= Armenian Monarchs = A history of '''Armenian monarchs'''. <> ---- == Kingdom of Urartu == The Nairi tribal states were frequently raided by the Neo-Assyrian Empire to the south. In the 9th century BCE, '''Arame''' of Urartu united these tribes and petty kingdoms into the '''kingdom of Urartu'''. '''Sarduri I''' moved the capital to '''Tushpa''', later known as '''Van'''. As a result, the state is sometimes referred to as the kingdom of Van. The kingdom suffered a sustained decline due to Cimmerian and Scythian raids. It was conquered by [[WorldHistory/MedianEmpire|Cyaxares]] in 590 BCE, who in turn was conquered by [[WorldHistory/AchaemenidEmpire|Cyrus II]]. ---- == Satrapy of Armenia == Under Persian influence, '''Orontes I''' (''Arvanta'') was made ''satrap'' of Armenia, establishing the '''Orontid dynasty'''. ---- == Kingdom of Armenia == [[NorthMacedonia/AlexanderTheGreat|Alexander the Great's]] conquest of the empire enabled '''Orontes III''' to declare the satrapy an independent '''kingdom of Armenia'''. The final Orontid king, '''Orontes IV''', was overthrown by the Seleucid Empire. '''Artaxias I''', who may have been a distant Orontid himself, was propped up as the vassal king of Armenia. Nonetheless this is considered the establishment of the '''Artaxiad dynasty'''. Artaxias quickly capitalized on the [[WorldHistory/RomanEmpire|Roman]]-Seleucid War however; Antiochus III was forced to withdraw from Anatolia, leaving a power vacuum in the region. He declared Armenia to be independent again, while '''Zariadres''' (who similarly may have been a distant Orontid) declared an independent '''kingdom of Sophene'''. Antiochus' son Seleucus IV declined to contest this revolt. Together, Armenia and Sophene established a regional hegemony that stretched north to the Kura River. Under '''Artavasdes I''', the kingdom was conquered by Mithridates II and incorporated into the Parthian Empire. His heir '''Tigranes II''' first consolidated control over Armenia within the empire. He overthrew Artanes and absorbed Sophene permanently. He conquered Syria and destroyed the Seleucid Empire. He allied with Mithridates VI (not related to Mithridates II!) of the kingdom of Pontus for the Mithridatic Wars against Rome. The Parthians entered a succession crisis following the death of Mithridates II in 91 BCE, enabling him to declare independence. He built an imperial '''Greater Armenia''' that stretched to the Mediterranean. In the Third Mithridatic War however, he and Mithridates VI were finally defeated by Pompey. Pontus was annexed while Armenia was left as a client state. Pushed back to the Euphrates River now, Parthia remained an agitator in Roman politics. They participated in the civil war as allies of Brutus and Cassius. Armenia served as a frequent battleground for the Roman-Parthian Wars. A long series of puppet kings were installed by one side or the other. This continued even after the Sassanid Empire conquered and absorbed Parthia in 226. The '''Peace of Acilisene''' was agreed between [[WorldHistory/ByzantineEmpire|Theodosius I]] and Shapur III, partitioning Armenia in 387. The west became the province of '''Armenia Minor'''. The east remained a kingdom under Sassanid influence until 428, when Bahram V abolished it and appointed a ''marzbān'' over the province of '''Arminiya'''. ---- == As a historic region == From this point on, Armenia is more akin to a historic region than a state. The Umayyad Caliphate conquered Armenia around 640, and an Armenian principality (their title being ''ishkhan'') was left in place to govern the region. The '''Bagratid dynasty''' was one such princely house. Abd al-Malik however assumed direct control at the start of the 8th century, appointing an ''ostikan'' to rule. This form of governance continued into the succeeding Abbasid Caliphate, although the Armenian princes found a route to regain autonomy. The Arab-Byzantine Wars represented a continuing threat to the caliphate, and a non-Muslim buffer state would serve to dissuade further conquests. Local ''emirs'' were growing too powerful for the caliphs to manage, but Armenian interests could be set against them as a counterbalance. Starting in 862, '''Ashot I''' began to conquer the Armenian emirates. He was recognized as a 'prince of princes' by al-Mustaʿīn. In 885 he declared the re-establishment of a kingdom of Armenia, which al-Mu'tamid similarly granted recognition to. This state is commonly referred to as '''Bagratid Armenia'''. Under '''Ashot III''', minor kingdoms within Armenia began to emerge. These states were unable to resist Byzantine pressure, and [[WorldHistory/ByzantineEmpire/BasilII|Basil II]] annexed most of these and reorganized them as the theme of '''Iberia'''. His successor, '''Constantine IX''', completed the absorption of Armenia through conquest. But with the buffer state now dissolved, the Byzantines came into direct conflict with the rising Seljuk Empire. Alp Arslan quickly conquered Armenia and divided the region. '''Sökmen el-Kutbî''' commanded a ''beylik'' centered on '''Ahlat''', establishing the '''Shah-Armens dynasty''' (sometimes referred to as the Ahlatshahs). The '''Shaddadids''' held '''Ani'''. The '''Zakarid dynasty''' sought refuge in [[Georgia]] and became prominent claimants to a Christian kingdom in Armenia. Tamar conquered Armenia at the start of the 13th century, and appointed the Zakarids '''Zakare''' and '''Ivane''' as vassal kings. In the 1230s however, the [[WorldHistory/MongolEmpire|Mongol invasion]] arrived and subjugated both Georgia and Armenia. They remained under the influence of the '''Ilkhanate''', and were conquered by [[WorldHistory/TimuridEmpire|Timur]] in 1386. [[Iran|Safavid Iran]] emerged from the decline of the Timurids at the start fop the 16th century. The Iranians quickly came into conflict with the [[WorldHistory/OttomanEmpire|Ottomans]], with Armenia again partitioned between the two. The Ottoman-Persian Wars continued under the Afsharid and Qajar dynasties. [[Russia/Monarchs#Imperial_Russia|Peter I]] also began to press land claims in the 18th century, sparking the Russo-Persian Wars. The '''Treaty of Turkmenchay''' finally granted all of Transcaucasia, including Eastern Armenia, to Russia in 1828. Attention then turned west, leading to the Russo-Turkish War. As the Ottoman Empire headed toward, an Armenian genocide became an imperial policy. And so enters [[WorldHistory/WorldWar1|World War 1]]. ---- CategoryRicottone