Avag Zakarian
Avag Zakarian | |
|---|---|
| Atabeg | |
| In office 1227–1250 | |
| Preceded by | Ivane I Zakarian |
| Succeeded by | Ivane III Abuletisdze |
| Amirspasalar | |
| In office 1242–1250 | |
| Preceded by | Shahnshah Zakarian |
| Succeeded by | Zakare III Zakarian |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | 1250 |
| Resting place | Kuashak Zakarian |
| Parent(s) | Ivane I Zakarian (father) Khoshak (mother) |
| Military service | |
| Battles/wars | |
Avag Zakarian (
The eastern areas
His sister,
Biography
During Mongol invasion of Georgia in 1238-39 Queen Rusudan had to evacuate Tbilisi for Kutaisi, leaving eastern Georgia in the hands of atabeg Avag Mkhargrdzeli and Kakhetian lord, Egarslan Bakurtsikheli. The Mongol general Toghta was sent by Chaghatai to assault Avag's troops at the fortress of Kayan.[5] After some resistance, Avag surendered, and had to agree to pay tribute to the Mongols, and to provide let his troops join the Mongol army.[5] Avag was the first of the Caucasian princes to submit to the Mongols, and was treated with great honor for his reddition,[6] triggering the surrender of may more nobles in the rest of the campaign.[7] The combined troops went on to Ani, the Armenian capital defended by Shahnshah Zakarian, but the city was eventually captured and destroyed.[5]
Following this disastrous campaign of 1238-1239, the Armenians and Georgians made peace with the Mongols and agreed to pay them tribute and supply their troops (Georgian–Mongolian treaty of 1239).[8]
Avag Mkhargrdzeli, who was raised by Queen Rusudan from the rank of spasalar to amirspasalar (Lord High Constable), and then to that of atabeg (tutor) arranged the submission of Queen Rusudan to the Mongols in 1243, and Georgia officially acknowledged the Great Khan as its overlord. During this period of interregnum (1245–1250), with the two Davids absent at the court of the Great Khan in Karakorum, the Mongols divided the Kingdom of Georgia into eight districts (tumen), one of them commanded by Avag Mkhargrdzeli. Exploiting the complicated issue of succession on Georgian throne, the Mongols had the Georgian nobles divided into two rival parties, each of which advocated their own candidate to the crown, where Avag was supporting candidacy of David Narin.
References
- ^ B. Dashdondog. The Mongols and the Armenians (1220-1335). — BRILL. — 2010. — P. 72.
- ^ Encyclopaedia of Islam. — E. J. BRILL, 1986. — Vol. I. — P. 507."Ani was for the first time conquered by the Georgians in 1124, under David II, who laid the foundation of the power of the Georgian kings; the town was given as a fief to the Armenian family of the Zakarids"
- ^ Georgian National Academy of Sciences, Kartlis Tskhovreba (History of Georgia), Artanuji pub. Tbilisi 2014
- ^ Eastmond, Anthony (2017). Tamta's World: The Life and Encounters of a Medieval Noblewoman from the Middle East to Mongolia. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- ^ a b c McDaniel, Ryan James (2005). THE MONGOL INVASIONS OF THE NEAR EAST. San Jose State University. pp. 127–128.
Chaghatai dispatched Toghta to assault Awag's fortress of Kayan. (...) Awag surrendered in the name all of Georgia agreeing to pay tribute and to have his troops join the Mongol army. (...) Chormaqan took his own force west to the ancient capital of Armenia, Ani, and Awag accompanied him. The city was under the authority of Shahnshah and the leaders hesitated to surrender. A mob killed the Mongol envoys, and as was their custom in such circumstances, the Mongols relentlessly assaulted the city. Some of the princes surrendered in exchange for a promise of clemency, but after they came out the Mongols divided them up and killed them all. The survivors in the city were enslaved. The destruction was so fierce that the city of Kars surrendered without a fight, hoping to avoid Ani's fate.
- ISBN 978-1-009-30197-8.
When the Armenian noble Awag, ruler of Kayen, offered his loyalty to Chormaqan and was welcomed with honor by the Mongols.
- Chormaghan, who was camped at the time by the shores of Lake Geghark'unik* (Sevan). When the great Commander Chormaghan heard about Awag's intention to submit, he ordered his troops to stop besieging the fortress. Soon after, Awag was received by Chormaghan.
- Chormaghan, who was camped at the time by the shores of Lake Geghark'unik* (Sevan). When the great Commander Chormaghan heard about Awag's intention to submit, he ordered his troops to stop besieging the fortress. Soon after, Awag was received by Chormaghan.
- ISBN 978-90-04-18635-4.
- ^ Geghard. p. 8.
The first stone church is situated to the north-west of the "Kathoghikd" church, and according to the inscription on the south wall, was built during the Avang reign (died in 1250) son of Ivan and nephew of the Amirspahsalar - (comander in chief of the army) Zaccaria nicknamed Long Arm. In the church interior exists a natural spring, anciently worshipped, and today scrupulously conserved.
- ^ .
The Kirants Monastery is not mentioned in any historical sources, however, indirect evidence suggests that it was founded by the Chalcedonian Avag, the son and heir of Ivane Mkhargrdzeli. The wall paintings there can thus be dated to the 1230s or 1240s.