The Bagratouni rule encompassed the following regions: "Mount Ararat, where the customs and the traditions of their forefathers converged with the Bible; Taron (present-day Moush), where Christian life began in Armenia; and the areas along the Araxes River, in other words, areas which have a special place in the hearts of the Armenians, since they formed the centre of power for the Arshakouni dynasty and they had built countless temples in different spots which were worshiped as national religious places." 13
The Bagratouni family, which at this point owned the majority of historical Armenia, also had its customs and traditions. They no longer commanded merely the feelings of a local principality, but had harnessed the spirit of the Armenian nation.
The Bagratouni family was the joiner of the splinters which remained after 200 years of the Arab rule; their role in the history of Armenia was much like the princes of Moscow during the rule of Tartars in the 14th century. The house of Bagratouni grew in the shadow of the Arab caliphs, as the princes of Moscow did in the shadows of the savage and nomadic Tartar tribes. In both cases, power was built with great patience, and both groups on occasion cooperated with the enemy. The preparations for future power and glory went unnoticed under the guise of submission and weakness during the time of numerous uprisings, which ended with temporary losses; in the both cases the temporary losses ended ultimately in victory.
In addition to the growing might of the house of Bagratouni, the cooperation of the Armenian Church and the efficient work of the Catholicos also contributed to the independence of Armenia. As J. Muyldermans, the Belgian Eastern expert observes: "This political and military glory (which Armenia achieved during the reign of the Bagratouni) reached perfection through the spiritual and religious power which was embodied in the shape of the Catholicos. This Catholicos is neither a small officiant which has been created by a mighty prince; neither is he a person who has reached his power and position with the help of his surroundings. The patriarchs of Dvin are unique men, both from a spiritual and a scientific point of view. They have been torn apart from their solitude and have reached their position by the mercy of God. In the elegant surroundings in the Catholicos palace, they live the life of a monk and beneath their golden dress they wear a hard shirt. They pray to God for the peace and tranquillity of their country. They inspire respect in everyone, even those who victor over them. These national honourable excellencies are so bright that they even light up the darkest times of the persecutions and oppressions of the Arabs." 14
|
|
|
