the faithful." Stirring up one another as a body,
the Armenians attacked the infidels and, capturing men and all types
of booty, led them all into captivity. The remnants of the infidels,
having experienced a narrow escape, humiliated, returned to Persia.
Brave T'ornik, in turn, with great rejoicing returned to Sasun,
thanking God for delivering the numerous inhabitants of the city of
Melitene from servitude to the wicked nation of the Persians.2
10. In this same year and in the same winter there appeared a
fearful and astonishing omen, a horrible sign of the great wrath [of
God] against the Christians; for this turned out to be a prediction for
the destruction of the Christian faithful. Just as a putrid smell
betrays a rotting corpse/in the same way, before the destruction [of
the Christians], there appeared evil omens upon the earth, as for
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enslaved by three of these i.mpious beasts who had come forth from
the court of the sultan Tughrul; they were three emirs, Samuk, ,ArnrKafUr, and Kijaziz-evil men and more bloodthirsty than ferocious
beasts. With troops dressed in black and standards symbolizing
death, they reached the populous and renowned city of Sebastia.
They bellowed and fulminated, intending to vent their violent anger
upon the Christian faithfuL Moreover, they had made up their minds
to capture Atom and Abusahl, the sons of the Armenian king
Senek'erim. When the latter heard about the coming of the infidel
forces, they fled to Gabadonia, l and many other princes went with
them. On the day of the barekendan2 of Vardavar3 the numerous
infidel forces encircled Sebastia, and thus the entire city was
completely besieged on all sides. Wielding the sword, all the enemy
troops entered the city, and countless persons were cut down and
received severe wounds; moreover, streaming blood covered the
ground, a sight which appeared frightful to onlookers. The bodies of
illustrious personages were heaped up on the ground like piles of
forest wood, and the surface of the ground was covered with blood
because of the great number of corpses.
The city of Sebastia was unfortified, but the infidels at first did not
dare enter it, for they saw a great number of domed churches painted
white and thought that they were the tents of the enemy troops.
However, when they learned [that they were mistaken], they then
became the agents of God's wrath against the Christians and mercilessly and ruthlessly slaughtered large numbers of the city's population. Together with countless booty and men and women captives,
they led boys and girls into slavery and seized and carried off from
Sebastia treasures of gold and silver without measure, precious
stones and pearls, and also brocades; for this city was the residence
of the Armenian kings. Thus that day was a calamitous and disastrous one for the inhabitants of Sebastia, because in a short period
the city and the plain [on which it was situated] became filled with
blood. The river which passed through the city, instead of being
clear, had turned a reddish hue. Many persons perished by fire.
Many great and illustrious persons had fallen, mortally wounded, and
were covered with blood and lying in the midst of pure and venerable
corpses; moreover, because of the whiteness of their bodies, they
glistened like the stars. What shall I say about the priests and
deacons and about the six hundred churches which were in the city,
for all were destroyed by the sword? Many maidens, brides, and
distinguished ladies were led into captivity to Persia, and within a
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
short time Sebastia became like a burned-out hut. The infidel forces
stayed in Sebastia for eight days,. and then, marc~ing forth, went
back to Persia with countless and mnumerable captives.
13. Who is able to recount in detail the calamitous misfortunes
and repentant laments of the Armenians, events which they endured
at the hands of the wicked, bloodthirsty, and savage Turkish forces,
all because of their abandonment by their false guardians, the
effeminate and despicable Greek nation? For the Greeks, gradually
disbanding our brave soldiers, removed them from Armenia, taking
them away from their towns and districts. Removing the throne of
the Armenian kingdom, they in effect destroyed it and thus demolished the protective wall which was provided by its troops and
generals. The Romans thus turned the boasting of their bravery into
that of irrevocable flight; in this way they were like the shameful
shepherd who, when he saw the wolf, fled. Also the Romans
endeavored to destroy the traditional fortified defenses of Armenia by
tearing them down and thus brought on the assault of the Persians
with the sword, regarding all of this as a victory for themselves.
Moreover, they shamelessly tried to guard Armenia with eunuch
generals and troops at a time when the Persians came upon an
abandoned East. In that period the infidels were strengthened to
such a great extent that in one year's time they reached up to the
walls of Constantinople. They seized the whole Roman empire, its
coastal towns and its islands, and caused the Greeks to be bottled up
in Constantinople like prisoners. When the Persians seized Armenia
from the Greeks, all malicious acts against the Armenians by the
Romans ceased.
However, after this the Romans contrived to war against the
Annenians in another way; they began to criticize their religious
beliefs. Thus, scorning warfare, battles, and combats, they sought to
bring disorder into the church of God. They willfully eschewed war
with the Persians, while they endeavored to destroy and rout out the
faith of the true believers in Christ; for, whenever they discovered a
brave and mighty man, they blinded him or threw him into the sea
and drowned him. Their only care and desire was to remove all the
Armenian princes and brave commanders from the East and, carrying
them off, to force them to settle among the Greeks. They transformed
brave young men into eunuchs, and instead of the tightly forged coats
of mail, which are worn by brave men, they gave them loosely
hanging garments, which were wide and long; instead of steel
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helmets they put battle headgear on them not made of metal, and
instead of an ironclad covering for the shoulders [and neck] they gave
them a wide neckerchief. These eunuchs spoke meekly and softly just
like women and ceaselessly pondered over the los8 of brave young
men. Thus, because of them, all the faithful were subjected to
servitude in Persia.
14. During this period the emperor Ducas conceived of the
malicious idea of removing the patriarchal see of Saint Gregory from
the Armenians and destroying it. So, as we said before, he began to
attack and criticize various aspects of the Armenian faith. Especially
when his lordship Peter died, the Romans attacked the holy see,
intending to abolish it and to compel the Armenians to adhere to the
impious faith as set forth at Chalcedon. 1 At this time the Romans,
seeking the immense treasure of gold and silver belonging to his
lordship Peter, the Annenian catholicos, subjected many people to
torture in Sebastia; they brought to Constantinople the person
consecrated to the patriarchal see, his lordship Khach'ik., together
with his bishops and also his most praiseworthy lordship Eghishe,
keeping them there in exile for three years. Thus in this period
many misfortunes fell upon the Armenian faith. Finally the
Armenian kings and princes, Gagik of Ani, Atom and Abusahl-sons
of Senek'erim, worked hard and were barely able to get them freed.
Mter all these events the patriarchal see was transferred to T'awblur,2 and his lordship Khach'ik resided there three years, occupying
the patriarchal see for six years altogether.3
15. In the course of the year 511 of our era [1062-1063] an evil
scourge of an odious and bitter mien spread and extended over the
Christian faithful. For, during the autumn season in the month of
Areg,l a calamity came forth from the Persian court. Three great and
illustrious men, Slar-Khorasan,2 Chmchm, and Isulv,3 came forth from
the court of the sultan Tughrnl. Shedding much blood, they came
against the Christian peoples. Reaching the territory of Paghin with
many troops, full of rage they shed the blood of many faithful with
the sword and enslaved the whole area. Going forth from there, they
came like deadly serpents and reached the territory of T'lkhum and
Arkni and found the entire region unprepared [for war]. When they
saw the whole land and region unfortified, they were exceedingly
glad. So, like bloodthirsty wolves or crazed dogs, with an inexorable
sword they attacked the entire region, intending to slaughter its
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
inhabitants to the last person. The whole land was prosperous and
filled with men and animals, and the entire region was heavily
populated. On Saturday the fourth of Areg, at the eighth hour, the
vast plain was filled with blood, captives, and merciless slaughter-something we are not able to relate. There were many and
innumerable people who were burned [to death]. There was no one
in the entire region who was able to escape the edge of the sword,
and on that day many were martyred.
Mter having related this extensive enslavement and countless
slaughter, I shall make mention of the true priest of God, Christopher, and of his sons T'oros and Stephen, who were martyred
together with all the people; for when this priest saw the immense
number of the infidel forces, he gathered together the whole village
in the church-men and women with their children-and then began
to celebrate the divine liturgy of Christ and gave' communion to all
the people. The infidel troops surrounded the church, and the
faithful, who had communed, came out of the church one by one to
the bloodthirsty beasts; they, in turn, butchered the Christian
faithful. When Christopher and his sons were the only ones remaining, they went down on their knees before God and, giving thanks to
Him, kissed one another farewell; then they went forth and received
a martyr's death, having sincerely confessed their sins in harmony
with Jesus Christ. When the emir4 who resided in the town of Amida,
the son of Na/3ir-ad-Daulah, learned of this horrible and calamitous
event, he wrote to Slar-Khorasan and made an alliance with him; he
commanded all the captives of the region in which he lived to be sold,
for he was benevolent and merciful towards the Christian people.
Moreover, he issued an edict throughout the whole land, which
commanded people to buy captives, and it was carried out. However,
when the captives were brought to Amida to be sold, many perished
as martyrs at the gates of the town [in spite of the emir's edict]. At
that moment a light with a fiery appearance was seen descending
upon them from heaven.
16. Who is able to relate the happenings and ruinous events which
befell the Armenians, for everything was covered with blood'
moreover, the hoofs of the enemy horses wore down the mountain~
and hills. Beca~se of the great number of corpses, the land stank,
and all o~ PerSIa was filled with innumerable captives; thus this
whole ~a~lOn o~ beasts ~ecame drunk with blood. All human beings
of ChnstIan faIth were In tears and in sorrowful affliction, because
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God our creator had turned away His benevolent face from us. All
this happened because of our sins and evil ways, and thus God
delivered us up to the wicked and very savage nation of the Turks,
according to the words of the prophet who said: "0 God, you rejected
us, ruined us, were angry at us, and [did not] have pity on us; you did
not go forth with our forces, you made us turn back from our
enemies, and thus our enemies plundered us; you delivered us like
sheep to the slaughter and scattered us among the heathen." 1 Mter
such calamitous events as these had taken place, the infidels brought
an immense number of captives to Persia, carrying them off in groups
like flocks of birds. When the infidels [in Persia] saw them, they
were amazed and questioned them, saying: "Why did you become
enslaved, [allowing yourselves] to be in such an unprepared state,
and why were you unable to have foresight, either by ear or through
a sign, so that you might have fled from uS?" The captives answered:
"We were unable to realize anything. II Then the infidel women said:
"La, this was the sign of your destruction; when in the evening your
cock crowed and your cattle and sheep squatted to defecate, this was
the sign for the [impending] calamity. II The captives answered: "All
that had happened to us many times in our country, but we were
never able to realize that it was a sign for us of the [impending]
calamity. II
17. After all these calamitous events we have spoken about, the
terrible news reached the emperor Ducas. Collecting troops, he
appointed the illustrious magnate called Francopoulos l as general and
sent him with many troops to the territory of T'lkhum. These forces
came and reached T'lkhum with great strength. The dux of Edessa,
whose name was Dawatanos and who was a valiant and mighty man
in battle and renowned throughout the land, also gathered together
forces. Collecting troops from Edessa, Gargar, and ~:Ii~n-Ma.n':lllr, he
moved forth against the Muslims with these forces [and intended] to
avenge the blood of the Christians which had been shed. Going forth
with many troops, he encamped on the plain of T'lkhum. When all
his troops saw the tremendous amount of slaughter which had taken
place here, they wept profusely. When the forces of the Turks
learned of the coming of the Roman troops, they fled to Persia. Then
Dawatanos roared like a lion at the Muslims and assaulted the town
of Amida, especially since at that time the townspeople had poisoned
and killed the great emir $a.i'd-ad-Daulah, the son of Naf3ir-adDaulah.
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18. In this same year a certain Hehnuk with five thousand men
went against the Kurds in the region of Amida, near a place called
Chepu-Shahar. Seizing a considerable amount of booty consisting of
sheep, cattle, horses, slaves, and many other things, he came to the
fortress called Sewerak (Sewawerak). A man who was the chief of
the Kurds and whose name was Khalid, together with his three sons,
pursued and overtook Hehnuk. When Hehnuk and his forces saw
this, they turned back in flight. At that moment the divine-rebuking
wrath of God fell upon them, for the forces of Amida arrived and
caused much slaughter, freeing all the men and captives [Hehnuk
and his troops had taken].
19. In this same year Francopoulos went to the city of Erzurum
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and there came upon the Turkish forces which had pillaged the
territory of T'lkhum, and both sides engaged in combat with one
another. Francopoulos defeated them and slaughtered all the
Turkish forces, killing their emir who was called Yl1suf; moreover, he
seized countless booty and delivered innwnerable captives out of their
hands. When the emperor Ducas heard of the death of Dawatanos,
which was treacherously caused by Francopoulos, he summoned him
to Constantinople and drowned him in the sea by tying a rock to his
neck and throwing him into the Mediterranean.
20. In the year 513 of the Armenian era [1064-1065] the Persian
ruler Alp Arslan, l brother of the sultan Tughrul, who after the death
of his brother occupied the throne of the state, collected troops from
the Persians, the Turks, and from all of Khl1zistan2 right up to Sijistan. 3 Going forth full of rage and with a formidable army, he surged
ahead with venomous onslaughts and moved forth like a river
swelling up with tempestuous rage and like a beast crazed by its
bloodthirsty nature. He went forth and reached Armenia; and then
with a very large amount of troops entered the country of the
Albanians, subjecting them to the sword and enslavement. He
caused countless deaths of Christians, so much so that no one is able
to relate the calamitous events of this disaster to the Christian
faithful; for they bitterly tasted death at the hands of the crazed and
pernicious nation of the Turks. Because of the tremendous number
of Turkish troops, all the plains were covered with their forces, and
thus all ways of escape were closed off. Lo, in this place the words
of the Savior were fulfilled, who said: "Woe to those who are
pregnant and who give suck in those days"'; for many priests, monks,
chief elders, and illustrious princes tasted violent death and became
food for the beasts and birds. Mter such a great calamity the sultan
sent to the king of the Albanians Kvirike5 and demanded his daughter
in marriage; out of fear the king gave her to the sultan. Then the
sultan made a perpetual pact of peace and friendship with him, after
which he sent the king of the Albanians Kvirike, the son of David
Anhoghin, back to his town of Lori with great honor and many gifts. 6
Going forth from that place, the sultan entered Georgia with his
formidable army and, full of ferocious rage, subjected its inhabitants
to the sword and enslavement. Descending from there, he encamped
in the district called Jawakhk'7 and vehemently besieged the town of
Akhalk'alak. By a violent assault he captured Akhalk'alak and
mercilessly slaughtered all the inhabitants with the sword down to
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
the last man and woman, butchering all the priests, monks, and
nobles. The whole town was filled with blood, and t~e Turks led
innumerable young boys and girls into captivity to PersIa; moreover,
they took [with them] treasures of gold, silver, precious stones, and
pearls, amounting to an incalculable sum.
21. In this same year the sultan very victoriously went forth and,
[having the reputation ofl being the venomous serpent of the
Persians, came and entered Armenia; he became the instrument of
the divine-rebuking wrath of God upon this eastern people and forced
the entire Armenian nation to imbibe his bitter rancor. He spread
the flaming fire of death to all the Christian faithful and filled all
Armenia with blood, the sword, and enslavement. Going forth, the
sultan came like a threatening black cloud and, descending upon the
royal city of Ani, surrounded it completely on all sides like a vicious
serpent.
22. When the population of the city saw this, they trembled in fear
and prepared to battle against the Persians with [as] much strength
[as they could muster]. The infidel forces on their part, full of rage,
made a savage assault and pushed the Roman1 forces back into the
city, forcing them to regroup within its walls; thus by their formidable assault the Persians put the city in great danger. At that
moment, from dread of these vicious beasts, all the Christian faithful
trembled and shook, and fathers began to weep over their sons and
sons, over their fathers; mothers wept over their daughters and
daughters, over their mothers; and brothers wept over their brothers;
and lovers, over their lovers. Thus the whole population of Ani was
in great danger, and the assault grew even more intense, so much so
that the whole city quaked. Because of these prolonged assaults, the
entire city began to pray and fast, and with tears and groans together
they cried out to God to deliver them from these ferocious beasts. For
Ani was a very populated city, filled with tens of thousands of men,
women, aged, and children; this city evoked the admiration of those
who gazed upon it; even the innumerable [infidel] forces thought that
the greater part of the population of Armenia was contained within
its walls.
In this period there were in Ani one thousand and one churches
where div~ne liturgy was celebrated. The city was built on steep
rocks, .whic~ rose up on all sides, and was surrounded by the
Akhurlan RIver, but about a bowshot away there was an accessible
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place on one side which the infidels had demolished with a catapult.
Mer besieging the city for many days, the infidels still were unable
to enter it and soon became discouraged and lifted the siege. On the
other hand, the wicked Roman governors, whom the emperor had
appointed as guardians of Armenia-Bagrat, father of 5mbat, and
Gregory, son of Bakuran, a Georgian-began to intrench themselves
deep inside the upper citadel. On that same day the sultan and all
the Persian forces, including his whole army, were about to pull back
in full force, intending to return to Persia. When the townspeople
saw the entrenchment of these apostate guardians of Armenia [in the
citadel], they broke rank and each man in his own right fled for no
reason at all, the whole city being obscured by a cloud of dust [rising
from the feet of those fleeing]. The important personages of the city,
in tears, went and fell on their knees before the graves of the fanner
Annenian kings, deeply lamenting with tearful eyes and saying:
uRise up and see [the condition ofl your ancestral land.
When the infidel forces sawall this confusion [among the Christian
faithful], they went and related it to the sultan, but he would not
believe them. Nevertheless, when the infidel troops saw the
ramparts undefended, they entered the city in toto and, taking a
child from its mother, brought it back to the sultan and said: "Let
this be as evidence for you from the city that we have captured AnL"
When the sultan heard this, he was greatly amazed and said: "Their
God has delivered the impregnable city of Ani into our hands this
day." Then he turned around with his army and entered the city of
Ani. All the infidel troops had very sharp knives, one in each hand
and the third between the teeth. Armed in this manner, they began
to mercilessly slaughter the inhabitants of the entire city, cutting
down great numbers of them like green grass and piling up their
bodies, one on top of the other, like heaps of stone. In a short time
the whole city was filled with blood. All the important Armenian
princes and noblemen were brought before the sultan in chains.
Beautiful and respectable ladies of high birth were led into captivity
to Persia. Innumerable and countless boys with bright faces and
pretty girls were carried off together with their mothers. Many
saintly priests were burned to death, while others were flayed alive
from head to toe, enduring painful wounds, all of which was horrible
to those witnessing it.
One of the nefarious infidels climbed to the top of the holy
cathedral and pulled down the very heavy cross which was on the
dome, throwing it to the ground. Then, entering through the door
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
which gave access to the dome of the cathedral, he hurled down the
crystal lamp onto the floor of the cathedral, causing it to be extinguished; 5mbat the Conquero~ had this lamp brought from India
along with an indeterminate quantity of precious objects, and it
weighed twelve litras and was also able to bear a weight of twelve
litras. When the cross was pulled down from the dome, at that
moment violent thundering and heavy rains took place, and all the
torrents of blood caused by the slaughter were washed into the
Akhurian River, thus cleansing the entire city of blood. When the
sultan learned that the crystal lamp, which was without equal in the
whole world, had been shattered in pieces, he became very distressed.
The silver crOSB, which the infidels had pulled down and which was
the size of a man, was taken and placed on the threshold of the
entrance to the mosque in the city of Nakhichevan; this cross is still
located there today.3
23. In this period Gagik,! the son of the shahnshah 5mbat,2
reigned in Kars; an envoy was sent to him by the sultan, requesting
him to come and do obeisance. Now Gagik was an intelligent and
sagacious man, and so he thought of a way to quietly rid himself of
the sultan. He dressed up in a black garment of mourning and sat
on a cushion of the same color. When the sultan's envoy saw him,
questioning him and desiring to know the reason [for this behaviorJ,
he said: "Why are you dressed in black, for after all you are a king?"
Gagik answered: "Since the day that my friend the sultan Tughrul,
the brother of Alp Arslan, died, I have been wearing this black
garment." Amazed, the envoy went and related it to the sultan, and
the sultan, enthralled by this, went forth with his whole army and
came to Gagik in Kars; there he offered Gagik his friendship and
showed that he was pleased [to see him]; moreover, he had the
Armenian king dressed in royal clothes. Gagik, in turn, gave a
banquet for the sultan. We have heard it said that the Armenian
king spent one thousand dahekans on one roasted lamb and also that
he gave a table worth one hundred thousand dahekans to the sultan,
besides placing all his troops at the disposal of that ruler. Thus in
this manner Gagik quietly rid himself of Alp Arslan. Sometime after
this Gagik abandoned Kars and went over to the Romans. The
emperor Ducas gave DzamndaW! to Gagik, and the Armenian king
settled there, together with his noblemen, thus abandoning his
ancestral home.
In this manner the Armenian nation was enslaved, and the whole
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country was completely filled with blood, which like a sea undulated
from one end to the other. Our ancestral home was destroyed and
despoiled. The foundations of the Armenian homeland were uprooted
and shaken. No hope of deliverance remained, and we became
subjected to servitude under infidel peoples and alien savages. Lo,
the words of the prophet David were fulfilled against us: "You have
sold your people for a trifle and our cries have not ceased. You have
made us an object of scorn among the heathen and of derisive
contempt among those who are about us. Because of all these things,
we cry out and say: Turn to us, 0 God our Savior, and turn your
anger away from us. "4 Such was the destruction of the Armenian
nation.
24. In the year 514 of the Armenian era [1065-1066], during the
reign of the Roman emperor Ducas, a great war broke out in the West
caused by the nation of the Uzes. The emperor Ducas collected troops
from all the Greeks and from the forces of Armenia. He appointed
the illustrious Roman magnate Basil, the son of Abukab, as commander of these forces. Basil, advancing with many troops, came and
descended upon the great river called the Danube. Here on the
banks of the river a violent battle took place between the Romans
and the Uzes, and there was heavy slaughter on both sides. Here one
was able to witness a very violent conflict, where both sides hacked
away at each other for the greater part of the day and struck out at
one another like flocks of sheep. As the battle grew intense, the
Roman troops were defeated and fled, while the forces of the Uzes
pursued with the sword, slaughtering them in great numbers; the
enemy captured Basil, the Roman general, and led him into captivity
to their country. Moreover, these Uzes seized the entire Roman camp
in toto, including a great amount of gold and silver and many other
types ofbootYi they also led all the chief Greek officers into captivity.
For many years Basil remained captive in the country of the Uzes
and was unable to be ransomed, for they wanted too much money [for
his release]. Mter a while one of the infidel troops contemplated
freeing Basil, and the general, in turn, promised to give him many
things, including a position of high rank from the emperor. A few
days later this man, with the help of some of his friends, snatched
Basil and immediately brought him to the emperor Ducas. Thus
there was much rejoicing among all the Greeks, and the emperor
gave many gifts to those who had brought Basil. Mter this Basil
came to his father Abukab in Edessa, and his father and all his
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
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and having kept her in a state of purity, he was now separated from
her and had taken on the monastic discipline; moreover, devoting
himself to study and to the attainment of divine grace, he came to
have a deep understanding of the Old and New Testaments of God,
showing much eagerness and great desire [in his pursuit of these
studies].
26. During this period his most praiseworthy lordship Gregory, 1
also known as Vabram, the son of Gregory Magistros, son of Vasak
of Bjni of Pahlavid lineage, occupied the see of the Armenian
catholicate. His Lordship Gregory occupied the patriarchal see at the
behest of the shahnshah Gagik, the son of Abas of Kars, because after
the death of his lordship Khach'ik, Vahram was deemed worthy of the
holy see. For his reputation had grown a great deal, and he was
filled with holiness and righteousness and endowed with shining
virtue. Moreover, he had become skillful in the art of rhetoric and
was erudite in all aspects of the Old and New Testaments of God and
thus was able to assist Christ's flock in every way. It was this man
Vahram whom the Holy Spirit revealed as the one who would occupy
the see of St. Gregory the Enlightener, his ancestor; because of this
he was seen as one endowed with humility and every virtue and as
one appearing as the second celebrated Gregory. He renounced the
delights of the world and enthusiastically embraced the path of
eternal life. He enlightened the land of Armenia with his many and
diverse commentaries. [He enriched Armenian culture] by translating the works of many nations2 and completely filled the church of
God with all types of divinely inspired books. [Finally], Vahram
made the monastic institutions of the Armenian nation shine forth,
and thus the see of St. Gregory the Enlightener regained its [former]
vigor in the land of Armenia; for the new patriarch shone with
holiness and every modesty and devoted himself to fasting and
prayers.
27. In this same year the wicked Persian chief Slar-Khorasan for
the second time collected troops. He came against the fortress of
T'lkhum and with a terrible siege put it in dire straits for many days,
but was unable to capture it. Then, going forth with many troops, he
came to the territory of Edessa and reached the fortress called
Sewawerak. A guard post of Frankish troops, consisting of two
hundred horsemen, was stationed here. The Franks went forth in
battle against the Turks and at first slaughtered them and turned
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
them in flight. However, when the infidel forces received reinforcements, they put the Franks to flight and killed fifteen of their men.
Then the infidel forces invaded the territory of Sewawerak and
Nisibis. 1 The whole region was heavily populated with men and
women and flocks of sheep, to such an extent that its surface gave
the appearance of a rippling sea. The infidels ruthlessly attacked
with sword in hand and mercilessly slaughtered [everyone] with the
edge of the sword, filling the land with blood and leading the women
and children into captivity, together with a tremendous amount of
booty. Mter a few days they reached the territory of Edessa and
encamped before the renowned fortress of T'orich, devastating the
entire region. Then with part of their forces they descended upon a
fortress of limited importance called Nshenek2 and after a severe
assault captured it. A certain brave Armenian soldier called the
vestis,3 who was the dux of Antioch, happened to be in Edessa at that
time. Organizing his troops, he went forth to attack the Turks.
However, the dux of the city, whose name was Pegonites,4 turned over
the troops of the city to his proximus5 and ordered him to try to bring
about the death of the vestis, so that he might not have the chance to
do any deeds of bravery and thus increase his reputation for prowess.
The vestis arrived at Nshenek at nightfall; the Turks, feeling
completely secure, were lighting their fires and beginning to prepare
their evening meal. Then the perfidious proximus, who [as we have
seen] contemplated the treacherous deed of doing away with the
vestis, sounded the battle trumpet from afar and thus warned the
Turks, while he himself went in another direction with his troops.
The Armenian chief realized the treachery of the Romans and,
signaling his noblemen, fell upon the Turks. At the first encounter
he slaughtered many, while causing others to flee. Then he tried to
obtain assistance from the garrison of the fortress, but when [he saw
that] the ranks of the infidels were increasing around him, he took
refuge unharmed in a fortress which was near Dzulman. 6 When he
asked where the Frankish troops of Edessa were, he was told that the
proximus had gone to Lord Guzman7 with all his troops. Then the
vestis said: "0 apostate Romans, is this one of your usual treacherous
acts?" He returned to Edessa and after a few days went to the city
of Antioch and wrote to the emperor Ducas, infonning him of all his
treachery. The emperor had the proximus taken and flayed alive;
then he had his skin stuffed with grass and sent to Edessa. Moreover, Ducas deprived Pegonites of his high rank.
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28. In this same year once again the wicked and bloodthirsty beast
Slar-Khorasan came to the territory of Edessa and descended upon
Gulla.b. 1 There with the edge of the sword he caused a severe
slaughter, killing most of its inhabitants. Then, laden with many
captives, he descended upon the fortress called Tep, 2capturing it after
a violent assault and slaughtering its inhabitants to the last man.
Mter this, departing, he went and encamped in a place called K'sOS.3
The Roman troops who were in the city of Edessa, both infantry and
cavalry forces consisting of four thousand men, went against the
Turks and reached T'lak, which is close by K'sas. When SlarKhorasan saw this, he signaled his troops and attacked. However,
before both sides engaged in combat, the Roman troops fled. On the
other hand, two brothers from the Armenian infantry forces held a
bridge and thus stopped the Turks for a short time, until they were
finally killed in a violent assault [by the enemy]. So the Roman
troops fled, and the Turks pursued with the sword. At that moment
a Frank turned around to face the Turks and, roaring like a lion,
wounded and killed many, thus stopping them until the fugitives
could escape. But, his horse having been crippled with many wounds,
the Frank was cut down and bravely perished on the spot. The
infidels continued their pursuit right up to the moat of the city,
severely slaughtering [the Christians] as they advanced. Thus the
entire plain was filled with blood and many high-ranking officers lost
their lives.
29. In this same year once again Slar-Khorasan came against the
territory of Edessa, [this time] to a place called Kupin, l and there he
caused a horrible slaughter of people. He remained in the area for
many days, devastating and enslaving the whole region. Then he
returned to Persia with a tremendous amount of booty and captives
and died there.
30. In this same period 1 the Roman emperor Ducas, the patriarch,2
all the clergy, and the whole body of eunuchs espoused a perfidious
and abominable idea, conceived by the wicked emperor; moreover, all
the conspicuous Roman personages supported this sinister plan. For
the emperor, in concert with his impious accomplices, had the
intention of destroying the Armenian faith, thus thinking to corrupt
the faith of St. Gregory the Enlightener. So he resolved to substitute
his demonic, confused, and defective doctrine for that faith which had
been established in Armenia since time immemorial; for it was
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emperor was very pleased with this profession of faith and commanded it to be deposited in Saint Sophia, since henceforth the Armenians
and the Romans were reunited to one another. At this time Gagik,
swift as an eagle, sped to Constantinople; and when the emperor
heard of his arrival, he was very happy. When Gagik came before
the emperor, he ordered the document of reunion brought to him.
Taking it, the Armenian king read it and, when he saw that it was
written by the vardapet James, tore it in two in the presence of the
emperor and threw it to the ground. Seeing this, Ducas became very
much ashamed. Then Gagik said the following to the emperor in
reference to the vardapet: "This man is only a monk, besides which
there are many in Armenia who will neither accept nor conform to
such a document as this; moreover, we do not consider him to be one
of our accomplished vardapets. Then in the presence of the emperor
the Armenian king reprimanded James, saying: IlHow did you dare
write this and get yourself involved in such gibberish, for you are a
religious man. Mter this Gagik said the following to the emperor
Ducas: "I am a king and a son of the kings of Armenia, and all
Armenians obey my commands; I am well versed in the Old and New
Testaments, and all Armenians are witnesses to the truth of my
words, for they regard me as equal to the vardapets; therefore, today
I shall present a discourse to the Romans concerning the faith of the
Armenian nation." So Gagik himself wrote a profession of faith and
presented it to the emperor and patriarch. Here follows a copy of this
document.
1l
II
32. IlNow we shall speak about the creation of man. Why did God
first create the lower forms and prepare man's habitat and after all
this make man as his last act of creation? It is because he did not
think it proper to enjoy his opulence alone. So from his abundant
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
excellence he poured out his blessings and passed from th~ creation
of angels and other beings [to the creation of man], accordmg to the
words of the prophet who said: 'The earth was full of the mercy of
the Lord' the heavens were made firm by the words of the Lord, all
their virtues emanating from the breath of his mouth.'l 0 v~ctori0.u8
emperor, 10, we expound our profession of faith to you; Imperlal
majesty and once again discourse about these matters. It IS our duty
to serve and worship the Lord in the same way and manner as those
inspired by the Holy Spirit. For we procl~i~ ~hat the Fath~r is God t
that the Son is God that the Holy Spmt IS God, fonmng three
persons and one will ~th one accord and one lordship. There is no
superiority or inferiority between them; one is not to be more honored
or more humbled than the others, so that one assents, the other
cooperates, while the third provides the inspiration. Moreover, ea~h
person equally manifests the splendor of the Godhead, separated 111
its unity and united in its separation, which indeed is beyond human
understanding.
33. "At this point I will delineate the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.
We shall speak of the Holy Spirit as an enlightening force; as the
contemplator of the divine graces, St. John the Evangelist, expressed
it: 'That was the true light, which enlightens all men and which was
coming,'l It was also the comforter and still is and will [always] bej
it is the only light, its light is the light, it is God and, it is that which
David saw in times past. The theologian John2 witnesses to all this
when he says: 'The Holy Spirit is God, whom people [wrongly] regard
as inferior [to the other persons of the Godhead] and do not maintain
as God equal with the Father and the Son.' This is the doctrine of
the Trinity and of the Holy Spirit, which we profess. Now God came
to this world to give birth, and what an excellent offspring came forth
because ofthisj so at this point we shall expound to your excellency
on the birth of the Son from the Father, as to why we hold the belief
we do [concerning this doctrine]. We believe the essence of the
Godhead to be equally in the fatherhood and in the sonship. The
second person of the Trinity came for our salvation in a very real
sense and not seemingly or in a contrived way as [in the situation
w.hereJ persons disguised as guests partook of the calf in the tent of
hIm who was called t~e .fath~r of righteousness.s We regard the
second person of the Tnmty Without beginning and uncreated as it
was proclaimed from Moses to the prophets and from the prophets to
the fulfillment of the promises of the one who is to come. He will
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
becoming God; how else can one express this. [inscrutable mystery]?
We maintain that the Trinity is composed of different Persons, but we
do not confuse one Person with the other; in the same way the two
natures are made one in Christ and partake of the same divinity. If
anyone maintains that Christ, as a prophet, was born in grace, but
was not begotten through the natural union of two natures, let him
be considered among those who are anathematized by the powers on
high, especially if he persists in his error. IT anyone does not worship
Christ crucified, let him be anathematized and condemned with the
deicides. If anyone maintains that he is worthy of being adopted as
a son of God only after his baptism or his resurrection from the dead,
as the pagans affirm in their erroneous books, let him be anathema.
For heretics such as these maintain that the being, who has a
beginning, progresses, and finally becomes perfect, is not God,
although they say this because of the gradual changes which take
place in him. If anyone maintains that Christ has now put aside his
body and has kept only his divinity, having abstracted it from his
body, and thus has divested himself of this garment he used to wear,
so that at present or at his second coming he will not be seen in his
glory, [let him be anathema]. For where is his body now, if not with
the one who is clothed in it?
"We reject the nonsense of the Manicheans, who say that his body
was placed in the sun and thus honor that which is not worthy of
honor;! [we do not believe as they do that] this body became dissipated and dissolved in nature, similar to what happens to air and
lightning in the atmosphere; [we also reject their notion that] the
body is not in any place where it can be touched, or [that] it is not
resurrected and its former wounds cannot be seen, since the Godhead
itself is invisible. On the contrary, we maintain that he came with
his body, wholly formed, as he appeared to his disciples on Mount
Tabor in a manifestation where his divinity triumphed over his
hu~anity; it is this belief that I wish to make known to your imperial
maJesty. If anyone maintains that Christ's body descended from
heaven,2 let him be anathema, for a heavenly body comes from
heaven and a terrestrial body from the earth; no one ascends to
heaven who has not descended from there, namely the Son of Man.
If there is a.nyt~ing more to be said here, one should explain the
heavenl~ umon In .the sense that everything exists through Christ,
and ChrIst dwells In our hearts in order to enlighten our minds.
38. "Now we wish to explain to your very illustrious majesty about
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Christ crucified and the cmcifixion by means of the following invocation: '0 you who were crucified for us'; during our worship services
we repeat this invocation when we give thanks to God three times for
his Son crucified for us. H anyone imagines that Christ acts because
of the Father or the Holy Spirit, or maintains that all three equally
suffered in the passion and that all three were crucified, he will be
accused of professing three Godheads. However, if we declare that
only the Son is benevolent, we reject the words contained in the
Gospels which say: 'Hanyone is ashamed of me or of my words, the
Son of Man will be ashamed of him. 'i This passage refers to those
who, although confessing Christ, conceal the thanks due God for the
crucifixion; as these people are ashamed of the cmcifixion, so also will
Christ be ashamed of them on the last day. When, for example,
Gregory,2 the father of theologians, says: 'God crucified, the sun
darkened,' how can one dare disavow the crucifudon? However, if
anyone brings the Father and the Holy Spirit together, let him be
anathema.
39. "Now, passing on to another subject, let us discuss the action
involved in the mystery of the bread and the wine. Why did Christ
take up the unmixed chalice together with the unleavened bread in
order to distribute these to us-on the night in which he was betrayed-when he instructed us to consecrate his body and blood in
memory of himself? The blessed1 John Chrysostom, whose testimony
we cite here, says the following in his commentary on the Gospels, in
reference to the writings of the Pharisees: 'The other evil heresies,
Christ rooted out; this is why after his resurrection he only took the
[unmixed] chalice and the unleavened bread; for he said that there
were those who used water in the holy sacrament, even though the
vine produces only wine and not water.' This is why we adhere to
this usage which was passed down to us. Now, since two types of
liquid flowed from the wound made on Christ's side, many have
mixed water with the wine, because water came out with the blood;
also they have adopted the leavened bread because the divinity was
united with the body, but they have made a false interpretation in
order to justify this usage. In reference to the water and the blood,
the blessed John says that the water signifies perfect mortality and
the blood signifies perfect vitality, since Christ both lived and died in
perfection. For his humanity is not separated from his divinity, but
constitutes a unity, as we have already proved. He is no longer a
man but God and man at the same time, existing before eternity,
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he was the high priest for that year, besides which the solemn Feast
of the Tabernacles was near, and all of Israel was assembled there.
Because of all this and because the Feast of the Tabernacles had to
be celebrated for seven days, it was not possible for the high priest to
leave the people and go to his home, all the more since his residence
was far away and not in Jerusalem. The evangelist St. Luke attests
to all this when he says: 'The people were waiting for Zechariah and
they wondered why he was delaying in the temple. When the time
of his priestly ministrations were over, he returned to his home.' The
evangelist continues: 'Mter these days his wife Elizabeth became
pregnant.'6 This all clearly shows that Zechariah's having intercourse
with his wife assuredly took place after the celebration of the feast
days, and for a further confinnation of these words the evangelist
repeats once again: 'The time of his priestly ministrations was over';
then he adds: 'Mter these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant.'
Who is the man having some intelligence who doesn't know that God
commanded the people to purify themselves and worship him, not
only during the feast, but also on the first day of the month in the
evening? How is it that in the interval between two solemn feasts
the high priest is able to leave the people and go to his home in order
to have intercourse with his wife? The evangelist clearly relates that
Mary, having left, went towards the hills to a town of the tribe of
Judah; there she entered the house of Zechariah, and on the same
day of the feast Zechariah had intercourse with his wife. Now
understand that this took place during the feastS of the month of
Tishri at the time of Zechariah's muteness, which is the twenty-fifth
of September or the twenty-second of the month of Tishri, when the
conception and pregnancy of Elizabeth took place. Now, calculating
six months-that is one hundred and eighty days-from the conception of Elizabeth, we come up with the sixteenth of the month, which
is the sixth of April according to the Roman calendar,? on which day
the annunciation of the Holy Virgin Mary took place. Then, allowing
a space of ten months for the pregnancy of the firstborn and calculating two hundred and eighty-six days from the annunciation, we come
up with the twenty-first of September, which is the sixth of'January
according to the Roman calendar. Now this is the doctrine which we
profess and in which we stand unshaken and with an unfaltering
faith until the end of time.
41. "Now we shall discourse on the fast of Arajawork',1 because
there has been much antagonism, schism, and conflict between the
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Romans and our nation over this issue. Concerning the fast of
Arajawork' there is no basic difference between it .and. Lent, fo~ the
prelates of old separated this fast from Lent, takmg mto consIderation the weakness of human nature; first they had prescribed that
it should be conducted in holiness and forbade the consumption of all
types of victuals, from the produce of the vine to sesame, not to spe~
of wine and oil; then, since the people were unable to hold to thIS
rigorous prescription, these prelates of old permitted an interval of
repose. The reason we have outlined above for the establishment of
this fast suffices, although another significance is attributed to it for
its institution. It is said that this fast offive days was first imposed
as an expiation for man's transgressions through his five senses in
the earthly paradise; this is supposed to be the basis for all fasts
practiced by Christians and also a step to the highest of abstinences,
Lent. This is why Moses in the desert granted the people a time for
relaxation, following the command of the Lord. In the same way the
inhabitants of Nineveh atoned for their sins by a five-day fast and
thus saved their city from destruction. 2 Likewise Cyril, patriarch of
Jerusalem,S prescribed a five day fast before baptism [for those
entering the faith]. There are still other alleged reasons for this fast,
which I feel are superfluous to cite here, since it would be tedious for
the mind. This fast does not do any injustice to the faith; on the
contrary, it serves to fulfill its precepts, and besides, no one is to be
blamed for a five-day abstinence. During this fast you would do well
not to eat any of these foods, except on the holy day when we
celebrate the feast of the general St. Sargis, the true martyr who was
immolated by the descendants of Hagar,4the sons of Mupammad, in
the district
of Bagrewand5 during the reign of the emperor Theodo6
sius. To be sure, this man is not the apostate donkey-driver Sargis
who worshiped a dog. For us Christians it is St. Sargis, the true
ma~tyr, whom we commemorate. Thus in regards to this there is no
schIsm or scandal on our part. Now we have said all this concerning
the fast o~ Arajawork' so that all these words might be understood as
a professlO~ of a true and concise faith; this faith we uphold and
stand firm In from now until the end of time persisting in it at
present and in the future. May our Lord Jesu~ Christ be with his
ser~an~B; to him be given glory and adoration by the holy church,
whIch IS blessed and will be blessed to the end of time, Amen."
~2. Such was the discourse which the Armenian king Gagik
dehvered before the emperor Ducas and in the midst of all the Greek
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lO:;j At the beginning of the year 515 of the Armenian era [10661e':I ~omet appeared out of the eastern portion of the sky and
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48. In this period the Persian emir MshIn! collected troops and
desolated many regions, bloodily massacring the Christian faithful.
Much sorrow and gloom fell upon the land because of these wicked
infidels. The emir marched forth with a very great number of troops
and wintered at the foot of the Black Mountains. 2 There was a
tremendous amount of bloodshed and slaughter in the whole region,
and many of the holy monks were subjected to the edge of the sword
and to being burned; moreover, their corpses became food for the
beasts and birds, and since no one was able to inter them, they
remained perpetually unburied. Many monasteries and villages were
burned to the ground, and their traces are still evident today. Thus
the Black Mountains and the entire region from one end to the other
was covered with the blood of monks, priests, men and women, aged
and young, all of this happening according to the prophet who said:
"Their young men were devoured by fire and no one grieved for their
virgins; their priests fell under the sword and no one wept over their
widows; their blood flowed like water all around Jerusalem and there
was no one to bury them. "3 This is the sort of calamitous destruction
which the wicked and vicious beast MshIn brought upon the faithful;
moreover, it is veritably impossible for anyone to relate his [savage]
deeds.
49. In this BaIDe year a very illustrious and mighty emir, who was
called Gumushtigin and who was Alp Arslan's /tajib/ came forth from
the sultan's court; rising up, he went against the Christians with
formidable and valorous forces, causing rivers of their blood to flow.
Like a wounded and enraged beast he devastated the district of
T'lkhum and mercilessly slaughtered all those who had escaped the
previous invasions. By a great assault he captured the fortress called
T'let'ut' and inexorably slaughtered everyone there with the sword.
Then with an innumerable amount of captives he reached the
territory of Edessa. Descending upon the fortress called Nisibis, he
besieged it for a number of days, but was unable to capture it. Mter
this he forded the Euphrates River and fell upon the district of ~i13n
Manl:111r with the sword; being an instrument of the divine wrath [of
God], he consumed this very magnificent land with the edge of the
sword and spread his bitter and venomous hatred throughout the
whole area; for, like a hailstone accompanied by flashing lightning,
he struck down all the inhabitants of the land with a frightful
slaughter. The Turks burned everything in sight. Wielding the
sword and inflicting- deadly wounds, they caused the slaughter of all
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51. At the beginning of the year 518 of the Armenian era [10691070]1 Eudocia secretly summoned a certain magnate Romanus,
surnamed Diogenes,2 and, bringing this man into her chambers,
married him. She kept Romanus in her chambers until she had
summoned the caesar, the brother of Ducas, and, trying to discover
his true feelings, said: "What shall we do, for the imperial throne
remains unoccupied and Michael is still a child?" By these insidious
words the empress intended to create a pretext for doing away with
him. The caesar said to the empress: "What difference does that
make to me, for I and my children are your servants; give the
imperial throne to whomever you wish." Eudocia was both astonished and pleased at these words and thus no longer felt it necessary
to kill the caesar. Then the empress said to him: "Come, enter these
chambers and prostrate yourself before the emperor." The caesar was
astonished and amazed and thanked God that he had not said the
wrong thing. So he entered and prostrated himself before the
emperor. Then Diogenes was immediately taken to Saint Sophia, and
the entire city of Constantinople unanimously cried out to him:
"Praise [be to the emperor]"; following this, a crown was placed on his
head. s
52. In this period the holy Armenian patriarch his lordship
Vabram, also called Gregory, son of Gregory Magistros, who was the
son ofVasak. Pahlawuni, came to have a very strong desire to take on
the life of solitude and devote himself solely to praying to God.
Gregory was very much like Elias l and John the Baptist. 2 Having
adopted the lifestyle of St. Anthony,S deep down he desired to live on
top of a mountain. So he resolved to leave the great and glorious
patriarchal see; the vardapet George, who was his secretary, joined
him in this endeavor, and both men took a vow to walk together on
the road of the solitary life. This decision soon became known, and
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
when the Annenian king and princes heard of it, they did all in their
power to prevent Gregory's resignati~n. Howeve.r, the patriar~h was
even more insistent in carrying out hIS plan, saymg to them: I plan
to go to Rome and then travel through the Egyptian desert."
Nevertheless, the king and princes had no intention of letting him go.
Then, motivated by the zeal to carry out his cherishe~ desire, Gre?ory
said to the Armenian king: "Appoint anyone you WIsh as cathohcos,
but do not hinder me from the road of righteousness." When the king
and princes realized the single-mindedness of his purpose, unbeknown to him, they persuaded [the catholicos's secretary] George to
take the Annenian patriarchal see. His lordship Gregory had no idea
of all this; now George was brought forth to be consecrated as
catholicos, and when his lordship Gregory saw this, he was astonished and willy-nilly consecrated him catholicos of the Armenian
patriarchal see;4 however, he began to hold a grudge against George,
regarding him as his opponent, for he forgot the vow he had taken to
be George's companion in the spiritual life. Thus from that day on a
deep hostility existed between the two patriarchs, Gregory and
George. His lordship Gregory finally went through with his decision
to undertake the spiritual life and live in the mountains5 with those
solitary hermits who had dedicated their lives to Christ; so he
adopted their ascetic life and austere eating habits. s
53. In this same year the emperor Diogenes1 collected a great
number of troops from the whole empire of the Greeks, right up to
the borders of Rome and from all parts of the East. With these
formidable forces he marched forth and went against the country of
the Muslims. Arriving [in their territories], he encamped before the
r~nowned town called Manbij, not far from the very famous Muslim
CIty of Aleppo. A violent assault was launched and the town of
Ma~bi~ was put in great danger by the emperor'; barbarian mercenanes and countless troops. Mter many harassments Diogenes
com.manded catapults and other machines of the same type set up
agamst the town, for Manbij was surrounded by impregnable
ramparts. Now, when the ramparts were struck by the very large
rocks [of these machines], the concussion caused sections of the town
to. colla~se. At that point the inhabitants of the whole town trembled
;Ith ~nght and, with improvised crosses in their hands went in the
t~~tIon of the gates to the emperor. All the important personages
~ e. town fell at Diogenes' feet with very splendid gifts and
ecommg tributary to the emperor, were thus delivered from the fat~
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of death. So the emperor took pity on the town and accepted its
submission.s Mter this a letter came to the emperor Diogenes from
the empress, asking him to hasten back to Constantinople. Having
read this, the emperor began the journey back in haste.
64. In this same year a certain young emir called Ktrich', 1 who
was of the family of Alp Arslan, intended on secretly rebelling against
this sultan and then going to Constantinople to the Greek emperor. 2
This man reached Sebastia at the head of many troops, while the
curopalatesS went forth from Constantinople and came against him in
battle. The two armies engaged in combat near Sebastia, and the
Greeks were defeated and put to flight. On the following day the
Turks returned to battle against the Greeks and once again pushed
them back and put them to flight, this time taking the curopalates
prisoner. On the other hand, the Greek troops, blinded by dust and
being in flight, came to a steep and rocky place called Mak].'iti;
plunging headlong from there, they all perished. After a few days the
Armenian king and princes, including all the Armenian lords, made
peace and formed an alliance with the young emir. Then Ktrich' took
the curopalates and the other prisoners-as many as three thousand
men-and secretly went to Constantinople to the Greek emperor.
The emperor received him with great honor and pomp, for the emir
was a very benevolent person. 4
55. In the year 519 of the Armenian era [1070-1071] a comet
appeared in the sky; when it was seen, many said that it was the
same omen which had appeared before and after which much
bloodshed had occurred. Once again it appeared one night, as if all
the stars had fallen to earth. All nations and peoples were frightened
and shook and trembled because of this dreadful and horrible omen, l
for an omen like this had never been seen or heard of before. It was
believed that this all had to do with what the Savior meant when he
said: "In the final days there will be signs of confusion and dread in
the sun, moon, and stars this is written in the Holy Gospels. So
this was the beginning of the second devastation and final destruction
of our country by the wicked Turkish forces, because our sins had
increased and spread; for "all have sinned and have diminished from
the glory of Godlls and "no one is righteous, no not one. 1I4 We all
became accustomed to walking in wickedness and preferred the ways
of sin rather than those of righteousness; we never changed from the
path of evil to the path of good, for which we brought the wrath of the
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back to the city, burning whatever remained. Then the infidels began
to dig seven tunnels under the moat in order to undermine the city's
walls. In tW'n the townspeople dug in the direction of the enemy
sappers, capturing and killing these infidels. So the Lord strengthened the city against the infidels. For fifty days the sultan vehemently besieged Edessa, but he was not able to capture it. Then Alp
Arslan, frustrated, promised to give money and a high position to
anyone who could remove a rock from the ramparts, for he wished to
take this rock back with him to Persia as a souvenir. At this point
Abu'l-Uswar, the emir of Dvin, said to the sultan: "Near us is the
altar of a church which no one has thought of assaulting." So the
Turks tried to remove a stone from the altar of St. Sargis Church,
which was east of the city; however, they were not able to do so, and
when the sultan saw this, he was very humiliated. Mter all this
Kuraysh, the chief emir of the Arabs, taking the sultan Alp Arslan
and the whole army of Persian troops, marched against the city of
Aleppo. Consequently, on that day there was great rejoicing within
the city of Edessa, for the townspeople had been delivered from this
vicious beast.4
57. When the Greek emperor Diogenes heard the news of this
recent calamity [brought upon Armenia], roaring like a lion he
commanded all his numerous forces be collected; so edicts were issued
and heralds sent forth throughout all the lands of the West. Thus a
very great and formidable number of troops was gathered together
from the entire country of the Goths, from all the Bulgars, from all
the distant islands,l from Cappadocia and all of Bithynia, 2 from Cilicia
and Antioch, from Trebizond, and [last but not least] from Armenia-whose remnants of very courageous soldiers still existed;
moreover, Diogenes had mercenaries from the infidels of Khuzistan
brought, and thus the emperor gathered together a formidable anny,
as numerous as the sands of the sea.
So in the year 520 of the Armenian era [1071-1072] Diogenes
marched forth and, fulminating like a hail-filled cloud, reached the
city of Sebastia. Atom and Abusahl, the sons of the Armenian king,
came to meet him with great pomp. At this time the Romans made
slanderous remarks against the inhabitants of Sebastia and against
all of the Armenians in general, denouncing them before the emperor
and saying: "If at any time the emir Ktrich' strikes at us, the
Armenians surely will slaughter us more vehemently than the
Turks." The emperor Diogenes believed all these false accusations of
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
follows: liDo not flee, for the greater part of our forces is with you.
Hearing this, the sultan immediately stopped. !hen he wrot~ a very
amicable letter to the emperor Diogenes concernmg the estabhshment
of peace and harmony between both sides; each side.was to remain
in peace with the other, neither one ever harmmg the other;
moreover the Christians would be looked upon as friends, and thus
there wo~ld be a perpetual peace and alliance between the Persians
and the Romans.
When Diogenes heard these things, not only did he become
arrogant and refuse to accept the sultan's offer, but he became even
more bellicose than ever. Then the aforementioned malicious and
perfidious men approached Diogenes and said: 110 emperor, no one
is able to stand against your innumerable forces. Your troops are
going forth from the camp to procure victuals; send them away
regiment by regiment [to forage for themselves], so that they might
not go hungry before the day of battle. So the emperor had the emir
Ktrich' return to Constantinople and had Tarkhaniat4 go against
Khlat' with thirty thousand men; moreover, he sent twelve thousand
men to the Abkhazes, and thus because of the emperor all the Roman
forces became scattered. Now Alp Arslan was infonned of all these
treacherous machinations. So, when the sultan saw Diogenes'
inflexible and stubborn attitude, he went into battle against the
Roman forces, leading on the whole army of Khurasan with the fervor
of a lion cub. When Diogenes learned of the advance of the Persian
army against him, he ordered the battle trumpet sounded and had all
the Roman forces drawn up in orderly fashion. He appointed as
commanders of his troops Khatap and Vasilak, Annenian nobles who
were brave and were regarded as great warriors. A very violent
battle took place the greater part of the day, and the Roman forces
were defeated. Khatap and Vasilak. were killed, and all the Roman
troops were put to flight, being forced to fall back on the imperial
camp. When Diogenes saw this, he ordered all his forces to regroup,
but there was no one to heed his summons, for Tarkhaniat and the
other Roman magnates had returned to Constantinople with their
troops. When the emperor learned of this, he realized the treachery
of his own Romans. So the battle continued the next day. In the
morning hours the battle trumpet was sounded, and heralds went
forth, and proclai~ed the wishes of the emperor Diogenes; he
promIsed honors, hIgh positions, and jurisdiction over the towns and
distr~cts to all those who would courageously fight against the
PerSIan forces. Soon the sultan, very well organized, advanced into
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battle against the Roman troops. At that point the emperor Diogenes
went forth and reached a place of battle near Mantskert, called
Toghotap'.5 There he placed the Uz and Pecheneg mercenaries on his
right and left flanks and the other troops on his van and rear. When
the battle grew intense, the Uzes and Pechenegs went over to the
side of the sultan.
At that point all the Roman troops were defeated and turned in
complete flight. Countless Roman troops were slaughtered and many
captives were taken. 6 The emperor Diogenes himself was taken
prisoner and brought into the presence of the sultan in chains,
together with countless and innumerable captives. Mter a short
while the sultan made an alliance of peace and friendship with the
Roman emperor. Then the sultan adopted Diogenes as his blood
brother and took an oath to God as a guarantee of his sincerity;
moreover, with a solemn oath he pledged that there would be
perpetual friendship and harmony between the Persians and the
Romans. Mter all this with great pomp Alp Arslan sent the emperor
back to Constantinople, to his imperial throne.
When Diogenes reached Sebastia, news came to him that Michael, 7
the son of Ducas, occupied the imperial throne. At this all the
emperor's troops abandoned him and fled, and so he was forced to
take refuge in the city of Adana. The emperor Michael's forces
gathered against him. Diogenes, in turn, because of the danger in
which he found himself, put on the gannents of an abeghay and,
going to the Roman general who was the brother8 of Ducas,9 said:
"You no longer need to worry about me, for henceforth I intend to live
in a monastery; let Michael be emperor and may God be with him.
Notwithstanding all this, on that same day the Roman nation once
again crucified God as had the Jews, for they tore out the eyes of
Diogenes, their very own sovereign, who then died from the intense
pain [caused by the blinding]. When Alp Arslan heard this, he wept
bitterly and regretted the death of Diogenes. Then the sultan said:
liThe Roman nation has no God, so this day the oath of peace and
friendship taken by both the Persians and Romans is nullified;
henceforth I shall consume with the sword all those people who
venerate the cross, and all the lands of the Christians shall be
enslaved. Whenever the sultan brought Diogenes to mind, he sighed
heavily and lamented exceedingly, likewise all the Persians.
Speaking to the Khurasanians, the sultan said: "Henceforth all of
you be like lion cubs and eagle young, racing through the countryside
day and night, slaying the Christians and not sparing any mercy on
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himself before his son and, weeping, entrusted him to God and to all
the Persian emirs. So on this day the sultan Alp Arslan died, killed
by an obscure man of Kurdish origin. Thus Malik-Shah3reigned over
the Persians and, being a kind and merciful ma.n, was very benevolent towards the Christian faithful. After the death of Alp Aralan, he
returned to occupy the throne he had inherited, taking his father's
body with him and burying it in the tomb of his ancestors, located in
the town of Marand. The reign of Malik-Shah was favored by God;
his rule extended to all lands and he brought peace to Armenia.
59. In the year 521 of the Armenian era [1072~1073] a conflict
arose between his lordship Gregory and his lordship George. Gregory
was able to have George removed from the patriarchal see, taking the
veil1from his head. George, deeply hurt, went to the city of Tarsus,
where he died. On the other hand, his lordship Gregory went and
lived in Mutarasun2 with Gagik, the son of Gurgen.
60. In this period the impious and most wicked chiefPhilaretus,l
who was of the very offspring of Satan, began his tyrannical rule; for,
when Diogenes fell, this perfidious man, who indeed was a precursor
of the abominable Antichrist and possessed by a demonical and
extremely monstrous character, tyrannically ruled over the land.
This Philaretus began to war against the Christian faithful, for he
was a superficial Christian and was disavowed by both the Armenians and Romans; he professed the Roman faith and followed their
customs, but he was Armenian through his father and mother, having
grown up with his uncle in the Monastery of Zorvi-Kozern in the
district of ~i~n-Manf3ur. So Philaretus came forth from the wilderness and brought with him abominable desolation. He came to rule
over many areas and towns, causing the deaths of many illustrious
nobles; finally he fixed his residence at Mshar. 2 Mter this he sent to
T'ornik, the lord of Sasun, and summoned this man to come to him
in submission. When T'ornik, the son of Mushegh, heard this, he
ridiculed Philaretus's absurd command, saying: "I have not even set
eyes upon this man."3 Then Philaretus's messengers said to T'ornik:
"Our ruler is coming against you with many troops and will devastate
and ruin all those districts belonging to you." "How many troops does
Philaretus have?" asked the lord of Sasun. "As many as twenty
thousand," answered the messengers. Then T'ornik said: "I have one
thousand horsemen who daily partake of the body and blood of the
Son of God; on the other hand, I know for a fact that Phila.retus and
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aU his forces are bereft and devoid of any belief in Christ, besides
which they are filled with all sorts of grievous iniquities." The
messengers went and related all this to Philaretus.
Then Philaretus summoned his lordship Gregory and said to him:
"T'ornik is your son-in-law; go and summon him to submit to me."
However, Gregory, knowing Philaretus's malicious character, went to
T'o;rnik against his own will and never again set eyes upon the
wicked ruler. Gregory explained the reason for his coming to T'or nik,
and the lord of Sasun was amazed and said: "How is it that
Philaretus did not blush, after so insolently sending you to me as an
envoy supported by such deceitful subterfuge?" When he realized
that T'ornik had no intention of heeding his summons, Philaretus,
collecting his troops, went against the lord of Sasun. At first T'ornik
did not know of Philaretus's coming, but when he found out, alerting
his forces, he brought them together from all parts of Sasun-fifty
thousand infantry and six thousand cavalry. Then T'ornik came to
Ch'apaghjur4 and, since he still was not sure that Philaretus was
coming, disbanded his infantry forces and with a thousand horsemen
went to the Armenian town of Ashrnushat. 6 On the plain of Aleluay
T'ornik finally met up with the forces of Philaretus, who had with
him the Frankish count ~mbaghat6 with eight hundred men. At this
point T'ornik regretted having disbanded his infantry forces;
nevertheless, he deployed his troops for battle battalion by battalion,
on each flank and on the front line. On the front line he placed his
aide Kapos, a very brave man, with three hundred troops; but of all
of Philaretus's forces, the lord of Sasun was most apprehensive of the
Franks and said: "See that my battalion engages the Franks." At
that moment :J;tmbaghat and his troops advanced and, striking
against T'o]:'nik's battalion, broke through its ranks and penetrated
into its center. Then the lord of Sasun signaled his troops, and both
his flanks closed in around the Franks, [trapping them]; the Armenians took all their officers prisoner and even captured their count. On
the other hand, Philaretus and all his troops were put to flight and
their officers taken prisoner-as many as one thousand five hundred
men. So on that day many Franks and other Christians were
slaughtered. After this T'o]:'nik and all the Annenian troops turned
back and went to Basun, laden with much booty. Philaretus, in tum,
fled and in great humiliation took refuge in Kharberd. This all took
place in the district of Handzit', on the plain of Aleluay.
61. In this period T'ornik went with a few men and entered his
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virtuous conduct, besides being endowed in every way with piety and
true orthodoxy which is in Christ Jesus; moreover, he was a faithful
shepherd of Christ's flock. At that time his lordship Gregory went to
the capital of the Armenians called Ani and there consecrated as
bishop his nephew Barsegh, the son of Vasak, son of Apirat, son of
Hasan; after a number of years Barsegh4 came to occupy the patriarchal see of the Armenians.
63. It was in the year 523 of the Armenian era [1074-1075] that
his lordship Gregory went to Constantinople and from there to Rome.
Then, going to Egypt, he visited the desert, which the former holy
fathers had inhabited, and thus fulfilled his most cherished desire.
He established his patriarchal residence there and, by so doing,
reinvigorated the institutions of the holy church in that country. His
lordship Gregory was treated with great honor and dignity by the
ruler of Egypt,1 even to a greater extent than by the Roman emperor.
Many Armenian troops joined him in Egypt-as many as thirty
thousand. After some time his lordship Gregory consecrated Gregory,
his nephew, as catholicos;2 then he rose up and went back to
Armenia, for his mother was still living.
64. These events took place at the time of Michael, the son of
Ducas, who occupied the imperial throne for four years. 1 This man
was benevolent and pious and endowed with all sorts of virtues and
radiant holiness; moreover, in all respects he resembled the saintly
emperors of old, shining forth in the Orthodox faith which is in
Christ; finally he was a father to orphans and a defender of widows.
By this emperor's order a tremendous quantity of dahekans were
minted, an amount as numerous as the dust of the land and the
sands of the sea; this money maintained its value and benefitted the
empire a great deal, for it was minted in the name of God. So the
grace of God continually descended upon Michael, and the whole
empire became fJ.Iled with the wealth he had created. This emperor
began to fast and pray and led a very pious and saintly life.
However, his empress came to resent him a great deal because of his
ascetic life, for he would not have sexual intercourse with her as is
natural in marriage; as a consequence of this, she became sexually
involved with a certain Roman magnate and through this vile
involvement prodded this man to go against Michael, thus violently
seeking to take the imperial throne from her husband. When the
emperor Michael saw that this magnate, whose name was Botaneia-
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tes, had incited the entire city of Constantinople against him, he did
nothing to oppose him; on the contrary, publicly shaming the
loathsome empress, Michael left the imperial throne and went into a
monastery to become a monk. 2 He put on a hair shirt and assumed
the monastic life, something which he had desired to do for a very
long time; in this way he put aside his worldly throne and crown. 3
65. In the year 525 of the Armenian era [1076-1077]1 Botaneiates2
reigned over the Romans, taking as his wife the former spouse of
Michael, who was the daughter3 of the Georgian king George. 4 Thus
this marriage came to be based upon the vile and adulterous relationship between this man and woman.
66. In this period the Armenian prince Vasak, the son of Gregory
Magistros and the brother of his lordship Gregory, died. This man
was the dux of Antioch, and he was on the main market street of this
city when he was assassinated by the perfidious Romans. Now, while
Vasak was passing through the streets, two spearmen1 came up to
him to pay homage, holding up what was supposed to be a letter;
when the dux bent down to take the letter from them, they suddenly
struck him between the eyes with a hatchet. In this manner the
illustrious Vasak was killed by such worthless and abominable men
as these. Mter this incident Vasak's troops gathered together in the
citadel of Antioch, and his officer summoned Philaretus, delivering
the city into his hands. Mter a number of days Philaretus gathered
together all the perfidious and apostate Romans 2-as many as seven
hundred men-on the pretext of initiating a campaign. Then he led
them to a village called Ap'shun and put them all to the sword,
slaughtering them to the last man. In this way Philaretus took
possession of Antioch and at the same time avenged the blood of the
illustrious Vasak Pahlawuni.
67. In this period the Armenian prince, the epeiktes,1was killed.
He was a brave man and a mighty warrior and came from the district
of Shirak. Now, because of his bravery, the Greek emperor compelled
him to receive the baptism and faith of the Romans; nevertheless,
this prince secretly still adhered to his ancestral faith based on St.
Gregory. One day the epeiktes took sick in his fortress called
Andriun. 2 The emperor had given him a Roman monk to guide him
in the erroneous faith of the Greeks, and this Armenian prince had
made the monk his father confessor. One day this wicked and
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
abominable Greek entered the epeiktes' chamber and, seeing that the
prince was soundly sleeping, savagely fell upon him; taking a pillow,
he placed it on the epeiktes' mouth and pressed down on it as hard as
he could. In this manner this nefarious Roman monk cruelly killed
a very mighty and courageous man. When the epeiktes' troops
learned of the treacherous death of their brave leader, they subjected
the wicked heretical monk to all sorts of tortures. Mter torturing
this abominable monk, they threw him down from one of the high
cliffs upon which the fortress was built, and so this evil man perished
by a violent death.
68. The emperor Botaneiates occupied the imperial throne for one
year, l but he had no intention of keeping it any longer; for he was
regarded as having obtained the imperial throne through violence
and fornication rather than by the will of God, because he had
adulterously taken the wife of Michael against the commandments of
God and thus had ruled illegitimately. Botaneiates' conscience
bothered him a great deal, and he said to himself: "He who was the
legitimate emperor and possessor of this throne left it and became a
monk; why should I, because of my maliciousness, rebel against [this
legitimate emperor], for whatever happens, death is the fmal outcome
for alL" So, giving up the imperial throne because he had treacherously and criminally rebelled against the saintly emperor Michael,
Botaneiates became a monk.
69. In this period Melissenus was installed on the imperial throne
as Botaneiates' successor. This all took place in the year 526 of the
Armenian era [1077-1078J,!
70. In this same year of the Armenian era his most praiseworthy
lordship Sargis,lthe Armenian patriarch, who was the nephew of his
lordship Peter, the Armenian catholicos, died. In accordance with
Sargis's wishes his lordship Theodore, surnamed Alakhosik, who was
the Armenian catholicos's coadjutor and also a talented musician, was
elevated to the see of the Armenian catholicate in the town of Honi,
situated in the district of Jahan.
71. In this period Basil, the son of Abukab and formerly the tent
keeper of David the curopalates, at the behest of Philaretus collected
a calvary force and went against the city of Edessa. For six months
he harassed the city with many assaults. In this same year Basil
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Thaddeus. 4 Thus at this time the see of St. Gregory was reestablished in the city of Ani, after having been abolished for a very long
time by the envy-filled treachery of the evil and vicious Roman
nation. The Armenian catholicos Barsegh rose up and came to the
royal capital of Ani,5 and all the inhabitants of Shirak we~t forth to
meet him. Vasak, the father of Barsegh, and the catholicos s brothers
Hasan, Gregory, and Abljahab came, accompanied by the bishops,
and his lordship Barsegh was installed as successor to his lordship
Peter. That day became a day of great rejoicing for all the Armenians, for they witnessed the reestablishment of the patriarchal see
in the city of Ani.
76. In this period a certain emir by the name of Khusraw came
with many troops from Persia and reached the territory of Edessa,
devastating many places [as he advanced]. At this time a battle was
fought near the Euphrates River, at a place called Mknik, which is
close to the fortress of Ltar; for all the garrisons of the neighboring
fortresses had gathered together to give battle to this emir. However,
on that day the Turks were victorious and slaughtered many of the
Christians. After a number of days the emir Khusraw went forth and
invaded the Muslim lands from Harran to Muteper. 1 For two days
the Turks were in their saddles and finally, laden with much booty,
came before the gates of the town of Harran. This town was under
the command of the Arab emir Shureh-Hechm,2 the son of Kuraysh
and surnamed Sharaf-ad-Daulah.3 At this time Shureh happened to
be in Harran with his Arab troups and so at the head of two thousand
horsemen he went forth to battle against the Persian forces. The
Turks had ten thousand men; yet, when the two armies met, the
Arabs put these Turks to flight and pursued them, slaughtering them
as they went and taking them all captive. So the whole territory of
Edessa was filled with Turkish captives; under every shrub and in
every ruin were discovered dead Turkish soldiers who had taken
refuge there.
77. In the year 532 of the Armenian era [1083-1084] Basil, the son
of Abukab and lord of Edessa, died and was buried in the Church of
St. George Gotewor. 1 He was a benevolent and pious man, king to
everyone, compassionate towards orphans and widows and a benefactor and conciliator of peoples. There was great s~rrow in all of
Ed~ssa and its surrounding areas, since they were deprived of such
a kmd and benevolent chief; for he was like a father and a parent to
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both the rich and the poor. So Basil departed from this world,
leaving behind a good memory [of his life and deedsJ, and thus went
to join Christ. After this all the inhabitants of the city assembled in
the Cathedral of Saint Sophia and delivered their city into the hands
of 5mbat, a brave man and a courageous fighter against the Persians.
5mbat held the position of dux of Edessa for six months. However,
one of the important personages of the city tried to take away the
position of dux from the Armenians; the name of this man was
Ishkhan, and he was from the family of AIjk't'onk'.2 He rose up
against Srobat and went over to the side of Philaretus, for he had
many adherents among the important families and citizens of Edessa.
So Ishkhan won over Philaretus and brought him to Edessa, handing
over the city to him. However, after a few days Philaretus made
prisoners of Ishkhan and all his followers, as well as of 5mbat, and
demolished their homes; moreover, he took vengeance on all the
Armenian nobles residing in the city of Edessa, killing Arjuk, one of
their number, by torture and taking the others to the city of Marash.
Philaretus had brave 5mbat, Ishkhan, and his brother Theodoric
blinded, while he kept the other nobles in chains in the city of
Marash; for he was a man of very vile character. s
78. In the year 533 of the Armenian era [1084-1085J the city of
Antioch was captured from the Christians. A certain emir, Sulaima.nt, son of Kutulmish, who resided in the town of Nicaea in
Bithynia - a region situated along the coast of the MeditelTanean
Sea-secretly went by a remote route and came to the city of Antioch
without being discovered. Finding Antioch unguarded, during the
night the emir took it by surprise from that side of the city facing
Aleppo. While all this was taking place, Philaretus was in the city
of Edessa, and so his cavalry forces were not in Antioch at the time.
So Sulaiman entered the city of Antioch with three hundred men.
When the townspeople saw the infidels the next day, they became
horror-struck, because they did not have any fighting men and were
weak and unskilled in battle like women. So all the inhabitants of
the city gathered together in the citadel, while day by day the
Turkish forces increased in number. The Turks occupied the city, but
did not harm anyone; however, they blockaded the citadel for many
days, preventing food and water from getting through. Finally the
besieged asked the emir for a promise guaranteeing their safety [if
they would surrender]; Sulaiman granted their request, and peace
was reestablished, everyone returning to his place unharmed. When
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
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rational sheep became imbued with the nature of dogs and the
instincts of beasts, daring to bark at pastors and patriarchs. Fathers
despised their offspring, and children blasphemed and mistreated
their parents. All of these things are harbingers of the Antichrist
and the beginning of the destruction of the world, because people did
away with piety and faith and fulfilled the prophecies contained in
the holy books, which were declared by St. Nerses and by his son St.
Isaac and which in our time are spoken by the holy vardapet John of
Kozern . This John spoke many words which were taken as prophecies concerning our time and which made reference to the elimination
of religion from the hearts of all and the withering away of faith; all
this had been said formerly in holy books of a similar vein. Now all
these dissensions and calamities did not touch the country of the
Albanians, which is also known as Interior Armenia and which is the
see of the holy apostle Thaddeus. The holy see of this country was
not divided, rather it has retained the stability of the patriarchate
and its administration up to the present. Its patriarch occupied the
apostolic see in the Armenian city of Partaw, which is also called
P'aytakaran and which is located near the vast [Caspian] Sea. When
the Persians became powerful, the patriarchal see was transferred to
Gandzak. The catholicoi of the Albanians who are mentioned in this
book are his lordship John, his lordship George, his lordship Joseph,
his lordship Mark, and his lordship Stephen. The following kings of
the Albanians are also mentioned: Gagik, David, and Kvirike; these
resided in the Armenian city of Lop and still do at present. Also
other Armenian kings resided in the country of Darband3 or Kapank',
bordering on the territories of the Ossetes4 and the Albanians. These
kings were virtuous and saintly and were remembered in the divine
liturgy along with other pious and holy rulers. Their names are the
following: Vajakan; Goshaktak, his son; Philip, the son of Goshaktak;
Sewada, the son of Philip; Senek'erim, the son of Sewada; and
Gregory, the son of Senek'erim; the last named was still alive at the
writing of this book. As we have already mentioned, in this period
the Armenian nation had six catholicoi-two in Egypt and four in
Armenia. And so, his lordship Paul resided in Marash at the behest
of Philaretus but not according to the will of God.
Now we will return to the chronological order of our narration,
which we left in order to relate the troubles Armenia was experiencmg.
84. In the year 534 of the Armenian era [1085-1086] Tutush,l the
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
whom you left [at your death], has come ~o rule over all lan.ds, even '
up to the ends of the earth." Mter all thIS ~he. sultan appomted an .
emir over Antioch, whose name was Yaghl-Slyan and who was a
vicious, vile, invidious, and savage-minded man. On the other hand,
he appointed Aksungur over the city of Aleppo, who was benevolent
and pacific, kind to everyone, and a benefactor of peoples.
87, In this same year a certain emir named Buzan, at the behest
of Sultan Malik-Shah the conqueror, came against the city of Edessa
with many troops, Descending upon Edessa, he encamped before the
gates of the city and besieged it for three months. One day the
sultan himself came with a smaller number of troops and, after
circling around the city, went away leaving it intact. Now, although
Malik-Shah had descended upon the plain of Harran with a very
large army, he left [without causing any harm] and peacefully
returned to Persia,
.
:
.
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
worshiped Satan as his God and had a dog, to who.m he offered his
prayers, accompany him. With such a false doctn~e he corru~ted
many men and women, leading astray a small portion of the PiOUS
faithful of Constantinople, chief of whom being the mother of the
emperor Alexius. The mother of the emperor became so audacious.in
her perverse aberration as to take a piece of the holy cross of Chnst
and hide it in the sole of the emperor's shoe, so that he would walk
on it. Finally God exposed this abominable heretic monk through his
adherents and thus the emperor was made cognizant of his perverse
deeds. F~r, when the pious emperor Alexius heard of all this, he
burned the leader of this heretical sect and had many of its members
drowned in the Mediterranean-as many as ten thousand persons;
moreover, he deprived his mother of her high position and expelled
her from his court, and so peace was reestablished. 1
92. In the year 539 of the Armenian era [1090-1091] his lordship
the Armenian patriarch Barsegh rose up and went to the sultan
Malik-Shah the conqueror, for he saw that the Christian faithful were
being harassed in many places, tribute was being imposed on the
churches of God and all their clergy, and monasteries and bishops
were being harried by heavy exactions. When his lordship the
Armenian catholicos Barsegh sawall these harassments, he resolved
to go to the benevolent and kind ruler of the Persians and Christian
faithful, in order to inform him of all this. Taking with him a large
amount of gold, silver, and brocades as presents for this sultan and
accompanied by noblemen, bishops, priests, and vardapets, the
Armenian catholicos went to Persia to the pious sultan. When MalikShah saw his lordship Barsegh, he paid the catholicos great honor
and granted him whatever he requested. The sultan carried out all
the wishes of his lordship Barsegh, exempting all the churches and
monasteries, together with their clergy, from all dues; moreover, he
g~ve . [Barsegh] a ~tten guarantee of this exemption and then
dI~mIssed the Armeman patriarch, having provided him with official
edIcts an? presen~ed him with many honors. So, going forth by royal
d~cree, hIS l?rdshlp Barsegh departed with great rejoicing, accompamed ~y emment personages assigned to him by the sultan. The
cathO~I~OS ca~e to the district of J ahan and set himself up in
OP~OSItI?n to ~IS lordship Theodore who, at the behest of Philaretus,
reSIded In Hom as catholicos. Barsegh deposed TheOdore from his see
and t~ok from him the veil, crosier, and cross belonging to his
lordshIp Peter. So Barsegh reestablished the unity of the patriarch-
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ate in his person and after this went to the city of Edessa. Now a
patriarch should not be reproached for going to an infidel ruler in
order to reestablish peace in the holy church. For this very same
reason St. Basil went to the wicked emperor Julian, St. Nerses to the
apostate Greek emperor Valens,l St. Marut'a2 to the Persian king
Yazdgard,3the doctor Nanan4 to the Chaldean king,5 and Christ to the
Jewish nation. When Barsegh came to Edessa, it was the beginning
of the year 540 of the Armenian era [1091-1092]. Going forth from
this city, the catholicos went as far as the great Caesarea of Cappodocia and then returned to Antioch, and all the people who saw him
were extremely happy. Mter this Barsegh once again came to
Edessa.
93. In this same year during the month of September an earthquake occurred throughout the whole land, and all living creatures
under heaven trembled and shook. Much destruction occurred in the
city of Antioch, and many towers collapsed to their foundation.
Moreover, the greater part of the walls of Antioch collapsed, and
many men and women perished in the ruins of their homes.
94. In the year 541 of the Armenian era [1092-1093] a tremendous
amount of mortality struck many places, and because of the great
number of deaths, there were not enough priests to bury the corpses.
The sounds of wailing and lamentation issued forth from all the
homes. Death took the lives of so many people that those alive feared
death more than those who succumbed to it. Thus the whole land
was in the throes of incalculable ruin and destruction because of
these deaths.
95. In this same year the Holy Cross of Varag and the Icon of the
Holy Virgin Mary were brought to the city of Edessa, and so there
was great rejoicing among the nation of Abgar. 1 Deeply moved, all
the inhabitants of Edessa collectively went forth to receive these holy
objects and then brought them into the city with great pomp. On this
occasion the ruler of the territory of Edessa arranged a procession in
which everyone followed the saintly bishop his lordship Paul and
other prelates. The holy cross was placed in the cathedral with great
pomp. However, after a few years these relics were sacrilegiously
stolen and taken away from the inhabitants of Edessa.
96. In this same year Buzan collected troops from all the Persians
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
and, taking with him eminent emirs and the lords. of Antioch and
Aleppo-Yaghi-Siyan and Aksungur-marched agamst the Roman
empire with innumerable soldiers. He descended upon the renowned
town called Nicaea and, being possessed by some madness, became
infatuated with the idea of going on and capturing the city of
Constantinople; it was guarded by the protection of h7a~en, and yet
Buzan in his twisted mind thought he could capture thIS Impregnable
city. So, remaining before Nicaea for a number of days, he finally
realized that he could not achieve his goaP
97. In this same year died the great sultan Malik-Shah the
conqueror, who was father and parent to all [his subjects] and a
benevolent, merciful, and kind man towards all [peoples], This sultan
perished in the city of Baghdad through a treacherous plot carried
out by his wife, who was a daughter of the sultan of Samarkand. She
gave a poisoned drink to the benevolent Malik-Shah and thus
deprived this very great ruler of his life. 1 So there was deep and
grievous mourning throughout the whole world. Now, when Buzan
learned of the death of the sultan, he returned to the city of Edessa,
while Yaghi-Siyan went to Antioch and Aksungur to Aleppo. His
lordship Barsegh, who was in Edessa at this time, took refuge in the
city of Ani and occupied his see there.
98. Lo, in these times there was severe slaughter and bloodshed
in Annenia, for the Turkish forces invaded the land and killed many
of its inhabitants. [Since] the sultan had died, the Turks felt free to
enslave many. On the other hand, Malik-Shah was taken and buried
in the city of Marand, near the grave of his father, Alp Arslan. He
left behind two sons, the elder called Berkyaruk,1 who was born from
the daughter of Argun (Akut'),2 a relative of Alp Arslan and the other
called Sap'ar,s who was born from the daughter or'the sultan of
Samarkand and who resided in the city of Uzgand4 and in Ghazni. 6
The elder son Berkyaruk succeeded to the throne of his father MalikShah, and thus was installed as sultan of all the Persia~s. His
maternal uncle, the emir lsma'il, son of Argun. was made [his]
regent over all Persia, for he was a benevolent and very merciful man
and a benefactor of people. This lsma'll ruled over all Armenia as its
sov~reign; it was he who began to make all Armenia prosper once
agal? and to protect all the monasteries from harassment by the
PersIans.
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99. In the year 542 of the Armenian era [1093-1094] his lordship
Paul, l the man whom Philaretus had installed on the see of the
Armenian catholicate in the city of Marash, died. Paul had accompanied the holy cross [to Edessa] and died in this city during the same
year; he was buried in splendid pomp near the door of the holy
church close to the tomb of the vardapet. 2
100. In this same year the Armenian vardapet George, surnamed
Urchets'i, died. He was the enlightener of the Armenian nation, the
source of the inexhaustible spring [of orthodox doctrine], and had a
fiery tongue. In his knowledge, erudition, and possession of divine
grace he was equal to the former divinely-inspired Greek doctors; I
mean to say Gregory the Theologian,t John Chrysostom, Basil, and
others like these. This vardapet led a life of sanctified behavior right
up to the age of one hundred, and was buried in the great Monastery
of Kannnjadzor,2 near the tomb of the vardapet Samuel and Khach'ik,
who was a musician accomplished in the art of chanting. So all Godfearing people deeply mourned George, because they had been
deprived of this brilliant vardapet.
101. In this same year the sultan of Damascus, called Tutush, the
son of Alp Arslan and the brother of Malik-Shiih, collected troops. At
the head of many forces he was intent on going forth to Persia and
taking over the royal throne of his brother, Malik-Shah. So Tutush
came to Antioch, and the emir1 of that city came to pay the sultan
homage. From there he passed on to Aleppo, and the emir Aksungur
came to pay him homage. After this with innumerable troops Tutush
marched forth and went to Persia. 2
102. In this same year a tremendous gathering of Arab troops
occurred-as many as four hundred thousand men; and all of
Babylon1 advanced against the territory of Mosul. The chief of the
Arab forces was Ibrahim, 2 the son of Kuraysh and the brother of
Sharaf-ad-Daulah. Meanwhile the sultan Tutush reached the town
of Nisibis and, capturing it with a great assault, pillaged the entire
town. [On this occasion] the Armenian troops, who were with the
sultan, slaughtered about ten thousand Muslims. At this time the
Arab army advanced and reached the confines of Nisibis, descending
to a place called Hermez. [Seeing this], Tutush sent to Edessa and
through a solemn oath had the emir Buzan come to him with many
troops and then, rising up, went to battle against the Muslim chief.
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
The two leaders met on the plain of Nisibis, both sides causing a
great amount of slaughter. Mter a very violent battle the sultan
turned back the Arab forces and put them to flight. Pursuing them,
Tutush took the Arab chief Ibrahim prisoner; his head had been
pierced by an arrow, which had torn through his steel helmet and
penetrated deep inside, thus causing his [ultimate] death. The
sultan's troops plundered the women and children of the Arabs, and
also their flocks and a great quantity of their horses. s Mter all this
the sultan Tutush victoriously went and marched forth to Persia.
[On route] his anny grew so large that it covered the plains and hills
of the East. When the Persian sultan Berkyaruk, the nephew of
Tutush, learned of this advance, going forth with many troops, he
came in battle against his uncle at the head of a tremendously large
army. When Tutush, in turn, learned of Berkyaruk's coming, he
prepared to go against the Persian sultan. At that [critical] moment
Buzan and Aksungur, together with their troops, rebelled against
Tutush during the night and went over to the side of Berkyaruk.
When Tutush heard of their treachery, he dared not go forth in
battle, but turning back, went to his country and entered his city of
Damascus.' After this he went to Tripoli and subdued it and all the
other coastal towns; moreover, he remained in this area for six
months.
103. In the year 543 of the Armenian era [1094-1095] the power
of Berkyaruk was at its zenith. [At this time] the sultan appointed
as commander-in-chief of his forces the illustrious royal emir lsma'll,
son of Argun and brother of his mother, for this man ruled over all
of Armenia well. lsma'll in all respects was kind, merciful, good,
solicitous, benevolent, pacific, and a benefactor of all the Annenians;
moreover, he was an embellisher of monasteries and a supporter of
monks, besides which he protected the [Christian] faithful against
harassment from the Persians. Under his administration each person
was protect.ed in ~he possession of what was rightfully his, and so all
the ~~emans lIved in happiness [and security].l Berkyaruk put
lsma. 11 m charge of the whole country, while he securely sat on the
royal throne. Now, at one time the great emir lsma'il came and
traversed through Persia with many troops, and he was accompanied
by Buzan and Aksungur. He came to a place called Jaghts'adzor 2
~oca~ed in ~ersia, and here both Buzan and Aksungur began to
mtngue agamst the great emir lsma'il. One day, going forth from
the camp accompanied by three men,s the two plotters took the emir
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
of the [enemy] troops. No one dared to go near him, for he had royal
rank and was the brother of Malik-Shah. Then one of the emirs from
Berkyaruk.'s army came and cut off Tutush's head with his sword.
The dead sultan was taken and buried near the tomb of his father.
After this Ridvan (the son of Tutush), Yaghi-Siyan, and all the other
fugitives escaped to the city of Edessa. The curopalates T'oros, who
resided in the city and who was a very eloquent and able man,
received them [warmly]. T'oros intended on taking them prisoner, so
that through them he might capture the citadel of the city of Edess8.
However, the other noblemen of the city did not consider this a good
strategy, and so the fugitives peacefully returned to their respective
cities. After this T'oros with every means possible tried to gain
control ot the city and deliver the [Christian] faithful from the
infidels. He began to restore those ramparts opposite the citadel and
to fortify one part of the city with a wall; for the citadel was in the
hands of the Persians,4 and contained a Turkish garrison and a corps
of Armenian troops who were placed there by Tutush. When the
[infidel] commander who occupied the Citadel of Maniaces5 saw that
the curopalates had fortified Edessa and had isolated the citadel from
the city, he wrote a letter to all the neighboring emirs, informing
them of what T'oros had done. [In this letter the infidel commander]
said that the curopalates had fortified the city from the Sea Gate to
the Church of St. Theodore, had erected twenty-five towers, and had
captured the inner citadel, thus gaining control of Edessa.
105. In the year 544 of the Armenian era [1095-1096] Sokman,l
the son of Muk, and Balduk, the emir of Samosata and son of AmirGhazi, collected calvary troops and came against Edessa at harvest
time. The curopalates T'oros, the lord of Edessa, being a prodent
man, began to fortify the city on all sides. The Turks set up
catapults and other war machines and ruthlessly battered against the
walls of the city. They spent many days ceaselessly assaulting the
city, but were unable to do anything against it. After sixty-five days
the Turks finally succeeded in breaking through the walls at two
places and thus penetrating into the city; fighting in the streets
ensued, but the infidels still were unable to capture Edessa. At that
~oment Ridvan, the sultan of Aleppo and son of Tutush, and YaghiSlyan, the lord of Antioch, came and descended upon Edessa with
forty thousand men. Then Sokman and Balduk fled from the sultan.
\V.hen the townspeople saw the sultan's forces, they became very
fnghtened. However, the curopalates T'oras, with the bravery of a
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lion, exhorted all the inhabitants of Edessa and donated a very large
amount of money for the [pressing] needs of the city. For many days
the sultan's forces vehemently assaulted the city, but with God aiding
the Christians they were unable to do anything, for all the townspeople had the courage of lions and resisted the infidels. Exhausted
by the severe fighting, the infidel forces withdrew, humiliated. Mer
this one of the sultan's officers, whose name was Mkhit'ar and who
was a Christian, took counsel with his men to deliver the citadel into
the hands of the curopalates T'oros. So the patricius :Mkhit'ar with
thirty of his men took the proper measures during the night and
delivered the chief Citadel of Maniaces into the hands of the curopalates T'oros. In this way peace was reestablished in the city of
Edessa. After all this T'oros sent troops to capture a fortress, called
T'rsich, in the city's environs and to subdue its surrounding territory.
A battle was fought near the fortress of T'rsich, and the forces of
Edessa were put to flight. The infidels reached a village called
Andranos and there slaughtered one hundred and fifty men, taking
the rest prisoner.
106. In this same year the sultan al-Faraj, who was descended
from Kutulmish, was brought to Edessa at the invitation of T'oros,
and the curopalates delivered the city into his hands in order to take
vengeance on his enemies. However, al-Faraj was resolved to kill
Toros and pillage the whole city. When the curopalates learned of
this treachery, he gave the sultan a poisonous drink and sent him to
the public baths, where he soon died. When the sultan's troops heard
about all this, they fled. So once again the curopalates gained control
of Edessa. The rule of al-Faraj over this city lasted for thirty-three
days. 1
107. In this same year the Armenian catholicos his lordship
Theodore, a great musician and a pillar of the holy church, died and
was buried in Roni, near his lordship Sargis.
108. In the year 545 of the Armenian era [1096-1097] the sultan
of the West 1 called Kilij Arslan,2 the son of Sulaiman, son of Kutulmish, came against the city of Melitene at the head of a tremendous
number of troops. The sultan's anny covered the whole plain. Kilij
Arslan launched a severe assault against Melitene and, setting up
catapults, put the city in dire straits. The commander of Melitene
Gabriel,a who was the father-in-law of T'oros, the curopalates of
164
MATTHEW OF
EDESSA
Edessa, courageously resisted the sultan and fortified the city on all
sides. Remaining there for many days, the sultan was unabl.e to do
anything and so turned back humiliated and went to hIS own
country.4
109, In this period the prophecy of the Armenian catholicos St.
Nerses, who spoke to the Armenian nobles and princes concerning the
coming of the Westerners,l was fulfilled. That which this cat~olic~s
spoke about in former times, we saw with our very eyes In thIS
period, witnessing those events which the holy and prodigi?us man
of God Nerses the Great, had prophesied at the time of hIS death.
This V:as the [same] vision which appeared to the saintly Daniel,
when in Babylon he saw the form of a monstrous beast; moreover, he
clearly saw and revealed this, speaking about the eating, chewing,
and trampling of the remainder. 2
110, At this time the upsurge of the Westernersloccurred, and the
portals of the Latin nation were opened, for through them the Lord
intended to battle with the Persians. Once again the Lord [turned
away] from his anger, according to the words of the prophet David,
who said: "Awake, why do you sleep, 0 Lord, rise up and do not
abandon us forever!"2 Also: "The Lord awoke from his sleep like a
mighty man who puts aside his drunkenness; he threw back his
enemies and made them accursed forever."s Thus in this year all the
peoples of Italy and Spain, right up to the confines of Mrica, and
even the distant Frankish nation, began to move and surged forth in
a formidable and immense throng; they were very much like locusts
which cannot be counted or the sands of the seas which are beyond
the mind's calculation, With imposing grandeur and high-ranking
leadership the noblemen of the Frankish nation rose up and came
forth. Each of them came with his troops to aid the Christians, to
deliver the holy city of Jerusalem from the infidels, and to free the
holy sepulcher, which contained God, from the hands of the Muslims;
th~y were illustrious men of royal blood, endowed with piety and
faIth, and brought up in the practice of good works. Here are the
~ames of these Franks, There was Godfrey,4 a mighty man from the
hneage of the Roman emperors,5 and his brother Baldwin;6 it was this
Godfrey who had with him the sword and crown of the emperor
Vespasian,7 who destroyed
Jerusalem. There was the eminent count
8
called Bohemond and his nephew Tancred 9 the count called Saint
G'll W
fi
'
,
1 es -a ornudable and illustrious man, Robert the count of
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Nonnandy, and also the other Baldwin. ll Mter this came the count
called Joscelin,12 a mighty and courageous man. Such mighty men
and warriors as these marched forth at the head of formidable
armies, numerous as the stars of the heavens. With them went many
bishops, priests, and deacons. Journeying with tremendous hardship
via the distant lands of the Westerners/ s the Franks passed through
the country of the Hungarians and through the inaccessible defiles of
their mountains with great difficulty. From there they reached the
Bulgar lands, which were controlled by the Greek emperor Alexius.
So by such a journey the Franks arrived at the great city of Constantinople.
111. When the emperor Alexius learned of their coming, he sent
troops to battle against them. There was a tremendous amount of
slaughter on both sides, and the Franks put the Greek forces to
flight. So, much bloodshed occurred on this day. In this same
manner, whatever areas the Franks passed through, the inhabitants
of those places attacked them and harassed them with many
hardships. Now, when the emperor Alexius heard of all these
troubles [the Franks were having], he put away the sword and no
longer fought with them. Then the whole Frankish army descended
to the gates of Constantinople and asked to cross the Mediterranean
Sea. 1 The emperor Alexius made peace and an alliance with the
Frankish leaders and, taking them to Saint Sophia, gave them gifts
of much gold and silver. In turn the Franks took an oath that they
would hand over to the emperor Alexius all those regions they
captured from the Persians which previously had belonged to the
Romans, while all the conquests made of Persian and Arab territory
would belong to the Franks. This pact was sealed by an oath, sworn
on the cross and the Gospels, and thus never to be broken. Obtaining
troops and officers from the emperor, the Franks sailed across the
vast Mediterranean and with a formidable army reached the town
called Nicaea,2 located near this sea.s
112. All the Persian forces gathered together against the Frankish
forces, who were encamped in that area, and attacked them.
However, the Franks defeated the Persian forces and put them to
flight and, pursuing them with the sword, filled the whole land with
bloodshed. Assaulting Nicaea, they captured the town by the sword
and slaughtered all the infidels [within its walls]. Mter this the
Muslims, heavy with grief, went to the sultan Kilij Arslan, who at
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
that time was besieging the city of Melitene, and informed him of all
this. The sultan assembled an innumerable army and went against
the Frankish forces in the territory of Nicaea. Both sides engaged in
a furious battle, ruthlessly and valiantly attacking one another and
savagely striking against each other's front lines. Incited by the
sparks flying from the helmets, the clatter of the coats of mail, and
the cracking noise of the bows, all the infidel forces regrouped
themselves, [fired with new ardor and courageJ. The whole land
shook from the din of battle, and the horses trembled because of the
clatter of arrows. The courageous and the heroic engaged each other
in combat, ruthlessly hacking away at one another like young lions.
The first day of battle turned out to be a great and formidable one,
for the sultan went into battle against the Franks with six hundred
thousand men [under his commandJ. In spite of the tremendous
number of Persian troops, the Frankish forces defeated them and put
them to flight, causing such a frightful and severe slaughter that the
plain was covered with their dead corpses. Moreover, the Franks
took tens of thousands of captives, and the gold and silver they seized
from the Persians could not be counted. After three days the sultan
once again collected troops and came against the Frankish forces at
the head of a formidable army. An even more frightful and severe
battle was fought than before. The Frankish forces fought against
the Persians with the same fury [as beforeJ and drove them from the
land, slaughtering and taking captives.! Mter this the Franks
handed over the town of Nicaea to the Roman emperor Alexius. 2
113. In the year 546 of the Armenian era [1097-1098J, during the
time of the Armenian patriarchs their lordships Vahram and Barsegh
and in the reign of the Roman emperor Alexius, the army of the
Westerners moved forth with a formidable number of about five
hundred thousand men. T'oros, the ruler of Edessa, and the great
Armenian prince Constantine,! the son of Ruben, were informed [of
their comingJ by letter. Constantine occupied the Taurus Mountains
in the territory of Kopitar,2 situated in the district of Marapa, 3 and
had become master of a number of regions; moreover, he was
formerly an officer in Gagik's army. Now the Frankish forces
consisting o~ a tremendous army,' journeyed through Bithynia and i~
close formatIon traversed the confines of Cappadocia, finally reaching
the steep slopes of the Taurus Mountains. The army advanced en
masse and passed through the narrow defiles of these mountains
soon coming to CHicia; then it passed through Trovarda, also kno~
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
to such an extent that one out of five perished and all the rest felt
themselves abandoned far from their homeland. However, the
merciful God did not abandon them, but sustained them with
paternal care and love as he had done to the multitude of the
children of Israel in the desert.
115. In this same year a comet appeared in the western portion of
the sky during the month of Areg without leaving a bright trail
behind it. This comet was seen for fifteen days, but then disappeared
from sight.
116. In this same year a frightful and strange omen appeared in
the northern portion of the sky; such a marvelous omen had never
been seen by anyone. In the month of Mareri the sky flared up and
became deep red in the midst of a clear and calm atmosphere. The
red sky contracted into clusters, emitting all sorts of nuances of color.
These clusters flowed along in an easterly direction and, after having
accumulated here and there, covered the greater portion of the
heavens; moreover, they were an amazing color of very deep red and
reached up to the heavenly vault. The savants and the sages recognized [the significance ofj all this and said that it was an omen of
bloodshed. The fulfillment of this omen of evil destruction and
disaster we will relate shortly in our book.
117. In the year 547 of the Armenian era [1098-1099J a certain
count named Baldwin went forth with one hundred horsemen and
captured the fortress-town of Tell Bashir. When the Roman commander T'oros, who resided in the city of Edessa, learned of this, he
became exceedingly happy and sent to the Frankish count in Tell
Bashir, ~ummoning Baldwin to his aid against his enemies; for he
was contmually being harassed by the neighboring emirs. So Count
Baldwin came to Edessa with sixty horsemen, and the townspeople
came to meet him and with great rejoicing brought him into the city.
T~e presence of Baldwin brought much happiness to the [Christian]
faIthful, and the curopalates T'oros acted in a friendly manner
t~wa;d8 the count.. giving him presents and forming an alliance with
hun. The Annewan chief Constantine2 came from Gargar, and after
a few days the curopalates sent him and Baldwin to attack Samosata
and its emir Bald.uk. The troops of the city and the infantry forces
~the w?o~e temtory accompanied the Franks [and Constantine].
e ChnstIans marched to Samosata with a considerable number of
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troops and pillaged the houses outside its walls, but the Turks dared
not go forth in battle [against them]. Then all the Christian troops
in a body began to pillage [everything in sight]. Now, when the
Turkish forces saw this, three hundred of their horsemen made a
sortie and defeated all the Christian troops, putting to flight the
Franks together with the native infantry accompanying them. From
Samosata right up to Tell Hamdun a severe slaughter of as many as
one thousand men occurred. Mter this Constantine and the count
returned to the curopalates T'oros in the city of Edessa. Now all of
this happened during the second week of Lent. When Count Baldwin
had returned to Edessa, perfidious and evil-minded men came upon
the scene, who plotted in concert with the count to assassinate the
europalates T'oros. Indeed the meritorious service of the europalates
did not justify such action; for, because of his ingenious sagacity,
skillful inventiveness, and vigorous strength, he was able to deliver
Edessa from tribute and service to the vicious and cruel Muslims.
118. At this time forty men plotted together to accomplish this
Judas-like act and during the night went to Count Baldwin, the one
who was the brother of Count Godfrey. They persuaded him to
accede to their evil designs and promised to deliver Edessa into his
hands; Baldwin approved of their vicious plot. They also implicated
the Armenian chief Constantine. So during the fifth week of Lent
these men incited all the inhabitants of the city against the europalates T'oros. On Sunday they pillaged all the homes of T'oros's
officers and seized the upper citadel. On Monday they gathered
against the inner citadel where the curopalates was and violently
assaulted it. Hard pressed, T'oros asked them to vow not to harm.
him on condition that he hand over the citadel and the city to them
and together with his wife go to Melitene. 1 So the Holy Cross of
Varag and that of Mak.'enik,2 was brought forth, and the count swore
by them in the Church of the Holy Apostles not to harm the europalates in any way. Moreover, Baldwin vouched for his own sincerity
in the presence of the angels, archangels, prophets, patriarchs, holy
apostles, holy pontiffs, and all the host of martyrs-all of which was
written down by the count in a letter to T'oros. Mter Baldwin had
sworn by all the saints [not to harm the europalates], T'oros delivered
the citadel into his hands, and so the count and the chief men of the
city occupied this fortified place. Then on Tuesday, the day of the
celebration of the Holy K'arasunk',s the townspeople gathered against
T'oros and, armed with swords and clubs, threw him down from the
170
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
top of the ramparts into the midst of a tumultuous crowd. The crowd
rushed en masse upon T'oros and, cruelly inflicting him with
countless sword wounds, killed the curopalates. Thus the townspeople committed a very great crime in the presence of God.
Moreover they tied the dead curopalates' feet with a rope and
ignomini~usly dragged his body through the city. So on this day the
inhabitants of Edessa disavowed their oath and shortly thereafter
delivered the city into the hands of Count Baldwin. 4
119. In this same year the general of the Persian sultan Berkyaruk, who was called Kerbogha, l marched forth at the head of a
formidable army to war against the Frankish forces, and came and
encamped before the gates of Edessa. He remained there with all his
forces right up to harvest time, laying waste all the surrounding
arable lands and making assaults against the city.2 At this time
Kerbogha had with him an innumerable amount of troops. Now after
forty days the son of the emir of Antioch, Yaghi-Siyan, came to
Kerbogha and, falling at his feet, begged him to come and aid the
Antiochenes. He told Kerbogha about the Frankish army and how it
was small in number and famine-ridden.
120. In this same year all of Khurasan rose up in arms. [This
movement extended] from the East to the West, Media to Babylon,
including the country of the Greeks and the Orient, Damascus and all
the lands of the Mediterranean littoral, and also Jerusalem, right up
to the desert. Eight hundred thousand cavalry and three hundred
thousand infantry assembled together. This [formidable] army
menacingly marched forth, its ranks spread over the plains and hills,
and with fear-inspiring arrogance reached the Frankish forces
stationed before the gates of Antioch. Now God did not will the
destruction of the small Christian army, so he watched over and
protected it as he had done to the children of Israel in the past.
While the infidel forces were still some distance away, at night one
of the officers of the city sent a man to Bohemond and the other
Fr~ldsh chiefs and invited them to [occupy] his native city. Having
obtamed an oath from them, the officer secretly during the night
delivered the city of Antioch into Bohemond's hands. He opened the
gates of the citadel, which gave access [to the city] through the walls,
and the w?ole Frankish army entered Antioch. 1 In the morning all
the Fra~sh troops sounded their horned trumpets in unison. When
all the mfidels heard this, they assembled, but out of fear were
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unable to flee. Then the Frankish troops fell upon them with their
swords and severely slaughtered them. The emir Yaghi-Siyan fled
from the city and was killed by some peasants who cut off his head
with a scythe.
In this manner the city of Antioch was captured, which previously
had been seized by the Armenians. On the other hand, the remaining infidels gathered in the citadel and gave battle to the Frankish
forces. After three days the army of Persian troops arrived. Being
seven times larger than the Frankish force, their army violently
besieged and harassed it. Then the Franks became threatened with
a famine, because the provisions in the city had long become
exhausted. More and more hard-pressed, they resolved to obtain
from Kerbogha a promise of amnesty on condition that they deliver
the city into his hands and return to their own country. However,
God, seeing the great danger the Franks were in, took pity on them
and became compassionate towards them. A miraculous vision
manifested itself to them, for 10, during the night the holy apostle
Peter appeared to a pious Frank and said: liOn the left-hand side of
this church you will find buried the lance with which the atheistic
Jewish nation pierced Christ's undefiled side; it is located right in
front of the altar. Take it and go forth in battle with it and you will
triumph over your enemies as Christ did over Satan." This vision
appeared a second and a third time and was related to Godfrey~
Bohemond, and all the [Christian] chiefs. So they all began to pray
and, having dug in the spot specified [in the vision], they found the
lance of Christ in the church called St. Peter.
121. At this same time envoys arrived from the infidel camp
demanding war; the Frankish forces were overjoyed at this.
Bohemond and the other leaders answered Kerbogha and said that
they would go forth in battle against him the next day. Now the
Frankish forces had become diminished [since the beginning of the
expedition]. Bohemond formed their ranks for battle, fifteen
thousand cavalry and one hundred and fifty thousand infantry. With
these he went into battle, the Franks carrying the lance of Christ
before them and holding it up high. The infidel forces, in turn,
covered the vast plain of Antioch in a dense body five ranks deep.
Saint Gilles came forth and set up the lance of Christ right opposite
Kerbogha's standards. Kerbogha opposed the Franks with an
innumerable amount of troops, amassed like a mountain. [On the
Christian side] the lion-like Tancred commanded the left wing of the
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
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173
the same way the Amalekites came before the children of Israel. l
N ow, when the Christians reached the town called 'Arqah,2 a severe
battle was fought there with the infidels, and the Frankish forces
triumphed over them with a great victory. Mter this the Frankish
anny continued its advance without meeting up with any resistance.
Arriving before the gates of Jerusalem, they began to assault the city
ceaselessly. At that time his lordship Vahram, the Armenian
patriarch, was in Jerusalem. The infidels were intent on killing him,
but the Lord delivered him out of their hands. Now after many
assaults the Franks set up wooden towers and brought them near the
ramparts of the city. By sheer force, the wielding of the sword, and
tremendous courage, the Christians captured the holy city of
Jerusalem. Then, taking the sword of the emperor Vespasian,
Godfrey fell upon the infidels with all his might and slaughtered
sixty-five thousand men in the temple,3 not counting the other
inhabitants who perished in the city. In this way the holy city of
Jerusalem was captured and the sepulcher of Christ our God
delivered from subjection to the Muslims. 4
Now this was the third time since the crucifixion of the Lord that
the sword of Vespasian had been used against Jerusalem.
125. In this same year there took place a tremendous gathering of
as many as three hundred thousand troops-from Egypt to Scythial
and Nubia and even as far as the confines of India-and all these
forces came against Jerusalem heavily armed. 2 When the Frankish
forces learned of this, they trembled and shook with fear. Not daring
to wait for the enemy in the city, they marched forth to meet them in
battle, with the idea that if they were unable to resist them successfully, they would return to their own country. The two armies met not
far from the Mediterranean Sea.3 When the ruler of Egype saw the
Frankish forces approaching, he signaled his troops to attack. The
Frankish forces, in turn, rushed into battle en masse and stood their
ground at the front lines. Then they attacked the Egyptian forces
and turned them in complete flight. Actually it was not the Franks
who were fighting, but God who was battling against the Egyptians
in their stead, as he had done when he supported the children of
Israel against Pharaoh at the Red Sea. As the battle intensified,
about one hundred thousand men fell into the sea and perished, while
the Franks slaughtered the rest as they were fleeing. Mter this the
Frankish forces victoriously returned to the city of Jerusalem laden
with much booty.
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
126. In this same year Gregory, the curopalates of the East and
the brother of his lordship the Armenian catholicos Barsegh, collected
troops and went against the Turkish army stationed in the district of
Arsharunik',t for he was a valiant man and a mighty warrior.
Arriving at a village called Kaghezuan at the head of his troops,
Gregory met up with the Turks. He attacked them, harassing them
and killing many with the sword, and then began the march back to
the city of Ani. On route one of the Turkish troops, who was hiding
in ambush in a tree, surreptitiously hit the curopalates in the mouth
with an arrow. Because of this severe wound, Gregory fell to the
ground and gave up his life. So there was deep mourning in Shirak
and in all Armenia. In this manner died the brave soldier and
faithful Christian Gregory, the son of Vasak, son of Apirat, son of
Hasan; he was from the lineage of valiant men and militant soldiers
and also descended from the Pahlavids.
127. In this same year the count Saint Gilles returned to the
country of the Franks, taking with him the lance of Christ which was
found in Antioch. After giving it as a present to the Roman emperor
Alexius, he continued his journey back to the country of the Franks.
128. In this same year the great Armenian prince Constantine, the
son of ~uben, died and left behind his two sons, T'oros and Leon.
Constantine had ruled over many cities and regions and had
controlled the greater part of the Taurus Mountains, which he had
taken from the Persian forces through his own bravery. This prince
had been an officer in the army of Gagik Bagratuni, the son of Ashot.
Constantine died in this period, and a certain omen in his house
announced his death. One day, while the Armenian prince was still
alive, flashes oflightning crackled in the sky. The lightning hit the
fortress called Vahka1 and, passing through the servants' living
quarters, struck some silver plates and in one .place penetrated
through to the futh one. The sages said that all this was an
indication of the last year of Constantine. So in that same year the
Armenian prince died and was buried in the monastery called
Kastalghon. 2
129. In this same year a third fire-like omen of a very deep red
color appeared in the sky. It remained until the sixth hour of the
night, while moving from the northern portion of the sky to the
eastern, and then took on a black color. It was said that this omen
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
the pretext of making peace and brought food and set it before him.
The duke unwittingly ate the food, not knowing that it was poisoned.
Thus after a few days the duke Godfrey, together with forty of his
men, died and was buried in the city of Jerusalem opposite Holy
Golgotha, for he died while in this city. Mter this his brother
Baldwin, who was ruling in the city of Edessa, was searched out and
given sovereignty over the holy city of Jerusalem. Then Tancred rose
up and went to the city of Antioch to the Frankish count Bohemond,
for Bohemond was his uncle. 1
133. In this period the Roman general, the Prince of Princes,l
resided in the city of Marash, which was under the control of the
Greek emperor Alexius; during the previous year this city was
handed over to Alexius by the Frankish chiefs, but they were soon to
disavow what they had originally promised. The great Frankish
count Bohemond and Richard, his sister's son, rising up, collected
troops and went against the city of Marash to give battle to the
Prince of Princes whose name was T'at'ul. They demanded that
T'at'ul hand over the city to them, and at the same time launched a
number of assaults against it. However, the Prince of Princes, who
was a valiant man and a warrior and who also had many noblemen
with him in the city, had nothing but scorn for Bohemond's attempted
assaults. Mter Bohemond had set up his camp on the plain of
Marash, he brought to subjection the entire surrounding territory.
134. In this same year the Persian emir, who was called Danish1
mend and who was the lord of Sebastia and the whole Roman
country, marched forth with many troops. Going forth with a
tremendous number of cavalry forces, he came against the city of
Melitene and violently assaulted it. The commander of the city, who
was called Gabriel, sent to Bohemond and begged him to come to its
aid, promising to hand over Melitene to the Frankish count. So
Bohemond and Richard went forth with their troops and came
ag~nst Danishmend. When Danishmend heard of this, he sent troops
agamst the Frankish forces encamped on the plain of Melitene. He
a~so set up ambushes in many places and, taking many troops with
hIm, personally marched against the Franks. On their part Bohemond and Richard went forth [to meet the Muslims] without taking
pre~autions and being quite unprepared. 2 Their troops had put aside
theIr w~apons and came dressed like women accompanying a fWleral
proceSSIon, for they had given their miliary equipment to their
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
had accompanied them. Fulcher, the count of Sariij, who was a brave
and mighty man and a person of saintly and pure conduct, was killed.
The count Baldwin, on the other hand, took refuge in the citadel of
Edessa together with three men and remained there reduced to a
pitiable state. After this the chief men of Edessa came and brought
him down to the city, seating him on his throne. Mter three days
Baldwin rose up and went to Antioch looking for reinforcements.
Now the infidel army assaulted the citadel of Sariij, in which place
all the Christians residing in the town had gathered, together with
the bishop! of Edessa. At this point the inhabitants of SaIiij came to
an agreement with the Turks. Mter twenty-five days Baldwin came,
together with six hundred horsemen and seven hundred infantry, and
they harassed the wicked Persian army; however, the inhabitants of
Saruj would not submit to Baldwin. Then the Franks turned against
Sariij and slaughtered the entire population of the town with the
sword. They pillaged the whole town and carried off a countless
number of young boys, girls, and women to the city of Edessa. Thus
Antioch and all the lands under Frankish control were filled with
captives, while the entire town of Sariij flowed with blood. 2
136. In this same year for the fourth time the northern portion of
the sky reddened, appearing more frightful and wondrous than the
previous phenomenon; at first it appeared red, but then it took on a
black color. This fourth omen was accompanied by a continuous
eclipse of the moon. The omen was a sign of the wrath [of God] upon
the Christians, according to the prophet Jeremiah, who said: "His
wrath will flare up from the northern portion,'ll Indeed this unpredictable wrath finally did come.
137. In the year 550 of the Armenian era [1101-1102] a frightful
and wondrous omen appeared in the holy city of Jerusalem. The
light, which usually burned over the holy sepulcher of Christ our
God, went out and would not burn on Holy Saturday, The lamps
would not burn until Sunday, becoming lighted at the ninth hour of
that ~ay. All the Christians were amazed by this phenomenon. Now
all thIS oc~urred because the Frankish nation had strayed into the
~ath of eVIl and ha~ aba~doned the true and righteous way, partakmg of the cup of sm which is filled with bitter dregs Those that
~inistered in the holy church wallowed in the mire [of sin] unsabat.ed. Moreover, in the midst of all this evil behavior they did not
shnnk f:rom COroml'tt'mg any sm.
. Worse stIll,
. they appointed women
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1. After having collected and written down the events of one
hundred and fifty years, up to the year 550 [1101-1102], we have
ceased our productive investigations, leaving to others the care of
these reasoned discussions and intellectual controversies. After
having withdrawn from the arena [of historical writing], we have
given way to more intelligent and sagacious creative inquirers,
according to the words of the holy apostle Paul, who says: "Whoever
rises up in public, let him be the first to remain silent."l We are at
present in the period of the pontificate of the catholicoi, their
lordships Gregory and Barsegh, the time when my [original] history
was first begun. Moreover, we are now in the pontificates of
Nicholas, patriarch of Constantinople;2 John, patriarch of Antioch;3
Symeon, patriarch of Jerusalem;' John, patriarch of Alexandria;5 and
Athanasius, patriarch of the Syrians.s Now, there are six thousand
six hundred and ten years from Adam to the present,7but we have
not considered these ten years in our chronological calculations.
Moreover, we have neglected the cultivation of a good style of writing.
Notwithstanding all this, when we reflected upon the fact that the
wrath of God was continually falling upon the Christians and that
year by year the strength of the forces of the believers was diminishing and collapsing, we perceived that no one had thought of inquiring
into these matters and putting them down in writing-all so that
these calamitous and disastrous events might be preserved for the
bright future to come, when the Lord God will fulfill his promise of
old to the faithful by establishing for them a time of happiness and
bliss. Therefore, as if God had commanded us, we have undertaken
with great pleasure to put all these events down in writing and leave
them as a record for future generations. Although our work is not
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After this Alexius at great expense transported the count and his
army across the Mediterranean to Cappadocia and at the same time
supplied Greek troops to accompany him. From this moment the
treachery of the Greek emperor began to be made manifest, for he
ordered his officers [accompanying the Franks] to guide their forces
through desolate regions. For fifteen days these officers led the
Franks through arid areas where there was nothing except a dry
desert and narrow, rocky places. The water in these places was
white like limewater and very salty. The emperor Alexius went so
far as to have lime mixed in the bread and then had it given to the
Franks as food; in the eyes of God this was a monstrous crime. Thus
the Franks were in a famished and exhausted state for many days,
and disease spread among their ranks. All this was caused by the
Greek emperor, for he harbored a grudge against the Franks because
of the oath which they fonnerly had made to him, but had not carried
out. Nevertheless, God held the Greeks responsible for having mercilessly victimized, injured, and ruined the Frankish Christians.
Because of this, God permitted the infidels to march against the
Greeks and punish them for their sins.
6. At this time, when the sultan of the West Kilij Arslan learned
of the coming of the Frankish forces, he wrote to the emir Danishmend in Neocaesarea and also to other emirs. Then he marched
against the Franks at the head of a formidable anny. The two
armies met on the plain of Olosi1 and violently battled against one
another for the greater part of the day, covering the whole plain with
blood. The Frankish forces, exhausted and lost in a strange country,
were unable to find an escape and so wandered about in groups like
animals. This turned out to be a disastrous and horrible day for the
Christians. In the midst of all this, the general comlDanding the
Greek troops fled. When the count of Poitou saw the destruction of
his troops, he climbed up a mountain, while the infidels surrounded
the foot of the mountain, Here one witnessed the spectacle of bows
cr~ckling, horses' hoofs beating, and the mountain reverberating
[WIth the clash of arms]. When the count of Poitou saw his troops
being slaughtered [right before his very eyes], he wept bitterly. As
the battle inten~ified and the Franks were weakening everywhere,
the count fled WIth four hundred of his horsemen. His army of three
hundr~d thousand men was completely destroyed by the Turks. The
FrankIsh count of Poitou finally reached the city of Antioch taking
refuge WI'th Tancre,
d and from there passing on to the holy' city of
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
standing the effort and trouble the Greeks expended on the Armeni
ans, they were unable to move them [from their position]. However,
the Syrians in Edessa, becoming frightened, adopted the Greek
position and thus renounced the agreement they had made with the
Armenians.
9. Now previously the Greeks had fallen into a similar error
concerning the celebration of Holy Easter, and the lamps of Jerusalem had not lighted. At that time the infidels had massacred those
praying [in the holy places], This had all taken place during the
reign of [the emperor] Basil and in the year 455. Therefore, this was
the second time in this book that the Greeks had fallen into error,
At this time [of the second error of the Greeks] the clergy in the city
of Edessa by means of a letter informed the Armenian catholicos his
lordship Gregory, who lived in the Black Mountains in the celebrated
Monastery of Areg, [concerning this conflict with the Greeks]; he, in
turn, exhorted them to remain steadfast in the Orthodox faith. The
following is a copy of this letter, written by the catholicos to the
inhabitants of Edessa.
10. liTo those who truly love Christ and profess the Holy Trinity, 1
to the priests, leaders, and all the faithful, greetings. May the
blessing, accompanied by a meritorious affection, come upon you all
from the see of our holy enlightener.
"Now we have read your letter fllled with the love of God and have
listened to your desires; we completely understand all the thoughts
expressed in the letter, giving special thanks to God for the words
which the apostle Paul said to his disciples, namely: 'When I hear of
your piety and faith in the Lord, I rejoice and thank God for all
things.'2 For this is the Word God himself who issued from the
Father and invited mankind to glorify the radiance of his divinity and
sublimity, he who received us weak creatures by his mercy and gave
us the power of his grace without which we could not resist the
i~visible forces of temptation. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who will
gwe y~u the assistance and strength in all things and also will grant
you WIsdom when you stand before the savants and intellects and
answer them according to his truthful precept which bids the
followin
.
g.. 'D 0 no t worry as to what you will say or' how you will say
It, fo~ w~atever is. given to you at that time, that you will say.'3 The
Omm~7lent ~ne hunself, through his own mercy and through his a11prev8J.lmg mIght, knows all things. In spite of all this, we sin against
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
kingly and true path which is in Christ Jesus, neither deviating right
or left, nor separating ourselves from the precepts of God; mor~over,
we do not rise up at dawn to devote ourselves to the aberratIon of
alcoholic drinking or to exhibit an arrogant and prideful haughtiness,
as do the Romans and others whose names are not even worth
mentioning. Now, if we deceptively maintain a corrupted faith, why
are we tormented as ones deserving punishment and why are we not
given rest instead of wandering over land and sea, enduring all types
of tribulations? St. Paul relates a similar experience which happened
to him, when he says: 'Why are we ceaselessly tormented, thrown
into prison and put in chains? I have cODlbated ferocious beasts and
I have suffered in the depths of abysses. 4 Now, if by any chance my
hope in Christ is a vain one, I would say that all these wanderings,
flights, torments, and pains were useless, since I had endured these
things for the sake of a condemnable belief. I have occupied the
patriarchal office for forty years and left m.y ancestral home at a time
of peace to come here. Thus I have deceived no one but myself;
nevertheless, I maintain my hope in God and my trust in the Holy
Scriptures, because I have an orthodox and perfect faith. N ow all
those of you who are associated with my ministry and faith, do not
timidly or fawningly back down or be frightened and thus reject God
in return for a vain lease on life; for 10, this is the time to receive and
take up the crown of Christ. I assure you in the presence of Christ
that he who does not demolish the faith of the saints will be crowned
with them; however, he who prefers the glory of men to that of God,
at the time of the judgment of the son of God, will be placed with
those apostates who did not confess Christ as God, and thus will be
excluded from our faith and blessings. On the other hand those who
believe in the faith we confess will be blessed by the inhabitants of
hea~en ~nd earth and by God and us, especially by God who is
glorified In eternity. Amen!"
11. When this letter reached Edessa, the inhabitants of the city
were more than ever strengthened in the true faith. Now when
Easter came, the inhabitants of Jerusalem illuminated the la~ps [of
the holy sepulcher] deceitfully and fraudulently thus causing their
~eople to fall into error; for they lit the divine iamps with an alien
Ire.. However, on the Armenian Easter the lamps were lit in a
g~nume manner, and all the Christian faithful who were in the holy
CIty of Jerusalem were witness to this. At that time all the Greeks
were put to shame b
h
, ecause t ey celebrated Easter on the day of
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Palm Sunday.
12. In this same year the rulers of Egypt and Damascus1 collected
troops and came against the holy city of Jerusalem with an innumerable army. The king of Jerusalem, Baldwin, rose up and went
against them in battle. In a violent combat the Egyptians put the
Franks to flight. At that moment a goodly number of Frankish
troops, having arrived by sea, disembarked and defeated the
Egyptian forces, pursuing them and slaughtering them severely.
After this the king of Jerusalem, Baldwin, was on his way to his royal
city.2 A certain Ethiopian Muslim was waiting in ambush concealed
in some bushes and hit the king of Jerusalem in the ribs with a
spear. The Ethiopian was immediately killed; however, the wound
in the body of the king remained incurable until the day of his death.
At that time Jerusalem was filled with sorrow and grief over its
king's death. 3 This misfortune happened because of the impious
celebration of Holy Easter by the Greeks. These Greeks had
arrogantly fallen into the same error during the time of the emperor
Basil, when the lamps would not burn and when the infidels
slaughtered all those praying in the Church of the Holy Resurrection,
right at the entrance of the sepulcher of Christ our God.
13. At the beginning of the year 552 of the Al1l1enian era [11031104J the violent wrath of God fell upon Edessa in the fonn of a
severe rainstorm which struck the city on the day of Little Thursday.l
The flood caused by this rain reminded one of the former great
deluge. The tremendously agitated air condensed in the atmosphere,
and the heavens were shaken by lightning crackling in the clouds.
These phenomena were such that many thought the day for the
destruction of the city had arrived. During the morning a tremendous amount of rain mixed with hail fell from the sky. When the sun
appeared, a mass of water from the west approached Edessa, building
up as it came; striking the walls of the city, it broke through them
and flooded the whole place, ruining a portion of the town. Many
houses collapsed and many animals died, but not one person was
trapped, for the catastrophe occurred during the day and thus people
were able to flee from the danger.
14. In this same y~ar the Frankish count Bohemond was ransomed from Danishmend for one hundred thousand dahekans; this
was accomplished through the mediation and assistance of the great
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Edessa (Baldwin) and Joscelin collected troops and went against the
town of Hanan. They sent to Antioch and summoned the great
Frankish count Bohemond and also Tancred; moreover, they brought
in all the Armenian troops and thus got together a formidable army.
They then descended upon Harran and vehemently besieged it,
putting the town in danger of famine. Then one of the Franks
performed an act not pleasing to God; breaking open a loaf of bread,
he defecated in it and took and placed it before the gates of the town.
When the townspeople saw this, one of their number, taking a risk,
rushed forth to eat the bread; seeing the feces it contained, he became
nauseated and brought and showed it to the townspeople. When the
sensible men among them saw this, they said: "This is a sinful deed
which God will not allow to go unpunished; he will not give the
Franks the victory, for they have contaminated this bread, a
profanation without compare on the earth." Mter this the Persian
forces marched against the Franks with a formidable army led by
Chokiirmish, l the emir of Mosul, and Sokman, the son of Artuk.
When the Frankish chiefs heard this, greatly rejoicing they went
against the Persian forces. The Franks were a two day's march from
the town, at a place called Oshut. Now the count of Edessa and
J oscelin became puffed up with pride and placed Bohemond and
Tancred at a distance from their troops, saying: "We will engage in
combat first and thus take the laurels of victory." When Baldwin and
J oscelin clashed with the Turkish forces, a frightful and violent battle
took place here in this strange and alien Muslim land. The Persian
forces vanquished the Franks, bringing the divine-rebuking wrath of
God upon the Christians; for the whole land was covered with blood
and corpses of more than thirty thousand Christian faithful, and so
the region became depopulated. The count of Edessa (Baldwin) and
Joscelin were taken prisoner and led into captivity, while the two
other Frankish chiefs, including all their forces, suffered no harm.
So these latter took their most valiant men and took refuge in the
city of Edessa as fugitives. 2
19. The Christians of the city of Edessa endured many hardships,
because the inhabitants of Harran had cut off the retreat of the
remnants of the Frankish troops, encircling the mountain and the
plain and slaughtering ten thousand fugitives. These Muslims of
Harran brought more destruction upon the Christian faithful than
the Turks had ever done. So there was much painful weeping and
grievous affiiction in Edessa. On that day tearful groans issued forth
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MATTHEW OF EnESSA
from the city, and all the Christian lands were in despair. After this
Count Baldwin was taken to the Muslim city of Mosul, while Joscelin
was taken to ~iil!n Kaifa, to Sokman, the son of Artuk; now it was
Chok'lirmish who took Baldwin.
20. Bohemond resolved to return to the country of the Franks in
order to obtain reinforcements and so left Edessa and Antioch in the
hands of his sister's son Tancred. Now, when Bohemond arrived in
the country of the Franks, he met a very rich woman who had been
the wife of the Frankish count Stephen of Blois, l [a man] of noble
lineage and the last of his line. 2 This woman made Bohemond stay
with her, saying: "Take me for your wife, for my husband is dead
and my lands and cavalry forces 3 have no lord over them." However,
Bohemond rejected her proposal, saying: "I have come here with a
solemn oath to obtain reinforcements and then quickly return to aid
the remaining Christian forces who are surrounded by the infidel
Persians." Nevertheless, the woman kept on insisting vehemently)
but he still would not listen to her. Finally she put Bohemond in
chains and threw him in prison. Mer staying in prison for a number
of days, the count finally gave in and agreed to marry the woman;
from him she had two children. Now after five years the great
Frankish count Bohemond died in his own land, without being able
to return to the East. 4
21. In this same year Danishmend, the great emir of the country
of the Romans, l died. He was of the Armenian nation-a kind man)
a benefactor of the people, and compassionate towards the Christian
faithful. Thus there was great sorrow among the Christian faithful
who were under his rule. He left behind twelve sons, and his eldest
son, called Ghiizl, 2 succeeded him, after secretly putting his other
brothers to death.
22. In this same year Sokman, the son of Artuk, who formerly
possessed the holy city of Jerusalem died. This Artuk left some
visible traces of his passing through th~ Church of the Holy Resurrection; for one can see the three arrows he shot at the ceiling of this
church, arrows which remain fixed there to this day. He died and
was buried in Jerusalem on the street leading to the Temple of
Sol.omon. His son Sokman was an evil man and a bloodthirsty beast.
ThIS Sokman gathered together the Persian forces and came to the
aid of the city of Tripoli, marching against the Franks. While on
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route he died, and his forces disbanded and returned to their country.
23. In this same year the Persian roler Berkyaruk, the son of
Malik-Shah, son of Alp Arslan, died. His brother Tap'arl succeeded
to the Persian royal throne; he was born of the Kipchak2 woman who
had poisoned and killed Malik-Shah the Conqueror in the city of
Baghdad.
24. In this same year the city of Marash was taken from the
Greeks; for the Prince of Princeslleft this city and gave it to Joscelin.
For a large sum of gold he sold an icon of the Theotokos to the great
Armenian prince T'oros, the son of Constantine, son of ~uben; then
he went to Constantinople.
25. In the year 554 of the Armenian era [1105-1106] the holy
patriarch his lordship Gregory, also known as Vahram, the son of
Gregory, son of Vasak, of Pahlavid lineage, ended his pontificate.
Thus in this year the pillar of the Armenian faith and the rampart
of the holy church of this eastern nation fell. He was a man who
performed miracles among the peoples of Armenia and, being of
virtuous character, devoted himself to the ascetic life; moreover, he
was able to resist temptations through fasting and prayer, and
ceaselessly praised God through the singing of psalms. [Besides his
individual piety] he did much to revitalize the Armenian faith. He
tirelessly devoted himself to translation work; all those things that
were missing in our observance of the commandments of God, he
systematically restored to us through the works he translated from
Greek and Syriac; moreover, with great solicitude he ceaselessly filled
the Armenian church with the inspiration and sublime concepts of
the Holy Scriptures. Now this man Gregory was mild mannered and
humble of heart; added to these qualities, he was deeply pious and
assiduously adhered to the divine precepts. In every way possible he
had the capability to assist the flock of Christ, for he was skillfully
erudite in those books inspired by divine grace. Gregory resembled
the ancient Armenian savants-namely Moses and David,lfor he had
the head of an Athenian and was imbued with a fiery tongue; thus he
was easily able to lift the veil from the Old and New Testaments of
God, open the springs which issue from the divinity, and disseminate
the knowledge of the Holy Spirit among the faithful people who came
to hear it. In this way he became an example to all religious people,
surpassing all in the practice of a virtuous life. Now Gregory had
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
occupied the patriarchal see for forty y~ars. At the ti~e of his death
he was with the great Armenian prmce Kogh VasIl, who was a
mighty man and a warrior; for this ruler had gathered together the
remnants of the Armenian forces [under his banner].
26. At this '"time there appeared a certain young man called
Gregory, l who was the son of the sister of his lordship Vabram. His
lordship Gregory in an assembly designated this young man to
succeed him as catholicos of Armenia after the death of his lordship
Barsegh; moreover, he appointed the Armenian prince Vasil, the lord
of Kesoun and all its surrounding territories, as guardian to see that
his will was carried out, Barsegh heeded all of Gregory's commands,
and from that day on kept Gregory, the catholicos-designate and son
of Apirat, near him. Now in the month of Tre2 during the first week
of the summer Lent, on Saturday, the holy patriarch his lordship
Gregory died and was solemnly buried in Karmir-Vank',3Iocated near
Kesoun. His lordship Stephen, the superior of this monastery,
assembled monks and priests around Gregory's tomb and with the
honor due a patriarch sent him to join the saints. Vasil and the other
members of the Armenian nobility deeply lamented Gregory's death
and, shedding bitter tears, wept over him; for they were left
guardianless in an alien land, since they had left their ancestral
home.
27. In this same year the eminent thaumaturge, Mark the hermit,
died. This man passed sixty-five years of his life eating only herbage;
for, while leading the life of a hermit, he ate no bread or anything
that resembled bread. He possessed the intuition of the prophets,
and many persons testified to his experiencing the Holy Spirit every
day. He lived in the province of Mokk on an arid mountain called
Kin?rn~k; and he was a Syrian of Kharsinakk, l a place near the
temtones of the city of Marash. Through prayer this hennit caused
water to issue out of two different places in this area. Moreover,
when the Fra.nks captured the holy city of Jerusalem, he prophesied
that t~e PerSIans would strengthen themselves once again and with
sw~rd m hand penetrate to the Mediterranean seacoast, a prediction
whIch we saw fulfilled. He also spoke about the priests and the
p~ople, prophe,sying that they would fall away from. the faith and that
pIety would dIsappear from the earth. Belief in God would decline
~d the doors of the churches would be closed. People would become
blInd to good works and would forget the precepts of the Holy Gospel
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of Christ. Sin and evil would inundate the earth, and the sons of
man would wallow in it as one immersed in the sea. Finally all the
nations of the faithful would forget the practice of righteous behavior.
[It was things such as these that Mark prophesied.] This holy hermit
passed away during this year and was buried in the Monastery of
Kastaghon, located near the impregnable fortress called Vahka in the
Taurus Mountains.
28. In this same year Chokiirmish, the emir of Mosul and Nisibis,
went forth with many troops and encamped before the gates of the
city of Edessa at harvest time. The commander of the Frankish
forces was a man named Richard, l to whom Tancred had entrusted
the defense of the city. Richard took the garrison of the city and
unwisely made a sortie with his infantry against the brave and
militant Persian forces. When the Persians saw this careless move
on the part of the Frankish troops, they fell upon them and pushed
them all into the moat surrounding the city. Then all the infidels,
crossing over the moat, entered through the gates of the city and
slaughtered as many as four hundred men. Mer having flayed all
their corpses, they took their heads back to Persia. Thus on that day
great sorrow fell upon Edessa, for cries and weeping issued forth from
every household, and blood flowed in all areas around the city. So
Chokiirmish victoriously turned back and went to his own country.
29. In this same year the Frankish count Saint Gilles died while
besieging the city of Tripoli. He left the outer city, which he had
built, and his troops to his sister's son, Bertram,l a brave man and a
warrior. This Saint Gilles who died was the one who had brought
back the lance of Christ to the emperor Alexius in Constantinople. 2
30. In this same year the town of Aplast'an, located in the district
of Jahan, endured many harassments, tribulations, and misfortunes
at the hands of the Frankish forces. The inhabitants of this town
were so mistreated that they resolved to wreak their vengeance on
the Franks. So they went over to the side of the infidels. They
secretly sent a messenger and summoned the infidel calvary of the
district to occupy the town. Then the Armenians of the town, allying
themselves with the infidels, went to the citadel and said the
following to the Frankish commander: "Get out and go back to your
own people and may God be with you." When the commander heard
this, he flew into a rage like a ferocious beast and attacked the
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
38. At the beginning of the year 557 of the Armenian era [11081109] once again the Persians collected troops-this time about six
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town of Kesoun. He freed all the prisoners which the infidels had
captured and thus caused great rejoicing among the Christian
faithful.
39. In this same year Joscelin ransomed Baldwin, the count of
Edessa, from Chavli for thirty thousand dahekans. Then he and
Baldwin came to the Annenian prince Vasil, who received them with
great honor and gave them many gifts. After this Baldwin went and
collected cavalry troops in Raban, one of the towns belonging to Vasil,
for he intended on warring against the pious man Tancred. Then
Baldwin, in collusion with Joscelin, did a wicked thing, something
which was not pleasing in the eyes of God. The two men sent to the
Persian emir Chavli and persuaded him to come to their aid with five
thousand horsemen. Then they made war on Tancred, the count of
Antioch, because of their lands which he had taken over while they
were in captivity and now would not return to them; for Tancred
wished them to be his vassals, something which they would not agree
to. Vasil sent Baldwin and Joscelin eight hundred of his own men
and Pecheneg troops from the Roman emperor's army who were
stationed in Mamistra, all of which made up a goodly force. The
soldier of Christ Tancred, in turn, marched forth at the head of one
thousand horsemen together with a number of infantry forces. A
violent battle took place between Baldwin and Tancred within the
confines of Tell Bashir, both sides fighting vehemently and heroically.
The Persian troops severely slaughtered the Frankish infantry forces
of Tancred's army. However, as the battle intensified, Tancred
defeated Baldwin's forces and put them to flight. Then with great
fury the count of Antioch turned upon Chavli and, sword in hand,
drove back his troops, inflicting a severe slaughter upon them.
Nevertheless, on that day about two thousand Christians perished.
Tancred victoriously turned back and went to his city of Antioch. On
the other hand, Baldwin fled and took refuge in a fortress called
Ravendan, while J oscelin saved himself by taking shelter in his
fortress called Tell Bashir. 1
40. When the inhabitants of the city of Edessa learned of all this,
they all became sad and gloomy because of Baldwin, for they thought
that he was dead. So they assembled in the Church of St. John in
the presence of the Frankish papios1 in order to consult with each
other [as to what was to be done]; for they feared that the city would
once again fall to Tancred and he would hand it over to Richard who,
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nobleman from the forces of Vasil, who was a son of Tachat, lord of
Taton; his name was Aplasat', and he was a brave man and an
excellent warrior. Having left Vasil because of some misunderstanding, he had come to Edessa. Now, when the Christians reached the
gates of the town of Harran, the Edessenes began to devastate the
surrounding countryside. Suddenly the Turkish forces came against
them with one thousand five hundred horsemen and killed one
hundred and fifty of. the Edessenes. At this point the Frankish
troops, being few in number, were intent on fleeing to Edessa. Then
Aplasat' cried out like a lion and, signaling his troops, shattered the
front line of the infidel forces. So they began their retreat to Edessa,
hotly pursued by the Turks; in spite of this they entered the city of
Edessa unharmed. Aplasat' was not pleased with the conduct of the
Franks [in this battle] and so he returned to the service of Vasil.
This brave Armenian was wounded in the arm [during the battle],
but did not die because his armor stopped the blow [inflicted by the
enemy weapon].
44. In this same year the coastal city of Tripoli was captured by
the Christians. After an eleven-year siege, l the inhabitants were
exhausted by violent assaults and had sustained a drawn-out
blockade; for Baldwin, the king of Jerusalem, and Bertram, a relative
of the great count Saint Gilles,2had put them in dire straits. So the
inhabitants of Tripoli summoned the count of Antioch, Tancred, and
delivered their city into his hands. Then the king of Jerusalem and
Bertram made war on Tancred, since they were the ones who had
laid siege to Tripoli. At this point their patriarch and bishops
intervened and established peace between the two sides, Tancred
then returning to Antioch. However, the king of Jerusalem equipped
a fleet against Tripoli and, besieging the city by sea and by land,
launched a formidable assault against it. Tripoli was set on fire and
the inhabitants of the whole city were put to the sword, causing the
streets to be inundated with blood. The Frankish forces seized an
innumerable amount of gold and silver and carried off a countless
number of captives to their own country.
45. At the beginning of the year 559 of the Armenian era [11101111] the count of Edessa was intent on starting a second war
204
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
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III
205
join them in going to the assistance of Edessa. Then all the Frankish
forces continued their march and came to the Armenian prince Vasil,
who equipped his troops and went to Samosata. The Armenian
prince Ablgharib, who possessed the town of Bira, also joined the
Franks with his troops. So with a tremendous army of troops the
Christians passed into the confines of the city of Edessa. When the
Turkish general Maudl1d learned of their coming, he lifted the siege
of Edessa and went to the town of Harran. The Frankish forces, in
turn, reached the gates of the city of Edessa and encamped there. On
the following day the Franks prepared for battle. Bringing forth the
holy cross of Varag, they fastened it to the end of a lance and carried
it before their troops. In the meantime the Turks retreated from
Harran, hoping by this stratagem to defeat the Franks, for the
Franks were in territory unknown to them; to this end they set up an
ambush of many troops in the town. However, the Frankish
commander learned of the treacherous designs of the Turks and so
turned around and encamped against the impregnable fortress of
Shenaw/ located in Muslim territory; the Christians vehemently
attacked this stronghold. At this point Tancred learned of a plot
hatched against him by the other leaders and so, taking his troops,
reached Samosata and descended to the banks of the Euphrates.
Soon all the Frankish forces followed him. Now, when the inhabitants of Edessa and those of the surrounding countryside who had
taken refuge in the city heard of this withdrawal, they all left, even
the women and children, and followed after the Frankish forces.
47. On this occasion two Franks did a very wicked thing. They
went to Maudud and, repudiating the Christian faith, said to the
emir that the entire Frankish army had withdrawn and fled. When
Maudl1d heard this, he pursued the Frankish forces; he filled the land
from the gates of Edessa to the Euphrates River with blood, slaughtering the inhabitants of both the city and the countryside. Reaching
the banks of the Euphrates, Maudl1d slaughtered a countless number
of the inhabitants of the area and carried off the remaining, together
with their possessions. The Franks had already crossed over to the
other side of the river. So the Turks massacred the Christian faithful
who were huddled together like flocks of sheep on this side of the
river. The wrath of God, manifested through Maudl1d, fell upon the
faithful with such force that the Euphrates was turned into blood.
Many drowned in the river. Those who tried to swim across were
unable to reach the other side. Many tried to cross over on boats, but
206
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
five or six of the boats sank full of people, because too many persons
got in them. So on this day the entire territory of Edessa was
devastated and depopulated. It was in reference to this calamity that
the savants of old wrote: "Woe to the people of Abgar." The Frankish
forces who were on the other side of the Euphrates River, witnessed
all th~se horrible things which were happening to all the Christians,
but were unable to assist them in any way and so wept bitterly.
Mter all this Maudud victoriously turned back and went to Harran;
from there he returned to his country, laden with captives and
countless booty.l
48. On the other hand, the great emir of the East Sulaiman,
taking the emir Balik1 prisoner, put him in chains and threw him into
the dungeon of the fortress of Aytseats' in Taron. So the Frankish
forces, humiliated, returned to their territories; for, instead of saving
the Christian faithful, they had brought disaster upon them.
However, the brave soldier of Christ Tancred, collecting troops,
entered the territory of Aleppo and descended upon the fortress town
called al-Atharib. He encamped against it for a number of days and
fmally captured it by a violent assault, without harming the garrison.
49. In this same year the Turkish forces gathered together and
penetrated into the territory of Anazarba, ravaging the entire area,
including Marpa. When the great Annenian prince T'oras, the son of
Constantine, who in turn was the son of ~uben, fully realized the
tremendous n~mber of Persian troops, he did not dare go forth in
battle. So the Turkish forces turned back and went to their own
country, laden with innumerable captives and booty.
50. Thus in this year much devastation occurred in this region
[wherein the Turks had penetrated]. In this same year during the
wint~r an awesome and frightful omen appeared in Armenia, in the
prOVInce ofVaspurakan. On a certain day, in the dark of the night,
flames of fire burst forth from the upper vault of the sky and, coming
down from this height, fell upon and struck the Sea ofVaspurakan. 1
The sea surged violently, driving its undulating waves against the
shore, while both it and the land shook with a frightful tremor. The
sea took on the color of blood, the flames of fire enveloping the
vastness of the sky. The next morning a tremendous number of dead
fish were seen, piled up on the shore like heaps of wood. The whole
area stank because of this mass [of dead fish]. Moreover, many
PART
III
207
208
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
son of Constantine, son of ~uben. During T'oros's time the murderers of the Armenian king Gagik were in a fortress called Kndroskawis, a heavily fortified stronghold impregnable on all four sides.
These murderers were the sons of Mandale, who were three brothers
and still alive. One of them was allied to T'oros, and because of this
relationship, the three brothers had agreed to hand over the aforementioned fortress to the Armenian prince; for it was situated on the
borders ofT'oros's territory, close by the area called Dzknajur where
there is a mountain overlooking Cappadocia. Now in this same year
the Annenian prince went forth and with a small detachment of
troops came to the three brothers for a friendly visit. Reaching the
confines of their territory, he sent to them, informing them of his
coming. Then one of the murderers took gifts and went to T'oros,
who received him with due honor. The Greek presented a costly
knife and a rich garment to T'oros, and then the two men sat down
to eat and drink. At this point the Armenian prince said to him: "In
accordance with your promise to me concerning the fortress, hand it
over now and in its stead chose yourself any place in my territories
you wish." The Greek, deceitfully going back on his previous promise,
said to the Armenian prince: "We cannot give up the fortress, for it
is our patrimony and ancestral home." When he realized that he had
been deceived by the three brothers, Taros, returning the gifts
brought by one of their number, angrily said to him: "Arise and go
to your home, and after this each one of you be prepared for me."
So the deicide got up and returned to his home, while the Armenian prince feigned going in the direction of his. Now, when the
murderers disappeared out of sight, T'oras turned back with his
troops and, during the night, arrived at the fortress. There he set up
an ambush of infantry troops and then, taking his horsemen, hurried
off to the countryside, intending to devastate the area. In the
morning the garrison came forth from the gates [of the fortress] and
f~und themselves face to face with the men placed in ambush by
T,oros; .Now, when the garrison troops saw this, they fled, while
T oros s mfantry pursued them, climbing up the height on which the
stronghold was situated. When the garrison saw this, they shut the
gates of the fortress. T'oros's troops barricaded themselves outside
the gates. an~ began to assault the fortress, hurling fire at the roofing
an.d causmg It to burn rapidly. When those inside the fortress saw
this, they opened the gate located on another side of the stronghold
and began to flee through it. Finally T'oros's troops took the fortress
and captured the fugitives. Then they went to relate all this to
PART
III
209
210
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
there descended upon [the Monastery of] the Holy Martyrs, situated
near the ramparts of the city.
55. At this time the invincible soldier of Christ Count Joscelin,
taking one hundred horsemen and one hundred infantry, came and
entered the town of Sariij. Then a Turkish force, consisting of five
hundred horsemen, [left the main army in Edessa and] made a
diversion into the territory of SarUj on the Saturday of Elias. 1
Joscelin went forth and attacked the Turks, killing one hundred and
fIfty of their men. The count took fIve of their officers prisoner and
seized all their baggage, while the rest fled to Maudo.d in the city of
Edessa. When Maudl1d heard of all this, he went against Joscelin in
the town of Sarl1j. However, at the same time Joscelin secretly came
and entered the city of Edessa. Mter remaining in Sarl1j for seven
days, Maudl1d turned back against Edessa once again. Now certain
perfIdious men came to him while he was on the march, saying:
"Have compassion on us, and on this day we will deliver Edessa into
your hands." The emir in great joy consented to their proposition.
Now, since these men suffered from the effects of the famine, being
in such dire straits, they were not really aware of what they were
doing. So during the night they conducted Maudl1d, together with
five of his men, to Edessa and delivered this populous city into the
hands of the Turks. They handed over to the Turks a tower located
in the eastern portion of the city, which dominated all of Edessa; one
hundred men took possession of this tower. Moreover, the Turks
occupied two other towers, placing a large number of troops in them.
Notwithstanding all this, God, who never wills the destruction of the
Christian faithful, had previously brought the Frankish count
Joscelin to the aid of the blessed city of Edessa. So, when the brave
soldier of God Joscelin learned of this Turkish takeover, he took the
count of Edessa and the other Frankish troops and rushed to the
ramparts to battle against the Turks. Joscelin assaulted the tower
[in which the Turks were ensconced] with such bravery that he
hurled down all their men from the walls; in this way the traitors
who had handed over the tower and the infidels who had occupied it
perished at the same time. So on that day Edessa was saved from
the clutches of the Turks, because of the bravery of Joscelin and all
the troops of the city. Then Count Joscelin because of the deep
anger in his heart and because of the cal~nious slanders made
against him by some, caused much innocent bloodshed among the
townspeople, ordering them to be massacred, burned, and tortured;
PART
III
211
now all this was not pleasing in the eyes of God. Mter this Maudl1d
raised the siege and went and captured T'lmoz;2 from there he went
back to Khurasan, humiliated and discredited.
56. In this same year Tancred, the count of Antioch, collected
troops and came against the Armenian prince Vasil. He attacked
Raban and, after a vigorouB siege, captured the town from Vasil.
Then with his troops he marched against Kesoun and encamped at
the head of the plain, below a spring, at Til. At this time Vasil
gathered together a force of five thousand men. Both sides waited
around for a number of days without engaging in combat, after which
they made peace with one another. Tancred returned Raban to Vasil,
while the Armenian prince handed over to him the district of ~ilm
Man~ur, and also T'oresh and Dremn; for Vasil had captured this
district of ~~n-Man~G.r, together with the fortified l p'ersin, Raghtip,
Hart'an, T'oresh, and Dremn, and now returned them to the Franks.
So Tancred peacefully went back to his city of Antioch.
57. In this same year, on the 24th of the month of Areg, the great
Armenian prince called Kogh Vasil died, and there was profound
sorrow throughout all Armenia. Around this prince were united
remnants of the Armenian army, members of the Bagratid and
Pahlavid families, sons of the kings of Armenia, and finally all those
of Pahlavid lineage, together with the military aristocracy of
Armenia; all these remained with Vasil and were highly respected
and honored by him. Moreover, the Armenian patriarchal see was
transferred to Vasil's territory,lfor this Armenian prince had gained
control of many areas through his bravery and strength. Thus all the
monks, bishops, abbots, and vardapets gathered around him and were
very well treated by him. So the Armenian prince Vasil died and was
buried in Karmir-Vank'. His spiritual advisor and father confessor
was his lordship Barsegh, the Armenian catholicos. The monastery
received one thousand dahekans for putting aside a place for Vasil's
tomb. Approximately one hundred and fifty thousand dahekans were
given for the celebrating of divine liturgies. Moreover, an infinite
number of meals for the poor was donated. Tancred received as a gift
many precious objects, which were carried to him from Vasil's house:
huge amounts of money, brocades, horses, and mules. Vasil's wife's
diadem was sent to Tancred's wife. The other chiefs of various
territories also received many gifts. Even the poor received a part of
the Armenian prince's estate. Vasil's sovereignty was passed on to
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
his son, who was of the Kamsarakan 2 family on his mother's side and
was raised and educated in Vasil's household "like a son in the bosom
of his father" this [adopted] son was handsome with a lion-like mien,
capable, intelligent, a brave man and a warrior, besides which he was
twenty-five years old. He was installed on the throne of the great
prince Vasil, and the whole army gave him allegiance; for he was a
very generous and munificent person and thus was liked and
respected by all the troops. His lordship Barsegh called an assembly
and handed over the reins of government to Vasil's son, and so there
was rejoicing throughout the whole Armenian nation.
58. In this same year, on the 18th of the month of Mareri, the
most pious believer in God Tancred, the count of Antioch, died. 1 He
was a saintly and pious man and had a kind and compassionate
nature, manifesting concern for all the Christian faithful; moreover,
he exhibited a tremendous amount of humility in his dealings with
people and showed justice in executing the verdicts and laws of God.
So Tancred died in Antioch and was buried in Saint Peter, the great
cathedral of the city, founded by the holy apostles Peter and Paul.
In accordance with Tancred's wishes his sister's son Roger,2 a brave
man and valiant warrior, succeeded to his throne. So the patriarch
and all the Frankish chiefs installed Roger on the throne which
Tancred had formerly occupied and turned Antioch over to him. Now
earlier that same year two eminent officers of Vasil's army, Tigran
and Aplasat', were killed by Turkish troops in the territory of Leon,S
the son of ltuben.
59. In the year 562 of the Armenian era [1113-1114] the bloodthirsty and savage emir Maudud once again marched forth with a
tremendous number of troops and, arriving at the Muslim town of
Harran, came against the Franks. At this time Baldwin, the count
of E~essa, w~s in the town of Tell Bashir with his troops. Now
c~z:;am perfidIOUS and evil-thinking Franks carried rumors, based on
VlCIO~S and treacherous motivations, to the count, saying: "Many are
plottmg together to hand over the city of Edessa to the Turks."
B~ldwin believed these false slanders issuing from their wicked and
~VlI m~uths and, because of this, conceived of a very harsh plan; he
l~medlately sent Payens, the count of Sariij to Edessa and ordered
hIm to remove all the townspeople from the city so that not one
person would re . "th"
.
mam WI m Its walls. However, on that day these
hideous Franks thought among themselves and decided instead to put
PART
III
213
all the inhabitants of the city to the sword. They were eager to shed
the blood of blameless and innocent people who had done nothing
wrong voluntarily; for, because of the perverseness of their character,
these Franks regarded all other peoples as basically malicious and
evil.
60. So on one Sunday during the month of Sahmi, at dinnertime,
a horrible and disastrous calamity fell upon Edessa. The calamity
was so serious that fathers disavowed their sons and sons, their
fathers. All the inhabitants of the city wept, lamented, and cried out
in anguish. Every household was filled with tears, grief, and sorrow;
for the Franks forcibly evicted all the inhabitants from their homes
and ordered anyone found in his or her house burned. No one
remained except for eighty men who that evening had taken refuge
in the Church of St. Theodore and who were afterwards placed under
guard in the citadel. Thus this was a day of great sorrow for the
inhabitants of Edessa, all due to [the viciousness of] the Franks; for
everyone lamented the deplorable condition they found themselves in.
Moreover, there was not one atrocity which the Franks did not
commit against the inhabitants of the city of Edessa. Thus here were
fulfilled the words of the seers of old who said: "Woe to the people of
Abgar." All those banished from their homes went to the town of
Samosata. So the illustrious metropolis of Edessa remained deserted
like a widowed woman, who once was a mother to all people and had
gathered around herself the populations dispersed from other lands,
including those holding the cross [of Christ], who ran to the Franks
at a time when these very same Franks came to them begging for
assistance. Now in return for all the beneficence which the inhabitants of Edessa showed the Franks, these [Westerners] recompensed
the faithful Christians of this city with evil and malice.
61. In this period the Turkish forces, who were stationed in
Harran, crossed over the Euphrates River and, advancing with a
tremendous number of troops, marched against the holy city of
Jerusalem and against all the Frankish people. When Baldwin
learned that Maudud had marched forth and entered the territory of
Jerusalem, he became ashamed of the deceitful crime [he had
committed against the inhabitants of Edessa]. So the count sent a
letter ordering the townspeople brought back to the city, and thus
after three days everyone returned to their homes.
214
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
62. In this period the infidel forces came and encamped against
the town of Tiberias, located near the Sea of Galilee. The king of
Jerusalem, in turn, sent to Antioch and summoned Count Roger, all
the Frankish forces, and also the count of Tripoli-the son of Saint
Gilles;! all of them, uniting together, came to the aid of the king.
However, the troops of Jerusalem, puffed up with pride, hastened to
march into battle against the Turkish forces first, lest the Antioch
enes gain the reputation of bravery rather than they. Now God was
not pleased with their prideful attitude and so made them pay for
their arrogance; for, when both sides engaged in combat with one
another, the Turkish forces defeated those of the Franks and turned
them in flight. Many Franks of high rank were killed, and all their
infantry forces were slaughtered. A certain brave man from the
Turkish forces came at the king of Jerusalem and struck him on the
shoulders with an iron mace. However, the Lord came to the king's
aid and saved him, for at that moment the troops of Antioch and
Tripoli arrived. When Roger saw the situation of the Franks, roaring
like a lion and immediately rushing to the scene, he turned the
Turkish forces in flight and thereby saved the king and all the troops
of Jerusalem. After this the infidel army encamped on one side of the
mountain situated between Tiberias and Jericho, while the Frankish
army encamped on the other side. The two sides no longer engaged
in combat with one another. So, after waiting around for a few days,
Maudl1d returned to Damascus, while the Frankish forces went back
to their respective cities. 2
PART
III
215
65. In this same year his lordship Gregory, l the son of Apirat, who
was of the lineage of Gregory Magistros, the son ofVasak Pahlawuni,
occupied the Armenian patriarchal see. For after the death of his
lordship Barsegh an assembly of bishops and abbots took place in
Karmir-Vank', situated in the territory of Kesoun, and through the
will of the Holy Spirit his lordship Gregory was consecrated as bishop
over the whole Armenian nation. At the same time he was made
catholicos and installed on the see of Saint Gregory. Gregory
occupied the patriarchal see while he was still very young, for his
beard had not as yet begun to grow; moreover, he was of tall stature,
handsome looking, and of very humble nature.
66. In the year 563 of the Armenian era [1114-1115] the Persian
sultan Tap'ar, the son of Malik-Shah, collected troops and appointed
as commander over them the great emir al-Bursuki. 1 Taking with
him the sultan's son2, who was a mere boy, this emir marched forth
with a countless number of troops and came against the city of
Edessa. On Friday the 24th of the month of Sahmi, aI-Bursuki
arrived at the gates of the city. After he had subjected Edessa to a
heavy siege for thirty days, the emir then departed and reached the
Euphrates River, ravaging all the districts along its banks. Then he
came against the town of Bira, located on the banks of the Euphrates
River. All the Frankish troops on the other side of the river united
together but did not dare cross over and engage in combat [with the
infidels]. So al-Bursuki returned to Edessa and from there went to
4
the Muslim town of Nisibis. After this the emirs Il-Ghazfl and Balik
united their troops and in a formidable battle defeated al-Bursuki,
216
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
putting him to flight and taking prisoner the sultan's son,6 whom they
later freed. s
67. In this same year the divine-rebuking wrath of God fell upon
all living creatures. The Lord in all his omnipotence and wrathfulness looked down upon those whom he had created, for the sons of
man had all strayed from the path of righteousness, according to the
words of the prophet who said: "In these times there will be no
prince, prophet, or leader who will practice goodness, no not even
one. III In like manner everyone delighted in the wicked path of sin
and scorned all the precepts and laws of God; for none of the princes,
soldiers, men of the people, leaders, priests, and monks stood fast in
truly carrying out God's work, but rather sought after the fulfillment
of fleshly and worldly desires. God considered all this the highest
degree of sinfulness. Thus were fulfilled the words of the prophet,
who said: "La, he looked at the earth and caused it to tremble."2
Now, since God wrathfully looked askance at his creation, all living
creatures gave up hope and succumbed to the terror of the Lord's
might. In accordance with this, on Sunday the 12th of the month of
Mareri, the day of the Feast of the Discovery of the Cross, a frightful
phenomenon occurred on the earth; moreover, we have never heard
of such a wrathful event having happened in the past or in the
present, or having been mentioned in Scripture. Now, while we w~re
in a deep sleep, a horrible, crackling, and reverberating sound was
heard, and all of creation resounded from the noise. A severe
concussion was felt, and the plains and mountains shook with a
frightful echoing sound, while tremendous rocks were cleft and hills
were split open.
Bec~use of the intensity of this frightful calamity, the mountains
and hills resounded, just like live animals who when they are
terrified, shrilly cry out; this resounding noise hit 'the ears like the
sound of. a.large throng in a camp. In this way, like a churned-up
sea, all hvmg creatures quaked and trembled from fear of the might
of the Lord God; for all the plains and mountains resounded like the
clangi~g of ?ronze, shaking and moving to and fro like trees struck
by ~ h~gh wmd. The cries and groans of people issued forth like the
plamtIve moans of persons sick for a very long time, forcing them
through fear to seek their own destruction. Like a fugitive, the whole
land was reduced to despair and trembled with fear and like one
condem~ed [to die], gave forth plaintive and tearful cries' ~oreover,
these nOIses were heard even after the trembling ended, f~r about an
PART
III
217
hour during the night. Now, out of fear of the noises concomitant
with this calamity, everyone despaired of their lives, saying: "The
final day, the day of judgment, has arrived." Indeed the day of this
calamity was a true mirror of that last day of judgment; for it
happened to be Sunday and the day on which the heavy and somber
tone of the Armenian chant was used,s besides which the moon was
in its last phase. Thus all the signs pointing to the last day were in
evidence at this time.
In consequence of all this, those who already were plunged into the
depths of despair now became horror-struck and frozen with fear as
if they had just died. Now during this night many towns and
districts were destroyed. However, all the areas destroyed were those
of the Franks, while no harm or destruction came to other regions or
peoples. 4 So on this night Samosata, ai!3n-Man~l1r, Kesoun, and
Raban were destroyed. On the other hand, Marash was destroyed in
such a frightful manner that as many as forty thousand persons died;
it was a populous city and yet not one person survived. The same
thing happened to the town of Mamistra,5 where a countless number
of men and women perished. Moreover, many other villages and
monasteries were destroyed, and thousands upon thousands of roen,
women, and children perished. An incident occurred in the Basilian
Monaster1located in the renowned Black Mountains, where the holy
monks and Armenian vardapets had gathered for the consecration of
a new church building; in the midst of the divine service the church
collapsed on them, and thirty monks and two vardapets perished
beneath the ruins, their bodies remaining in the rubble to this day.
A similar mishap occurred near Marash in the great Monastery of the
Jesuits, 7 where the monastery was destroyed and all the monks
perished. Now, when the tremors had ceased, snow began to fall and
cover the entire land. The Armenian vardapet Gregory, surnamed
Mashkewor, perished in the same place. Thus in this way many
mishaps and frightful calamities befell the Christian faithful. All of
these things happened because of their sins, for each of them
abandoned the true path of the precepts of God and enthusiastically
embraced the erroneous way; so they separated themselves from the
precepts of the holy books and became involved in foolish pursuits.
As in the days of Noah they ate and drank until the time of their
destruction, an end which they well deserved because of their sins;
these persons continued giving themselves to merriment until the
wrath of the Lord God fell upon them and obliterated their iniquities,
for they had committed outrageous crimes.
218
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART
III
219
joining one another in the territory of Shaizar. At the same time the
great Persian emir ll-Ghazi, who was the son of Artuk, arrived in the
Frankish camp; he came to Roger with many troops because he was
a rabid enemy of al-Bursuki. The emir of Damascus, Tughtigin, also
came and joined the Franks. Il-Ghl1zi and Tughtigin made peace
and formed an alliance with one another, taking a very solemn oath
[as guarantee of their sincerity]. In the same manner the emir of
Aleppo2 joined the Franks. Now the infidel army and the Frankish
amy confronted one another for four months, without the Turkish
forces daring to give battle. Mter this al-Bursuki feigned a retreat
from the Frankish forces. When the Franks learned that al-Bursuki
had withdrawn, the king of Jerusalem, the count of Tripoli, Il-Ghazi,
Tughtigin, and the emir of Aleppo turned around and went back to
their respective territories. When al-Bursuki learned of the
departure of the Frankish army, he turned back against Antioch,
intent on ravaging the territories of this city. When the count of
Edessa heard this in Antioch, he returned to Edessa and, taking with
him Roger and seven hundred horsemen, caught up with al-Bursuki'
in the territory of Aleppo. Finding the emir unprepared for combat,
the count attacked him. The Franks victoriously defeated the Turks
and put them to flight. Moreover, the Franks took prisoner eminent
officers, seized many men and much booty, and even pillaged the
enemy camp. Those remnants of the Turkish army which had escaped
departed in humiliation.
71. In this same year the count of Edessa Baldwin made war on
the Armenian prince [the younger] Vasil, the one who was the
successor to Kogh Vasil.
72. In this period Baldwin went against the impregnable fortresstown of Raban with his troops. He besieged Raban for a number of
days, but was unable to accomplish anything, even though he had set
up a very tight blockade around the place.
73. At this time [the younger] Vasil went to the great Armenian
prince Leon, who was the son of Constantine, the son of ~uben, and
the brother of Toros, and took Leon's daughter as his wife. Then
Leon's brother '1"'oros summoned the younger Vasil and, treacherously
seizing him, took him to the count of Edessa Baldwin. Baldwin, in
turn, subjected this brave man and mighty warrior to severe tortures
and forcibly seized all his territories, thus effectively destroying
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others his insatiable love for money, and his deep lack of generosity;
as for'the rest, he was very orthodox in his faith, and his ethical
conduct and basic character were quite solid. ll So here we have two
kings who came from Edessa and who both were named Baldwin.
76. In this same year the Persian sultan Tap'ar, who was the son
of Malik-Shah and a vicious-minded person, died.I Now at the time
of his death he did a very horrible and unheard-of thing. When he
was about to die, thinking of his sons, he sent for and summoned his
wife Gohar Khat'un,2 the daughter of the emir Isma'il; unbeknown to
his troops he had her killed in his presence, so that she would not
remarry and force his sons from the throne and take away their
inheritance. 3 The sultan was descended from an illustrious family
and had a great number of troops under his command. Moreover,
from all the nations he had gathered together four hundred beautiful
maidens, who sat at his feet adorned with the most splendid finery:
precious stones and pearls set in Arabian gold, diadems on their
heads, and their tresses decorated with gold; so they were quite
dazzling in all their splendid and colorful finery in the presence of the
sultan. Now Tap'ar had his chief queen killed before his eyes, so that
she would not marry his brother'\ who reigned as suItan over the
inner territories of Persia, in the towns of U zgand and Ghazni-a
three months' march5 from Isfahan. 6 Mter this Tap'ar placed his
eldest son Ma}l.mlld7 on the royal throne and handed over to him all
of Persia. His younger son Mali.k8 he installed as sultan of the
Armenian city of Gandzak, giving him the whole East. Tap'ar had
two other sons, but not by Gohar Khat'un.
77. In this same year the Persian caliph,1 who occupied the throne
of Mu}l.ammad in the city of Baghdad, died.
78: In this ~ame year the great Frankish count Roger, the lord of
the CIty of AntIoch, collected troops and marched against the Muslim
fortress-town of 'Azaz, located near Aleppo. The Armenian prince
Leon, the son of Constantine, who was the son of Ruben joined the
count with his troops and marched in this expeditio~ agai~st the infi.
dels. ~ge.r besi~ged 'Azaz for thirty days, preventing the garrison
from bnn~mg remforcements. Mter this the Frankish count turned
ovehi~ the SIege to the Armenian forces ' summoning Leon and saving
to m' liT
Ja
th ~ ~morrow you shall march into combat and put the valor of
e
eman troops to the test." Then the great Armenian prince
PART III
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gave the order to his troops, who were in the camp, to regroup around
him; the Armenian troops obeyed, coming to the side of this brave
soldier of Christ, while he, in turn, exhorted them one by one. The
next day the infidel forces attacked the Franks, and the Armenian
prince led his troops into battle against the Muslims; having given
them the signal to attack, his men fell upon the infidels. At this
point Leon vehemently roared like a lion and shattered the enemy
with his troops, turning them in flight; sword in hand he pursued
them to the gates of the town, slaughtering them and taking [many
prisoners]. Mer this the infidels did not dare to make a sortie out
of the town. So the Armenian prince acquired a reputation for
bravery on that day, and [his name] was highly praised among the
Franks. Moreover, from that day on Roger took a liking to the
Armenian troops. Thus by such a siege as this Roger harassed the
fortress-town of 'Az8.z and finally forced it to submit without
bloodshed. He showed clemency to all and allowed the inhabitants
to depart in peace. Now at this time a deep conflict developed
between the emir Il-Ghazl and Roger; the two had formerly been
very intimate friends, but now were enemies, because both Aleppo
and 'Azl1z belonged to the Turkish emir Il-GhazI, the son of Artuk.
So Il-Ghazl fulminated with rage [over this matter].
79. At the beginning of the year 568 of the Armenian era [11191120] the emir ll-Ghazl, the son of Artuk, collected a tremendous
army, fOf, since he was regarded as the supreme commander of the
Turkish forces 1 because of his nationality, the Turks heeded his call.
So in this year Il-Ghazl marched against Roger, the count of Antioch,
at the head of a formidable anny, coming against the Franks with
eighty thousand men. With this army the emir arrived at the gates
of the city of Edessa. He remained there for four days without being
able to do any hann to the city. Then he crossed over the Euphrates
River and marching forth like a galloping horse out of breath,
ravaged many places because all the areas occupied by the Franks
were left unfortified. The emir seized fortresses, farming villages,
and monasteries and also slaughtered everyone, including old people
and children. Mter this he came to Buza'ah2 and encamped there.
Now, since the count of Antioch Roger was an arrogant and prideful
man, having full confidence in his strength, he neglected to take any
precautions [for defenseJ. Moreover, bringing to mind the greatness
of his people, he was contemptuous of the Turkish forces; BO without
taking any precautionary measures, without gathering a sufficient
J
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fear of the Holy Spirit who had [originally] established the sacrament
of holy baptism; nor did he bring to mind the precept of the holy
apostle Paul, who said: "Those of you who are once baptized in
Christ are part of Christ" and "He who baptizes one who is already
baptized repeats the crucifixion of the Son of God and by that
commits a mortal sin."2 So Alexius died in this year, and his son
JohnS Porphyrogenitus4 occupied the imperial throne. John was a
valiant man and a warrior and had a humble and kind nature. He
was sympathetic to the Armenians and so abolished the rigorous
ruling on invalid rebaptism; for by this ruling his father had substituted the [true] spiritual baptism with something imperfect. 5
81. In this same year the king of Jerusalem Baldwin gave Edessa
and Tell Bashir to Count Joscelin and sent him back to the former
city. For at the time of Tancred's death the king1 had driven him
from his home and lands, seizing and occupying them unjustly.
Moreover, he had imprisoned this brave and mighty man, reducing
him to a state of hunger in prison. Then the king had forcibly
expelled J oscelin, as if he were a criminal, and compelled him to go
and serve in alien lands. After this the former king of Jerusalem had
called him back and received him with great honor, giving Joscelin
the town of Tiberias and making him lord of that territory. There
Joscelin had victoriously resisted the enemies of the cross of Christ.
Now, when Baldwin died and Baldwin ofLe Bourg became king, the
latter sent Joscelin back to Edessa and set him up as a barrier
against the Persian attacks; for Joscelin was a valiant man and a
mighty warrior and renowned among all the Franks, besides which
all the Persians trembled with fear because of his courage. Joscelin,
abandoning his former cruel nature, now adopted a very humane and
compassionate attitude towards the inhabitants of Edessa. As for
Baldwin, he ruled over Antioch, the whole country of Cilicia, and
Jerusalem and its territories extending to the borders of Egypt.
82. At the beginning of the year 569 of the Armenian era [11201121] once again the emir n-Ghazi collected troops and, equipping
an army of one hundred and thirty-three thousand men, went against
the Franks. Quickly he arrived before the gates of the city of Edessa,
and the surrounding plain was completely covered with his troops.
Remaining for four days, the emir ravaged the whole countryside
with his troops and then departed and went to the town of Sariij. He
secretly transported the greater part of his army over the Euphrates
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
River and led into captivity all the men and women from Tell Bashir
right up to Kesoun. Moreover, he inexorably massacred everyone and
even had a tremendous number of children roasted over fIres. When
ll-GhazI recrossed the Euphrates with his anny, the populations of
many villages were put to the sword, and both priests and monks
perished by fire and the sword. At this time Count Joscelin was in
the confines of the fortress-town of Raban. Rushing to Kesoun and
Behesni, he collected troops there and at the break of day pursued
the Turks. [Overtaking them], he fell upon them and slaughtered one
thousand of their men. Then the emir Il-Ghazi withdrew with his
forces and encamped in the neighborhood of 'Azaz. At this point the
king of Jerusalem together with all the Frankish forces reached 'Azaz
in order to give battle to the Turks. Joscelin came to Antioch with
his troops and then went and joined the king. Now the Turkish and
Frankish forces stood opposite one another for many days without
engaging in combat. Finally ll-Ghazi turned back with his troops
and went to that district in the territory of Melitene called Kannian.
The king, in turn, returned to Jerusalem, and Joscelin went back to
his city of Edessa.
83. The following event occurred in the year 5701 of the Armenian
era [1121-1122]. There was a certain emir, named Ghazi, from the
country of Gandzak, who was a bloodthirsty man and a shameless,
vile thief. His territory touched the borders of Georgia, and he was
a friend and vassal of the Georgian king David. 2 Now in this year
Ghazi conceived of a very malicious plan. Taking thirty thousand
Turkish troops, he entered Georgia and led away into captivity a
portion of its inhabitants. Then he returned and encamped in his
o~ territory. When the Georgian king David learned of this, he sent
his troops, who secretly overtook the Turks and fell upon their forces.
The Georgians slaughtered thirty thousand of their men and took
capti~e all of their women, children, and countless flocks of sheep,
carrymg them off to Georgia together with an immense quantity of
booty. After this those of the Turkish forces who had escaped the
severe slaughter tore their garments and threw dirt on their heads.
Dr~ssed in b~ack and with their heads bared, they went lamenting to
~helr sultan m. the city of Gandzak-to Malik, the son of Tap'ar-and
m tears bewaIled their misfortune in his presence. On the other
hand, others went to the Arab territory of Karmian to the emir IIGh~Zi, son of Artuk, and, profusely weeping related the misfortune
whIch had befallen them. Being a powerful'and at the same time a
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III
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230
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Galeran were imprisoned. Seeing that the fortress guards were few
and negligent, they approached its gates, looking wretched and
feigning the appearance of quarreling plaintiffs. They were able to
get someone inside the fortress to work with them and so, after a
short while, succeeded in penetrating the stronghold. They courageously made their way to the prison, killed those guarding the gates,
and shut them. Then with loud cries they reached the dungeon1
where the king, Joscelin, Galeran, and the other [Frankish] chiefs
were imprisoned, and very joyfully freed them. They also set free
many soldiers and a number of men and women. Moreover, some of
the inhabitants of the area entered the prison in order to aid in the
escape of the king, Joscelin, and the other prisoners. So the king and
all the prisoners went out, seized the fortress, and gained control of
Balik's entire domain. Now, when the infidel forces who were
stationed in the territory learned of this, they fled to another region.
One night on an early Wednesday morning Joscelin secretly departed
with an infantry escort and went to Kesoun and from there to
Antioch, in order to collect troops and come to the aid of the king and
other prisoners. At this time the commander of the Frankish forces
was GeoffreY,2 who was a brave and mighty man and a most fervent
Christian. This man with insuperable energy and effort protected all
the Frankish territories-comprising Jerusalem, Antioch, and
Edessa-from the Turks, courageously defending them with all the
means at his disposal. Now, while all this was happening, the
Turkish emir Balik was in the city of Aleppo.s When the emir
learned that Kharberd had been taken by stratagem, rushing forth
with the rapidity of an eagle, he reached the fortress in fIfteen days
and vigorously laid siege to it. By setting up a catapult and ordering
mining operations, Balik was able to demolish the tower of the great
stronghold and thus strike terror into the hearts of the defenders. At
this point Count Galeran in great fear went to Balik and delivered
Kharberd into the emir's hands. On this day Balik slaughtered all
the P?soners, who numbered about sixty-five persons, plus eighty
beautIful women; they were all hurled down from the summit of the
fortress. Once again the emir, full of rage, put the king, Galeran, and
the king's nephew in chains and threw them in prison. In the
meantime Joscelin was coming to their aid with his troops. However,
when both he and Geoffrey learned of the new situation they became
deeply dismayed and turned back full of sorrow. So th~y returned to
their respective territories, while the king, Galeran, and the king's
nephew remained in prison. 4
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91. In this same year fighting broke out among birds in the region
of Melitene. Storks, cranes, and bustards gathered together and
fought one another. [In the end] the cranes vanquished the storks
and exterminated them, and so it was the former [only] that
remained.
92. In this same year the great Armenian philosopher, the
vardapet Paul, died. He was a brilliant man and one knowledgeable
in the Old and New Testaments, besides which he had attained the
perfection of the doctors of old. He shone forth as the second enlightener of the Armenian nation, being a diamond-like rock against the
heretics and a champion of the orthodox; moreover, throughout his
life he resolutely resisted those who would corrupt the faith. This
vardapet, a native of the district of Taron, died in this year and was
buried in the Monastery of St. Lazarus, not far from Sasun.
93. In this same year David, the Georgian king, slaughtered sixty
thousand Persians. Now the sultan of Gandzak came with a great
number of troops and, building a pontoon bridge over the Kura River,
transported his sixty thousand soldiers over it and started in the
direction of the country of the Abkhazes. When the Georgian king
learned of this, he sent an anny which demolished the bridge and
slaughtered all the infidel forces. Mter this the sultan fled to Persia
and went to his uncle in the town of Uzgand.
94. This king David displayed very great courage in his wars
against the Persians. Many times he vanquished the infidel forces
and shattered their strength, seizing many opulent areas from the
Persians by his sword and his might. He captured the cities of Tillis,
Dmanis,1 Shirvan,2 Shak'e,3 Shamk'or,4 and a number of other places.
David was a saintly and virtuous king and endowed with all types of
pious and righteous behavior; moreover, he shone forth as a sympathizer and friend of the Armenian nation. He gathered around him
the remnants of the Armenian troops. Also he founded an Armenian
city in Georgia and called it GOra,5 building many churches and
monasteries there. Thus he treated the Armenian nation with great
deference and consideration. King David had a legitimate son named
Demetrius,6 who was born of an Armenian woman, and a brother
named T'otorme. 7
95.
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
t~e Clt~ of Aleppo. Now Count Joscelin and the queen made a pact
WIth Tlmurtas.h to ransom the king. They agreed to hand over as
hostages the kmgs daughter and Joscelin's son, together with frl'teen
other persons. The ransom itself was set at one hundred thousand
dahekans. So in the month of September King Baldwin was delivered
PART
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
to Damascus. Mter a few days the Franks gave [the revenues of] the
city of Tyre to the sepulcher of Christ, and the duke returned to the
country of the Franks with his troops.
100. In this same year Baldwin, the king of Jerusalem, and
Joscelin gathered together all the Frankish forces and marched
against the city of Aleppo. At this time the Arab chieftain ~adaqah,
the son of Dubais and son-in-law of Il-GhazI, joined Joscelin. This
chieftain made an alliance of peace and friendship with Joscelin and
so came to the aid of the count with his troops. The grandson of the
sultan Tutush and the sultan of Melitene, who was the son of Kilij
Arslan, also joined Joscelin. Thus an imposing force was brought
together against Aleppo, and the city was put in dire straits for many
days through famine and continual assaults. At this point the
townspeople sent to the city of Moaul, to the general al-BursukI,
asking him to come to their aid. So this general collected a large
number of troops and after six months 1 arrived before Aleppo. He
drove away the Franks, and thus the city was saved. The Frankish
forces, in turn, returned to their respective territories unhanned. On
the other hand, the Arab chieftain $adaqah, as he withdrew, ravaged
the territory of Mosul and all of al-BursukI's lands. Mter remaining
in Aleppo for a few days, al-BursukI went to Damascus and made an
alliance with Tughtigin, the emir of that city.
101. In this same year Ghazi\ the emir of Sebastia and the son
of Danishmend, marched against Melitene. He vehemently besieged
Melitene, putting it in dire straits, and blockaded the city for six
months until it was hard-pressed by a severe famine. As the famine
intensified, many died, and because of the lack of food [in the city],
the townspeople were forced to go out to the enemy camp. So, being
hard-pressed, the inhabitants of the city handed Melitene over to
~hazi. After this the wife of Kilij ArsIan, who was the ruler of the
CIty, departed and went to Mshar. 2
102. In the year 574 of the Annenian era [1125-1126] the Persian
general al-BursukI and Tughtigin marched forth with a tremendous
aprm~ consisting of forty thousand troops-the very best of all the
ersian forces Coming 'th thO
_
.'
WI
IS great army, al-Bursukl descended
u.pon the.Impre~abIe Frankish fortress of 'Azaz and vehemently laid
8Ie~~ to It. Relymg on his great strength, he boasted that he could
easl y capture the fortress, thus showing nothing but disdain for the
PART
III
235
236
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
PART
III
237
238
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
with the Frankish count Joscelin, after which he passed on to the city
of Aleppo unhanned. Seeking to make a treaty of peace and
friendship with the great Frankish count Bohemond, the lord of
Antioch, he chose Joscelin to mediate in the negotiations. Mter
staying in Aleppo for a few days, Zengi went to Damascus with all his
forces; for the emir of the city, Tughtigin, had died and had been
succeeded by his son. 2
108. In this same year the Persian sultan Mahmud, who was the
son of Tap'ar, died and was succeeded by his brother Malik. He was
the man who had formerly resided in Gandzak, whom the Georgian
king defeated and forced to flee to Persia.
109. At the beginning of the year 585 of the Armenian era [1136
1137] the sultan Mup.ammad, who was the son of 'Amr-Ghiizi, son of
PART
III
239
wooden crosses, and carried off the ones made of iron and bronze;
moreover, they pulled down the altars where the holy bread was
consecrated and smashed them to pieces; finally, they removed the
beautifully decorated doors and also various other objects and carried
them off to their own country, in order to show them to their concubines and common folk, as the Babylonian [king]l had done in the
past. All this was a fulfillment of the following words: "I have
abandoned the daughter of Zion as a tent in the midst of vineyards,
or as a booth of those who guard fruit trees, or as a grieving
turtledove left alone by its companion, or finally as a detestablelooking crow sitting on some monument."2 So, as we mentioned
before, Mu}lammad hastily departed on Friday, for he heard that the
Roman emperor3 was on his way to aid the beleaguered town of
Kesoun and our prince Baldwin,4 who had begged him on his knees
to come. At this time the Greek emperor was in the vicinity of
Antioch, devastating Muslim territory. After he had removed our
prince Leon5 from power and had seized him, his towns, and fortresses, the emperor took the Armenian prince to the country of the
Greeks, to the other side of the sea on the borders of Asia.
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
infantry troops to guard the place, and included among them was the
commander? of the town called Vahram. I, the humble priest
Gregory, exhorted them to take courage in the defense of the place,
80 that no one would come and set fire to our town, something which
indeed did happen [in the long run]. For, while the Greek emperor
was on his way back [to Constantinople], the son of Da'iid, whose
name was Kara Arslan,8 returning from the Muslim lands with many
troops and feigning flight from the emperor, came to the town of
Raban. Those who were in the town of Kesoun, terrified, thought it
was Malik-Muhammad and so abandoned the place towards evening.
On the next d~y a small detachment of Turks, while scouting around
the mountains, took prisoner one of the men of the town and learned
from him that no one was in the place. So these men-thirty in nwnber-came, entered the town of Kesoun, and set fire to it together
with its gates. Mter marveling at the magnificent palace built by the
great Armenian prince Kogh Vasil and also the other splendid
buildings [of the town], they departed in haste and rejoined their
other comrades. On the other hand, on the next day the inhabitants
of the town returned to their homes.
2. In the year 589 of the Armenian era [1140~1141] a certain
soldier from the family of Sire Mahuis, l named Simon, harbored a
grudge against the count of Edessa2 and so treacherously seized
Aintab from him. After holding this place for one year, he finally
returned Aintab to the count, through the intervention of the prince
of Antioch. 3
3. In the year 591 of the Armenian era [1142-1143] the Greek
emperor Porphyrogenitus came and attempted to buy Antioch from
the prince of that city. The prince gave him the city for a large
amount of money and precious brocades, and so the emperor made a
rather easy entrance into Antioch.
4. In the year 592 of the Armenian era [1143-1144] the Greek
~he b~ginning of April, after having placed his son Manuel1 on the
Impenal throne. In this same year the king of Jerusalem2 also died.
Now the deaths of t~ese two rulers, the Frankish king and the Greek
emperor, occurred m a very extraordinary manner. For the Greek
em~ror was killed while on a hunt, wounded by a wild boar,3 while
dunng the same year the Frankish king was also on a hunt when he
CONTINUATION
243
was killed under similar circumstances. 4 [Before his death] this king
placed his son Baldwin5 on his throne in the holy city of Jerusalem.
In this same year Malik-Mupammad, the son of 'Amr-Ghazl, also
died. In this year on Holy Thursday an omen appeared in the
northern portion of the sky; it took on the form. of a column of light
and was visible in that fonn for eight days. It was after the appearance of this phenomenon that the three rulers died. On Tuesday the
23rd of December, on the Feast of the Holy Protomartyr Stephen,6
Edessa was taken by assault by Zengi, the son of Aksungur. Many
[of its inhabitants] were ruthlessly slaughtered for their Christian
faith, people whom Christ will crown with his saints, Amen.
5. It was the beginning of the year 593 of the Armenian era [11441145]. Antioch was ruled by the count of Poitou's son, who, though
young, was a man of tremendous power and might; however, he was
not as skillful in the art of ruling as Baldwin, who was the lord of
Kesoun and Marash and the territories dependant on these two
towns, comprising an area from the borders of Melitene to the gates
of Antioch. This Baldwin was young in age but old in experience and
agreeable in the eyes of God by all his deeds of prowess. Moreover,
this was also the time when the young count Joscelin, the son of the
great warrior, the elder Joscelin, ruled, and [also the time of] the
pontificate of his lordship Gregory, the Armenian patriarch of the
nation ofT'orgom. 1 In this period mentioned above-namely at the
time of the Feast of the Holy Protomartyr Stephen-the city of
Edessa, deprived of the benevolent will of the Creator, was violently
captured by the children of Hagar, [led] by their chief Zengi. This
man ruthlessly shed a tremendous amount of blood, neither respecting the age of elderly people, nor taking pity on innocent, lamb-like
children. Terrified by the edge of the sword, the townspeople fled to
the shelter of the Citadel of Maniaces. Brothers did not take care of
their brothers, nor fathers, their sons; mothers did not take pity on
their daughters; friends had no regard for those dear to them.
Because of this harsh and bitter situation, 2 the fugitives were unable
to enter the citadel; [packed together], as many as two thousand
persons died of suffocation before the gates of the citadel, including
the bishop of the Franks, who was asphyxiated in the crowd.
When the tyrant sawall this, he became deeply sorry and commanded his soldiers who were ruthlessly and mercilessly slaughtering people in the ~treets as if they were animals, to sheath their
swords. However, he ordered the Franks who were taken prisoner
244
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
slain in his presence and their women and children led into captivity,
Those Christians who had escaped the butchery and had tried to
enter the citadel were unable to hold out for more than a few days,
for they lacked water. Finally they gave themselves up on condition
that their lives would be spared. The arrogant conqueror wished to
pacify the city and so he commanded it be decreed that no one was
to do any harm to the Christians; for all his troops had already
become satiated with blood and booty,3 Zengi boasted that over the
years none of the very great and eminent warriors had been able to
forcibly get control of this city blessed by the Lord.' It was Christ
who during his sojourn on earth said the following infallible words in
a letter he wrote to King Abgar: "Famine and sword will never enter
your city as long as its inhabitants observe my commandments. liB
However, after a while these inhabitants forgot the injunction of the
Creator. They followed the example of the Israelites who, after
having received all sorts of blessings from God, promptly forgot these
heaven-sent gifts which cost no effort on their part, but yet with
heavy sighs remembered the onion and garlic, 6 and the harsh oppression of the Egyptians; finally these Israelites provoked the anger of
God, whose patience is unfailing, and so he did not allow them to see
the promised land. In this same way the inhabitants of Edessa,
having forgotten their promise to God, committed all sorts of evil
deeds against the will of the merciful Christ and thus received the
recompense of their senseless behavior,
6. Mer this [capture of Edessa] the bloodthirsty Zengi, collecting
troops, came against Qal'at Ja'bar and put its garrison in dire straits.
However, one year after [the taking of Edessa] he was killed by his
eunuch during the night1 and thus was not allowed to enjoy his glory
of [possessing] the inimitable city of Edessa, whose capture took place
in the time of the younger Joscelin. As long as this man followed the
will of God, he was mighty and victorious over the enemies of Christ,
as his father had been, who during his reign was glorified by God but
not by men and who never had a hole dug for any Christian. 2
7. ?nce again after two years had passed, Joscelin, who was the
Fr~nklsh COU?t of Edessa, collected troops and, joined by the great
pnnce BaldWin, who was the lord of the two towns of Marash and
Kes,oun, can:e against Edessa and slyly took the city by surprise
dunng the mght, Although the undertaking was successful it did not
endure/ for the infidels regrouped themselves after five'days and
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245
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
of this powerful man?2 What feeble arm bent the invincible arm of
this very brave man? What man of the circumcised soldiers had the
strength to cut to pieces and fell to the ground this robust, heavyset,
and giant-like man? What person with a savage-like or enraged
heart would not be fond of him at the sight of his handsome appearance, who would not be ashamed in his presence, who would not have
pity on the joys which he experienced in his youth? Who is it that
would ask Baldwin who he was and where he came from without
feeling his ferocious nature mollified by his modest, sensible, and
prudent answer? Expressing himself fluently in Armenian, he was
known by everyone to possess sagacity, willpower, maturity, outward
attractiveness, and all those characteristics of this life which show
the magnanimity and excellence of princes. Now I think it superfluous to continue these words [of praise] any longer, so as not to be
criticized by Baldwin's enemies, who continually slander him.
"Alas, I must now speak of his unfortunate end and of the destructive path which we on many occasions advised him not to walk in, a
path which he still obstinately followed, refusing to listen to our
reasoning or to his own experience. We devoted all our time to
telling him nothing except that which would benefit his soul, that is
saving and protecting unfortunate Christians [like himself]; however,
he rejected our advice. It was only this year that we on many
occasions forewarned him of his impending destruction. Although it
was very painful and difficult for us to tell him what others dared not
say, nevertheless we hoped that, becoming frightened, he would
change his evil ways and adopt humility, charity, and a non-malicious
kindly attitude [towards people]. Indeed, he was not ignorant of the
fact that the inexorable sentence of the righteous judge God must
overtake now and in the future life all those whose hearts have
hardened. Neither arrogant men nor heavenly angels are able to
oppose God's will, for he is lord over both angels and men. The other
weaknesses of the flesh, found in men because of their nature, are
those which condemn them and bring them under judgement. It is
people such as these who very often obtain mercy from the Lord who
loves sinners and who came down from heaven to seek after th~ lost
image, the stray sheep and thus bring these sinners to repentance.
However, arrogant pride, extreme stubbornness hardness of heart
lack of compassion-all these together with othe~ defects [of charac~
ter]-lead to sin. Those earthly men whom the demons dominate
down here and who perform demonical works are counted with the
demons on the terrible day of the impartial and just judgment of God.
CONTINUATION
247
The righteous judge God does not forgive such hardened hearts as
these, except those who are susceptible to con-ection: persons who on
an occasion or on some pretext for a short while, with pangs of
conscience, allow t~emselves to be led into the satanic and evil ways,
but then become dIsgusted, confess with deep shame, and look for a
means to escape from these demonic sins at an opportune time.
"However, those who do not hasten [to repent] and do not quickly
free themselves [from these sins], but on the contrary increase their
sins day by day and remain unrepentant hour by hour, year by year,
thinking that they can deceive God who cannot be deceived-persons
such as these the Creator does not forgive. Yet first he warns them
by chastisement-once, twice, and sometimes even more often-but
when they harden their hearts against his admonitions, he does away
with them and removes them from this life, so that evil will not grow
and increase to his detriment and to the detriment of many others.
All these words I have spoken are confirmed by Holy Scripture-the
Old and New Testaments-for those who wish to look into them. The
examples of repentant and condemned men are many, so we have
considered it unsuitable and superfluous to put them in writing. Now
in regard to this incorrigible and abandoned deceased leader, this
irredeemable captive, this person who has disappeared from sight, a
handsome young man, a brave and mighty warrior, an ingenious,
wise, and prudent prince whose life was so short, this gallant and
charming man carrying the name 8ire3 Baldwin: it would be a shame
not to relate his ruin and not to publicly and frankly declare his
errors, not in order to slander him, but in order that he might obtain
from God complete remission for his sins. For we well realize that
the more people conceal and hide their sins and ignominious secrets
because they feel ashamed in the presence of man, the more they will
be disgraced publicly [in the hereafter] before angels and men, both
just and unjust. These people have existed from Adam until our day
and stand hon-or-struck with fear on their faces, crazed and trembling before the awful and redoubtable tribunal of God. In this public
assembly, in the presence of the Father of the universe, his only
begotten Son the Word, and the Holy Spirit-the renovator of
creation-there is no word, deed, or thought which remains hidden
from the all-seeing knowledge of our Creator. This scene becomes
very pitiful, heartrending, and one of irrevocable shame, to such an
extent that when the frightful and awful sentence is pronounced, the
souls of the sinners, filled with shame, remain in a state of disgrace
and opprobrium throughout eternity without limit, end, or measure.
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Now all this is in accordance with the words of the great archangel
[Michael] who, when speaking to the prophet Daniel, revealed the
following: 'Some will be resurrected for [eternal] life, while others
[will be relegated] to eternal opprobrium.'4
9. "Now as long as we publicly and frankly declare our sinfulness
without false shame, without dissimulation, or without the pretext of
removing our sense of shame-in other words a true and perfect
confession and one worthy of the holy baptismal font-our sins will
be remitted. If we are truly repentant, then all our sins will disappear, will be annihilated, will be washed away, and will no longer be
found anywhere. For God, who is nonvengeful and compassionate,
overlooks, forgives, and pardons those who in this manner wisely and
willingly confess their sins in this world.
10. "Now, taking into consideration all these things and knowing
the weaknesses of the beloved prince, I publicly declare and record in
writing his errors, as if I attributed them to myself. For those who
have so little affection for their friends that after death they forget or
conceal either their faults or their good points are merely brute
animals and friends of the flesh. On the other hand, we through our
affection for him are concerned with the spiritual care of his soul, and
if he had listened to us even a little, he would still be alive in both
soul and body. However, because he hardened his heart, he forever
perished in both existences. Thus I cry out in a lamenting voice:
'Listen, a nations and peoples of all tongues, especially you kings,
princes, all you judges of the earth, and you who are in charge of
important affairs and who have control over the management of
temporal matters; listen and understand the errors of our beloved
and illustrious prince. Now I come on his behalf and speak from his
mouth as if it were mine, falling down on my knees in tears, first
before God who knows my sins and then before all of you. [Listen] 0
princes, you my comrades in power; and my brothers, you soldiers-cavalry and infantry-against whom I have done many injustices,
all you peoples who forcibly fell into my undeserved power twisted by
sin. Because of the innumerable, endless, and merciless injuries and
blasphemies I committed, I have ruined my life-an end which is
both lamentable andtearful. For I never brought to mind the divine
words which ceaselessly cried out to my ears muffled by sin words
which said: "Never give anyone the opportunity in your life to curse
you, for God who created him will hear the groans of his heart."
CONTINUATION
249
250
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
CONTINUATION
251
252
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
breath, body, mind, and all my senses; moreover, I ~ave been ke~t in
the fetters of sin all my life. Because of all thIS, once agam I
prostrate myself before you, 0 compassionate, merciful, and benevolent God. Have pity on me, abandoned and dead, and preserve me
whom you have created with your own hands; moreover, do not
entrust your forsaken servant to the mercy of men. For love of me
has disappeared from all hearts, pity for me has been extinguished
in all minds, my name has been taken away from mankind, my
memory has been effaced from the land of the living. You, 0 Lord,
are angered against me; no one will take pity on me, for all living
creatures wait upon you, the trnly compassionate and forgiving lover
of man. In whom can I put my trust? My father and mother left me.
My brother,1 for whom I had a genuine brotherly affection, 2 forgot his
fondness for me. He was absorbed in the cares of the world and in
earthly affairs, following my same wide, imprudent, and erroneous
path; moreover, it never occurred to him to think about or care for his
soul, notwithstanding my example of being an irredeemable captive
and hopeless loss.
12. 'Now do not reject me completely, do not forsake me, do not
leave me in this destructive state, 0 my God. My God, do not turn
your face from me, do not punish me because of your anger, do not
reprimand me because of your indignation, do not judge your condemned servant, and finally do not allow me to be afflicted with
unseen torments in order to serve as an example to all of creation.
I swear, heaven and earth and angels and men being my witness,
that I will never again walk on the path leading to debauchery and
destruction and will never again transgress your commandments; I
swear to do all this, hoping that you will have mercy on me this time
and forgive the many sins of my second period of dissoluteness, if I
am allowed to return to the living at another time. However, if I
have indeed been condemned to die [without any hope of redemption],
then you must take pity on me, 0 benevolent and ever-merciful God'
for in hell no one can acknowledge you and none of the dead can bles~
you. Show me to the righteous and reveal my unworthy soul to your
worthy servants, so that through their prayers I may obtain mercy.
For I know that at present no one at all thinks about me, who has
be~n co~pletely forgotten in regard to your benevolence. 0 Lord,
bemg gneved at me and tUrning their faces from me in anger heaven
and ~arth and angels and men are provoked against me.' All of
creation looks at me askance and menacingly, for death has fled from
II
CONTINUATION
253
me and life has departed from me. The earth, trembling at your
frightful commands, did not receive me in its bosom and did not give
me a place for my tomb, so that my name could be read over some
plot of ground. Now, if the inanimate and irrational elements have
detested and rejected me to this extent and have excluded me from
the midst of creation, who is it among men who will have mercy on
me? So turn away, 0 Lord, from your anger and incline your face to
my sins; look at me favorably and benevolently. Yea Lord, yea Lord,
Holy Father, yea Savior of the world, yea compassionate and
benevolent Holy Spirit, have mercy on a pitiable person such as me.
o Holy Trinity, by the intercession of the Holy Theotokos, by the
prayers of the apostles, prophets, and all the saints who since the
beginning of the world have been pleasing in your eyes, take pity on
me who is lost and reveal me dead or alive, 0 God of the living and
the dead, glory to you forever and ever, Amen.'
13. "Now we have drafted and written up this pleading confession
and prayerful words on behalf of the abandoned captive and forgotten
dead person, our beloved prince, Sire1 Baldwin. We do not cease to
plead with the same voice, calling out to God and to his saints until
they take pity and mercifully soothe our tormented mind, which has
been subjected to all sorts of punishments because of his sins and
ours. 0 you who hear this discourse against arrogance-a discourse
we have written on behalf of him and concerning him in the form of
a public, frank, and solemn confession (which is the proper thing for
true penitents to do according to the precepts of the Creatorstrengthen yourselves against sin through confession before him .who
knows the thoughts and actions of all men, so that, mollified, he
might forgive you completely.
14. "You leaders and those of you who live under their authority
and also you soldiers, do not disavow God and remain indifferent [to
the fact] that the unsleeping eye of God, who is righteous in his
judgement and who sees the punishment of this man, can spare you.
Bring to mind the divine threat which states: 'The cypress laments
because the cedar has fallen.' Listen to similar words as these
spoken by the Lord to the incorrigible and disobedient Israelites: 'Do
you think that those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other
Galileans because Pilate had mingled their blood with their sacrifices,
or do you think that those eighteen who were killed by the tower
were worse offenders than all the people living in Jerusalem? I tell
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MATTHEW OF EDESSA
you, no, for unless you repent, you will all perish in the same
manner. 11
15. "Now, knowing all this, watch over yourselves, 0 despots, 0
princes! For a very violent and impartial judgement awaits those
who are despots, l both here and in the afterlife. You do not wish to
listen to what Scripture says, and you do not openly declare your sins
through a confession similar [to the one you came to hear]. Nevertheless, my words have been written down in order to glorify and
assuage Baldwin and to serve as an admonition and reprimand to
people [such as you]. Now all of Baldwin's sins have been forgiven,
and he has been made whole through his ceaseless confession and
afterwards through the shedding of his blood in the great battle. On
that day he was cured of arrogance and deceit to such an extent and
with such humility that he humbled himself before all, before his
cavalry troops as well as his foot soldiers, speaking to them in gentle,
amiable, and compassionate tenns. Moreover, he referred to all as
sons of God and as his true brothers. He called the leaders, lords,
and nobles by name. He trained his troops, exhorted them, emboldened them, and encouraged them as a victorious athlete and intrepid
champion would. He made the rounds, visiting his troops, and
strengthened them with his vigorous and awe-inspiring voice. He
addressed everyone by name, [exhorting them] in the name of bravery
and crying out: 'Long live our warriors, my brave soldiers! Long live
the good fortune and days of grace given to us-a little more effort
and we will gain the victory; do not shun, on the day of battle, from
seeking a blessed death for the sake of Christ and dying in the
defense of Christians.' In this manner he strengthened and reassured his soldiers placed outside the camp. Then, entering into the
midst of their ranks, he first brought to task those who were ready
to desert out of fear and those who were about to flee and hide; then
he showered praise upon those who were brave. Moreover, he took
away the weapons of the cowardly men and of those with stunted and
withered hands; he seized and snatched these weapons from them
and put them into the hands of valiant men. He gave to some and
took from others. Mter all this, like a defiant lion, he ran off to
another place. All night and all day his frightful roars and loud cries
filled the camp from one end to the other, so that no ear was able to
hear as brave a voice as Sire2 Baldwin's anyWhere else; moreover, no
eye was able to see as rapid a moving about as his. However, his
voice finally died out as well as his natural strength, when he was on
CONTINUATION
255
his horse and his visor over his face became rusty-colored with the
redne~s of the vapo~s of his heart-as was reported by some people.
In thIS manner hIS hardness of heart and his arrogance were
eliminated and effaced.
16. "The merciless nature of his heart was redeemed on that day,
because by his compassion and commiseration he agonizingly suffered
for those he saw perish miserably. It was because he wished to be
with these that he also perished. The injustices to which he
mercilessly subjected others he himself experienced from all his allies
on that day of combat; for the leaders and all the troops who had
come to his aid abandoned him at the most critical time of the battle
and withdrew, no one taking pity on him or turning back to find out
what had become of their supreme chief and illustrious soldier. It is
quite obvious then that none of his troops perished or were captured
with him and no one saw him. We cannot say that his death was due
to the maliciousness or willfulness of his troops, but rather was
caused by the necessity to expiate the faults and injustices which he
had accumulated over a very long period of time; as we mentioned
before, he found the opportunity for such an expiation on this day by
becoming a victim of these very same faults and injustices.
17. liThe blood which had so profusely flowed at the time when the
vile and perfidious Vasil1 came to this land was redeemed by the sole
effusion of Baldwin's blood, which he willingly shed for the Christians
who left the scene of action and were saved. All those who escaped
openly declared that they were saved, first by the grace of God and
secondly by the actions of the man Sire2 Baldwin. Now, seeing that
he died in that battle, he has obtained remission of all his sins from
the Lord, and on the frightful day of judgement, when all the
righteous will receive their recompense, he will be crowned by God
together with the pious princes and brave martyrs; for we know and
believe that this is the fate of those among the Christians who fall in
battle by the sword of the infidels. If he was still living and if his
reputation for bravery was known, his fame would spread throughout
the whole universe day after day, until the end of time.
18. "Now we have written this long disclosure concerning Baldwin
so that none of his malevolent enemies and spiteful detractors will
criticize or slander us for writing a foolish and sycophantic work. Of
all the discourses we have spoken or written during his lifetime, none
256
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
CONTINUATION
257
out ~n the presence of. the merciful and almighty God, who was angry
at hIm and at us untIl he became reconciled through his mercy and
revealed himself to this dead or living prince. Now I beseech all of
you p~op~e who listen to this funeral oration, do not disdain, reject,
or be Indifferent to our pleas on his behalf. Do not hold any rancor
for this man who is no more, but pray to the supreme judge and
creator God that he might have mercy on him and forgive the sins
which he committed against both God and man. In this way the
almighty creator God, through the intercession of the Holy Theotokos
and the supplications of the holy saints, will have mercy on him and
forgive all his sins, both great and small; finally the Lord will bless
you in body and soul and will make you worthy of the kingdom of
heaven together with all the saints in Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom
be glory forever, Amen."
20. At the beginning of the year 598 [1149-1150] the prince of
Antioch, the abandoned brother of Baldwin, was killed. His death
was caused by the arrogance of his own people, who conceitedly
resolved to war against the enemy without being certain of the
conCUITence of the other Christian forces who were [in the East] at
that time. Thus, not only were they crushed and their leaders
annihilated, but a goodly number of Christians [were killedP
21. On this same day the son of Zengi, called Niir-ad-DIn1 by his
own people, a name which according to their infamous religion
signifies "the light of the faith," put some to the sword and led others
into captivity, together with the important personages of the bloodbuilt city of Aleppo, who were accustomed to a life of ease. In the
same year, when the Christians had no other illustrious personage
over them than Count Joscelin, during this prince's rule once again
the dread of infidel violence against the holy church increased. The
ruler of the Ishmaelites, called Mas'iid,2 came forth on the Feast of
the Holy Cross. Laying siege to the city of Marash, he captured it in
a very short time, for the citadel did not have a garrison. He invaded
the territory of T'il Aweteats', which today is called Tell Bashir, and
as he passed through, put the inhabitants of all its districts to the
sword. Many Muslims deceitfully swore to the Christians in the
name of the great God [that they would not hanD. them in any way]
and so got them to leave their stronghold, after which they led them
all into captivity. The lord of the land, Joscelin, met up with Mas'iid
near the town of Tell Bashir, but could not do anything against him.
258
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
CONTINUATION
259
260
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
25. Mter this year the troops and townspeople who lived in Tell
Bashir, after a year of patiently enduring all sorts of ~ardships,
[found themselves in dire straits]. When the son of Zengl, who was
the lord of Aleppo, learned of this, he marched against them with his
troops. Now, because they had no hope of assistance from anywhere,
the townspeople, obtaining an oath of amnesty, voluntarily surrendered the fortress-town of Tell Bashir. They also stipulated that the
Christians who were in the town-whether Franks or Armenians-if
they so wished, would be allowed to go to Antioch or to some other
place and would be taken there unharmed under the specific orders
of Niir-ad-Din. Niir-ad-Din faithfully carried out this agreement, as
had Sultan Mas'iid and his son Malik; for in this matter these men
were motivated by the desire to possess the land which they so easily
took from the Christians, rather than by any sympathy for their faith
or any love for them.
26. During the time of the younger Joscelin, a young man called
T'oros l appeared, a person who had no other help except the strength
of the solicitous Creator, who mercifully provides for mankind
century after century in accordance with his own will, following the
words of the apostle which state: "I have mercy on whomever I wish
and harden my heart2 to whomever I wish." 3 As he did in regard to
the blessed Paul, whom he called from on high to serve him in mind
and deed, God did the same to this man. The generous will of God,
who never refused to give the bounties of his mercy to anyone, took
into consideration the hopes and efforts of T'oros, and so after a short
while this Armenian prince gained control of his paternal lands. He
was the son of the sebastus Leon, the illustrious and sagacious son of
Constantine, son of :Ruben. Being mighty and valiant in battle,
T'oros not only took possession of his paternal lands, but also gained
control of more fortresses and towns than his predecessors had
possessed. Seeing this [success], a certain Roman named Andronicus4
came to have a deep jealousy for T'oros, going so far as to refuse to
recognize his title of Armenian prince. This man had been sent by
the Greek emperor Manuel5 as governor of the great city of Tarsus
~nd of Mamistr.a. Since then he never ceased despising and harassmg the Armemans, who through God's foresight gathered around
T'oros for support. Andronicus then made war on them and caused
them to suffer a great deal. The Annenians in turn because of their
affe~tion ~or and fear of the Greek empe~or, did' not dare battle
agamst hIm, but rather ceaselessly pleaded with him to be allowed
CONTINUATION
261
to maintain their allegiance to him [and to the empire]. Nevertheless, Andronicus refused to listen to the Armenians and arrogantly
came and descended upon the town of Mamistra. Now T'oros
beseeched him with many entreaties, saying: "I am a vassal of the
emperor and of you; do not be angry [at us]." On the other hand, the
inhabitants inside the town cried out: "We have with us the chains
we used to imprison your father; we can fetter you with those very
same chains."8 When this valiant man [Toros] was no longer able to
tolerate Andronicus's arrogant and haughty attitude, relying on the
strength of Christ who had raised him from insignificance to a
position of some importance, he breached the walls of the town of
Mamistra during the night. In the morning he went against the
Greek forces in battle and, striking them, defeated them and put
them to flight-about twenty thousand men. He consumed them with
the sword and at the twinkle of an eye felled them all to the ground.
At the height of the battle the Armenians took prisoner Oshin, the
lord of Lambron, and Vasil, the lord of Bardzraberd and brother of
Tigran,7 as well as many other officers [of the Greek army]; they
despoiled them all, but alas let the cowardly Romans go. A great
deal of blood was shed during this battle. So T'oros very easily
gained control of the town of Mamistra, forcibly capturing it from this
effeminate man; in this way he avenged his father, whom Andronicus
had deprived of his hereditary lands and exiled together with his
family to the West. Now this treacherous Andronicus, unable to
accept the outrageous treatment he had been subjected to and also
the loss of both his officers and troops, fled to the Greek emperor and
complained of what the Armenian forces had done to him-a
predicament which was no one's fault but his. In the meantime the
great Taros, conducting the officers and other captives he had taken
prisoner, peacefully entered his town, laden with a tremendous
amount of gold and silver, various chattels, battle equipment which
he had seized from the Greek troops, and numerous horses and
mules. 8
262
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
territories and striking fear into the hearts of the Armenians [living
there]. However through the grace of God the Armenian forces took
courage and advanced towards the mountains separating t~eir
territories from those of the infidels, feeling secure and not worrYIng
about the tremendous number of the infidel forces. When the infidels
saw the boldness of the Christians, surprised and amazed, they said:
"What sort of men are these who expose themselves to death, coming
against us to give battle?" Now, as these infidels were reflecting
upon this situation, suddenly by an act of heaven the Turkish sultan
sent envoys to the Armenian general T'oros,! saying: "We have not
come to ravage your country; merely declare your obedience to us and
return the territory which you forcibly seized to the Greek emperor,
and we will consider you our beloved son." Hearing these words, the
Armenians were filled with great joy and glorified the Lord of the
universe, who had mollified the unbridled and imperious nature of
the sultan to such an extent that now, treating them as his close
comrades, [Mas'ud] sought an alliance of friendship with the
Annenian troops. Mter having detained the sultan's messengers for
a number of days, the Armenians sent him their envoy, who said:
"We voluntarily undertake to submit to you as we would to a king, for
you are not envious of our progress nor do you ravage our country;
but to hand over our land to the Roman [emperor], that is impossible." When the sultan heard this, he was not disturbed; on the
contrary, drawing up a treaty of peace and friendship confirmed by
an oath, he had it sent to the Armenian troops through one of his
messengers, thus scoffing at the Greek emperor and his money. So
Mas'ud returned to his own country without harming anyone. Now
all this occurred in the year 602 of the Armenian era [1153-1154].
28. Three years after this the emperor sent various other gifts of
gold and silver to the sultan-more than the previous time-and said:
"Go, a?pease.the anger raging in my heart against the Annenians;
demohsh theIr fortresses, set fire to their churches and command
~heir whole country be consigned to the flames-all s~ that the anger
In my heart may subside." Having received these many gifts, the
Bultan once more marched forth and came at the head of a larger
army than before,. arriving at Mamistra and from there going to
Anazarba. Not bemg able to accomplish what he had intended, he
c~e to T~ll :aamdun and remained there for a number of days
WIthout bemg able to cause any destruction. In the meantime the
sultan sent one of his son Malik's chief officers, whose name was
CONTINUATION
263
264
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
of God to his own cOWltry, giving him the plank as a sign of affection,
Now, when the Persian forces saw this spectacle, becoming horrorstruck, they were unable to approach the ramparts of the town, [the
ramparts] which they had demolished. At the same time punishment
[from heaven] came upon them. Swarms of bull-flies, wasps, and flies
attacked their horses, causing them to lunge forward impetuously
and break their reins; moreover, because of the density [of the
insects], no one was able to control his horse. Thus an insignificant
chastisement from heaven brought upon them a sudden calamity
such as this, just as in former times the mighty right hand of God
had struck the Egyptians on behalf of the Israelites. So, after this
humiliating defeat caused by the grace of Christ and the prayers of
the holy patriarch James, the Persian king turned back; for the Lord
fulfills the desires of those who fear him. Now this incident is no
different from the event which has occurred at present and which we
have witnessed with our own eyes. [Returning to our original
narrative], all the Turks moved against T'oros and his troops twice,
but were unable to do anything, in spite of the bribes they had
received from the Greek emperor to turn to ashes the cross and the
church which were objects of outrage and contempt to them. If help
had not arrived from the [mighty] arm which was displayed on the
cross, our enemies would have been able to carry out the orders of the
heretics, destroying the holy church and devastating our cOWltry from
top to bottom. Now we have remained in peace, while they have
departed in flight and in great humiliation, as we recounted previously.
29. Mter all this, when their malicious projects were not brought
to fruition, they began to adopt a more peaceful policy. Kilij Arslan,
who was placed on the throne of the sultanate1 by his father, the
great sultan, [immediately devoted himself to executing this policy].
So the Annenians lived in security and happiness for a while,
glorifying the most Holy Trinity in conjunction with ascetic and
chaste bishops, holy priests, and groups of monks whose arms were
alw~yS extended [to heaven in prayer]. Now, when the enemies of
Christ began to penetrate the territories of T'oros in order to attack
Tell ~amdiin- which occurred on the 16th of the month of Tre-a
violent-sounding formidable wind arose. Many trees were pulled up
b~ the roots, and hail fell on many areas, hitting grainfields and
VIneyards. On the twenty-fIfth day of the same month of Tre another
serious and Bevere calamity came upon the whole land, lasting for
CONTINUATION
265
three (consecutive] nights and very much like what had happened at
Nineveh. This fearful phenomenon began at the first hour of the
night and lasted until dawn. Contrary to the usual functioning of
nature in this season, a gloomy darkness appeared, very much like
the obscure darkness which fell upon Egypt. The clouds collided,
giving forth bursts of thunder just like solid and diamond-like
mountains striking one another. Flashes of lightning enveloped the
vault of the sky, and there was no portion of the heavens that did not
have lightning accompanied by strong winds. Who would have been
able to calmly witness with his own eyes these frightful and incessant
convulsions of nature? In this manner, for three (consecutive] nights,
people were seized with fear at this spectacle. Everyone-men,
women, aged, and children-rushed into the houses of God, invoking
the intercession of the Mother of our Lord and all the Saints with
fear, bitter tears, and deep sighs. Finally merciful God took pity on
his creatures and stopped this threat of [impending] destruction
directed against the unrepentant and the befuddled unfaithful. Now
this calamity occurred in the year 603 of the Annenian era (11541155]. Up to this point we have recounted what we have heard and
seen with our own eyes.
266
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Now when the great emir Yaghi-Basan,6 who was the son of the emir
n-Ghazi and lord of Sebastia and Cappadocia, saw what was going
on he was not pleased with the sultan's actions. So, gathering
to~ether a goodly number of cavalry forces, he entered the district of
Lycandus6 and transported the Christians of the area to his territories by their own free will; moreover, he seized the fortified town of
Larissa. Yaghi-Basan did all these things on behalf of his nephew,
who had enmity towards Kilij Arslan.
When all this became known to Kilij Arslan, he gathered together
his father's forces, as well as a large number of cavalry troops, and
marched against Yaghi-Basan. When the two armies came face to
face, their misguided imams mediated between them over an
extended period of time and thus prevented the two sides from
battling one another. So for a time both sides made a feigned peace
and returned to their respective territories. This situation lasted for
two months, during which neither a treaty of peace was established
nor a solution through combat sought. Now after all this YaghiBasan marched forth and secretly came to the district of Jahan, to its
chief town Aplast'a. As the character of man becomes rooted in its
evil ways from childhood, in like manner the sultan forgot the
compassion that dominated his father's reign. So, hearing ofYaghi's
march, Kilij Arslan eagerly and boastfully went forth to wreak
vengeance on the land which had nurtured him. When Yaghi learned
of his coming, he gathered together the whole population of the
land-about seventy thousand persons-and took them to his
territories by their own free will. The sultan was unable to catch up
with Yaghi in this land, for the latter had taken a circuitous route in
withdrawing with the Christians. Then the sultan entered the
territory of Lycandus. The inhabitants of the area, disheartened
because of his frightful and tough behavior, voluntarily went over to
the side of the sultan, obtaining an oath from him that he would not
lead away anyone who had come to his support.
Now Yaghi-Basan, after having provided for the security of the
people whom. he had transported to his territories, came and
encamped agamst the sultan, the front lines of each army facing one
anot~er. [O~ce again] their religious leaders prevented them from
wamng agaInst one another. Nevertheless, after a number of days
the .sultan, ~~l of rage, came against Yaghi in full force, but once
~gaIn the religIOUS leaders fell at his feet, beseeching him and saying:
Do not exterminate the Muslims." Yielding to their entreaties, the
sultan drew up a treaty of peace [which was discussed] article by
CONTINUATION
267
article, but which did not stipulate the return of the expatriated
Christians. Now the sultan agreed to this for the following reason.
A certain man named Stephen, who was the brother of the sebastus
T'oros, came on the scene; this man, motivated by human stupidity
and treachery rather than by divine inspiration, was eager to
recapture the Christian territories from the infidels. However, his
brother would not give him any assistance, because his men had
slaughtered many Christians and had plundered and deprived their
compatriots of their property and possessions. These people did not
in the least resemble Christians, who must look after one another, as
they are taught in Scripture. It was because of all this that the
sultan felt constrained to come to the territory of Kesoun, over which
his father had gained control. The Christians, deprived of any
assistance and having learned of his coming, fled to those places
which were sparsely inhabited. The sultan, in turn, came and
subjugated the area without resistance, thus bringing it under his
domination. Moreover, he made peace with the king of Jerusalem,
the lord of Antioch, 7 and the victorious T'oros and then peacefully
returned to his realm. Now all this occurred in the year 606 of the
Armenian era [1157-1158], at the beginning of the month of August.
After this Kilij Arslan came to Berdus,8 which Stephen had taken by
force and thus .acted treacherously towards his brother T'oros, and
which as a gesture of friendship [T'oros] had handed over to the
sultan without his brother's consent. The sultan freed all the cavalry
and infantry troops stationed in the fortress, in recognition of T'oros's
obedience and in recognition of his handing over the stronghold.
31. Previous to this, in the year 605 [1156-1157] on the 26th of
November, an earthquake was felt throughout the whole land. Many
Muslim towns on the confines of Arabia, near Aleppo, collapsed to
their very foundations. However, the Lord has saved the Christians
from any harm right up to the present. The tremors continued
without interruption until the beginning of the following year, and it
was impossible to reckon their number during the fourteen months
[of the earthquake period].
32. In the year 606 of the Armenian era [1157-1158] on the second
of November a violent wind, accompanied by rain,l arose. In the
various places it hit, vineyards and grapes, laid out to dry, were
heavily damaged. N ow I will say a few words about the great and
impregnable fortress-town of Behesni. When Stephen came to the
268
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
CONTINUATION
269
270
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
with all their [surrounding] villages.2 The sultan Kilij Arslan wrote
him many times, saying: "Cease acting unjustly and return the
territory which belongs to me and which my father established to
serve as the border between me and you." However, the son of Zengi
chose not to listen [to these complaints] and was more arrogant and
insulting to this valiant nation than to the ruler of Persia. While this
debate went on, the king of Jerusalem and the lord of Antioch,
Reginald, found themselves in an extremely perplexing situation,
However, he whose power and strength is higher than the heavens,
who never lets anything out of his sight, and who never neglects the
rod which he uses against sinners at the time when the righteous are
in a state of hopelessness, it was he (from whose pure and just divine
laws suddenly issued forth the order for punishment) who inflicted
the son of Zengi with a severe and harsh malady. Experienced
physicians were summoned from all nations, but were unable to find
a cure for his malady, while day by day the wrath of God fell more
heavily upon him. [In times past] the son of Zengi had been allied
with Count Joscelin through a solemnly sworn treaty made in good
faith. Nevertheless, he acted in a very pitiless and inhuman way
with the count, behavior which was unheard of among all peoples and
throughout all time; he made his friend prisoner, not by his own
efforts in battle, but by plotting with others, and then, putting
Joscelin in chains for a nine-month period, blinded the eyes of this
illustrious man, who was invincible in many battles and lord over
many territories. So blessing, thanks, and praise to the aU-holy
judgment of God be on the lips of every Christian.
35. Now we return to those events we passed over in silence. In
the year 602 of the Armenian era [1153-1154] the king1 who reigned
in Jerusalem was eighteen years old and was the son of the count of
Anjou, t~e F:ankish ruler. Almighty God, taking this [young] king
under hIS wmgs, gave him a. great victory by delivering into his
hands the impregnable, inaccessible, and infidel town of Ascalon.
Th~ valiant Franks, together with their benevolent and saintly king,
patIently endured all sorts of hardships for an entire year; moreover,
many of them, including the Templars, came to merit the martyr's
crown. So, after all these hardships the intercessor and hope of all
the Christians-the Mother of our Lord-beseeched our Lord Jesus
Christ to brin~ forth,a victory for those enduring patiently. Thus the
town was dehvered 1Oto the hands of the king and the Templars on
the feast day of the Assumption of the Holy Theotokos and through
CONTINUATION
271
her intercession.
36. After this, having discovered treachery on the part of the
infidel Turkish nation,l the benevolent king put a considerable
number of them to the sword and thus made them pay for the blood
of the Christians which they had shed; he expelled the remaining
from the city, compelling them to settle outside the walls. So, instead
of godless voices, the voice of the life-giving Gospels was heard in all
places. Moreover, the redemptive cross was mounted on the tops of
all the tall buildings as a sign of shame and destruction for the
degenerate, dismal, and nefarious2 nations, but as a sign of pride and
joy for us Christian faithful. Now, after this magnificent triumph,
the Franks gave themselves a brief respite and then began to devote
their attention to the city of Damascus. For at the beginning of the
year 603 [1154-1155] the son of Zengi, who was the lord of Aleppo,
arrived intending to gain control of Damascus by stratagem; however,
the townspeople resisted out of concern for their children8 whom they
had sent as hostages to Jerusalem, conforming to the orders of the
king. Nevertheless, the son of Zengi entered and gained control of
the city of Damascus by stratagem.
37. At the beginning of the year 604 [1155-1156] the son of Zengi,
bribing the king of Jerusalem and the lord of Antioch with large
amounts of money, induced them to accede to his evil designs and
made an alliance with them. The two rulers consented to his
invading those Christian territories which formerly had belonged to
the Franks. So the son of Zengi arrived before the renowned and
great city of Aintab with a large number of troops and laid siege to
it without delay. Mter undennining and demolishing the walls, his
troops entered the city and slaughtered a great many infidels and
also took captive or killed many Christians. Mer this he sent
messages to the governor of the territories of Raban and Kesoun,
asking for the peaceful cession of these territories. However, his
request was refused out of fear of the sultan. Then news reached him
that the king of Jerusalem and the lord of Antioch had broken the
treaty of peace they had concluded with him and were invading and
ravaging his territories. So the son of Zengi quickly went to Aleppo
and Damascus. However, he delayed a major confrontation for the
reason that he was not strong enough to meet the Franks face to face
in battle; on the other hand, the Franks were powerless to reduce the
city of Damascus.
272
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
CONTINUATION
273
39. Finally the king of Jerusalem came, together with the soldiers
of Christ-the Templars-and the lord of Antioch, who previously had
come before the emperor, to apologize for the expedition against
Cyprus. Then, in light of what has been said before, a large group of
Christians gathered before the Greek emperor, entreating him with
strong pleas to mollify his anger towards T'oros. Now, since the
Greeks harbored a deep hatred against the Armenians, who nevertheless were beyond reproach, the Armenian prince feigned accepting the
king of Jerusalem and the Templars as mediators and guarantors of
his good faith. When T'oros came before the Greek emperor, he was
at first excluded from Manuel's table. However, because of God's
solicitude for the Annenian prince, the Greek emperor regarded him
as having a charming and pleasing demeanor and so strongly
reproached those who had slandered him. After remaining with
Manuel for a few days, T'oros wished to go back to his home. The
emperor gave him permission, on condition that he quickly return to
the [imperial] camp. The Armenian prince, wisely taking cognizance
of the needs of the [imperial] troops, on his return brought with him
a large number of sheep, cattle, buffalo, and Arabian horses. He
came before the emperor and presented him with these gifts at a
suitable moment. Greatly amazed at the profuse amount of provisions [T'oros had brought], Manuel praised his farsighted sagaciousness in the presence of the chief Roman officers and the enemies of
the Armenian prince. The emperor, in turn, gave T'oros a large
amount of gold and silver garments befitting a king; moreover, he
truly pardoned the Armenian prince's disobedience and rebellion
against his imperial directives. T'oros, on his part, promised to
unreservedly remain obedient and subject to the emperor's commands, a promise which he scrupulously carried out.
40. After this the two rulers,lthe invincible forces of the Templars,
the lord of Antioch, and T'oros conceived of an excellent plan, one
which all the Christian peoples piously and fervently adopted; [they
all] resolved to either die or to free the hopeless captives imprisoned
for a very long time in Aleppo and Damascus, cities built by blood.
Beginning the march, the Christian army came t~ An~ioch and
entered the city as if it owned the place. However, SInce It was not
certain whether the townspeople would quickly submit to the Greek
emperor, Manuel asked their chief citizens to giv~ up their sons as
hostages. Making their submission, they voluntanly handed over all
that the emperor had requested, lest the captives never be freed from
274
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
servitude and they violate the oath taken at the tomb of the Redeemer and the promise given to the king of Jerusalem when he
became allied to Manuel through marriage. Going forth with an
immense number of troops, the Christians advanced, fulminating
with rage like lions and trying to outdistance one another like eagles
swooping down on a bevy of partridges. In this manner these
courageous men roshed forth to invade and ravage the country of the
Turks. The army reached a place called Balana,2 which is near the
confines of Aleppo and a day's march from that city. All the
Christians far and near were in ecstatic joy when they learned of the
alliance of the faithful, fonned for the purpose of annihilating the
infidels and delivering the Church of Christ-which was redeemed by
his holy and precious blood-from the vile and onerous yoke of
servitude.
When the infidels heard the news of this and of the approach of the
Christians to the borders of the Muslim territories, they became
horror-struck. Completely seized by fear because of the [two] rulers,
Nur-ad-Din, who was the lord of Aleppo and Damascus, sent envoys
to the emperor, promising to hand over some ten thousand slaves
taken from Christian captives whom he had treated mercilessly. He
planned to free the slaves and wash away the spots and blemishes
caused by their being mistreated; then, by sending them to the [two]
rulers, he intended to ask to become subject to them as one of these
slaves. However, the [two] rulers refused these conditions, telling the
envoys that Nur-ad-Din would have to leave the country and go
where they wished him to go, or else they would simply exterminate
the whole population, including nurslings. It was quite obvious that
the forces of the Christian faithful were proud and joyful, as if at a
wedding.
Now, while the Christians were involved in these matters, bad
news in the form of a letter suddenly arrived from the imperial city,
stating that there was a disturbance over the [imperial] throne and
also containing information of other bewitched events, the causes of
which we have been unable to ascertain as it was the work of the
devil. In any case this was the real reason why the emperor came to
an understanding with the prince [of Antioch] and why he gave back
to T'oros the land he had taken from the Armenian prince, regarding
all of this as a sufficient victory for himself.3 Indeed, we know from
looking at past events and reading the chroniclers that the Greek
emperors never worked for the deliverance of the Christians, but
rather occupied themselves with ruining and seizing their cities and
CONTINUATION
275
276
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
fugitives they reached the territories of the sultan Kilij Arslan. Now
this sultan was not an instrument of Christ's vengeance upon the Romans, but merely was charged with making them expiate for the
maledictions and blasphemies they heaped upon the orthodox
[faithful] when they refused to bring aid to the church and to the
captives. So the vile and obscure race of the Turkomans went after
them as if after fugitives and slaughtered twelve thousand of the
Romans, besides killing the emperor's father-in-law and seizing
twenty thousand horses and mules. Because of this, deep antagonism
developed between the Greek emperor and the sultan Kilij Arslan.
Now it seems to my weak and feeble mind that nothing else imaginable explains the undermining of our hope for deliverance, except the
hatred for us [on the part of the Greeks] and the prophecy of the holy
man of God, the great Nerses our enlightener, who, through spiritual
insight and the inspiration of the one on high, wrote in his true
history about the Greek emperors who after a short while no longer
paid attention to those things pertaining to war, but merely occupied
themselves with levying taxes and having theological discussions. 2
42. Now under these circumstances the emperor shamefully
returned [to Constantinople], while the pansebastus T'oros remained
on his hereditary lands and, [protected] by the authority and the
friendship of the emperor, 1 lived in peace and security. However, the
lord of Aleppo, a torchbearer of his people, freed from the fear of a
war and influenced by his evil brother and the Greeks who were in
agreement with him, sent to the king of Jerusalem, requesting from
him a four-month treaty of peace. Having bribed the king, [who was]
an avaricious man, with a large amount of money and having
2
outwitted him in every way, the lord of Aleppo went towards Harran,
which he previously had turned over to his brother Miran. At this
point there were certain slanderers who said that when he was sick,
his brother had wanted to kill him. The lord of Aleppo, believing
these treacherous individuals, went against Harran with a fonnidable
anny. After remaining there for two months, he captured it by
assault, together with the neighboring territories of Raqqa9 and
Edessa; moreover, he brought under his control all the places which
ha~ formed! s?aken off his yoke. He came to the territory of Raban,
whIch at thIS tIme belonged to the sultan, and captured it by assault.
Then h~ went to Marash and captured this place also. Now, when
the emIr who was the lord of Kesoun learned of the victorious
successes of this despot, fearing that the lord of Aleppo might take
CONTINUATION
277
278
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
wound. Now, at the rear of the Turkish army were Muslims who
were Georgian by nation; these had joined the Turks, following the
renegade Georgian Vasak, and had served them as guides. These
[Muslim Georgians] came and surprised the dismounted cavalry commander, taking him prisoner and bringing him to the emir called
ShahiArmIn. 6 They did nothing more to this Georgian officer, who
was called Kayi,7 than to take him prisoner.
45. In the year 610 of the Armenian era [1161-1162] the Georgian
king George, the son of Demetrius, son of David, came against the
great royal city of Ani during the summer season on a Monday. After
encamping before the city for a day, he took it by assault on the
following day, killing one thousand persons, both Christians and
infidels. Mter placing a garrison of two thousand elite men in the
city, he turned back victoriously and went to his kingdom. However,
the lord of Khlat', called Shah-iArmin, gathered together eighty
thousand men and came and laid seige to the city of Ani. Now, when
the Georgian king learned of this, he went against the infidels,
slaughtered them, and put them to flight. On this day seven
thousand of their men were killed, while two thousand five hundred
captives were taken-including one hundred and frl'ty of their officers
and [many] high-ranking emirs. Moreover, the Georgian king seized
countless horses, mules, camels, tents, cuirasses, and other weapons
too numerous to count, and also many sheep. The city of Ani was
filled with so much wealth that what the inhabitants lost to the
Georgians, they gained twofold, even selling a choice cuirass for two
1
danks. Mter a number of days the inhabitants of Ani went to the
place where the battle was fought and, finding a large number of
cuirasses in the grass, carried them off. The [Georgian] king
performed an act of benevolence towards the city of Ani; for, when he
captured the place, he gave forty thousand dahekans in order to buy
back from his cavalry the captives taken at Ani-both Christian and
infidel. Now all this occurred during the Fast of St. Gregory, which
falls in the middle of the summer fasting season' it was at this time
that the city of Ani was captured. Moreover, it ~as in the month of
August that the emir Miran, who was the Shah-i-Armin, was
slaughtered [together with his troops]. Three days later the moon
darkened and took on the color of blood from evening until midnight;
now the moon was in the fourteenth day of its course.
46. In this same year the lord of Antioch, who had the title of
CONTINUATION
279
"prince" and whose name was Sire Reginald, went forth during the
autumn season and descended upon the territory of Duluk,l while the
Inhabitants were in seeming security. He extended his incursions up
10 the catholicos's fortress called TSOV,2 ravaging the surrounding
areas and making prisoner the Turkomans he met within its confines.
The prince had with him one thousand men-horsemen servants 3
.
4
'
mul e dnvers,
and 1'nf:antry. On the other hand, Majd-ad-Din,
Nur-,
ad-DIn's second-in-command, who had previously gathered together
ten thousand men, placed his vanguard in an ambush and surprised
Reginald's men. All the Christians were either taken captive or
killed, while the prince of Antioch together with thirty horsemen was
taken prisoner. On this day four hundred men were killed. So Majdad-Din turned back and with great rejoicing and festivity entered
Aleppo, conducting his prisoners before him; moreover, he brought
the prince into the city, heaping [all sorts of] insults and profanities
upon him.5 At the same time he sent the news of his success to Nurad-Din, who at that time was in Damascus collecting a large number
of cavalry troops [in order to battleJ against the king of Jerusalem.
When Nl1r-ad-Dln heard this news, he returned and ravaged the
whole country up to Tripoli and also took captives whom he brought
to Aleppo. Then he went against ~ariin,6 but was unable to besiege
the town successfully because of the abundant rains [which fell at
that time] and also because of his fear of the king of Jerusalem; for
at that time the king had come from Antioch together with T'oros, the
son of ltuben, and some Roman troops. However, when the king
returned to Jerusalem and the others to their respective places, Nur-7
ad-DIn went and captured the impregnable fortress of Arzghan.
Notwithstanding the oath [which he made to the inhabitants], he
demolished and ruined the fortress and, taking captive the Christians
remaining [in the placeJ, brought them to Aleppo.
47. In this same year the sultan Kilij Arslan went to the Greek
emperor Manuel, accompanied by the emir Miran, the brother of No.rad-Din. After having received many gifts from the. emperor a~d
having concluded a treaty with him whereby he promIsed to remam
subject to Manuel until his own death, the sultan turned back and
went to his own city, carrying with him the great amount of gold and
silver [he had receivedJ. 1
48. At the beginning of the year 611 of our era [1l62~1l6.3] th:
most praiseworthy vardapet Barsegh died and was buned m th
280
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Part I
Section 1
1. The year 400 of the Armenian era corresponds to 951 A.D. and the year
611 to 1162 A.D. See n. 3 below.
2. In order to facilitate the annotation, the various parts and sections of
the Chronicle, i.e. Part I section 1, section 2, section 3, etc., have been
numbered. Thus the book and paragraph numbers are not original to
the text, although the book and paragraph divisions are.
3. The Armenian era is usually calculated from the year 552 of the
modern Christian era. However, since the Armenian calendar is not a
fIXed one, the beginning of each year does not exactly correspond to
that of the Christian era. For example, the year 401 of the Armenian
era begins on April 2, 952, of the Christian era and ends on April 1,
953, of that era.
4. Matthew uses the word "Tachik" in making reference to the Muslims.
In the context of the Chronicle, Muslim could mean Arab, Turk, or
Persian. One may also render the term as "Saracen," though this word
is not too commonly used today by scholars.
6. In the early years of Christianity Edessa was an important center of
Syrian Christianity, hence the importance attached to it by Matthew,
who calls it a "metropolitan see." In th~ Eastern church the bishop of
an important Christian center is called a "metropolitan," the title
"patriarch" being reserved for the bishops of the chief Christian centers.
6. Tigran, one of the most famous kings of Armenia, ruled in the first
century B.C. Under him Armenia achieved its greatest territorial expansion; however, it is doubtful that this king built Edessa, for this
famous Syrian city is much older than the first century B.C.
Section 2.
1. When Matthew uses the word "Arab," he invariably means those
Muslims who are not of Turkish or Iranian origin.
2. In Armenian both "city" and "town" are usually expressed by the same
word, k'aghak'. I have used either term depending on the size or
importance of the k'aghak' in question.
3. Whenever Matthew uses the word "Roman" or "Romans," he is
referring to the Byzantines. This would, of course, be natural, since
the Byzantines considered their empire a continuation of the Roman
empire and called themselves Romaioi. However, occasionally Matthew
does use the term "Greeks" in making reference to the Byzantines.
284
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
N OTES-PART I
285
Section 6
1. The Albanians (Arm. Aghuank'), sometimes referred to as the "Caucasian Albanians" and their country as "Albania," were a Christian people
living in the Caucasus region, east and northeast of Armenia. They
were christianized by the Armenians and dominated by the culture of
that people. In time they disappeared from the pages of history.
2. A Caucasian people inhabiting the northwest corner of Georgia, along
the Black Sea. In ancient times they were Christians, but later
adopted Islam, to which religion some still adhere.
3. Whenever Matthew refers to the "Babylonians," he means those
Muslims inhabiting and ruling lower Mesopotamia, that is, presentday
Iraq. In this period the Buwayhids (9451055), a dynasty of Iranian
origin, ruled this area in the name of the almost defunct 'Abbasids.
4. Whenever Matthew refers to the "Persians," he means those Muslims
inhabiting and ruling the Iranian plateau, that is present day Iran.
Therefore the term "Persian" can refer to both Turks and Iranians
here. In 'this period the Samanids (874-999), a dynasty of Iranian
origin, ruled this area and Transoxiana (present day Soviet Central
Asia) quite independently from the 'Abbasids.
5. The two apostles who, according to legend, began the christianization
of Armenia and Caucasia in the frrst century A.D.
Section 7
286
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 8
1. John Tzimisces, a man of Armenian extraction (Arm. Hohannes
Ch'mshkik) and one of the greatest Byzantine generals, later to become
Byzantine emperor as John I Tzimisces (969-976).
2. Theophano, the widow ofRomanus II, married Nicephorus Phoeas after
he was proclaimed emperor.
3. All the chroniclers who relate this event, except Michael the Syrian,
say that Tzimisces did not kill Nicephorus with his own hands, rather
that he had the help of a few accomplices, one of whom killed the
emperor. The Byzantine chroniclers state that the patriarch Polyeuctes
refused to crown Tzimisces unless he sent away Theophano and
punished Nicephorus's murderers. On the other hand, the Coptic Arab
chronicler Yahya of Antioch says that Tzimisces exiled Theophano
because he was afraid that she might intrigue against him, while the
Syrian chronicler Bar Hebraeus, who has no love for NieephoruB,
exonerates the empress, maintaining that she was a pious woman,
4. Handzit' is located in the southern part of the region of Fourth
Armenia, known in ancient times as Sophene (Arm. Ch'orrord Hayk',
Tsop'kJ. Vasakawan is a small town in this district. In Armenian, the
suffix awan refers to an unwalled town, while k'aghak' is used to refer
to a walled or fortified town or city.
Section 9
1.. Matthew has his dates confused here. Gagik I, who reigned from 989
to 1020, certainly does not belong to this period, nor do his two sons
who later became kings: John 5mbat III (10201040) and Ashot IV
(1021-1039). Actually sections 9 through 15 describe events which took
place later, in the early eleventh century.
2. Senek'erim-John (1003-1021).
3. The Artsrunis, together with the Bagratids, were the two most
important dynasties of medieval Armenia. In linking the origins of
this dynasty with the kings of ancient Assyria, Matthew is adhering
to a very old Armenian tradition, a tradition which has no basis in
reality. Armenians of the period tended to give their ruling dynasties
ancient origins, perhaps hoping thereby to add to their prestige.
Section 10
1. A district located in the southern part of the province of Vaspurakan.
2. A mountain located in the province of Vaspurakan, west of Lake Van.
3. This monastery, situated on Mount Varag, was one of the most revered
of medieval Armenia. Tradition has it that the cross on which Christ
was crucified appeared on the mountain. Hence, the name given to the
monastery, "Holy Cross," and the beliefthat this monastery contained
the true crOSB on which Christ was crucified. The Armenian name of
this monastery, literally rendered, is "The Holy Sign of Christ" (Surb
Nshan K'ristosi).
NOTES-PART I
287
288
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 15
1. This mountain cannot be exactly located; it is most probably situated
in the district of Nig, close to the fortress of Bjni.
2. Cf. Genesis 4:8-16.
Section 16
1. Originally this title referred to a high official of the emperor's household. Beginning in the tenth century, the domesticus took over the
supreme command of the army when the emperor himself was not
present in the field. Basil II (976-1025) established two domestics, one
commanding the Byzantine army in the West (the Balkans) and the
other commanding the Byzantine army in the East (Anatolia).
2. This general was a former officer in Nicephorus's army. He was made
Domesticus of the East by the emperor Tzimisces and probably was of
Armenian origin, as is attested by his name (Arm. Mleh).
3. Matthew is incorrect here, for Melitene had been captured earlier by
the Byzantine general John Curcuas, in the first half of the tenth
century.
4. Tigranakert, known to the ancients as Tigranacerta, was the royal
capital of the Armenian king Tigran II (94-54 B.C.); however, it is not
the same city as Amida, for its ruins are located west of Amida, on a
tributary of the Tigris.
5. The exact location of this place is unknown.
6. The 'Abbiisid al-Muti' (946-974).
7. In this period the Hamdanid emir of Mosul, Abu Taghlib, controlled
Amida. It was this emir's army that defeated the Byzantines. The
Armenian historian Stephen Asoghik, Yahya of Antioch, and Bar
Hebraeus relate this attack on Amida; however, the Byzantine
historians, including Leo Diaconus, make no mention of it, though Leo
does speak of Tzimisces' second Syrian expedition (this one being his
first). Bar Hebraeus gives some interesting details about this campaign, stating among other things that the Byzantine commander was
sent to MOBul and was kindly treated there by Abu Taghlib, for this
emir did not wish to needlessly antagonize the Byzantines.
8. Tzimisces.
9. The western regions of the Byzantine empire, Le. the Balkans, Greece,
Sicily, etc.
10. An attempt has been made here to preserve Matthew's vivid imagery,
which is so common to Near Easterners; hence, the literal translation
of the phrase, which could be better rendered and understood as "full
of rage."
Section 17
1. The regions east of the Byzantine empire, Le., eastern Anatolia.
2. Ashot III (952-977).
3. A district in the Bouthern part of the province of Siwnik.
NOTES-PART I
289
Section 18
1. Literally translated, "Lord John" (Arm. Kiwrzhan).
2. Upper Mesopotamia.
3. Probably the ~amdanid emir of Mosul, Abu Taghlib. Cf. sec. 16, n. 7.
4. A town in the province of Fourth Armenia, located on a tributary of the
eastern. Euphrates.
5, A town due west of Khozan, located on one of the tributaries of the
eastern. Euphrates.
6. Matthew says that Tzimisces spared Amida because of its woman
commander who was from the same area as he. Leo Diaconus, who
states that Amida was spared because of the money and gold given the
emperor by the inhabitants of that town, provides a more plausible
explanation.
Section 19
1. This title was used by the Bagratid kings of Armenia and was given to
them by the 'Abbasid caliphs. The word is of Persian origin and means
.
"king of kings."
2. The "eastern lands" referred to here are not those of eastern PerSIa, but
rather the newly acquired Byzantine territories of eastern ~atolia,
which once were part of the "Persian" (Parthian and Sassanld) lands.
Cf. sec. 6, n. 4.
H '
3. A famous bishop of Nisibis, living in the fourth century.
e. IS
considered one of the greatest saints of the Syrian and Armeman
churches.
290
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
4. The term literally means "the commander of the believers" and waS
frequently used by the caliphs. The person referred to here is the
Fatimid caliph (al-Mu'izz, 953-975).
5. Whenever Matthew speaks of the "Africans," he is referring to the
Fatimids of Egypt. The Fatimids originated in Tunisia and in 969
succeeded in taking over Egypt and setting up a rival Shi'ite caliphate
in opposition to the Sunnite 'Abba-sids. The dynasty ruled from 969 to
1171. At this time the Fatimids were attempting to gain control of the
eastern Mediterranean littoral and Syria.
6. Those Muslim areas ofNorth Africa west of Egypt (i.e. Tunisia, Algeria..
Morocco) are referred to as al-Magrib, literally "the West." Since the
Fatimids originated in Tunisia, they were called "Maghrlb Arabs."
7. A town between Homs and Damascus.
8. Leo Diaconus, Yahya of Antioch, and Bar Hebraeus make no mention
of that part of Tzimisces' campaign conducted in Palestine, although
they corroborate Matthew's account of the emperor's exploits in Syria
(both in the interior and on the seacoast). Some historians believe that
Matthew's account ofTzimisces' Palestine exploits is exaggerated, while
others maintain its authenticity.
9. Baisan is a town south of Lake Tiberias and a little west of the Jordan
River. It was the most important of the group of towns in that area
collectively called "the Decapolis," literally "the five towns."
10. A town on the southern shore of Lake Tiberias.
11. The coastal region north of Caesarea.
12. A town on the coast north ofBeirut, known in classical times as Byblos.
13. The thematic troops (thematikoi) were drawn from soldiers in the
various themes or militarized regions of the Byzantine empire. On the
other hand, the garrison troops (taxatoi) were stationed in the cities
and fortresses of the empire.
14. Armenian for "stone-faced" (Gr. lithoprosopon).
15. Actually neither side was victorious at Tripoli. Tzimisces was unable
to capture the city, although he was strong enough to ravage the surrounding area. Tripoli was the only Fatimid stronghold which
successfully resisted the Byzantines.
16. A port south of Latakia.
17. A port south of Jabala (Ar. Balunyas).
18. A fortress due south of Antioch (Ar. Sahyan).
19. Located in the mountains east of Latakia.
20. Matthew is referring here to Baghdad.
21. Probably referring to the 'Abbasid caliph in Baghdad. Of. n. 4 above.
22. More exactly, the Fatimid caliph's general in Syria.
23. Again Matthew exaggerates the situation. Tzimisces' goal (capturing
Jerusalem and occupying all of Syria and Palestine) was not achieved;
however, because of this campaign and its limited success, a tremendous amount of prestige was gained for the Byzantine empire.
NOTES-PART I
291
Section 20
1. Actually only parts of the eastern Mediterranean were in the hands of
the Byzantines, while the entire hinterland of Syria and Palestine,
except for parts of northern Syria, was still in the hands of the
Muslims.
2. Leo Diaconus states that the sandals of Christ and the hair ofJohn the
Baptist were obtained from Manbij (a town southwest of Edessa,
located on the other side of the Euphrates), while the picture of the
Savior was discovered in Beirut.
Section 21
1. The Armenian has anap'ort, a corruption of the Greek, anaphora
(report).
2. An honorary title of the Byzantine court, literally meaning "the fIrst
sword-bearer [of the emperor]." Originally this title was granted to an
individual in the imperial court, but later was bestowed on various
officials of the empire.
3. A district in the province of Upper Armenia (Arm. Bardzr HaykS).
4. After "Taron" the text reads "greetings and joy in our Lord," which
makes no sense in this context.
5. Located in the district of Taron.
6. The Armenian reads k'arasun hazar sovollm (forty thousand obols),
which makes no sense here. The Armenian historian N. Adontz
considers it a textual corruption and translates it as "chrysobull" (a
decree of the emperor bearing the imperial gold seal).
Section 22
1.
2.
3.
4.
Section 23
1. In theory Basil II (976-1026) and Constantine VII (1025-1028) ruled
jointly, but in actuality Basil was the sole ruler. Matthew's account of
the coronation of Basil by Tzimisces is not corroborated in the other
sources.
2. This account of the last days of the emperor Tzimisces seems to be a
figment of Matthew's imagination, for it is not corroborated in either
the Greek or Arabic sources, which state that Tzimisces was poisoned
by the paracoemomenus Basil.
Section 24
1. Basil II (9761025).
292
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 25
1. A name of Arabic origin meaning "father of the foreigner" (Ar. Abil-lGharib). Due to Arab influence during the Bagratid period, many
Armenian noblemen adopted Arabic names.
2. Derenik-Ashot (93617-953), the king ofVaspurakan. It is quite evident
that Matthew's chronology is incorrect.
3. The text reads "the mighty." The Jerusalem text has "the forces,"
which makes more sense here.
4. A type of red dye made from a small insect.
Section 26
1. The Muslim emir of Her.
2. An Arabic word meaning "open place" or "public square."
3. Located in the extreme eastern portion of the province ofVaspurakan,
north-northeast of Lake Urmia.
Section 27
1. Matthew has the incorrect date here, for Anania I was catholicos from
946 to 968.
2. Vahoo I (968-969). Again Matthew's chronology is incorrect.
3. These two kings reigned in the early part of the twelfth century, not
during this period.
4. Located northeast of Ani, near the Akhurian River.
Section 28
1. Bardas Scelerus.
2. Matthew seems to harbor a deep disapproval of Scelerus, going so far
as to say that he was defeated by the Armenians. Actually this is not
true, for other sources indicate that a good deal of Scelerus's support
came from both Armenians and Muslims.
3. When Scelerus was defeated, he naturally took refuge with the
Muslims who sympathized with him. The Byzantine historian Michael
Psellus says that Scelerus fled to the Muslims who, being afraid of hia
numerous forces, put the rebel in prison. All the sources corroborate
Matthew's account, except for his statement concerningthe role of the
Armenians in the revolt. Yahya ofAntioch gives a particularly full and
detailed account of the connections between Scelerus and the area
around Antioch and north Syria.
Section 29
1. This number is incorrect, for Vahan was catholicos for only one year.
2. Stephen III (969-972). Matthew's chronology is incorrect.
Section 30
1. Mamlan was the Muslim emir of Azerbaijan.
2. Located in the province of Turuberan, north of Lake Van.
NOTES-PART I
293
294
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 36
1. Matthew is referring here to Alusianus, the son of John Vladislav and
king of the Bulgars (10151018). However, it is obvious that the person
meant here is the great Bulgarian ruler Samuel (976-1014). Matthew's
chronology is incorrect, for this event occulTed in 986.
Section 37
1. Basil's defeat occurred in 986, while his second campaign, which
brought him victory over the Bulgars, began in 990. It is interesting
to note that none of the Greek sources mention this defeat, while the
Arabic source Yahya of Antioch does.
Section 38
1. Not six, but nineteen years.
2. Sargis I (992-1019).
Section 39
1. The Fatimids. Cf. Sec. 19, n. 6.
2. Actually the Fatimids launched two campaigns against the Byzantines
and their Aleppine allies at Antioch, one in 992 and the other in 994.
Both turned out to be resounding defeats for the Byzantines. Matthew
apparently is referring here to the first campaign.
Section 40
1. Probably an emir in the service of the Fatimids.
2. Egypt.
Section 42
1. The king of Vaspurakan, Senek'erim-John (1003-1021).
Matthew's
chronology is incorrect.
2. A district in the province of Ayrarat, located near the Hrazdan River.
Section 43
1. Irion was a priest attached to the emperor Justinian's court (sixth
century), who tried to introduce a minor cOlTection into the calendar of
Andrew of Byzantium. Actually this was the calendar developed by the
church of Alexandria.
2. According to prescribed usage, Easter is to be celebrated on the first
Sunday after the full moon. Following their own calculations, the
Greeks reckoned the full moon to be on Saturday and so celebrated
Easter on the following day (Sunday). On the other hand, the
Armenians reckoned the full moon to fall on Sunday and so celebrated
Easter on the following Sunday (seven days later). In the sixth century
the Armenians and Greeks adopted two different methods for computing Easter. The only real difference between the two calendars was
that four times every five hundred and thirty two years there was a
NOTES-PART I
295
Section 44
1. Located in the district of Karin in the province of Upper Armenia. This
monastery was founded in the tenth century by monks fleeing from
persecution by the Greeks, who wished them to adopt the ways of the
Byzantine church.
2. One of the most erudite Armenian savants of the time. He wrote a
treatise on the calendar, only fragments of which have survived.
3, Matthew's chronology is incorrect here, for Gagik I (989-1020) was the
Armenian king in Ani at this time and not John.
Section 45
1. More correctly, khoylik, a disease characterized by bulbous sores on the
body, with or without pus.
Section 46
1. The Balkans.
2. Again, the reference is to King Samuel. Cf. sec. 36, n. 1.
3. Matthew's assertion that Basil poisoned Samuel is not supported by the
other sources.
Section 47
1, The text reads "466" which would make it the year 1016-1017. Four
variants and the Jerusalem text have "467," the correct date, since the
Seljuks first began to penetrate the confines of Armenia in 1018.
2. The Seljuk. Turks.
Section 48
1. One of Senek'erim's generals.
2. One ofthe contemporary Armenian historians, Thomas Artaroni, states
that, when the Turks first appeared, they were defeated, although the
Armenians in the long run were forced to give way.
3. The source of this quote is unknown. The allusion here is to the many
Armenians who in the eleventh and twelfth centuries fled south into
northern Syria and southwest into Cilicia, in order to escape the Seljuk
invasions of their country.
4. Cf. Isaiah 5:28. The Jerusalem text (and Dulaurier's translation) break
off here and omit sections 49, 60, 51, and the first part of 52. Cf. sec.
62, n. 3.
296
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 49
1. The text seems to be COlTUpt here. Perhaps Senek'erim gave up some
of the monasteries, keeping the rest for his own use. The Armenian
historian Thomas Artsruni says that the Armenian king built the
Monastery of Varag, endowing it with all types of wealth. Perhaps it
was monasteries such as this that the king wished to keep for his own
use.
2. According to Artsruni, only fourteen thousand people departed with
Senek'erim. Thus most of the Armenian population of Vaspurakan
stayed behind.
3. It is more likely that Basil pressured the Armenian king to give up his
lands to Byzantium. This was not a difficult thing to do in light of the
recent Turkish incursions. Artaruni mentions nothing of Byzantine
pressure upon the Armenians to give up their country, but rather
states that Senek'erim appealed to Basil to come and take over his
kingdom, which the emperor did, implying that Basil was doing the
Armenian king a favor.
Section 50
1. John-Smbat III (1020-1040).
2. The Byzantine historian George Cedrenus states that at this time John
handed over the keys of the city of Ani to Basil.
3. George I (1014-1027).
4. Actually George had broken the peace made with Basil by invading the
region of Tayk', considered to be part of the empire.
6. ij.at, Zoyat, and Liparit belonged to a famous medieval Georgian
dynasty, the Liparitids.
6. Peter I (1019-1058).
7. Holy oil made of many different types offlowers. Only the head ofthe
Armenian church, the catholicoB, can consecrate this oil. The oil is
used during ceremonies dealing with blessings and consecrations.
8. A specially blessed cross the catholicos and other high-ranking clergy
used in church ceremonies.
9. This is why the catholicos was surnamed Getadardz, literally translated IIRiver-Turner."
10. Actually Peter was sent to Basil by the Armenian king John in order
to conclude a peace with the emperor and present him with a document
promising the cession of the kings lands to the empire. The Armenian
historian Aristakes of Lastivert states that this document marked the
end of the Armenian kingdom.
11. Probably a monastery in the Amanus Mountains; there were many
monks living in these mountains. Cf. Pt. II, sec. 48, n. 2.
12. A small part of the text seems to be missing after this point.
Section 51
1. Matthew is mistaken; the correct date is 1019 for the death of Sargis
N OTES-PART I
2H7
and the installation of Peter. Cf. sec. 38, n. 2, and sec. 50, n. H.
Nicephorus was one of Basil's generals. Another one of thc emperol"'~
generals, Xiphias, also rebelled against him.
3. John-Smbat III and Ashot IV.
4, The son of Senek'erim, former king ofVaspurakan.
6. There are two other accounts of the death of Nicephorus. Cedrt~mlM
says that he was killed through the treachery of Xiphias, his cohort.
while Aristakes states that his head was cut off by Senek'erim nnd
taken to Basil.
a This is Caesarea Mazaca in Anatolia (mod. Kayseri).
7, Both are small towns in Cappadocia near Caesarea. Their Greek
names are Tzamandos and Gabadonia respectively.
8, Located in the district of Samtzkhe in the province of Gugark'.
9, Aristakes, in a very detailed account of this expedition, intercstingly
attributes Basil's failure to the emperor's mistreatment of thc Anneniana, referring to the promise exacted from the Armenian king tJohn
(Cr. sec. 74).
2,
Sectwn 52
1. Cf, Revelation 20:1 fr.
2. Strictly speaking, an abeghay is one who has forsaken the worldly life.
Generally he is a monastic celibate priest of junior or lower rank.
3. The Jerusalem text resumes here, as does Dulaurier's translation.
4. One of the Bons of Noah, traditionally regarded as the ancestor of tlw
African peoples. In this case the name is also used to refcr to the
Turks.
Section 53
L Matthew's chronology is incorrect here. Basil died in 1025; the yenr
referred to here is 10291030.
2. Matthew is confused. Actually Basil reigned for forty-nine years (97 (i.
1026).
Section 54
1. Matthew's chronology is incorrect here, for Senek'erim died in 1027.
Section 55
1. Bagrat IV (1027-1072). The chronology is incorrect.
Section 56
1. Constantine VIII (1025-1028). The chronology is incorrect.
2. The Greek sources say that Constantine neglected the affairs of the
empire, preferring to devote most of his time and energy to amusements such as horse racing, the theater, gambling, parties, etc. On the
other .hand, the Armenian and Syriac sources have nothing but praise
forthlB emperor, referring to him as a pleasant and magnanimous man
298
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 57
1. Psellus contrasts Romanus to the fighting emperors of the past, stating
that the Byzantines were defeated at Aleppo notwithstanding their
former greatness. He finds it hard to believe that the Byzantines could
have left the field to the Muslims, something which (he says) the
emperor also could not accept.
2. Bar Hebraeus and Aristakes both corroborate this statement of
Matthew's concerning Romanus's religious attitude. The Syrian
condemns him for persecuting the Syrians, while the Armenian, in a
very detailed account, relates that the emperor not only persecuted
both Syrians and Armenians, but also disdained them. Psellus,
interestingly enough, states that Romanus was a very pious and
religious man, but got too involved in insoluble religious questions and
matters.
3. Bar Hebraeus says that Romanus's advance guard was defeated by one
hundred Muslims and then withdrew and told the emperor that a very
large Muslim force was advancing against his army. Frightened by
this, Romanus fled.
4. The text reads "plain." Five variants have "land", which makes more
sense here. One variant also adds the following: "to such an extent
that even the emperor himself was separated from his troops, and no
one really knew what had happened to him."
5. Located northwest of Aleppo, beyond the fortress of 'Azaz.
Section 58
1. Naf?ir was of the Kurdish Marwanid dynasty (983-1096), which
controlled some of the cities of upper Mesopotamia in this period.
2. Matthew uses the word rayis (Ar. ra'fs-prefect, chief commander).
3. The Jerusalem text has "Kurdish."
4. Matthew is referring here to the time when Edessa was an independent
city under an Arab dynasty during the first century A.D.
5. Commander of the Byzantine frontier theme of Teluch, located north
of Antioch.
6. The text reads "cities." The Jerusalem text has "territories," which
makes more sense here.
7. A town located on the Tigris, northwest of Mosul.
8. The original Arabic of "Zura" cannot be ascertained and so has been
left in the Armenian form found in the text. Likewise, the Arabic form
of "Kutan," "Ahi," "Ahvar," "Ahlu," and "Vreayn" cannot be identified.
9. Modem Bitlis.
10. A town located on the Tigris, south of Baghdad. At one time it was a
major city, serving as the capital of both the Parthian and Sassanid
empires.
NOTES-PART I
299
300
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 64
1. The text reads "patriarch." Four variants have "vardapet," which is the
correct form.
2. Cf. Matthew 22:11-14.
3. The reference here is to the First Crusade of 1098.
4. Five variants have "fifty."
5. Matthew most probably is referring here to the attempted revival ofthe
Byzantine empire under Alexius I (1081-1118).
6. If one accepts the rather sure premise that Matthew is talking about
the ephemeral revival of the empire under the Comneni (1081-1186),
then it is quite obvious that the Armenian chronicler is grossly
exaggerating this revival. For during this period the empire was
unable to do much more than secure the coastal regions of Asia Minor
from the Turks.
Section 65
1. One variant has "in this same year."
2. Located near the northeastern corner of Lake Van.
3. Both Aristakes and Cedrenus relate this event, though differing from
Matthew's account in some details. However, both mention that the
town was finally captured by the Byzantine troops, something which
Matthew is silent about.
Section 66
1. The reason given by Matthew for the departure of the catholicos from
his see is a superficial one. Actually Peter had been instrumental in
arranging for the future takeover of the Bagratid kingdom of Ani by
the Byzantines. This action naturally brought him many enemies in
Armenia, and thus he dared not return to his see. So he went to
Sebastia and there established himself near Senek'erim, the former
king of Vaspurakan. After 1026 the catholicos tried to return to Ani,
but was rebuffed. It is at this point that he decided to go to Vaspurakan. Matthew's chronology is incorrect here, for Peter went to
Vaspurakan in 1030, not in 10381039 as the Armenian chronicler
maintains.
2. The full name of this monastery is Dzoravank', and it is located in the
district of Tosp (the area around the city of Van), in the province of
NOTES-PART I
3.
4.
5.
6.
301
Vaspurakan.
The catholicos Nerses III (641-661).
One variant has "seven".
A famous Armenian monastery located in the district of Tashir, in the
province of Gugark'.
Five variants and the Jerusalem text add the following: "When his
lordship Joseph heard this, he took the bishops of the country of the
Albanians and came to reestablish his lordship Peter in the city of Ani."
Section 67
1. The Armenian historian Kirakos of Gandzak gives an account of this
conflict between Peter and the Armenian nobles, although in much less
detail than Matthew. His hatred for the anti-patriarch Deokoros
(Dioscorus) is equal to Matthew's, if not greater.
Section 68
1. A conspicuous loose cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus,
consisting of six stars visible to the average eye.
Section 70
1. Ashot IV (1021-1039).
2. Gagik II (1042-1046).
3. A guitar with a pear shaped, flat-backed body.
Section 71
1. The Kurdish emir of Dvin.
2. The king of Lori (989-104618), located in the district of Tashir in the
province of Gugark'. His last name literally means "landless," hence
the anglicized appellation, David Lackland. David was a scion of the
Bagratids of Ani.
3. The district around Ani, in the province of Ayrarat.
4. Matthew is probably referring here to 5mbat III (1019-?), the king of
Siwnik'. a region south of Lake Sevan. This area was ruled by a
dynasty (the Siwni dynasty), independent of the Bagratids. Kapan,
located not too far from the Araks River, was one of the more important towns of the region.
6. Bagrat IV (1027-1072). Actually Bagrat was the king of both Iberia
and Abasgia, making up what is known as the Kingdom of Georgia.
Abkhazia was one of the regions of Abasgia and had been an independent state before this period. Abasgia is the western region of Georgia,
while Abkhazia is the western portion of that region, bordering on the
Black Sea.
Section 72
1. A title used to designate the captain or commander of the Byzantine
emperor's Varangian bodyguard (Gr. akoluthos).
302
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 73
1. Matthew is referring here to the promise Basil made to Senek'erim and
his sons to respect their rights and treat them well, at the time when
the emperor was given Vaspurakan. Cf. sees. 49 and 53.
Section 74
1. Matthew is confused here. Ashot was the son of Abas, who was the
brother of Ashot the Iron, who in tum. was the son of 5mbat.
2. Aristakes maintains that this written statement, given to Basil by
John, was kept by that emperor and his successor Constantine VIII.
On his deathbed Constantine had misgivings about keeping this
document and so he summoned an Armenian priest and gave it to him,
asking him to return it to John. However, this priest kept the
document and later sold it to the emperor Michael IV.
3. Azat literally means "nobleman." Here it is used as pan of Sargis's
name.
4. He was of the Siwni family, at this time an opponent of the Bagratid
dynasty. Sargis exploited the dangerous situation the Bagratids were
in by supporting the Byzantine claim to the kingdom of Ani.
5. The Armenian reads awan, which is the designation for an unwalled
town.
6. The Siwni dynasty, of which Sargis was a member, claimed descent
from Hayk, the legendary founder ofthe Armenian people; on the other
hand, the Bagratids claimed descent from a noble Jewish family.
Section 76
1. The Pahlavids were one of the more important medieval Armenian
families; at this time they were staunch supporters of the Bagratids in
the struggle of that dynasty against Byzantine encroachments upon
their lands.
2. Literally translated, "Flower" (Gate).
Section 77
1. Gagik II (10421045).
2. For the correct lineage, see sec. 74, n. 1.
3. Gregory Magistros, the nephew of Vabram Pahlawuni. Gregory was
regarded as one of the most learned and erudite men of his time.
4. The text confusedly reads Marc'en, which perhaps is another name for
the catholicos Peter.
5. Matthew is referring here to St. Gregory the Enlightener, through
whose efforts Christianity was established in Armenia during the early
part of the fourth century.
6. Cf. I Samuel 16.
Section 78
1. Matthew is referring here to the Seljuk Turks.
NOTES-PART I
303
Section 79
1. Matthew is making a play on the word Dawit(h) (the Armenian form
for "David"), da meaning "he" and vih meaning "abyss"-he (David), the
abyss.
Section 80
1. Michael IV (1034-1041).
2. Bulgaria - the area of the Balkans inhabited by the Bulgarians.
Section 81
1. This emperor was Michael V (1041-1042). He was the nephew of
Michael IV, who before his death made his nephew caesar; this was an
honorary title of the Byzantine court, which in the case of the emperor'a son (or some other close relative) implied that he would succeed to
the royal purple.
2. cr. Proverbs 26:27 and 28:10.
3. Alexis Studite (1025.1043).
4. The Greek sources, perhaps reflecting public sentiment, are unanimous
in criticizing Michael and his family for their attempts to secure the
imperial throne by resorting to every means possible. PselluB says that
the emperor was hypocritical and had an erratic personality, prone to
extremes of kindness and cruelty; moreover, he was unable to control
his temper. Psellus concludes by saying that the emperor's character
had nothing redeeming about it.
Section 82
1. The text reads "Samosata," but it should be "Salmast."
2. Located northeast of Lake Van, in the province ofVaspurakan.
Section 83
1. Constantine IX. Monomachus (1042-1055).
2. Matthew is incorrect in saying that Maniaces died before the battle was
engaged, for after the battle, in which the rebel was victorious, he
accidentally was killed by a stray arrow.
3. Some of the Greek sources give a brief account of the revolt (Attaleiates
and Glycas), while others go into more detail (Cedrenus, Zonaras, and
Psellus). The latter three state that, after Maniaces' accidental death,
his head was cut off and brought to the emperor. Interestingly enough,
Bar Hebraeus gives a rather full, although incorrect, account of the
revolt; he says that a certain eunuch named Christopher was sent
against Maniaces with forty thousand men and defeated and killed the
rebel. Of particular interest is the Syrian chronicler's very detailed and
bizalTe description of how the captured rebels were treated. Another
non-Greek source, Aristakes, in a detailed but inaccurate account of the
revolt, states that Monomachus's armies were defeated three times by
Maniaces; however, during the last battle the rebel was found dead,
304
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 84
1. Gagik II (1042-1045), Bagratid king of Ani.
2. All the Armenian lands.
3. The text reads "place." Three variants have "city," which makes more
sense in this context.
4. These two towns are located in Cappadocia, a region in central Asia
Minor whose chief city is Caesarea Mazaca (mod. Kayseri). However,
their exact location is not known. Cedrenus gives the names of the
themes turned over to Gagik by the emperor as Charsianon and
Lycandron (Lycandus).
6. Aristakes gives a slightly different version of Monomachus's treacher.
ous coercion of Gagik. He states that the emperor persuaded Gagik to
come to him, swearing that he would confIrm the Armenian king on his
throne. Gagik's confidant and strongest supporter, Vahran Pahlawun~
tried to dissuade him, but the king, listening to Sargis, went anyway,
In the end Monomachus broke his oath to Gagik.
Section 85
1. This man's name was Nicholas.
2. Four variants have AwghtJik. The exact location of this place is
unknown. It is probably a town in the province of Tayk'. The
Armenian Byzantinist, H. Bart'ikyan, maintains that it is the modern
city of Olti, located due west of Kars in eastern Turkey.
Section 86
1. Cf. Psalms 114:7.
2. Located in the western part of the province of Upper Armenia.
3. Modern Erzinjan. It was the chief town of the district of Ekegheata',
4. The text reads "heaven." Four variants have "earth," which makes
more sense here.
5. Cf. Joel 2:1-3.
Section 88
1. The Seljuk sultan, Tughrul 1(1038-1063).
2. The original Turkish of these three names cannot be ascertained; they
have been left in the Armenian forms found in the text.
3. The areas in Mesopotamia inhabited by the Arabs.
4. Probably one of the tributaries of the upper Tigris.
5. The title of a Byzantine commander of a district or region.
6. Cedrenus says that the catepan Stephen was captured and sold as a
slave in Tabriz, a city in northern Iran.
N OTES-PART I
305
Section 89
1. A commander of a regiment or corps of troops.
Section 90
1. The Greek sources and Aristakes make no mention of these last two
expeditions against Dvin, but only of the first one.
Section 91
1. Originally an honorary title of the Byzantine court. Later this title was
granted to many high officials of the empire.
2. Leo Tornices, a magnate of Armenian origin.
3. The chief city of Thrace, now called Edirne.
4. The text reads "rocks." The Jerusalem text has "riches," which makes
more sense here.
5. Matthew's account of Tornices' revolt is in substantial agreement with
the Greek sources except that the Armenian chronicler makes no
mention of John Vatatzes, who also was involved in the rebellion and
shared the leadership with Tornices.
Section 92
1. The text reads "at the sixth hour of the day." Five variants have "for
the greater part of the day," which makes more sense here.
2. A bishop who is appointed by a diocesan bishop to assist him in the
exerciee of his episcopal jurisdiction in a rural district.
3. The Armenian diminutive for "David."
4. The Greek sources give a rather full account of the sack of the town of
Arlen by the Seljuks and, in agreement with Matthew, spe~~ of its
tremendous wealth and opulence. Aristakes gives a very VlV1d ~nd
graphic account of the destruction of the town by the Turks, emploYl~g
a style which is intended to elicit from the reader sympathy for hIS
suffering people.
5. This man's full name was "Catacalon Cecaumenus" and he was a
famous Byzantine general of the period.
Section 93
1.
2.
3.
4.
Khach'ik II (10581065).
Section 94
. )
1. The Byzantine governor of Ani and Iberia (Georgia.
306
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 95
1. A nomadic Turkic people, originally settled in southern Russia, the
Pechenegs posed a great danger to the Byzantine empire in the
eleventh century.
2. A general reference to the Turkic peoples of central Asia.
3. The text reads "Dark-Blond People" (Arm. Kharteshk~. These probably
were the Magyars, an Ural-Altaic people who inhabited a portion of
southern Russia in this period.
4. A Turkic people distantly related to the Pechenegs.
Section 96
1. Probably a fortress in the same area in which Paghin is located.
Part II
Section 1
Section 2
1. Matthew is referring here to the Syrian Orthodox (Jacobite) church as
opposed to the Byzantine Orthodox church.
2. The BYzantine Orthodox patriarch of Antioch.
3. There were various doctrinal and ritual differences between the two
churches. Cf. sec. 30, n. 3.
4. Constantine I (324-337) under whom Christianity became a legalized
religion in the Roman e~pire.
5. Cf. Genesis 19.
6. The Armenian historian Vardan Vardapet corroborates Matthew's
acc0l;lnt of the earthquake ofAntioch, although differing in a few minor
detaIls and giving a much shorter account. Vardan states that, because
of the earthquake, ten thousand people died, including the Greek
patriarch. He also says that four attempts were made to burn the
Syriac Gospels, the fifth attempt succeeding, and compares the whole
incident to Christ's crucifixion by the Jews.
Section 3
1. The Seljuk sultan whose state was centered in present-day Iran. Cf.
Pt. I, sec. 6, n. 4; sec. 59, n. 9; and sec. 88, n. 1.
2. Probably near Mantskert. The name, literally translated, means "Top
ofa Rock."
3. Abukab was the tent guard of David ofTayk'.
4. Literally "Golden-Haired," probably the Armenian translation of his
Turkish name.
5. A weight ofArabic origin, equivalent to about five hundred pounds CAr.
Jidl). Actually, one Jidl is half the load carried by a beast of burden.
308
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 4
1. Matthew, interestingly enough, says very little here by way of
criticizing Monomachus for his role in the takeover of the Armenian
states by the empire-a role Matthew had earlier condemned (Pt. I,
secs. 84 and 92). Yet the Armenian historian is far from systematically
and unequivocally condemning Monomachus, something which his
countryman Aristakes spares no pains in doing. Aristakes very
graphically describes what he considers to be the emperor's true
character. He calls Monomachus a glutton and a drunkard. Furthermore, he says that the emperor squandered all the money, which Basil
II had previously accumulated for the defense ofthe empire, on whores,
adding that when the whores of Constantinople no longer satisfied him)
he began to import them from other areas. The Armenian historian
concludes his diatribe against Monomachus by maintaining that this
emperor, through his neglectful attitude, left the empire open to enemy
attack and thUB was ultimately the chief cause of its demise. In sharp
contrast to Aristak~B' condemnation ofMonomachus, the Greek sources
have nothing but admiration for this emperor. Psellus praises him as
a great general whose tried experience hindered the advance of the
Turks and paved the way for ridding the empire of these infidels,
Psellus goes on to eulogize the emperor's handsome appearance and
concludes by saying that he had a very distinguished and glorious
reign. The other Greek sources also praise Monomachus, although in
not as effulgent a manner as PseUus. Cedrenus, interestingly enough,
praises the emperor for his Bupport of monasteries.
2. Both Zoe and Theodora were daughters of the emperor Constantine
VIII (1025~1028).
3. Michael VI (1056-1057), who was the patrieius Michael Stratioticus,Rn
elderly and undistinguished soldier.
N OTES-P ART II
309
Section 5
1. Later the emperor Isaac I Comnenu8 (1057-1059).
2. Actually the body of water between the Mediterranean and Black Seas
'
i.e. the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmora, and the Dardanelles.
3. A town across the Bosphorus from Constantinople (mod. Oskadar).
4. All the Greek sources give accounts ofComnenus's revolt and takeover
of the empire, some in more detail than others. Even the Armenian
historian Aristakes relates the event, placing special emphasis on the
tremendous amount of slaughter on both sides and saying that such
extensive killing had never been seen before.
5. A town in the region of the ancient city of Troy.
6. Literally, "The error returns from Gergetha."
7 Actually the Pechenegs were defeated by Comnenus. The Greek
sources say nothing of the incident described here by Matthew.
Section 6
1. The text reads "505 [1056-1057]." The Jerusalem text has "507," which
is the correct date.
2. Constantine X Ducas (1059-1067).
3. The commander of a them.e. From the seventh century on the
Byzantine empire was organized into themes, or milita? regi?ns. "
4. The text reads "the unfaithful." Four variants have the d1sloyal,
which makes more sense in this context.
Section 7
1. Actually it was thirty-nine years (1019-1058).
Section 8
1. The exact location of this town is unknown.
.
2. Liparit IV, High Constable of Georgia during the rei~ of~e Geo~a~
king Bagrat IV (1027-1072). This man is the same LiPatt roen~oned
on a number of previous occasions by Matthew (SeefPt 't~8. L'P:t
princes 0 the troe, 1
) One of t he most powerful Georgian
94.
.
'al Li aritid-Orbeli family, a
was a member of the famous and mfluentl . P'd d
t
branch of the distinguished.Arm~nia~Man:ll:o:~ou:a:lilieTurkish
3. Both the Armenian and Synan ~lston~nsr~n some details. The two
sack of Melitene, although varymg ~hght ~ Bar Hebraeus. prHent a
Syrian chroniclers, Michael the Syn~~ h b'tanta and the lAck of
very vivid picture of the massacre 0
e m ~ll to capture Melitene
the city. They state that th,e Turks ~e:ol~sh~d when the emperor
easily because its walls, ~avmg been e had never been restored.
tlY
Tzimisces captured the CIty, 8ubsequenh
. habitanta' wealth was
Both writers go on .to rev:lo:~er~~de d:eription of the horrible
concealed and then glVe a s
g Y ersons was lubjected. On ~he
tortures to which one of thes~ we~lthV tak~s deals very briefly WIth
other hand, the Arm.enian h1stonan 1S
310
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
the Turkish attack on Melitene. He states that the city was defended
by a garrison of Byzantine cavalry, which during the siege made a
sortie against the Turks and was defeated. The Byzantines then fled,
followed by a number ofthe inhabitants. Those remaining behind were
slaughtered, and the Turks stayed for twelve days, pillaging the city
and laying waste the surrounding countryside. Aristakes concludes,
interestingly enough, by saying that the inhabitants of Melitene
deserved the fate that they received.
Section 9
1. T'ornik was a member of the Mamikonid family.
2. Bar Hebraeus seems to give the only other account of this Armenian
victory over the Turks, albeit a short one. He says that the victory was
greatly aided by the severe winter in progress at the time.
Section 10
1. Two variants add "in like manner this omen was meant for Armenia,"
2. A measure of Hebrew origin. One k'or is equal to about thirty or forty
bushels.
Section 11
1. A measure of Roman origin (Lat. modi us). Four mod are equal to one
peck.
Section 12
1. A town south of Caesarea Mazaca, the modem Develi.
2. Literally, "good living [day]." In the Armenian church barekendan is
the day before a period of fasting.
3. The Feast of the Transfiguration, one ofthe more important feasts in
the Eastern. Orthodox calendar.
Section 14
1. The city where the Fourth Ecumenical Council was held in 451 A.D.
The Armenian church rejected the decisions ofthis Council as heretical.
cr. sec. 30 and nn.
2. Aristakes gives the place as Tar~ntay. The location of this place is
uncertain. Perhaps it is the town of Taranta, located on a tributary of
the Euphrates, west of Melitene.
3. Both Aristakes and the Armenian chronicler 5mbat Sparapet relate the
emperor's attempt to do away with the Armenian catholicate, the
former giving a rather animated and detailed account of the catholicos
Khach'ik's successful resistance to Ducas's demands. Aristakes further
adds that the Greeks demanded that the Armenian church pay them
tribute regularly, something which the catholicos absolutely refused to
do.
NOTES-PART II
311
Section 15
1. The eighth month of the pagan Armenian calendar. This calendar, like
the Julian, was divided into twelve months; however, unlike the Julian,
it was not a fixed calendar-that is, the months would fall on different
times of the year, depending on the year in question. In this year the
month of Areg fell in March. In the medieval period this pagan
Armenian calendar was used side by side with the one adopted from
Rome at the time of the christianization of Armenia. Around the year
1116 an Armenian cleric, John the Deacon, revised the calendar on a
fixed basis. Matthew does not adhere to this revised version of the
calendar.
2. Actually a man's title meaning lithe general of Khurasan" (Pers.
salar-"general").
3. The original Turkish of the names cannot be ascertained and so has
been left in the Armenian form found in the text.
4. Sa'id-ad-Daulah of the Marwanids, a Kurdish dynasty which ruled in
Amida at this time. Cf. Pt. I, sec. 58, n. 1.
Section 16
1. Cf. Psalms 44:9-11.
Section 17
1. This is the Greek surname of the Norman mercenary Hervevios (Fr.
Herve), who at this time was in the service of the Byzantines.
Previously he had distinguished himself in the Sicilian campaign under
the great Byzantine general Maniaces.
2. The original Arabic ofthis name cannot be ascertained and so has been
left in the Armenian form found in the text.
3. The Armenian lexicographer S. Malkhaseants' says this is a type of
horse. On the other hand, Dulaurier identifies it with the Turkish
word kama-"dagger."
4. Bar Hebraeus gives a very brief account of the Byzantine attack on
Aroida, merely mentioning that after a good deal of fighting, the Byzantines gave up the siege of the town and departed.
Section 20
1. Seljuk Bultan (1063-1072).
2. A region of southwest Persia, near the Persian Gulf.
3. A region of eastern Persia, bordering on India.
312
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
7. Located in the province of Gugark', near the source of the Kura River.
Section 22
1. The Jerusalem text has "Armenian."
2. 5mbat II, Bagratid king of Ani (977-989).
3. A number of sources-Armenian, Syriac, and Greek-give accounts of
the fall ofAni to the Seljuks. Aristakes' account basically agrees with
that of Matthew, although the former does not seem to be as condemnatory of the Byzantines as the latter. Aristakes says that at first the
Turks were unaware of the confusion and disunity within Ani, but
when they realized what was going on, redoubled their attacks and
finally captured the city, massacring all its inhabitants. The Armenian
historian concludes by lamenting the capture of Ani and saying that
such is the fate of cities which are built with the blood of aliens and
which disregard the poor. The Syrian chronicler Bar Hebraeus in his
account of the fall of Ani gives a description of the strength of the city
and says that it contained seven hundred thousand houses and one
thousand churches. He goes on to relate that, when the Turks
despaired of capturing the city, through divine intervention one of its
towers collapsed, after which they were able to enter and occupy Ani.
The Byzantine historian John Scylitzes gives a different reason for the
capture of Ani; he states that the Turks did not capture Ani until its
commander, an Armenian named Pagratios (Arm. Bagrat), attacked
them, after which their sultan was angered and so took the city.
Section 23
1. Gagik-Ahas II, Bagratid king of Kars (1029-1064).
2. Matthew is confused here. Gagik was the son of Abas I, king of Kars
(984-1029), who was a first cousin of 5mbat II, king of Ani (977-989).
3. The Greek name of this town is Zamanti (Tzamandos). The Armenian
historian Vardan Vardapet says that three other towns were also given
to Gagik by the Byzantines: Larissa, Amasia, and Comana. Amasia
is located northwest of Sebastia, Larissa in the vicinity of Sebastia,
while Comana and Zamanti are southeast of Caesarea Mazaca.
4. cr. Psalms 44:12 ff.
Section 25
1. The text reads "good." Six variants have "painful," which makes more
sense here.
Section 26
1. Gregory II (1066-1105).
2. Gregory was known for his translations from Greek and Syriac. Thus
he was surnamed Vkayaser-"a friend of martyrs"-for he translated,
or had translated, a goodly portion of the Greek and Syrian martyrologies.
NOTES-PART II
313
Sfction 27
. J. Not the town southeast of Amida, but the town of Nifllbin ar-Rum on
the Euphrates, west of Sewawerak.
.
. 2. Located in the vicinity of Edessa.
3. AByzantine honorary title, originally equivalent to uestitor, the tItle ~f
the official in charge of the imperial wardrobe. The name of the vestts
refen-ed to here is not known for certain.
4. His full name was Nicetas Pegonites.
5. A title of Latin origin, used in the Byzantine army in referring to a
lieutenant or one second in command.
6. Probably in the vicinity of Edessa.
1. Probably one of the Catalan mercenaries in the service of the empire.
Section 28
1. A town on one of the tributaries of the Euphrates, north-northeast of
Edessa.
2. Located north-northeast of Edessa.
3. A village between Edessa and Harran.
Section 29
1. A village in the vicinity of Edessa.
Section 30
1. The text reads "year." Six variants have "period," which makes more
sense here.
2. The patriarch of Constantinople, John VIII Xiphilin (1064~1075).
3. Christianity first entered Armenia in the first century A.D., but it was
not until the early fourth century that it began to take root in the land.
In this period the Armenian church began to maintain close contact
with the other churches of the Roman empire, adhering to the church
councils of Nicaea (325), Constantinople (381), and Ephesus (431).
However, in the middle of the fIfth century the Armenian church,
together with the Syrian and Egyptian churches, developed some
disagreements with the Roman (Western) and Byzantine churches.
The special focal point of these disagreements was the nature of Christ.
The council of Chalcedon (451) had maintained that Christ had two
natures, divine and human. The Roman and Byzantine churches
adhered to this formula. However, the Oriental churches (Armenian,
Syrian, and Egyptian) rejected the formula, maintaining that Christ
had one nature, both divine and human, united and yet unconfused.
Thus they refused to accept the decisions of Chalcedon. From this
period on attempts were made by the Byzantines to gain the adherence
of these Oriental Christians to Chalcedon and to the Byzantine church.
It turned out that, in their opposition to Chalcedon, the Oriental
churches were just as strongly motivated by cultural reasons as they
were by religious reasons. They tenaciously held to their ethnic
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
314
4.
5.
6.
7.
Section 31
1. Cf. Matthew 5:37.
2. At this point the text has become so corrupt that it is impossible to
draw any meaning from it. Here follows that section of the original
text which is untranslatable: areal i vets' t'ewits'n ew t'ewots'n
bats'anen zoch' skzbmamb ew zoch' kataradz ts'uts'anen ch'oriwk'n
dzadzkut'eann ew hays emk' hastateal ew bawakanats'eal. Bart'ikyan,
in his translation into Modern Armenian, has freely translated this
fragment as "... surrounded by six-winged [seraphim], who without
beginning or end fly round about [God with two] wings, while covering
their faces [and feet] with four [wings]. Behold, this is what we believe
and accept."
Section 32
1. Cf. Psalms 33:6.
Section 33
1. Cf. John 1:19.
2. St. John Chrysostom, one of the important theologians of the Eastern
church (c. 347407).
3. Cf. Genesis 18:1-9, where three angels appear to Abraham under the
guise of three men.
N OTES-PART II
315
4. The text reads "third." The Jerusalem text has "second," which is
correct.
Section 34
1. Five variants and the Jerusalem text add the following: "The evil
Sabellius said that the three persons are one and are differentiated
only in name; because of this we anathematize him with the rest and
indeed let him be anathema."
'
Section 35
1. Perhaps the patriarch of Constantinople, Sergius I (610-638), the great
exponent of Monothelitism.
2. The text reads "who has the name of his father." Five variants have
"who has an Armenian name," which makes more sense in this context.
3. Patriarch of Antioch (470-485/489).
4. Patriarch of Alexandria (441-451).
Section 36
1. The text reads ".... concerning the union of God with man, separate
from one another, which is not found in Holy Scripture." The translation given here is based on five variants and the Jerusalem text, which
make more sense here.
2. A Greek Church Father (c. 213-c. 270).
3. Referring to the Church Fathers, (Gr. Thaumaturgos-Wonder
Worker).
4. One of the Cappadocian Fathers (c. 330-c. 395).
6. St. Basil the Great, one of the Cappadocian Fathers (c.330-379).
6. One of the great Neoplatonist philosophers of the third century.
Section 37
1. The text reads "that which is ahistorical." One variant has "that which
is not worthy of honor," which makes more sense here.
2. The text reads "from the earth." Two variants and the Jerusalem text
have "from heaven," which makes more sense here.
Section 38
1. Cf. Luke 9:26.
2. Gregory Nazianzus (329-389), one of the Cappadocian Fathers.
Section 39
1. The text leaves this word out; six variants include it.
Section 40
1. cr. Luke 3:23.
.
1 to th
2. cr. Leviticus 23:34-36.
3. A month of the Jewish calendar, corresponding apprOXlUlRte y
e
316
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
NOTES-PART II
317
Section 51
1. Matthew's chronology is incorrect here, for the following events
occurred in late 1067 and early 1068.
2. Romanus was a member of the military aristocracy of Cappadocia.
3. Psellus, Scylitzes, Zonaras, and Glycas all give accounts of the
empress's plan to make Romanus emperor. Psellus gives a very
detailed description of Eudocia's plans and also of her consultations
with him; he respects her judgement, although he has very little liking
for Romanus. Scylitzes emphasizes the point that Romanus became
emperor only after Eudocia realized the dangerous position the empire
was in due to the ravages of the Turks; it was because of this that she
became aware of the need for a strong military man as emperor.
Section 52
1. The prophet Elijah. Cf. I Kings 17-19.
2. Cf. Matthew 3.
3. One ofthe early founders oferemitical monasticism, who lived in Egypt
(c. 261-366 AD.).
4. Actually George became Gregory's coadjutor (1067). He was removed
from this position in 1072.
6. The Amanus Mountains.
6. Two Armenian historians, Vardan Vardapet and Kirakos ofGandzak,
relate the events connected with Gregory's temporary retirement from
the patriarchal see, although differing with Matthew and with one
another on a few details. Vardan says that the catholicos went to
Constantinople to do translation work. After this, while on route to
Jerusalem, he was diverted from his goal and instead went to Egypt,
where he was greatly honored by its ruler and established an Armenian
monastery there. Kirakos gives a rather full account of Gregory's
peregrinations, stating that he traveled as far as Rome in order to
venerate the bones of Peter and Paul. He says that, while the catholicos was returning to Constantinople, the ship he was on was blown
off course and finally landed in Egypt. Here Gregory performed a
miracle, and the ruler of Egypt was so impressed by this that he
installed the catholicos on the See of St. Mark in Alexandria, making
him patriarch of all the Christians in Egypt.
Section 53
1. Romanus IV Diogenes (1068.1071).
2. Probably Normans. Cf. sec. 3, n. 5.
3. Both the Syriac and Greek sources deal with the capture of Manjib by
the emperor, giving slightly varying accounts of the event. The Syriac
sources markedly differ from Matthew in that they maintain that the
Muslim town was taken after a violent assault and the inhabitants
were slaughtered. On the other hand, the Greek sources more closely
concur with Matthew's account. Scylitzes says that soon after Manjib
318
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 55
1. The following six lines, beginning with "for an omen ..." and ending
with "... the wicked Turkish forces," comprise the only portion of this
section appearing in the Jerusalem text and Dulaurier's translation.
2. Cf. Luke 21:25.
3. Cf. Romans 3:23.
4. Cf. Romans 3:10.
5. The Muslims, more properly the Arabs, were regarded as descendants
of the Ishmaelites. Cf. sec. 41, n. 4.
Section 56
1. The Jerusalem text resumes here, as does Dularier's translation.
2. The tenth month of the pagan Armenian calendar, beginning on the
eighth day of May.
3. Matthew appears to be referring to the Bulgar king who ruled from
1015 to 1018. Cf. Pt. I, sec. 36, n. 1.
4. The Syrian chronicler Bar Hebraeus gives a rather interesting account
of Alp Arslan's siege of Edessa. He says that the Turks besieged the
city for many days and, being unable to take it, cut down its surrounding groves of trees and laid waste its gardens. Finally the townspeople
offered the sultan a Bum of fifty thousand dinars ifhe would leave. He
NOTES-PART II
319
agreed to their terms, and was then asked to first burn his war
machines as guarantee that he would not go back on his word. Alp
Arslan agreed to this also but, when he burned his war machines, the
townspeople refused to give him the stipulated money, and so he was
forced to depart. The Syrian chronicler makes a point of saying that
after this incident the inhabitants ofEdessa had nothing but contempt
for the sultan.
Section 57
1. Probably the Aegean islands, Crete, and Cyprus.
2. A region of northwestern Asia Minor.
3. The Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (361-363), who renounced his
Christian faith and eventually was killed in a battle against the
Sassanid Iranians.
4. The Greek sources refer to him as Trachoniotes or Tarchani{jtes.
5. The Arabic name of the place is az-Zahra.
6. The text reads "and also countless others." The Jerusalem tert has
"and many captives were taken," which seems to make more sense in
this context.
7. Michael VII Ducas (1071-1078).
8. His name was Andronicus.
9. Andronicus was the son of Constantine X Ducas and the brother of
Michael.
10. Caesar John Ducas, brother ofthe emperor Constantine X Ducas.
11. The various Armenian, Syriac, and Greek sources give rather lengthy
and detailed accounts of the battle of Mantskert and its aftermath.
There is a remarkable degree of concurrence among these sources, even
when the non-contemporary Arabic sources of the" battle are included.
Among the Armenian sources Aristakes and Srobat are the most
important, although 5mbat's account is an almost word by word
repetition of what Matthew says, Aristakes praises Romanus, stating
that the emperor's motives for undertaking the campaign were twofold:
first. to check the Turks who he realized were a great danger to the
empire (a fact which many of his contemporaries were not fully aware
of) and second, to maintain his reputation as a military man. However,
the Armenian historian does reserve some criticism for the emperor
when he says that Romanus became puffed up once he assembled his
tremendous army (it was for this reason that he rejected Alp Arslan's
overtures of peace); Aristakes further adds that Romanus made the
fatal mistake of dividing up his army. Continuing his narrative, he
makes a point of saying that the emperor and the Armenian contingents ofhis army fought well, in spite of the fact that God was not with
the Byzantines. After giving some details on the aftermath of
Mantskert, the Armenian historian concludes by saying that the battle
marked the beginning of the decline of the empire. Turning to the
Syriac sources, we find a different emphasis. Both Michael the Syrian
320
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
NOTES-PART II
321
Section 59
1. A cowl-like piece of cloth fitting over the head. It is the sign of a
celibate clergyman-bishop or priest.
2. A village near Kesoun.
Section 60
1. A former general of the emperor Romanus Diogenes. In this period
Philaretus had succeeded in gaining control of Cilicia, as well as the
territories surrounding the cities of Antioch, Edessa, and Melitene.
Ostensibly he ruled these areas in the name of the emperor, but in
effect was quite independent of the empire.
2, Located southeast of Melitene.
3, One variant has: "I do not wish to see the face of him who summons
me to submit to him."
4, A district in the eastern part of the province of Fourth Armenia.
5, Located north-northwest of Amida, on the Euphrates.
6, The original French of this name cannot be ascertained and so has
been left in the Armenian form found in the text. Perhaps the original
French is Raimbaud or Rimbaud. Dulaurier uses Raimbaud in his
translation. Bart'ikyan suggests that the name might refer to Roussel
de Bailleul, the Norman mercenary in the pay of the Byzantines.
Section 61
1. The original Arabic ofthis name cannot be ascertained and so has been
left. in the Armenian form found in the text. Perhaps the original
Arabic is JAmr Bahr.
2, The monastery of St. John the Baptist in Taron.
Section 62
1. The catholicos Peter I (1019-1058).
2. Actually Gregory did not give up the catholicate. Sargis occupied the
see as co-catholicos in Roni for two years (1076-1077), after which he
died.
3, Probably located around the upper reaches of the Pyramus River (Ar.
Jai!uin), near Marash.
4. Barsegh I (1105-1113).
Section 63
1. The Fatimid caliph al-Mustan~ir (1036-1094).
2, Gregory III (1113-1166). Actually Gregory II willed that his nephew
Gregory succeed Barsegh as catholicos.
Section 64
1. Actually it was seven years (1071-1078).
2. Six variants have "went into a monastery to become a monk." The text
322
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 65
1. In fact, Botaneiates began his reign in 1078.
2. Nicephorus III Botaneiates (1078-1081).
3. Actually she was the sister of the Georgian king. She was known as
Mary ofAlania. Alania (Ossetia) is a region in the north Caucasus and
should not be confused with Albania (northwestern Azerbaijan).
4. George II (1072-1089).
Section 66
1. The text reads "blacksmiths." Two variants have "spearmen."
2. The text reads "all the perfidious Romans together with the black
smiths." One variant has "all the perfidious and apostate Romans,"
which makes more sense here.
Section 67
1. A Greek title meaning "overseer". The name of the epeiktes referred to
here is not known.
2. Located south of Aleppo.
Section 68
1. In fact Botaneiates occupied the imperial throne for three yearB.
Section 69
1. Melissenus was not in fact installed as emperor. Actually he was
merely a usurper. In reality Alexius succeeded Botaneiates on the
imperial throne in 1081.
Section 70
1. In this period there were a number of co-catholicoi and anti-patriarchs,
two of which were Sargis and Theodore.
NOTES-PART II
323
Section 72
1. Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118).
Section 73
1. The Oriental Christians, in particular the Armenians and Syrians.
2. Cf. Exodus 14:21-31.
3. Cf. Exodus 16:13.
4. Cf. Matthew 3:10,7:19 and Luke 3:9.
Section 74
1. Matthew's genealogy of Gagik is not wholly correct. See Pt. I, sec. 74,
n.1.
2. The Byzantine governor of Tarsus.
3. Four variants and the Jerusalem text have Arzhias.
4. Three variants and the Jerusalem text have Kizistra. Kizistra is
located southwest of Caesarea Mazaca.
5. This is the Armenian form of the Greek Pantaleon.
6. St. Nerses 1(353-373).
7. Both Vardan and Kirakos give accounts of Gagik's death, although
differing in details from one another and from Matthew. Vardan says
that Ablgharib put the youngest son of Gagik in prison. Gagik went to
free him, but on route was choked by some Greeks. After this incident
Ablgharib poisoned Gagik's Bon. According to Kirakos, the Armenian
. king had gone on a hunt and was resting with only a boy attending
him. He fell asleep, and Boon some Greeks found him and took him to
their fortress. When Gagik awoke, surprised, he asked where he was.
The Greeks, in turn, asked him where the metropolitan Mark was.
After this they took the Armenian king and threw him down from the
ramparts of the fortress.
Section 75
1. Gurgen II-Kvirike (1046/8-1081/9).
2. Located due east of the city of Lori.
3. Actually Barsegh was made coadjutor at this time and became full
catholicos only in 1105, when Gregory II (1066-1105) died.
4. One of the twelve apostles; according to tradition he began the
chrlstianization of Armenian and Albania in the first century AD.
5. Two variants add: "where, since past times, a catholicos had not
occupied the see of St. Gregory."
Section 76
1. The exact location of this place is unknown.
2. The original Arabic ofthis name cannot be ascertained and so has been
left in the Armenian form found in the text.
3. This emir was of the 'Uqailid dynasty, an Arab dynasty centered at
Mosul (990-1096).
324
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 77
1. Literally, "the belted-one."
2. One variant has Arjk' t'uynk' (literally, "poisonous bears").
3. Bar Hebraeus very briefly mentions the taking ofEdessa by Philaretus,
but states that the city was captured from the Turks.
Section 78
1. Seljuk sultan of Rum (1077-1086), considered the founder of the state.
2. A word of uncertain origin. Dulaurier believes it refers to the Antiochenes.
3. Bar Hebraeus, the Arabic historian Ibn-al-Athir, and the Byzantine
lady of letters Anna Comnena give accounts of Sulaiman's capture of
Antioch, although differing in their details. Bar Hebraeus puts
emphasis on Philaretus's unjust treatment of the Antiochenes as an
important factor in Sulaiman's takeover of the city, while Ibn-al-Athir
attributes Antioch's fall to the departure of its Greek commander to
Asia Minor, which in turn prompted the inhabitants to call in Sulai
man. On the other hand, Anna says that Philaretus decided to go over
to the Turks and become a Muslim in order to maintain his hold on
Antioch; his son, after a futile attempt to dissuade his father from such
a course, went to Sulaiman and invited him to take the city.
Section 79
1. In the Eastern church, the Sunday immediately preceding the
beginning of Great Lent (Monday). Cf. sec. 12, n. 2.
2. A type of small fish (from Gr. tarixos-meat or fish preserved by
salting, pickling, or smoking).
3. Literally "ofthe blackfoot."
Section 80
1. A monastery due east of the city of Lori.
Section 81
1. According to Dulaurier, this town is located northeast of Aleppo.
2. Bar Hebraeus very briefly mentions Sharaf-ad-Daulah's defeat and
death at the hands of Sulaiman, while Ibn-al-Athir gives a rather
detailed account of the whole episode. The Arab historian says that
Sharaf asked Sulaiman to give him tribute for the city of Antioch, as
the Greeks before him had done. Sulaiman refused on the basis that
his sovereign was the Seljuk sultan Malik-Shah and that he was not
an infidel. Then, when this emir of Antioch invaded and pillaged
Sharafs territories, the latter marched against him. In the ensuing
battle Sharaf was deserted by his troops and killed while trying to save
himself. Ibn-al-Athir ends by praising Sharaf as a just and benevolent
ruler.
NOTES-PART II
325
Section 82
1. Four. variant~ and the Jerusalem text have Poltachi. The original
Turkish of thls name cannot be ascertained and so has been left in the
Armenian form found in the text.
Section 83
1. Th~ text reads "according to the will of God or individual merit." Four
vanants and the Jerusalem text have "according to the will of God or
individual merit or even free elections."
2. Sahak I, Armenian catholicos (378-439).
3. Mod. Derbent, a city in the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist
Republic, located in the eastern Caucasus region, on the Caspian Sea.
4. A people of Iranian origin, today inhabiting the central Caucasus
region on either side of the Caucasus Mountains.
Section 84
1. Brother of the Seljuk sultan Malik-Shah.
2. Bar Hebraeus, Ibn-al-Athir, and Anna Comnena give accounts of the
defeat and death of Sulaiman at the hands of Tutush. Bar Hebraeus
refers to Tutush as ~rtak Bdg (Artuk Beg). Ibn-al-Athir says that
when Sulaiman was besieging Aleppo, the townspeople told him they
would give him the city when he settled his account with Tutush.
However, in the end Tutush defeated and killed Sulaiman and then
took Aleppo for himself. Anna Comnena gives a different version of
this episode. She says that, when Tutush saw Sulaiman's arrogance
and that emir's takeover of Antioch, he marched against him.
Sulaiman's troops were defeated and the emir fled. When Tutush's
troops caught up with him, they asked that he return with them.
Sulaiman refused and then killed himself.
3. The Fatimid caliph alMustan~ir (1036-1094).
4. The term literally means "Commander of the Armies," the title for the
chief minister of the Fatimid caliphs. The chief minister at this time
was Badr al.Jamall (1074-1094).
Section 85
1. Which Theodore Matthew is referring to here cannot be ascertained.
2. Bar HebraeuB, Michael the Syrian, and Vardan basically corrobor~te
Matthew's account, all three either directly or indirectly bemoanmg
Philaretus's action in becoming a Muslim. Bar Hebraeus goes so far as
to say that Philaretus was never more than a nominal Christian.
Section 86
.
.
h
1. The port of Antioch, located where the Orontes RIver flows mto t e
Mediterranean (Ar. as-Suwaidiyah).
2. Caspian Sea.
326
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 88
1. Vardan, like Matthew, maintains that Buzan captured Edessa, while
Ibn-al-AthIr says that Malik-Shah took the city and then gave it as a
fief to Buzan. Bar Hebraeus also maintains that it was Malik-Shah
rather than Buzan who took Edessa, although the sultan later gave the
city to his lieutenant.
2. The first month of the pagan Armenian calendar.
3. Pers. salar-"general."
4. Four variants and the Jerusalem text have Khsulukh. The original
Turkish of this name cannot be ascertained and so has been left in the
Armenian form found in the text.
Section 89
1. The text reads "the sultan," but most probably Buzan is the person
referred to here. See below.
Section 90
1. Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118).
2. Matthew uses the term Hromayets'ik' Giterally, "Romans") here to refer
to the Latins of the West, also referred to as "the Westerners."
3. Both Vardan and Anna Comnena give accounts of the Pecheneg
invasion of the empire. Vardan, in his account, gives the exact same
details as Matthew, although in a more condensed form. Also this
Armenian historian, like his Edessene counterpart, talks of only one
Pecheneg attack. On the other hand, Anna gives a very detailed
account of the Pecheneg campaigns against the empire between the
years 1087 and 1091, although making no mention of the specific
attack against Constantinople ofsix hundred thousand Pecheneg troops
together with their chariots, which both Matthew and Vardan recount,
Section 91
1. Vardan fully corroborates Matthew's account of the beliefs and actions
of this heretical Byzantine monk. Anna Comnena also speaks of a
heretic that was in Constantinople at this time, although differing in
details from both Matthew and Vardan. In fact the differences in
detail are so great that we cannot be sure that the Byzantine writer is
speaking of the same heretic which the two Armenian historians
mention. Anna relates that a certain Nilos came to Constantinople.
This man rejected Hellenic culture and reason and was able to win over
a goodly number of eminent and distinguished people in the imperial
city, including many Armenians. He maintained that the humanity of
Christ was ultimately deified-in other words, that Christ in the end
became full God rather than remaining the God-man. Nilos was finally
condemned at a synod together with one ofhis supporters, a man called
Blachernites. From the descriptions given by Matthew, Vardan, and
Anna Comnena, it is probable that this heresy is Bogomilism, a belief
NOTES-PART II
327
that God is the father of two sons, the rebellious Satan and the
obedient Jesus.
Section 92
1, Co-emperor of the Roman empire (364-378).
2. A former bishop of Maiyafariqin (ane. Martyropolis).
3. Yazdgard II, Sassanid ruler (438-457).
4. One variant has Hohan.
5. Nanan and the Chaldean king cannot be identified. Bart'ikyan
translates "Chaldean" as "Jewish." Perhaps the reference is to Jonah's
mission to the people of Nineveh and their ruler (cf. Jonah 1-3).
Section 95
1. That is, the inhabitants ofEdessa. Abgar was purported to have been
the ruler of Edessa at the time of Christ.
Section 96
1. Anna Comnena speaks of Buzan's attempt to take Nicaea from another
Seljuk commander, but makes no mention of his decision to capture
Constantinople.
Section 97
1. Both Vardan and Kirakos corroborate Matthew's account of MalikShah's death. However, Ibn-al-Athir gives a quite different account of
the Seljuk sultan's demise. He says that during a hunt Malik-Shah
gorged himself with an animal he had hunted and then, developing a
high fever, died.
Section 98
1. He succeeded his father as SeJjuk sultan (1092-1105).
2. Arslan-Argun, son of Alp Arslan and brother of Malik-Shah.
3. There seems to be a misprint here. The text should read Tap'ar. In
the Arab sources he is known as Muhammad.
4. Located northeast of Samarkand, ~ear the upper reaches of the
J axartes River (mod. Syr Darya).
5. A city south-southwest of Kabul, the capital of modem Afghanistan.
Section 99
1. Anti-patriarch (1086-1087). See section 83, above.
2. One variant has "the vardapet James K'arabnetsi."
Section 100
1. Gregory Nazianzus (329.389).
2. A famous monastery in the district of Arsharunik' (located in the
western part of the province ofAyrarat).
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
328
Section 101
Section 102
1. Matthew is probably referring here to Mesopotamia.
2. Na~Ir-ad-Daulah Ibrahim, 'Uqailid ruler of Mosul.
3. Ibn-al-Atmr says that after Tutush had captured and pillaged Nisibis,
he wrote a letter to IbrahIm to allow him to pass on to Baghdad and
to put his name in the khutbah (address delivered by the religious
leader, in which intercessory prayer is offered on behalf of the ruling
head of the state). When this request was not granted, Tutush
marched against Ibrahim and defeated and killed him.
4. Ibn-al-Atmr gives the following reason why Aksungur and Buzan went
over to the side of Berkyaruk. When the two armies met, Aksungur
told Buzan that up to now they had fought on Tutush's side in order to
bring about peace, but peace was not forthcoming. So the two emirs
decided to join Berkyaruk, hoping by that to end the conflict over the
succession of Malik-Shah.
Section 103
1. Vardan, like Matthew, praises Isma'll for his benevolent stance
towards the Armenians.
2. The exact location of this place is unknown.
3. The text reads "the three men going forth from the camp." The
Jerusalem text has "going forth from the camp accompanied by three
men," which seems to make more sense in this context.
4. Ibn-alAthIr gives a different account of Isma'1l's death. The Arab
historian says that one day Isma'il was with Aksungur and Buzan and
told them that he intended to kill Berkyaruk and take over the state.
When Aksungur and Buzan heard this, they fell upon Isma'il and
killed him, thus saving Berkyaruk.
Section 104
1. Ibn-al-AthIr gives a more detailed account of Tutush's encounter with
Aksungur and Buzan. The Arab historian says that Aksungur and
Buzan united their troops against Tutush and were joined by Kerbogha, the future emir of Mosul. When they met Tutush's army, part
of Aksungur's troops deserted and the rest followed suit. Aksungur
was made prisoner. When Tutush asked him what he would have done
ifhe had taken him (Tutush) prisoner, Aksungur replied that he would
have killed him. Hearing this, Tutush told Aksungur that he now
would kill him and did just that. After this Tutush marched to Aleppo
and defeated Buzan and Kerbogha, taking them prisoner. Then he
N OTES-PART II
2.
3.
4.
5.
329
a~~acked Harran and Edessa, and when the inhabitants of these two
cItIes refused to surrender, he cut off Buzan's head and sent it to them;
they then surrendered. The Arab historian concludes by saying that
Aksu~gur was a great man and a benefactor of his people (the
Aleppmes). a man who died defending his family and his sovereign
(Berkyaruk). One of Ibn-al-Athir's compatriots. the historian Abu-lFeda, recounts the same episode, although in a shorter and more
condensed form.
T'oros. a former official of the empire was of the Byzantine Orthodox
faith.
'
Two variants and the Jerusalem text have Zorinak. The exact location
of this place is unknown.
The text reads "for the citadel was situated outside the city." Four
variants and the Jerusalem text have "for the citadel was in the hands
of the Persians," which makes more sense here.
This citadel was named after the great Byzantine general Maniaces,
who captured Edessa in 1032 from the Muslims.
Section 105
1. Sokman. Artukid ruler in Diyar-Bakr (Amida) (1101-1104).
Section 106
1. This incident is also related by Vardan with basically the same details.
On the other hand, Michael the Syrian states that it was Gabriel. the
Armenian commander ofMelitene, who poisoned al-Faraj. AI-Faraj had
come to Melitene; and Gabriel, first having outwitted him, took him to
Edessa and there poisoned him.
Section 108
1. The Seljuks of Anatolia (Rum) in contrast to the Seljuks of the East
(Iran).
2. Kilij Arslan I. SeJjuk sultan of Rum (1092.1107).
3. An Armenian of the Byzantine Orthodox faith.
4. Vardan Bar Hebraeus and Michael the Syrian give accounts of the
Seljuk ~ttack on Melit~ne. Vardan basically agrees with Matthew in
the details while the two Syrian chroniclers have their own versions.
Bar Hebra~us says that Kilij Arslan sent envoys to Gabriel, telling this
"accursed Greek" (Greek in faith) that if he surrendered he (Kilij)
would have mercy on him, otherwise he would be destroyed. ~t that
point a religious man standing nearby told the envoys that the CIty was
strong and God was with it. After the departure of the envoys, for
some reason Gabriel became angry and killed the religious man. In the
end, when Kilij learned of the arrival of the Franks, h~ departed.. O?
the other hand Michael the Syrian makes no mention of Gabnel s
encounter with'the envoys or of the killing of the religious man, but
simply states that when Kilij learned of the coming of the Franks, he
330
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
abandoned the siege of the city and departed. However, the Syrian
chronicler does add that Gabriel mistreated the poor to a greater extent
than did the Turks. It is quite evident that both Bar Hebraeus and
Michael had very little liking for Gabriel, perhaps because he was of
the Byzantine Orthodox faith rather than the Oriental Orthodox faith.
Interestingly enough, Matthew seems not to have had this bias against
Gabriel.
Section 109
1. The text reads Hromayets'ik'. See sec. 90, n. 2.
2. Cf. Daniel 7:7.
Section 110
1. The text reads Hromayets'ik'. See sec. 90, n. 2.
2. Cf. Psalms 44:23.
3. Cf. Isaiah 42:13.
4. Godfrey of Bouillon.
5. It was believed that Godfrey was descended from Charlemagne.
6. Baldwin (of Boulogne) I, later count of Edessa (1098-1100) and king of
Jerusalem (1100-1118).
7. Roman emperor (69-79 A.D.).
8. Bohemond (of Taranto) I, later prince of Antioch (1099-1111).
9. Later regent of Antioch (1104-1112).
10. Raymond of Saint Gilles, count of Toulouse.
11. Baldwin (of Le Bourg) II, relative of Baldwin I; later count of Edessa
(1100-1118) and king of Jerusalem (11181131).
12. Joscelin (of Courtnay) I, first cousin of Baldwin II; later count of
Edessa (11181131).
13. The text reads Hromayets'wots' - "ofthe Latins <Westerners)." Cf. sec.
90, n. 2.
Section 111
1. Actually the Bosphorus.
2. At this time Nicaea was in the hands of the Turks and was the capital
of the Seljuk sultan Kilij Arslan.
3. Vardan, KirakoB, Ibn-al-Athir, Anna Comnena, and the Latin
historian, William of Tyre, tell of the coming of the Fr~s, that is of
the First Crusade. Vardan and Ibn-al-Athir give very short accounts
of the event, while the other writers go into some detail. Kirakos is
very critical of Alexius and the Greeks, saying that the Franks were
harassed by them and even tricked by them. The Armenian historian
goes so far as to state that the Greek emperor actually helped the
Muslims and so was not a Christian, and concludes that many Franks
died because of }lim. Anna gives a very detailed account of the arrival
of the Franks in Constantinople and their relations with Alexius, and
shows very little sympathy for these interlopers from the West.
NOTES-PART II
331
William of Tyre also gives a very full and detailed account of the
relations between the emperor and the Franks. However, he sees
things from the Latin point of view. He has no trust for the "wretched"
Greeks and their "weak" empire, stating that the situation deteriorated
when Greek emperors replaced the Latin rulers of the empire.
Section 112
1. This second major encounter with Kilij Arslan was the famous battle
of Dorylaeum.
2. Ibn-al-AthIr, Anna Comnena, and William of Tyre relate the capture
of Nicaea and the encounter with Kilij Arslan. Interestingly enough,
Anna states that Alexius decided not to accompany the Franks on their
march through Anatolia for a variety of reasons: the Franks could not
compare to his "Roman" troops, they were fickle, and they would sell
their own families for their personal gain.
Section 113
1. Constantine I (1095-1099), Rubenid prince of Cilician Armenia.
2. According to Dulaurier, a fortress in the Taurus Mountains in northern
Cilicia.
3. According to Dulaurier, the southern portion of the district of Jahan.
4. The margin of the text has "the Frankish forces consisted of one
hundred thousand infantry and one hundred thousand horsemen."
Section 114
1. Dukak, son of Tutush, was Seljuk ruler of Damascus (1095-1104).
2. Actually Tughtigin was Dukak's regent.
3. Both Bazuni and Dahin were brothers belonging to the Hetumids, a
rival family of the Rubenids.
Section 117
1. Michael the Syrian and the Latin historians, William of Tyre, Fulcher
of Chartres, and Albert of Aix, relate the coming of Baldwin to Edessa
and his warm reception by the inhabitants of the city. Michael says
that T'oros sent to Godfrey and promised him the city; Godfrey, in turn,
sent his brother Baldwin, who then took over the rule of the city.
William states that the governor of Edessa was weak and old, and so
the people of the city with his concurrence sent for Baldwin. Both
Fulcher and Albert corroborate William on this.
2. Not the Rubenid Constantine.
Section 118
1. Where Gabriel ruled. Toros's wife was Gabriel's daughter.
2. A monastery in the district of Gelark'unik' (located on the southwestern
corner of Lake Sevan, in the province of Siwnik').
3. The Tuesday of the sixth week of Lent.
332
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
NOTES-PART II
333
Section 124
1. Cf. Numbers 14:39-45.
2. A town northeast of Tripoli, near the Mediterranean coast.
3. The al-Aq~~ mosque.
4. Both the oriental and occidental sources emphasize the severe
massacre of the inhabitants of Jerusalem by the Franks after the
capture of the city. Bar Hebraeus, Ibn-al-Athlr, and Abu'l-Feda state
that seventy thousand Muslims were killed in the al-Aq~a mosque
alone.
Section 125
1. Matthew is not referring here to the Scythia of the steppes of southern
Russia, but to the Scythiaca regio, the desert southwest ofAlexandria.
Nubia is located south of this area.
2. This was the Fatimid army coming up from Egypt.
3 . Near Ascalon.
4. Actually the Fatimid caliph was not present; his vizir al-Afdal was in
charge.
Section 126
1. Located in the western portion of the province of Ayrarat.
Section 128
1. Vahka was Constantine's residence.
2. Located in the vicinity ofVahka.
Section 130
1. Cf. Isaiah 36: 18-20.
Section 132
1. The Latin sources do not agree with Matthew's account of Godfrey's
death. They maintain that the duke's death was caused by a violent
disease. On the other hand, both Ibn-al-Athir and Ibn-al-QalanisI say
that Godfrey was killed by an enemy arrow while conducting the siege
of Acre.
Section 133
1. The official title for the governor of Cilicia, ruling in the name of the
Byzantine emperor.
Section 134
1. Malik-GazI, Danishmendid ruler (1097-1105).
2. The text reads "quite prepared." Three variants and the Jerusalem
text have "quite unprepared," which makes more sense here.
3. Both the oriental and occidental sources corroborate Matthew's account
334
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Part III
Section 1
1. cr. I Corinthians 14:30.
2. Nicholas III Kyrdiniates Grammaticus (10841111).
3. John IV or V (1091-1100).
4. Symeon II (1092-1099).
5. John IV (1062-1100).
6. Athanasius VII (1090-1129). Interestingly enough, Matthew gives the
names of the Byzantine Orthodox patriarchs ofAntioch and Alexandria
rather than the names of his coreligionists, the Oriental Orthodox
patriarchs of these sees.
7. This chronology is based on the Byzantine era.
Section 2
1. It should be "thirty-six," for Matthew here has reached the year 550
and his chronicle ends in 585.
2. Matthew here is referring to the silkworm.
Section 3
1. The Jerusalem text has "twentyseven."
2. See sec. 2, n. 1.
3. cr. Deuteronomy 32:7.
Section 4
1. Tancred was regent of Antioch from 1101 to 1103 and 1104 to 1112.
2. According to Dulaurier, Sarvantikar, a fortress on the Pyramus River,
located southeast of Anazarba.
3. The text reads "city."
4. Matthew, as well as the Latin sources, are unjustified in condemning
Alenus and the Byzantines for having purposely led the Crusaders
through desolate and dangerous regions. Actually, as is attested by
Anna Comnena, the emperor advised the Crusaders to follow the old
route southwest to Antioch, but they insisted on taking the more
dangerous northern route across Asia Minor. Albert ofAix goes so far
as to say that Raymond of Toulouse (Saint Gilles) was bribed by
Turkish gifts, in order to lead the Crusaders through desolate regions.
Section 5
1. William IX, duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitou.
336
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 6
1. According to Dulaurier, this place is located in the vicinity of the town
of Heraclea (located northwest of Tarsus).
2. Vardan, William ofTyre, and Albert of Aix give accounts of the count
ofPoitou's arrival in Constantinople and the ultimate destruction ofhis
army by the Turks in Asia Minor. Vardan basically corroborates
Matthew's account, telling of the Crusader leader's arrogance and
Alexius's perfidiousness. William states that, when the count ofPoitou
arrived in Constantinople, he was well received by the emperor. "But,
following the timehonored custom of the Greek race, he [Alexiua)
envied the success ofthe Christians and meant to do them harm." The
Latin historian goes on to say that the emperor sent envoys to the
Turks, begging them to destroy the Westerners and thus prepared the
way for their destruction. On the other hand, Albert says that the
count was deceived and betrayed by Alexius's Turcopoles (the Turkish
cavalry in the Byzantine army).
Section 7
1. Perhaps a corruption of the Old French sans aveir (sans avoir)-" one
not having [land]."
2. Located in the Lebanon Mountains, north-northwest of Damascus.
Section 8
1. The text reads "changed them to five." Four variants and the Jerusalem text have "changed the six to five."
Section 10
1. The text reads ''To those who truly love and profess the Holy Trinity."
Three variants and the Jerusalem text have "To those who truly love
Christ and profess the Holy Trinity."
2. Cf. Philemon, verses 4 and 5.
3. Cf. Luke 12:11-12.
4. Cf. I Corinthians 15:30-32.
Section 12
1. AI-Afdal, Fatimid vizir (1094-1121), and Tughtigin, Turkish atabeg of
Damascus (1104-1128).
2. The text reads "to his city of Acre." Two variants have "to his royal
city," which makes more sense here.
N OTES-PART III
337
Section 13
1. In contrast to Great Thursday (Maundy Thursday) before Easter
Sunday, this is the Thursday in February commemorating the battle
ofAvarayr in 451 AD. between the Armenians and the Persians, where
the Armenian commander Vardan Mamikonian led his troops in
defense of the Christian faith.
Section 14
1. The ruler of Kesoun and Raban.
2. Both the oriental and occidental sources relate the episode of Bohemond's ransom, although with varying details. Vardan corroborates
Matthew's account. On the other hand, Bar Hebraeus and Michael the
Syrian merely say that Danishmend brought Bohemond to Melitene
and sold him for one hundred thousand dinars. William of Tyre states
that Bohemond was released after four years, but makes no mention
of the fact that Tancred contributed nothing to the ransom money
(unlike Fulcher of Chartres and Albert of Aix, who make a point of
emphasizing Tancred's refusal to contribute). Fulcher says that the
people of Antioch, Baldwin of Edessa, and the Latin patriarch of the
city wished to ransom Bohemond; finally they were able to ransom him
for five hundred thousand gold pieces. Of all the sources, Albert gives
the fullest account. He says that Bohemond offered Danishmend an
alliance against Kilij Arslan in return for his freedom. The emir
agreed, and the Latin patriarch of Antioch, Kogh Vasil, and Baldwin
of Edessa raised the money for the ransom. After this the Seljuk
sultan sent letters to Danishmend, condemning him for allowing
Bohemond to be ransomed.
Section 15
1. One of the lieutenants of ll-Ghazi, son of Artuk, later Artukid ruler of
Mardin (1107-1122).
Section 18
1. The Turkish governor of Mosu!.
2. Both the oriental and occidental sources give accounts of the Frankish
debacle near Harran. Ibn-alAthir gives a particularly detailed
338
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
NOTES-PART
III
339
Section 29
1. Actually Bertram was Saint Gilles's son. He later became count of
Tripoli (1109-1112).
2. The Arab historians, Ibn-al-Athir and Abu'l-Feda, give accounts of the
circumstances under which Saint Gilles died. Both say that the
Frankish count was killed when the ruler of Tripoli made a sortie and
set fIre to the fortress he had built; at that time the count was on a
roof which collapsed because of the fire. On the other hand, William
of Tyre, although he mentions the death of Saint Gilles, gives no
specifics as to how the count died.
Section 30
1. The text reads Aplast'al, obviously a misspelling or misprint.
Section 32
1. The feast kept on February 2nd in commemoration of the Virgin Mary's
purification in the Temple, recorded in Luke 2:21-39. Why Matthew
puts the date of the Purification on the 13th is incomprehensible,
unless he is using a differed chronology.
Section 33
1. Actually Tancred attacked Ridvan of Aleppo and defeated him.
Section 34
1. Chavli Saqaveh, one of the Seljuk sultan's commanders, later governor
of Mosul.
2. The Syriac and Arabic sources give accounts ofCh6kiirmish's defeat by
Chavli, although varying in details. Bar Hebraeus says that when
Chokl1rmish rebelled against the Seljuk sultan, he sent Chavli to deal
with him. Chokl1rmish was defeated and later died in a pit in which
Chavli had placed him. Michael the Syrian basically corroborates Bar
Hebraeus, although giving a less detailed account. On the other hand,
the Arab chronicler of Damascus Ibn-al-Qalanisi says that the Seljuk
sultan sent Chavli to help the Muslims ofSyria against the Franks and
asked ChOkiirmish to aid him in this undertaking. Ch6kl1rmish
dallied, and so Chavli marched against him and defeated and killed
him. Both Ibn-al-Athir and Abu'l-Feda, without going into much
detail, state that ChtikUrmish was attacked and killed by Chavli.
Section 36
1. Both Bar Hebraeus and Michael the Syrian concur in giving a very
interesting account of the circumstances under with Kilij died, the
former being more detailed that the latter. Kilij was defeated by
Chavli; yet he performed a very brave act by going into the enemy
camp and smiting the hand of the standard bearer as well as Chavli
himself. When Chavli and his ally, Ridvan ofAleppo, saw this bravery,
340
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
they stirred up their men and caused Kilij's troops to flee. Kilij, left
alone, drowned while attempting to cross a river on his horse which
was weighed down by his armor.
Section 37
1. T'oros I, Rubenid ruler of Cilician Armenia (1100-1129).
2. Actually Toros was the son of Constantine and grandson of ~uben.
3. A village near Marash.
Section 38
1. According to Dulaurier located not too far from ~Ii~n-Man~ur.
2. Two variants and the Jerusalem text have "uncle."
3. Literally "boy."
4. Two variants and the Jerusalem text have Tigran.
Section 39
1. Both the oriental and occidental sources give accounts of Baldwin's
ransom, some in more detail than others. Generally speaking, the
oriental sources-both Syriac and Arabic-emphasize the freeing of
Baldwin on condition that he not only pay a sum of money, but also
that he aid Chavli against the emir's enemies. On the other hand, the
Latin sources merely emphasize the ransom money. Michael the
Syrian gives a very interesting version of Baldwin's ransom. He says
that the count's ransom was fixed at seventy thousand dinars. Joscelin
obtained thirty thousand and gave himself as hostage to Chavli for the
remaining amount. When Joscelin came into Chavli's presence, the
emir was so impressed with the Frank's demeanor and actions that he
progressively lowered the remaining amount of the ransom, until there
was nothing left to be paid.
Section 40
1. That is, bishop. Cf. Pt. II, sec. 136, n. 1.
Section 42
1. A port located at the head of the Persian Gulf.
Section 44
1. Actually it was seven years.
2. Actually Bertram was his son.
Section 45
1. Sharaf-ad-Din Maudud, Seljuk general and successor to Chavli as
governor of Mosul (1108-1113).
2. Not Sulaiman, but probably Sokman-al-Qutbr, Turkoman ruler of
Khlat' (1100-1110). Dulaurier believes that Matthew here is referring
to Muhammad, Seljuk sultan (1105-1118). Cf. sec. 23 and n. 1.
NOTES-PART III
341
Section 46
1. Located northwest of Harran.
Section 47
1. Both the oriental and occidental sources give accounts of the Frankish
retreat from Edessa and the massacre of the Christians by the Turks.
However, none of the sources gives any clear reason as to why the
Franks retreated in the flTst place.
Section 48
1. Ntir ad-Daulah Balik, former ruler of SaIiij, who later captured Aleppo
from Sokman.
Section 50
1. Lake Van.
Section 51
1. This place (Ar. Tell Gauran) is located east-northeast of Edessa.
2. According to Dulaurier this town is located southeast of Bira.
3. According to Dulaurier, located southeast of Edessa.
4. Kurdish chief at Maragha, a town near the southeastern corner ofLake
Urmia.
5. Governor of Hamadan, a city in Persia northeast of Baghdad.
6. Three variants and the Jerusalem text have "with many battle
assaults."
Section 54
1. The third month of the pagan Armenian calendar.
2. A village in the vicinity of Edessa.
Section 55
1. According to Dulaurier, the 15th of June.
2. According to Dulaurier, this town (he calls it Thelmouzen) is located in
the vicinity of Sarilj.
Section 56
1. The Armenian literally reads "covered" (tsatsk'), hence "covered" or
"fortified."
Section 57
1. The Jerusalem text has "was established anew."
2. One of the important dynastic houses of medieval Armenia.
Section 58
1. The Jerusalem text has: "the most faithful believer Tancred was
poisoned, and so the count of Antioch died."
342
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 62
1. Matthew is confused here. The count of Tripoli at this time was Pons
(1112-1137), the grandson of Saint Gilles. Actually Bertram, who was
the count of Tripoli (1109-1112), was the son of Saint Gilles.
2. Both the oriental and occidental sources recount this encounter
between the Franks and Muslims, although with varying details.
Interestingly enough, William of Tyre, unlike Matthew, gives no
indication of the king of Jerusalem being prideful and thus going into
battle before the arrival ofthe troops ofAntioch and Tripoli; rather, the
Latin historian gives as a reason for the king's action his impetuous
nature.
Section 63
1. Zahlr-ad-Din Tughtigin, Turkish atabeg of Damascus (1104-1128),
2. Perhaps a specific column in the portico. Dulaurier translates this as
"a red column," although the text used here has a definite article.
3. None ofthe historians, oriental or occidental, is as specific as Matthew
in relating the motivation behind Maudud's assassination. Bar
Hebraeus says that there are two schools of thought as to who actually
caused the emir's death; some say it was Ridvan ofAleppo who sent an
"Assassin" (a member of the extreme Isma'i:lite sect, the Assassins-Ar.
lIashfshim) to Damascus, while others say it was Tughtigin himself
who, fearing he might lose possession of his city to Maudud, bribed
someone to kill the emir. Both Abu'l-Feda and Ibn-al-AthIr also state
that there are two schools of thought on the subject; some say that
Batinites (an Isma'ilite sect) feared Maudud and so killed him, while
others maintain that Tughtigin feared the emir's influence and so had
a murderer kill him. William of Tyre merely states that the emir of
Damascus was blamed for Maudud's death. On the other hand, Ibn-alQaliinisi, after giving a very detailed account of the assassination, says
that Tughtigin was very sorry over the incident and did his best to help
Maudiid, going so far as to bring in a physician to save the emir's life.
Interestingly enough, both Abu'l-Feda and Ibn-alAthir relate that,
when Maudud fell under the assassin's knife, he was immediately
taken to Tughtigin's home where he was urged to take something for
his wound; however, he refused since he was fasting, even though his
followers insisted.
Section 64
1. Vardan gives an account of the catholicos's death, although varying in
the details. He says that the accident took place in the Monastery of
Karmir Vank'. While the catholicos was inspecting a house in the
NOTES-PART III
343
process of being built, a beam fell out of the hands of some workmen
and hit him, fatally wounding him.
2. According to Dulaurier, located somewhere between Sis and Marash.
Section 65
1. The catholicos Gregory III (1113-1166).
Section 66
1. Aksungur al-Bursuki, Seljuk governor of Mosul (1113-1114 and 11241126).
2. Mas'ud, later Seljuk sultan (1134-1150).
3. Artukid ruler of Mardin (1107-1122).
4. Nur-ad-Daulah Balik, nephew of Il-Gha.zl and later Artukid ruler of
Aleppo (1123-1123).
6. The text reads "Sulaiman's son." One variant and the Jerusalem text
have "the sultan's son," which makes more sense here.
6. Both Bar Hebraeu8 and Ibn-al-Atmr relate the arrival of al-Bursuki
in upper Mesopotamia and his campaigns in the area. The Arab
historian's account gives fuller details than does Matthew's, at the
same time differing with some of the Armenian chronicler's facts. Ibnal-Athir says that al-Bursuki was made emir of Mosul and sent by the
Seljuk sultan to fight the Franks. This emir forced Il-Ghazi to
contribute troops to his campaign. Il-Ghazl would not join him, but
sent his son Ayaz in his stead. After al-Bursuki's unsuccessful attack
on Edessa, the emir took Ayaz into his custody in order to punish his
father for not being present during the campaign against Edessa.
Moreover, he devastated Il-Ghazl's territories. When IlGhazl leamed
of this, he summoned Da'ud, the son of his brother Sokman (Artukid
ruler of JIil)n Kaifii), to his aid. Both men marched against al-Bursuki,
defeated the emir, and freed Ayaz.
Section 67
1. Cf. Psalms 14:3; 63:3.
2. Cf. Psalms 104:32.
3. Armenian chant consists of eight tones, used on different days. The
tone used on this day happened to be one of the more somber tones.
4. The Arab chronicler Kamal-ad-Dm says that the earthquake also hit
the territory of Aleppo.
5. One variant and the Jerusalem text have Sis.
6. A monastery following the Basilian discipline of monasticism.
7. Not to be confused with the Roman Catholic Jesuit order. These monks
were members of a Cilician monastery. Dulaurier calls them Jesueens.
Section 68
1. Dry food, in contrast to wine and olive oil.
2. Located near Sis.
344
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 69
1. The text reads "of evil and abominable wickedness." One variant and
the Jerusalem text have "of evil wickedness and abominable crimes,"
which seems to make more sense here.
Section 70
1. The Turkish general Bursuk ibn-Bursuk, not to be confused with the
Seljuk governor of MOBUI Aksungur al-BursukL Matthew here seems
to have confused the two.
2. The eunuch Lu'lu', atabeg of Aleppo for the child Alp Arslan, son of
Ridvan.
Section 74
1. Armenian lord of Bira (to 1117).
2. The text reads or bnakeal er i Nzepn, which is untranslatable given the
context. The Jerusalem text has "who had taken prisoner the bishop,"
which I have used here.
3. A town west-southwest of Ravendan.
4. According to Bar Hebraeus Constantine died during the earthquake of
1114-1115, having suffocated in the ruins and rubble of Samosata.
Section 75
1. It is quite interesting to compare the different accounts of Baldwin's
death as narrated by the various sources of the period. Ibn-al-QalanisI
merely states that Baldwin died, having received a wound fighting the
Egyptians. On the other hand, Ibn-al-Athlr says that the king of
Jerusalem died from an old wound that reopened when he went
swimming in the Nile. William of Tyre says that, after his attack on
one of the cities of Egypt, Baldwin visited the mouth of the Nile where
some fish were caught and cooked for breakfast. After the king
finished his meal, he felt very sick. Moreover, on this occasion the pain
in an old wound began to return. So under these circumstances
Baldwin died. Fulcher of Chartres basically corroborates William's
account, although with a more succinct presentation. On the other
hand, Albert of Aix gives a different version, stating that the king was
overseeing the destruction and burning of one of the Egyptian cities he
had attacked and captured, when he became overworked and developed
a fever; he died on the way to Jerusalem.
2. Eustace III, count of Boulogne.
3. As Baldwin II (1118-1131).
4. The Latin historians, especially William of Tyre, deal quite fully with
the election of Baldwin as king of Jerusalem. William says that there
were two parties involved in the election: one group wanted the dead
king's brother, Eustace-who at that time was in the West, while the
other believed that a king was needed immediately and Baldwin
seemed to be a natural candidate. Baldwin was chosen when J08celin
NOTES-PART III
345
and the Latin patriarch tipped the balance in his favor. Eustace found
out about the election on his way to the East and turned back, even
though he was urged to continue on and contest the throne. On the
other hand, Albert of Aix merely states that there was a great need to
have someone on the spot who would be able to defend the land, and
so Baldwin was elected.
5. William, like Matthew, emphasizes Baldwin's good character and
religiosity, adding that the new king of Jerusalem was also wise in
governing and skillful in war. He goes so far as to say that the king
was so religious that he had callouses on his hands and feet from
constant kneeling.
Section 76
1. In contrast to Matthew, the Arab historians praise the Seljuk sultan as
a just, ethical, and virtuous ruler.
2. Tartar, khatun-"lady" or "woman."
3. None of the other sources relate the killing of the sultan's wife.
4. Sanjar, Seljuk ruler of Khurasan (1097-1156).
5. The text reads "a three years' march," which makes no sense here.
6. A city in Persia, southeast of Baghdad.
7. Seljuk sultan (1118-1131).
8. Also known as Tughrul II.
Section 77
1. AI-Mustazhir, 'Abbiisid caliph (10941118).
Section 79
1. The text reads "peoples." One variant and the Jerusalem text have
"forces," which seems to make more sense here.
2. A town northeast of Aleppo.
3. The fifth month of the pagan Armenian calendar.
4. The sixth month of the pagan Armenian calendar.
Section 80
1. Actually Alexius died in 1118.
2. According to Dulaurier these two passages are apocryphal.
3. John II Comnenus (1118-1143),
4. Literally "Born of the Purple" (from the descent of emperors).
.
5. The Greek, Syriac, and Latin sources comment on the death ofAlexlUs,
Anna gives a very detailed and impassioned account of the death ofher
father the emperor. Bar Hebraeus says that Alexius was a wise and
strong man and through his wisdom saved Constantinopl.e om the
Franks while Michael the Syrian basically corroborates thIS VIew. In
sharp dontrast to these writers and to Matthew, William of ~e I~as
nothing good to say about the Byzantine emperor. ~e c~lls ~Im the
worst persecutor of the Latins." However, the Latm hIstorIan does
n:
346
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
have some positive things to say about Alexius's son: "The emperor
was much more humane than his father had been, and, as his worth
deserved, was far more acceptable to our people. His attitude towards
the Latins was not entirely sincere, however, as the following pages
will show." In reference to John, the Byzantine chronicler Nicetas
Choniates says that he was a good administrator, a pious man, a
generous giver, and a great builder; moreover, he was very disciplined,
a great example to others, and quite austere in his private life.
Section 81
1. Baldwin I, not the present king.
Section 83
1. The text reads "560," which is probably a misprint.
2. David III (1089-1125).
3. The text reads "barbarian." One variant and the Jerusalem text have
"Arab," which makes more sense here.
4. Mazyadid Arab ruler of Hilla (a town south of Baghdad, near the
Euphrates). Actually Dubais was the son of ~adaqah and is the person
being discussed here.
5. Arabic rafzdht;. Probably Dubais was a Shiite.
6. The text reads "people." One variant and the Jerusalem text have
"religion."
Section 84
1. Located southwest of Tiflis.
2. Both Vardan and Michael the Syrian corroborate Matthew's account of
the Muslim defeat at the hands of the Georgians. The Arab historians
also relate this event, although with slightly varying details. Ibn-aI
QalanisI says that at first the Muslims defeated the Georgians but,
when they pursued them into the passes of the Caucasus, the Geor
gians turned around and defeated them, killing many in the process.
Kamiil-ad-Din basically corroborates this account. On the other hand,
Ibn-al-Athlr states that during the engagement of the two armies two
hundred of the Kipchak allies of the Georgians broke rank. The
Muslims, thinking that they were about to come over to their side, were
put off guard. Then the Kipchaks entered the front ranks of the
Muslims and wreaked havoc among them with their arrows. When the
Muslims stationed behind the front ranks saw what was happening,
they too became disorganized and fled.
Section 87
1. According to Dulaurier Balik was Il-GhiizI's brother's son and not his
sister's son.
2. Galeran of Le Puiset, lord of Bira.
3. A town east of Kharberd, on the Euphrates.
NOTES-PART III
347
Section 89
1. A fortress northwest of Samosata, on one of the tributaries of the
Euphrates.
2. The second month of the pagan Armenian calendar.
3. Interestingly enough, Bar Hebraeus places Baldwin's capture before
that of Joscelin and Galeran.
Section 90
1. The text reads "fortress." "Dungeon" makes more sense here.
2. Geoffrey the Monk, lord of Marash and regent of Edessa (1122-1123).
3. Actually he was besieging the town of Kaf'artiib, midway between
Aleppo and Tripoli.
4. Both the oriental and occidental sources deal at length with the
attempted liberation of Baldwin and the other Franks held prisoner by
Balik, although with varying details. Bar Hebraeus says that some
Armenian workmen of Kharberd, aware that there were very few
soldiers garrisoning the fortress, gathered at the gates and feigned
grumbling about their wages. Then, catching the soldiers off guard,
they killed them and freed the Frankish prisoners. After this Joscelin
went with an Armenian to get help from the Franks, but before he
could return Balik had come and retaken the fortress, killing seventy
Franks and Armenians. Michael the Syrian basically corroborates this
account. On the other hand, Ibn-al-Qalanisi states that the Frankish
prisoners, through a ruse, seized the fortress and freed themselves.
Baldwin was freed for good, but Balik returned, recaptured the place,
and put the other Franks back in prison. Kamal-ad-DIn says that the
Franks, after consulting with some of the people in the area, took over
the fortress. Joscelin urged that they all flee immediately, but Baldwin
insisted that they stay and defend the place until help arrived. So
J oscelin left to get help from the Franks. However, in the meantime
Balik came and retook the fortress, killing the Franks and others who
had helped them. Then he transferred Baldwin and Galeran to a prison
in Harran. Ibn-al-Athir states that some Frankish soldiers deceptively
presented themselves at the gates of Kharberd in the name of Balik,
gained entrance into the fortress, and took it over. Baldwin escaped,
but Balik returned and retook the place. William ofTyre seems to give
the most detailed account of the episode. He says that some Armenians, either on their own or at the urging of Joscelin, resolved to
liberate Baldwin. Fifty of them took an oath to achieve this goal. They
dressed in monks' garbs and, carrying hidden daggers, gained access to
the fortress by complaining to its commander that they had been
mistreated. At this point in his narrative William states that some
maintained that the Armenians came disguised as merchants selling
cheap wares. Continuing, the Latin historian says that the Armenians,
after gaining access to the place, killed the garrison and occupied the
fortress. After this Baldwin sent Joscelin for aid. In the meantime
348
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Balik returned and promised Baldwin that he would free him and the
other Franks if the fortress was handed over. Baldwin, sure of aid,
refused; so Balik took the fortress. The king, his nephew, and Galeran
were sent to Harran, but the fIfty Armenians were tortured and then
killed; some were flayed alive, some were buried alive) while others
served as targets for archery practice. Fulcher of Chartres basically
corroborates William)s account, except that he states that Baldwin was
freed after the episode in question, but was later recaptured by Balik
while on an expedition.
Section 94
1. Located southwest of Titlis.
2. Capital ofthe region of the same name, located along the western shore
of the Caspian Sea, east of the Caucasus.
3. Located southeast of Tillis.
4. Located northwest of Gandzak.
5. Dulaurier locates this place north of the Kura and west of Tillis. It is
probably the modern town of Gori.
6. Demetrius I (1125-1155) (1155-1156).
7. One variant has Tot6re.
Section 95
1. His name was Hassan.
2. One variant and the Jerusalem text have "including Joscelin)s chief
cavalry officer."
3. Armenian Arewapasht. Originally those Armenians who refused to be
christianized and kept their ancient pagan faith. In this period many
of them were living in upper Mesopotamia, dispersed among the
Muslims of the area. These people probably are the same as the
Arewordik~) Mesopotamian Armenians who were sun-worshippers (but
identifying Jesus Christ with the sun) until the time of Nerses
Shnorhali (twelfth century), when they were converted to Orthodox
Christianity.
4. Actually the Armenian has hechuk-"buttocks."
5. Artukid ruler of Mardin (1122-1152).
6. Most of the sources corroborate Matthews account of Balik's siege of
Manbij and his subsequent death. However, both William ofTyre and
Fulcher of Chartres give substantially different versions of the emir's
death than do the other sources. William says that J oscelin attacked
Balik as he was besieging Manbij. The count defeated Balik and,
happening to meet up with the emir during the flight of the Muslim
troops) slayed him and cut offhis head, not knowing that the man was
Balik himself. Fulcher gives a slightly different version. He says that
after his defeat, Balik was mortally wounded and so was unable to flee
with his troops. Thus he died and his head was cut offby someone and
brought to Joscelin, who rewarded the person.
N OTES-PART III
349
Section 97
1. Located northeast of Gargar.
Section 98
1. The Muslim Rulers of Ani.
2. According to the Armenian historian Vardan Vardapet when Manuch'e
died, his son Abii'l-Uswar took over. He was an efferinate and timid
man and was intent on selling Ani for sixty thousand dinars to the
emir of Kars. He went so far as to have the Muslim crescent brought
back from Khlat' and put on the cathedral of Ani. Under these
circumstances the Christians of the city summoned David and handed
over the city to him. So after sixty years the cross once more was
raised over the Cathedral of Ani.
Section 99
1. Actually it was the doge of Venice, Domenigo Michieli (1117-1128).
Section 100
1. The text reads "after six years." One variant and the Jerusalem text
have "after six months," which seems to make more sense here.
Section 101
1. Giimiishtigin Ghazi, Danishmendid ruler (1105?1134 or 1135).
2. The exact location of this place cannot be ascertained. Bar Hebraeus
and Michael the Syrian give accounts of the siege and capture of
Melitene. Both Syrian chroniclers give very vivid descriptions of the
Buffering and afflictions the inhabitants of the city endured during the
siege.
Section 102
1. A town north-northwest of Aleppo.
2. A fortress south-southeast of Aleppo, on the Euphrates.
3. An Arabic word meaning "pilgrim" (to Mecca).
4. Both the oriental and occidental sources give accounts of al-Bursuki's
assassination, although with varying details. Bar Hebraeus relates
that ten Isms!ilites (an offshoot of the Shiite Muslims) leaped on alBursuki as he was praying in the Great Mosque of Mosul. The emir
killed three of them with his own hands, but then was killed by the
rest. Michael the Syrian states that the emir was struck with a knife
by an Isma'ilite while praying in a mosque, but the knife did not
penetrate him since he was wearing a breastplate. Then, while the
would-be assassin was being apprehended, he cried out to his other
companions to "strike lower;" they struck al-Bursuki in the lower
abdomen and he died. Ibn-al-Qalanisi, giving a very detailed account
of the assassination says that the emir, while praying in the Great
Mosque, was stabb:d by some Batinites (an Isma'ilite sect), but his
350
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
coat ofmaH protected him. Then al-Bursukl took his sword and killed
one of the assassins, but the others cried out "strike his head above"
and killed him. Kamal-ad-Din says that the emir, as he reached his
seat in the mosque, was attacked by eight persons dressed as dervishes. He was killed, even though he was wearing a coat of mail and
was surrounded by a large group of people. Ibn-al-Athir gives a very
interesting version of the assassination. He says that, on the night
before he died, al-BursukI dreamt that he was attacked by dogs; he
killed some of them, but the rest killed him. When on the next day the
emir told his companions about the dream, they advised him to stay
home. So at their insistence al-Bursukl stayed in and read the Quran,
but after reading the passage saying "the command of God is irrevocable," the emir went to the mosque. As he was taking his seat, he was
attacked by some men; he wounded three of them, but was killed by
the rest. William of Tyre gives an entirely different version of the
8ssassination--<me which is closest to Matthew's account-when he
says: "Some time later, however, the wicked Bursuqi, a son of
perdition, was stabbed to death by his servants and other members of
his household. Thus by his own acts he brought upon himself the
natural consequences of his wickedness and reaped the fruit of his
impiety."
Section 103
1. Artukid ruler of ~Ii~n Kana (1108-1144).
Section 105
1. The Latin West.
2. William, agreeing with Matthew, says that the younger Bohemond was
a very impressive individual. On the other hand, Michael the Syrian
calls Bohemond a vainglorious person.
Section 107
1. 'Imad-ad-DIn Zengi, Turkish ruler in Mosul and Syria (died 1146).
2. Taj-al-Muluk Bori, Turkish atabeg of Damascus (1128-1132).
Section 109
1. An. allusion to the Babylonian king Belshazzar. Cf. Daniel 5.
2. Cf. Isaiah 1:8.
3. John II Comnenus (1118-1143).
4. Baldwin, lord of Marash and Kesoun.
6. Leon I, Rubenid prince of Cilician Armenia (1129-1137).
352
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
any particulars.
4. Michael the Syrian and William of Tyre say that the king died while
hunting hares, when he fell off his horse and hit the ground. Both
Vardan and 5mbat mention the king's death but give no particulars,
while Bar Hebraeus merely states that he went on a hunt and fell from
his horse and died.
6. Baldwin III, king of Jerusalem (1143-1163).
6. Cf. Acts 6 and 7.
Section 5
1. According to tradition the Armenians were descended from J apheth,
son of Noah, through Gomer, whose son was Togarmah (Arm. Torgam).
2. The Armenian has luys-"light" or "clarity."
3. Both the oriental and occidental sources have much to say about the
siege and capture of Edessa. All emphasize the slaughter and destruction brought upon the city and its inhabitants. 5mbat, Bar Hebraeus,
William of Tyre, and Michael the Syrian give rather full accounts; the
three describe how the Muslims finally took the city by undermining
its walls and towers through replacing portions of the rock foundations
with wood and then setting fire to the wood, thus causing the ramparts
to collapse. 5mbat says that, when the Muslims broke into the city,
the inhabitants fled to the citadel, but the "wicked" commander of the
place shut the gates and so the people were mercilessly slaughtered.
On the other hand, Bar Hebraeus states that the commander of the
citadel would not open the gates until the Frankish archbishop (who
seems to have been in charge of the city's defense in Joscelin's absence)
arrived. Unfortunately the archbishop was late in coming and, when
he fmally did come, was killed by an arrow. According to some of the
sources the role of the Frankish archbishop in the defense of the city
seems to have been an important one; William condemns him for
having great wealth and not giving a modicum of it for the defense of
the city, saying that he indeed deserved the death he received; on the
other hand, Michael the Syrian states that when Zengi demanded that
the city surrender or be prepared for mass slaughter, the archbishop
refused, certain that aid was forthcoming. The Arabic sources make a
point of emphasizing that Zengi stopped the slaughter after a short
while and immediately set himself to the task of providing for the
security of the inhabitants and of rebuilding and protecting the city.
4. Edessa traditionally has been referred to as the "Blessed City" (the city
blessed by God).
5. These words are apocryphal.
6. An allusion to the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt. Cf. Numbers
11:5.
Section 6
1. There are slightly varying accounts of Zengi's death. The majority of
NOTES-CONTINUATION
353
Section 7
1. The Jerusalem text has "nothing resulted from it,"
2. The unsuccessful attempt to retake Edessa is related in both the
oriental and occidental sources, Bar Hebraeus, Michael the Syrian, and
William of Tyre giving very full and detailed accounts of the episode.
Bar Hebraeus and Michael the Syrian state that it was the Armenians
who secretly let the Franks into Edessa, while William says it was the
Franks living in the city. On the other hand, Kamalad-Din states
that the Armenians in Edessa planned the takeover of the city and
called in the Franks. Michael the Syrian emphasizes the fact that after
the unsuccessful attempt to retake Edessa, the city lost its former
greatness and became deserted and desolate.
3. This and the following sentence are missing both in the Jerusalem text
and the Dulaurier translation.
4. The following funeral oration (secs. 819) is left out of the Dul~urier
translation but included in that author's excerpted translatIon of
Matthew ~ the Recueil des Historiens des Croisades. The Armenian
historian 5mbat Sparapet mentions this funeral oration on Baldwin
which Barsegh sent to various districts in the area. A note appended
to 5mbat's text says that the funeral oration, in the form of a letter,
was directed chiefly to the Latin faithful, especially those around
Antioch.
Section 8
"
1. The Armenian has Hrovmayets'wots'-"of the Latins (Westemers) Cf.
2.
~~~Ik:~:i~:te;treads:
354
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
NOTES-CONTINUATION
355
Section 21
1. Nu.r-ad-Dln Ma}:l.mud, Zengid ruler of Syria (1146-1174).
2. Seljuk sultan of Rum (1116-1155).
3. Both Bar Hebraeus and Michael the Syrian Bay that when the inhabitants of Marash surrendered to the sultan (Bar Hebraeus incorrectly
calls him Kilij Arslan-Mas'ud's son) on condition that their lives would
be spared, he went back on his word and killed many of them as they
were on their way to Antioch.
4. Cf. 2 Samuel 18.
5. Both the oriental and occidental sources relate Joscelin's capture by the
Muslims, although varying in details. All the sources state that the
count was captured on the way to Antioch. 5mbat says that J 08celin
stopped on the way to take care of his needs and, while he was
attempting to catch up with his companions, hit a tree and fell down;
the next morning he was taken to Aleppo by some shepherds. William
of Tyre, on the other hand, states that the count was ambushed while
stopping to take care of his needs. Michael the Syrian says that
J osceHn and the men accompanying him met some Turks and, while
they were fleeing from them, the count hit a tree and fell and then was
captured. Of all the accounts, Ibn-al-Athir's is the only one that
mentions JosceHn's capture as being planned by Nur-ad-Din himself.
The Arab historian says that the Muslims placed spies near the count
and, when he was hunting, captured him and later had him brought to
the emir.
Section 22
1. An honorary title of the Byzantine coun, later given to various
dignitaries and officials of the empire (Gr. sebastos-"revered").
Section 23
1. KHij Arslan II, Seljuk sultan of Rum (11551192).
Section 26
1. T'oros II, Rubenid prince of Cilician Armenia (1148-1168).
2. The text reads "make promises."
3. Cf. Romans 9:18.
4. Andronicus ComnenuB, Byzantine general and cousin of the emperor
Manuel.
6. The Armenian has Kiwr-Manil"Lord Manuel."
6. According to Gregory the Priest's account, it seems that Toros was
besieging Mamistra while Andronicus was attempting to relieve it.
However, according to Brobat, Andronicus was besieging the Armenian
prince in Mamistra. The Byzantine historian John Cinnamus corroborates Gregory the Priest's view when he states that, when Andronicus
came to Cilicia, T oros was besieging Mamistra.
7. Both Oshin and Vasil were Armenian lords allied with the Byzantines.
356
a.
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
The Armenian, Syriac, and Greek sources deal with the Byzantine
debacle in Cilicia at the hands of Toros. Both Vardan and Srobat
corroborate Gregory the Priest's account of the episode, giving basically
the same details as Matthew's continuator. On the other hand, the
Syriac and Greek sources differ from the Armenian in their details.
Both Bar Hebraeus and Michael the Syrian say that the Armenians
met the Byzantine army at the gates of Tarsus and defeated it, killing
three thousand and causing the rest to flee by sea. The Greek sources
dwell upon the ineptitude of the Byzantine general Andronicus.
Choniates says that Andronicus was shamefully defeated when he
stupidly divided his army into two parts. Cinnamus, on the other
hand, says that the Byzantine general was a slothful man and given to
all sorts of amusements and luxuries; T' oros, seeing his weakness, took
advantage of the man and defeated him.
Section 27
1. Actually the prince T'oros.
Section 28
1. Literally lithe Door" or "the Gate"- the Syrian Gates, a pass through
the Amanus Mountains, north of Antioch.
2. The Armenian has Frerk'-"Brothers" (Fr. Freres). The Knights
Templar was a military order dedicated to fighting the Muslims in the
East.
3. An animal disease causing acute diarrhea (Ar. tabikh-"hot fever").
4. Sometimes the title l),ajib was given to a general or military com
mander.
5. Both the Armenian and Syriac sources relate this debacle of Mas'l1d's
army, although with varying details. Vardan says that Mas'l1d's
general Ya'qiib was defeated by T'oros's brother Stephen, while Bmbat
says that it was the Templars who caused his defeat. On the other
hand, Bar Hebraeus and Michael the Syrian state that the Armenian
prince himself fell upon the Muslims and annihilated them.
6. Kavadh It Sassanid king (488531).
7. The text reads "Causing a great deal ofplunder. Two variants and the
Jerusalem text have "Spending many days," which seems to make more
sense here.
8. James of Nisibis (early fourth century), bishop of Nisibis and a
prominent figure in Syrian church tradition.
II
Section 29
1. The Armenian has melik'ut'ean-"ofthe kingdom.
Section 30
1. A town north-northeast of Ankara.
2. The Armenian has mets ishkhan-"great prince."
II
NOTES-CONTINUATION
357
Section 32
1. One variant and the Jerusalem text add "and after the rain a torrential
hail."
2. A branch of the Ismii'i:lite sect of Islam.
3. Stephen.
Section 33
1. Perhaps this is an allusion to the Arabic word hasan-''beautiful''which can be construed (after an initial consonant change) to be the
word Kesoun.
Section 34
1. Also known as Marzban. Located north-northwest of Edessa on the
other side of the Euphrates.
2. According to Michael the Syrian Kilij was barely able to defend his
territories against the Danishmendids; so Nur-ad-DIn was able to take
Marzban and Aintab without a fight.
Section 35
1. Baldwin III, king of Jerusalem (11431162).
Section 36
1. The text reads "the Scythian nation." The term is used by the Armenians to refer to the AUaic peoples of central Asia (Turks, Turkomans,
Mongols, etc.).
2. The text reads yeghernat'iwn, which is untranslatable. One variant
and the Jerusalem text have "nefarious."
8. The text reads "because of their unfortunate children." Two variants
and the Jerusalem text have "out of concern for their children."
Section 38
1. Her name was Theodora.
2. William of Tyre gives a detailed account of the invasion 8;lld pilla~g
of Cyprus, although he makes no mention of~oros and hIS ~eman
troops uniting with Reginald in the undertakmg of the expedItlon.
358
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
Section 40
1. The Byzantine emperor and the king of Jerusalem.
2. A ford north-northwest of Aleppo, at the 'AfrIn River.
3. Both the oriental and occidental sources tell of Manuel's withdrawal at
the last moment. Vardan and 5mbat say that the emperor returned to
Constantinople when he received some sort of news from the imperial
city, the latter stating that Manuel used the news as a pretext to
withdraw his troops. Bar Hebraeus and Michael the Syrian say that
the emperor, after receiving a report from Constantinople that there
was a plot to establish someone else on the imperial throne, departed;
the latter adds that the plot did not succeed. Cinnamus says that an
agreement was established between Manuel and Nur-ad-DIn whereby
the emir freed many Frankish noblemen and promised to help the
emperor in his Asiatic campaign. However, Nur-ad-Dm broke his
promise and began to barass the emperor's troops. At this point news
of new events taking place in the West (Constantinople)-Cinnamus
does not mention what these events were-arrived, and so Manuel was
forced to withdraw. On the other hand, William ofTyre simply states
that after the emperor had arranged with Nur-ad-DIn to have certain
Franks freed, he returned to his country where the state of his private
affairs necessitated his presence and immediate attention.
4. The Armenian text has lur, which is untranslatable in this context.
One variant has "[when] he."
Section 41
1. The text reads "melted away with fear."
2. Both the oriental and occidental sources give accounts of Manuel's
expedition to Cilida and upper Mesopotamia (1158-1159), relating the
occupation of Cilicia, the triumphal entry into Antioch, the reconcilia
tion with T'oros and Reginald, the meeting with Baldwin, the cooperation of the Byzantines, Franks, and Armenians against Nur-ad-Dln,
and finally the withdrawal from Aleppo.
Section 42
1. The text leaves out "of the emperor." Two variants and the Jerusalem
text include it.
2. The Jerusalem text has "having fortified [himselfJ."
3. A town southeast of Aleppo, on the Euphrates.
Section 43
1. Both Bar Hebraeus and Michael the Syrian say that the son of Joscelin
was continually plundering the territory of Aleppo, until Nur-ad-Dln
laid an ambush for him and captured him.
Section 44
1. Also called Sokman II, grandson of Sokman al-QutbI, Turkoman ruler
NOTES-CONTINUATION
2.
3.
4.
6.
6.
7.
359
Section 45
1. One dank is equivalent to an obol.
Section 46
1. The Jerusalem text has "upon the territory of Alexius."
2. Or Tsovk'. Located east-northeast of Edessa, on the other side of the
Euphrates.
3. The Armenian philologist H. Acharyan says this term (Arm. Tsluk) is
derived from the Arabic word zlwq (fast, speedy). It is probably a
derivative of the Arabic root zlq-"to slither, to look at someone disapprovingly."
4. The Armenian has Kharuantay, the meaning of which according to
Malkhaseants perhaps is "mule driver," but not fully ascertainable.
6. William of Tyre gives a rather detailed account of Reginald's capture
by the Muslims, although slightly varying in details from Gregory the
Priest's narration. The count ofAntioch was told that there were many
flocks and herds around the area of Marash, all of them defenseless.
So Reginald set out with a large force and, when he reached the area,
found it full of animals; the people of that area were Christians, while
the Turks only occupied the fortresses. Reginald plundered the area,
but on his way back, laden with booty, he met up with the governor of
Aleppo, an ally of Niir-ad-Din. The Franks could have escaped by
abandoning their plunder and fleeing, but they chose to stay and fight.
After a brief resistance the Franks fled, leaving their booty, while
Reginald was taken captive and led ignominiously to Aleppo.
6. A town located due east of Antioch, in the direction of Aleppo.
7. Located south-southeast of Antioch on the Orontes River.
Section 47
1. 5mbat, Bar Hebraeus, Michael the Syrian, and Cinnamus give accounts
of Kilij's visit to Constantinople. Both Bar Hebraeus and Michael the
Syrian say that the sultan, realizing that Ya'qub Arslan (his general)
and the other emirs wished to get rid of him and install his brother on
the throne in his stead, went to Constantinople to get Bupport from the
emperor. There he was greatly honored by the Byzantines, remaining
360
MATTHEW OF EDESSA
in the imperial city for eighty days. The two Syrian chroniclers give a
very fascinating description of how the sultan was honored by the
emperor and his court. Cinnamus gives an equally interesting
description of Kilij's stay in Constantinople. He says that Manuel
desired to show the sultan the greatness of the imperial city. Accordingly the emperor arranged to have a procession from the Acropolis to
Saint Sophia. However, the patriarch Luke (Luke Chrysoberges-10571170) was against having an infidel escorted to such a holy place as the
cathedral. In the end an earthquake convinced the majority of people
in the city that the patriarch was right after all.
Section 49
1. The person in question was Andronicus Comnenus. See sec. 26.
GEORGIA
100 MILES,
,lOOKM,
.AkhaIk'alak
~
GUGARK'
.Lori
~~
(~~"'i2
.l~
U
Gandzak
.7'.14'. (Ganja).
Neocaesarea
'-
4~
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Partaw
(Barda)
"'1+
1>-
SIUNIK'
Nakbichevan
Mantsr<ert
'rt)
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~~I
&
Sasun..
Jtt:.
AGUDZNIK' Kh
Baghesh
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~-
~pan
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Her.
4::>4;'
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.;
!.
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YerasRhRi'
HISTORIC
ARMENIA
DURING THE
MEDIEVAL
PERIOD
CnCARM
M8ZIIca _
_[coRium
_Saruj
Harra~
-Ravendan
_ Azaz
_ Aleppo
A1-A1I1Rrib
taklR
Shnf,.nr
'8z,e... Hamah
-OamBBCua
Tyrc
olomala (Acre)
lberlaa. Lake Tiberias
Nnz:elh
(Sell o/GIl/i/ee)
Caewea
100 MILES
100 K:M
CILICIA, SYRIA,
AND PALESTINE
lo-12TH CENTURIES
Select Bibliography
Allen, W.E.D. A History of the Georgian People. London, 1932.
Arpee, L. A History ofArmenian Christianity. New York, 1972.
Burney, C.A. and D.M. Lang. The Peoples of the Hills. New York, 1972.
Byzantium-An Introduction to East Roman Civilization, ed. N.H. Baynes
and L.B. Moss. Oxford, 1948.
Cahen, C. Pre Ottoman Turkey. Oxford,1948.
Cambridge History of Islam, ed. P.M. Holt, Ann K.S. Lambton, and
Bernard Lewis, 2 vols. Cambridge, 1970.
Cambridge Medieval History, ed. J.B. Bury, vol. IV. Cambridge, 1923.
Cambridge Medieval History, ed. J.M. Hussey, 2nd ed., vol. IV.
Cambridge, 1966-1967.
Charanis, P. The Armenians in the Byzantine Empire. Lisbon.
Der N ersessian, S.Armenia and the Byzantine Empire. Cambridge, 1945.
Der Nersessian, S. The Armenians. New York, 1970.
Dictionary ofthe Middle Ages, ed. Joseph R. Strayer, 13 vols. New York,
1982-1989.
East of Byzantium, ed. N.G. Garsoian, T.M. Matthews, and R.T.
Thomson. Washington D.C., 1982.
Grousset R. Histoire de l'Armenie des Origines a 1071. Paris, 1947.
Grousset R. Histoire des Croisades et du Royaume Franc de Jerusalem,
3 vola. Paris, 1934-1936.
A History of the Crusades, ed. K.M. Setton, 2nd ed., 5 vols. Madison,
1969-1985.
Krey, A.C. The First Crusade. Princeton, 1951.
Lang, D.M. Armenia: Cradle of Civilization, 3rd ed. Boston, 1980.
Lang, D.M. The Georgians. New York, 1966.
Medieval Armenian Culture, ed. T.T. Samuelian and M.I. Stone. Chico,
California, 1984.
Minorsky, B. Studies in Caucasian History. London, 1963.
Obolensky, D. The Byzantine Commonwealth. New York, 1971.
Oldenbourg, Z. The Crusades. New York, 1960.
Ormanian, M. The Church ofArmenia. London, 1955.
Ostrogorsky, G. History of the Byzantine State, trans. J. Hussey. New
Brunswick, 1957.
Rice, T.T. The Seljuks. New York, 1961.
Runciman, S. A History of the Crusades, 3 vols. Cambridge, 1951-1954.
Segal, J .B. Edessa "The Blessed City." Oxford, 1970.
Toumanoff, C. Studies in Christian Caucasian History. Georgetown, 1963.
Vasiliev A.A. History of the Byzantine Empire. Madison, 1952.
Vryonis: S. The Decline of Medieval Hellenism in Asia Minor. Berkeley,
1971.
Index
Aaron, Byzantine governor of Ani
and Iberia 78
Abas I, king of Kars 24
Abkhazes 23, 64, 134
Ablgharib, Armenian rnler of Bira
205,220
Ablgharib, Byzantine governor of
Tarsus 144
Ablgharib, commander of DerenikAshot 35-36
Abu'I-Hajji, emir of Her 35-36
Abu'I-Uswar, Kurdish emir ofDvin
24, 63-64, 132
Abukab, tent-guard of David of
Tayk' 51,55
Abusahl, son of Senek'erim-John
65,95,97, 110, 132-33
Acre (Ptolemais) 31
Adana 21, 135
Mricans (Fatimids of Egypt) 29,
31,40-41
MshIn, Muslim emir 124-25
~ad-n, Kurdish chief 207
Aintab 242,270-71
Akhalk'alak. (town) 101
Akhuuian 77,102,104
Aksungur, emir of Aleppo 158, 16061
Aksungur al-Bursuki, governor of
Mosul 215,234-35
Alar (town) 55
Albanians 64-65, 101, 151
Aleppo 20, 51, 132-33, 149, 151,
153,161,199,228,234
Alexius I Comnenus, Byzantine
emperor 143, 155, 165, 185,
224-25
Alp Arslan, SeJjuk sultan 101, 102-
368
INDEX
INDEX
Ch'ortuanel, lieutenant of Liparit
79
Christ 113-18
Christians 37-38, 44, 59, 64, 74,
93-94, 98, 125-26, 143, 156,
205-6,257,268,274
Christmas, see Nativity
Chrysopolis (town) 89
Chuash (district of Greater Armenia) 36
Church of the Holy Sepulcher 17879,274
Cilicia 21, 148, 166, 237
comets 41, 62, 124, 129, 168, 198
Comnenus, see Isaac I Comnenus
Constantine VIII, Byzantine emperor 49-50
Constantine IX Monomachus, Byzantine emperor 70-72, 74-79,
81,88
Constantine X Ducas, Byzantine
emperor 91, 97, 99, 104-5,
108-11, 120-21, 127
Constantine I, prince of Cilician Axmania 166-67,174-75
Constantine, ruler of Gargar 168,
220
Constantinople 33, 41, 45, 69, 71,
75, 77-78, 80, 89, 97, 106, 111,
120, 123, 127, 143, 158
creation 111
Crete 20
Cyprus 272
Cyrrhus (town) 51
Cyrus, vardapet 237
Damascus 30, 152, 271
Danishmend, see MalikGazi
Danube River 105
Da'iid, son of Sokman 236
David III, Georgian king 227,231,
233,236
David, king of Israel 105
David, son of Senek'erim.John 4445,47, 50,55
David Lackland, king of Lori 6366,68
David of Tayk', Georgian ruler 37-
369
39,51
Dawatanos, dux of Edessa 99-101
Daylamites of Azerbajian, see Delumk'
Delumk' (Daylamites ofAzerbaijan)
24
Demetrius I, Georgian king 231,
236
Derenik-ABhot, king ofVaspurakan
35
Dinar, Muslim emir 92
Diogenes, see Romanus IV
Dioscorus, superior of Dzor 61-62
Drazark (monastery) 218, 237, 280
Ducas, see Constantine X
Dvin 24,7375,280
Dzor (monastery) 61
earthquakes 85,157,267
Easter 41-42, 187-88, 190-91
Edessa 19,28,41,51-55,91,107-9,
126, 130-31, 133, 142-43, 14647, 154, 157, 161-63, 168-70,
175, 177, 188, 190-91, 193,
197, 199, 201, 205, 209-10,
212-13,215,225,243,245
Eghishe, Armenian bishop 78
Egypt 140, 173, 221
Erznka 73
Erzurum 100
Ethiop~ 25,36,79,191
Eucharist (Holy Communion) 117,
124
Eudocia, wife of Constantine IX
127
eulogies 245-57
Euphrates River 126, 146, 205-6,
224
famines 19, 55, 94, 143, 144, 175
al-Faraj, Seljuk sultan 163
fasting 118-20
Fatimids, see Africans
floods 191
Francopoulos, see Herve
Franks 59, 87-88, 107-8, 138, 16467, 170-73, 178-79, 186-87,
197-98, 205-6, 212-13, 217,
221,243,269,275
370
INDEX
INDEX
Isaiah, Old Testament prophet 45
Isfahan 161
Ishkhan, Son of Khach'ik 69-70
Isma'il, general ofBerkyaruk 158,
160-61
Isma'll, uncle of Berkyaruk 158
Jabala (town) 32
Jahan (district in Cilicia) 149
James, fourth-century bishop of
Nisibis 29
James K'arap'nets'i, vardapet 110,
149
James ofSanahin, vardapet 110-11
J awakhk' (district of Greater Armenia) 101
Jerusalem 30, 42, 152, 172-73,
176-77,191,213,221
John I Tzimisces, Byzantine emperor 21-22, 27-28
John II Comnenus, Byzantine emperor 225, 239, 241-42
John, Albanian catholicos 20, 36,
37
John the Baptist 32-33
John the Evangelist 34,48
John Koze~n, vardapet 42,46,48,
56,60,151
John-Smbat III, king of Ani 22-23,
46, 48, 61, 6364, 66
Joscelin I, count of Edessa 165,
193, 201-4, 207, 210, 225-26,
228-30, 232, 234, 236-38
Joscelin II, count of Edessa 242,
244, 257-58,270,277
Joseph, Albanian catholic08 62
Joseph, vardapet 42
Jubail (fortress) 31
Kara Aralan, ruler of ~~n Kaila.
242,258
Karmir-Vank' (monastery) 196,
211, 215, 238, 259
Kars 24,46
Katramide, daughter of George IGeorgian king 23
Kerbogha, see Berkyaruk
Kesoun 211, 217, 226, 238, 241,
259, 267, 269
371
106
Khach'ik, Armenian nobleman 6970
Khalid, Kurdish chieftain 100
Kharberd 138,229-30
Khetrik, emir of Berkri 61
Khlat' 134
Khusraw, Muslim emir 146
Kilij Arslan I, sultan of Rum 149,
163-65, 18586, 199, 264
Kilij Arslan II, sultan of Rum 259,
265-69,276-77,279
Kogh Vasil, ruler of KeSOUD and
Raban 192, 196, 200, 201,
205,211
Ktrich', Muslim emir 129, 132-34
Kupin (town) 109
Kuraysh, emir of Mosul 74,132
Kutulmish, general of Tughrul 76
Kurds 100
Kvirike, see Gurg~n II Kvirike
Larissa (town) 266
Latins 164, 187
Leo Tornices, Byzantine magnate
75
Leon I, ruler of eilidan Armenia
212,219,222-23,239,241
Leon, commander of Tarlin 33
Leon, dux of Edessa 143
Leon, vardapet 33-34
Leon the Philosopher, Armenian
nobleman 27
Liparit, Georgian nobleman 46, 7879
Lori (town) 101, 145
Lycandus (town) 266
Maghrib Arabs 29, 40, see also
Mricans
Magyars 80
Ma\unl1d, SeJjuk sultan 222, 238
Mahuis, Frankish chieftain 232
Maiyafariqin 52, 94, 229
Majd-ad-DiD, general of N'iir-adDin 279
MAlik, see Tugbrul II (MAlik)
372
INDEX
INDEX
Paghin (town) 74,80, 97
Parsama, officer of Pbilaretus 15254
Partaw (town) 151
Paul, superior ofVarag 15D-51, 159
Paul, vardapet 231
Payens, count of Sariij 212
Palestine 29, 32
Pechenegs 80,90,135,155
Peros, Byzantine commander 8081,89
Persians (Turks) 20, 55, 60
Peter I, catholicos 23, 46, 61-62,
67, 71, 77-78, 91, 106
Peter, superior ofVarag 245
Philaretus, Armenian ruler 137-39,
141, 145, 147, 149, 151-52
Philip, Albanian King 20
Phoenicia 29,32
plagues 43, 157
Poitou, count of, see William IX
Porphyrogenitus, see John II Comnenus
Prince of Princes, see Tat'ul
prophecies, 48, 57-60, 150, 164,
172, 174, 178, 196, 199, 216,
259
Qal'at Ja'bar (fortress) 244
Qarmatians (Muslim sect) 268
Raban (town) 211,217,219,242,
259,277
Ramla 30
~at and Zoyat, brothers of Liparit
46
Raymond of Poitiers, prince of Antioch 242,257
Raymond of Saint Gilles, count of
Toulouse 164, 167, 171, 174,
184-85, 197
Reginald of Chatillon, regent of
Antioch 270-71,273-74,279
Richard, regent of Edessa 176-77,
197,201
Ridvan, son of Tutush 162
Roger, regent of Antioch 212,214,
218,222-24
Romanopolis (fortress) 54,142
373
54
Salmast 69-70
Samarkand 136
Samosata 19, 168, 217
Samuel, vardapet 39, 43
Sanahin (monastery) 6162
Saone (fortress) 32
Sargis I, catholicos 40, 46
Sargis, co-catholicos 139, 142
Sargis, Armenian nobleman 66-67,
71
Sari 24
Sariij 177-78,210
Sasun (town) 93
Satan 48-49,57, 59, 155
Sebastia 45-46,65, 92,95-96, 129,
132-33
Senek'erim-John, king of Vaspurakan 22, 41, 44-46, 50, 65
Sewawerak 55, 100, 107
Shabal, emir of Edessa 51-52
Shah-i-Armin, see Bokman II
Shaizar 218
374
INDEX
INDEX
Tzimisces, see John I Tzimisces
'Utair, emir of Edessa 51-52
Uzes 80, 105, 135
Vahan I, catholicos 28, 36-37
Vahka 174
Vabram, see Gregory II
Vahram Pahlawuni, Armenian
commander 66-67, 74
Valania (town) 32
Varag (monastery) 22,35,50
Varazhnunik' (district of Greater
Armenia) 41
Vasak, commander ofBjni 24-25
Vasak, dux of Antioch 141
Vasil, ruler of Bardzraberd 261
375