"Van" (continued) - Sergey VARDANYAN
Sergey Vardanyan's article is devoted to the history of the city of Van as one of the historical capitals of Armenia and represents a continuation of a chapter from the book "The Capitals of Armenia" (publication begun in ANIV No. 1 (4), 2006).
Introduction and Methodology
The author draws on a broad range of primary sources — the testimony of the Anonymous Historian, the continuator of the History of the Artsrunis, the colophons of Armenian manuscripts, the records of Venetian merchants and French envoys, the works of the Turkish historians Solak-zade and Chelebi, as well as the detailed account of Arakel Davrizhetsi — reconstructing the centuries-long history of Van from the era of the Kingdom of Vaspurakan to the seventeenth century.
Flourishing under the Artsrunis and the Aghtamar Residence
Particular attention is given to the reign of Gagik Artsruni (908–1021), during which:
- the city experienced a new flourishing after the decline of Arab rule;
- a royal residence was built on the island of Aghtamar, complete with an artificial dam, a harbor, and a magnificent palace;
- the architect Manvel began construction of the celebrated Aghtamar monastery.
Loss of Independence and Continuation of the Struggle
The article examines the transfer of Vaspurakan to Byzantium in 1021 by Senekerim Artsruni and the subsequent centuries of invasions — by the Seljuks, the Mongol-Tatars, and the forces of Leng-Timur and Iskender. The author emphasizes the unbroken Armenian striving for statehood, embodied in the coronation of Smbat in 1466 and in the existence of an independent Aghtamar Catholicosate up to 1895, which patronized the development of the Vaspurakan school of miniature painting.
The Fortress of Van in the Ottoman-Persian Wars
The article cites accounts of repeated seizures of the city by the Turks and Persians in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the admiring assessments by Turkish historians of the skill of Armenian architects, and a description of the "indestructibility" of the Van fortress found in the correspondence of Sultan Suleiman Kanuni.
The Earthquake of 1648 and the Restoration of Holy Sites
A significant portion of the text is devoted to Arakel Davrizhetsi's detailed description of the devastating earthquake that claimed many lives, and to the subsequent restoration of churches and monasteries through the efforts of Van's benefactors, including Khoja Ahijan and other patrons.
Key Conclusion
The article concludes that, despite an unbroken succession of conquests, destructions, and natural disasters, Van preserved for centuries its status as a spiritual and cultural center of the Armenian people, and that the resilience of its inhabitants and benefactors ensured the continuous revival of the region's architectural and manuscript heritage.
The continuation of the chapter on Van traces the city's history from its flourishing under the Artsruni dynasty to the earthquake of 1648, showing how conquests and disasters were followed by the restoration of shrines through the efforts of local patrons.
Renewal Despite Ruin