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Index

Armenia

The Urartu Civilisation

Victory for Independence

Artashisian Dynasty on the Armenian Throne

Armenia caught between Rome and the Arsacids

The Acceptance of Christianity

Defending Christianity

Armenia Under the Bagratouni Dynasty

Cilicia - the New Armenia

Armenia Under Turanian Rule

The Renaissance or the Resurrection of Armenia

The Eastern Question

Russia in the Caucasus

The Armenian Question

Battle on Two Fronts

Tsarist Russia Against the Armenians

The Revolution of the Young Turks and the Armenian People on the Eve of World War I

The First World War

The Resurrection of Armenia

Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

- Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

Eastern Armenia

Western Armenia

"The Fateful Years" (1914-1917)

"Hopes and Emotions" (March-October, 1917)

The Bolshevik Revolution and Armenia

Transcaucasia Adrift (November, 1917

Dilemmas (March-April, 1918)

War and Independence (April-May, 1918)

The Republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia

The Suppliants (June-October, 1918)

In conclusion

Soviet Armenia

The Second Independent Republic of Armenia

Epilogue

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Ashot did not content himself with strengthening the foundations of the country, but in order to prevent his enemies from turning the two remaining Armenian noble families, the Artzrouni in Vaspourakan and the Siuni in Zangezour, against him, Ashot confirmed their allegiance by marrying two of his daughters to an Artzrouni prince and a Siuni prince.

The successes of Prince Ashot, with his ever increasing power, together with the rapid development of Byzantine under the rule of Emperor Basil I, forced the caliph of Baghdad to take a second step; and therefore, in the year 885, they sent a royal crown to prince Ashot Bagratouni, and gave him the title of Ashot I, King of Armenia, Sultan of Sultans, as the founder of the Bagratouni dynasty and independent Armenia. As soon as Basil I, the Byzantine emperor, heard the news, he too sent a crown to Ashot I, who thereby received to crowns at once.

This curious state of affairs was a natural consequence of the geographical situation of Armenia, as each of the superpowers sharing borders with Armenia wanted to gain the friendship of the newly independent country. In fact, the competition between the Arab and Byzantine Empires was a deciding factor in the creation of an independent Armenia and even guaranteed its survival.

Nevertheless, Armenia was still expected to pay an annual tax to the caliph of Baghdad, although the sum of this tax had been reduced noticeably. Bagratouni Armenia was now taxed around 1,000,000 dirhams (around $200,000) annually, to which one should add the 100,000 dirhams from the Artzrouni principality; in the past, Armenia had been required to pay around 10,000,000 dirhams ($2,000,000) in annual tax. It is interesting to note that even Byzantine paid an annual tax to the Arabs.

The Royal Soldiers: Ashot I, Smbat I and Ashot II

Having liberated Armenia from foreign threats, Ashot I, devoted all his powers to expanding the country and improving the welfare and economy of Armenia. 20 "He ordered that new cities should be built, that the agriculture should be promoted and by building new roads he facilitated trade possibilities." 21

The work of Prince Ashot received an energetic response from the newly independent Armenian people. At the same time, some of the nakharars (especially in Vanand and Gugargh), who were envious of the successes of the prince, revolted. Ashot, however, was able to suppress the uprisings.

Ashot did not neglect to establish contacts between the new Armenia and other countries; for instance, he himself travelled to Constantinople to sign a military treaty and a trade treaty with the Byzantine emperor. The relations between Armenia and his empire were apparently of great importance for Emperor Basil I. In a letter, addressed to Ashot, he calls him "his beloved child" and assures Ashot that he has always regarded Armenia as the closest ally of Byzantine. 22 In response, Ashot sent an army, consisting of Armenian elite soldiers, to assist Emperor Basil I in his war against the Bulgarian rebels.

Ashot I died on the journey home, in 891. 23 The Armenians brought his body to Armenia and gave him a royal funeral in Bagaran, the capital of Armenia at that time. He was immortalized as the founder of the glorious dynasty, which remains the symbol of the resurrection of an independent Armenia.