Gagik-Abas
King of Kars (r. 1029–1064)
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Gagik-Abas (Armenian: Գագիկ-Աբաս, Գագիկ Կարսեցի, Գագիկ Աբասյան), also known as Gagik II of Kars or Abas II in Western literature,[3] was the last king of the Kingdom of Kars (Vanand) from 1029 until 1064, when he ceded his kingdom to the Byzantine Empire in exchange for the lordship of Tsamndav in Cappadocia. He was the son of King Abas I of Kars and the grandson of Mushegh I Bagratuni.[4] Gagik-Abas is remembered as a wise ruler, a patron of learning, and a preserver of Armenian culture during a difficult period of Seljuk and Byzantine expansion.[5][6]
| Gagik-Abas II Գագիկ Աբասյան | |
|---|---|
| King of Kars | |
| |
| King of Vanand Claimant King of Armenia in exile (from 1045) | |
| Reign | 1029–1064 |
| Predecessor | Abas Bagratuni |
| Successor | Position dismissed |
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | 1069 Cappadocia |
| Dynasty | Bagratuni dynasty |
| Father | Abas Bagratuni |
| Religion | Armenian Apostolic |
Historical context
The Kingdom of Kars was established in 963 as a vassal state of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia, under the rule of Mushegh I Bagratuni, the brother of King Ashot III the Merciful.[7] The kingdom, centred on the city of Kars and the surrounding region of Vanand, maintained a delicate balance between the larger Armenian kingdom of Ani, the Byzantine Empire, and various Arab and Georgian powers.[8]
By the early 11th century, the Bagratid kingdom of Ani was in decline, while Byzantine and Seljuk pressures were intensifying.[6] In 1021, Sennecherim Artsruni ceded the Kingdom of Vaspurakan to Byzantium, and in 1045, Ani fell to the Byzantines.[9] These events created a new political reality in which the Kingdom of Kars was forced to maneuver between the great powers.[10]
Reign
Accession
Gagik-Abas succeeded his father, Abas I, in 1029, during the reign of King Hovhannes-Smbat of Ani (1020–1041).[7] Like his father and grandfather, Mushegh I, he sought to strengthen the position of the Kingdom of Kars.[11]
Gagik-Abas maintained close dynastic ties with the other branches of the Bagratuni family, as well as with the Kiurikians of Tashir-Dzoraget and the Artsrunis of Vaspurakan.[12] In Kars, he married a sister of King Bagrat IV of Georgia, strengthening his ties with the Georgian Bagratids.[4]
Political situation
During Gagik-Abas's reign, the Kingdom of Kars was able to maintain relative peace with neighbouring states.[13] Despite external threats, the kingdom enjoyed economic and cultural development.[14]
Gagik-Abas, like his father and grandfather, aspired to the title of shahanshah (king of kings) of Armenia.[11] After the fall of Ani in 1045, when King Gagik II (1042–1045) was taken to Constantinople, Gagik-Abas remained the senior representative of the Armenian Bagratids and formally bore the title of shahanshah.[15] However, his authority was limited to the province of Vanand, and his title was purely symbolic.[6]
Struggle against the Seljuks
In the 1050s, the Seljuk raids created a difficult situation for the Kingdom of Kars.[9] In 1054, the Seljuk Turks attacked Armenia.[16] At Kars, the Seljuks were defeated: the sparapet (commander-in-chief) of the Vanand forces, Tatul Vanandetsi, routed the Seljuk army beneath the walls of the city.[14]
Despite this victory, the Seljuk threat did not disappear, and Gagik-Abas was forced to consider the future of his kingdom.[15] The Seljuk pressure, combined with Byzantium's policy of eastern expansion, placed the Kingdom of Kars in a difficult position.[10]
Diplomatic ruse against the Seljuks
In 1064, when the Seljuk sultan Alp Arslan captured Ani and threatened Kars, Gagik-Abas employed a diplomatic ruse to avoid military confrontation. According to the Chronicle of Smbat Sparapet, the sultan sent an envoy to Gagik demanding submission. Gagik, described as "gifted and wise" (талантливым и мудрым), decided to "get rid of him peacefully".[17]
Gagik put on mourning clothes and sat on a black cushion. When the Seljuk envoy asked why the king was dressed in black, Gagik replied: "After my friend Sultan Toghrul-bek, the brother of Alp Arslan, died, I put on black because we loved each other very much".[17] The envoy was astonished and, upon his return, told the sultan. Alp Arslan, hearing this, "admired and loved Gagik for his friendship with his brother".[17]
Thanks to this ruse, Gagik-Abas avoided an immediate military confrontation and gained time for further steps. A few days later, he ceded the Kingdom of Kars to the Byzantine Empire, receiving in exchange the lordship of Tsamndav (Tzamandos) in Cappadocia.[13][18]
This episode testifies to Gagik's political flexibility and diplomatic ingenuity, which allowed him to avoid the destruction of Kars and ensure the relocation of his people to safer areas.[17][8]
Cession to Byzantium
Fearing further Seljuk raids, Gagik-Abas ceded his kingdom to the Byzantine Empire in 1064.[10][12] In return, he received in Gamirk (Cappadocia) the lordship of Tsamndav (Tzamandos), along with the towns of Larissa, Amaseia, and Comana, and numerous villages.[19][7]
Gagik's decision was motivated not only by the Seljuk threat but also by friendly relations with the Byzantine Empire, which had been strengthened in previous years.[20] This transaction was part of a broader Byzantine policy of annexing Armenian territories in exchange for lands in the empire's eastern provinces.[6] A similar transaction had already been carried out in 1021–1022 with the annexation of the Kingdom of Vaspurakan.[21]
Lord of Tsamndav
In Tsamndav, King Gagik ruled for more than a decade and a half, from 1065 until 1081.[21] He had his own military force and was sovereign in his domains.[12] Gagik cooperated not only with the Armenian princes of Cilicia but also with the Artsrunis who had settled in Sebasteia.[19]
The court in Tsamndav continued Armenian cultural traditions, becoming a centre of learning and the arts.[11] Gagik maintained contacts with Armenian cultural and political centres, continuing to patronize the sciences and arts.[5]
Gagik-Abas died in 1081 in Tsamndav.[4] After his death, the lordship of Tsamndav gradually passed to the Byzantine Empire and later to the Seljuks.[21]
Cultural activity
According to Grigor Magistros, Gagik-Abas was a philosopher, composed poetry, and patronized scholars.[11] Grigor Magistros describes him as a "philosopher-king" who engaged in philosophy and theology.[15]
At his court there was a school where theology, philosophy, and other sciences were taught.[14] Gagik's court became a cultural centre where scholars, theologians, and artists gathered.[11]
In Kars, during his reign, church construction continued, in particular, the Church of the Holy Apostles was the centre of the royal residence.[12] According to Christina Maranci's research, the architecture of Kars under Gagik developed significantly, combining Armenian and Byzantine traditions.[5]
Gagik also maintained contacts with the Byzantine court and other Armenian intellectuals of the time.[8] According to Finbarr Barry Flood's studies, Gagik's court in Kars and Tsamndav became an important centre of cultural exchange.[8]
Family
Gagik-Abas was married twice:[21][4]
1. First marriage. In Kars, he married a sister of King Bagrat IV of Georgia.[22] No children are recorded from this marriage.[14]
2. Second marriage. In Lesser Armenia (Cappadocia), he married Gurandukht Rubenian, the sister of the Armenian prince Ruben I of Cilicia (founder of the Rubenid dynasty).[4] From this marriage he had one daughter:
Mariam — married into the Armenian nobility of Cilicia.[21]
Gagik had no male heirs, and after his death his line ended.[15]
Legacy
Gagik-Abas is remembered as the last independent king of Kars, who managed to preserve his kingdom during the Seljuk invasions.[13] His decision to cede the kingdom to Byzantium, despite controversial assessments, effectively saved the Armenian population from Seljuk massacres and ensured their relocation to the eastern provinces of Byzantium.[10]
During Gagik's reign, Kars remained an important centre of Armenian culture, and the school at his court played a significant role in the development of Armenian education.[11] Richard Hovannisian notes that Gagik's activity played an important role in preserving Armenian statehood and culture on Byzantine territory.[6]
After Gagik-Abas's death (1081), his lordship was gradually absorbed by the Byzantine Empire, and Armenian statehood in the western part of Armenia was only restored with the formation of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.[21] Gagik's kinship ties with the Rubenids subsequently contributed to the development of Armenian statehood in Cilicia.[4]
See also
- Kingdom of Kars
- Bagratuni family tree
- Grigor Magistros
- Seljuk campaigns in Armenia
- Tsamndav