History of the Nation of Archers
By Grigor Aknerts’i
Translated by Robert Bedrosian
Sophene Books
ISBN: 978-1-925937-52-7
This thirteenth-century Armenian history focuses on the Mongol invasion of the Middle East, covering the years 1214 to 1273. This includes the subjugation of Armenia and Georgians to the Mongols and their role in the early years of the Ilkhanate. It includes accounts of the siege of Baghdad in 1258 and the Mongol wars with the Mamluks of Egypt and Syria.
Excerpt:
As we heard from some of them, this [Mongol] people arose from their land of Turkestan and moved to some area to the east, dwelling there in extreme poverty for a long time as robbers and wild men. They had no religion except for felt images which they carried with them for witchcraft. They were in awe of the sun, as though it were a divine power. Then suddenly they came to their senses, very straitened by their wretched and poor life. They called upon the aid of God, creator of Heaven and earth, and swore a great oath to Him to be faithful to His commands.
By the command of God, an angel in the form of an eagle with golden feathers appeared to their chief named Ch’ankez, calling out to him in the dialect of their own language. [Ch’ankez] went and stood opposite the angel in the form of an eagle out in the open at a distance of an arrow shot. And then the eagle, speaking their own language, related all the commands of God.
Who is this book for:
This edition and translation offers an Armenian point-of-view of the Mongols and their invasion of the Middle East. While the account has many historical inaccuracies, it represents what Grigor and other Armenians believed was going on. The Mongols are depicted as a terrible people but it also shows how the Armenians adapted and accepted being under their overlordship. The work will be useful for anyone studying the Middle East in the thirteenth century or the Mongol empire.
The author:
Robert Bedrosian, who did his PhD at Columbia University in 1979, is one of the earliest medieval historians to have an online presence. In the mid-1990s he established his own website, which focused on Armenian history, and put online several translations of medieval chronicles. These works, which includes History of the Nation of Archers, can still be found on several websites. His works are now being published in print form by Sophene Books. Click here to read this article about Robert from 2010.
Click here to learn more about this book from the publisher’s website
You can also buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
History of the Nation of Archers
By Grigor Aknerts’i
Translated by Robert Bedrosian
Sophene Books
ISBN: 978-1-925937-52-7
This thirteenth-century Armenian history focuses on the Mongol invasion of the Middle East, covering the years 1214 to 1273. This includes the subjugation of Armenia and Georgians to the Mongols and their role in the early years of the Ilkhanate. It includes accounts of the siege of Baghdad in 1258 and the Mongol wars with the Mamluks of Egypt and Syria.
Excerpt:
As we heard from some of them, this [Mongol] people arose from their land of Turkestan and moved to some area to the east, dwelling there in extreme poverty for a long time as robbers and wild men. They had no religion except for felt images which they carried with them for witchcraft. They were in awe of the sun, as though it were a divine power. Then suddenly they came to their senses, very straitened by their wretched and poor life. They called upon the aid of God, creator of Heaven and earth, and swore a great oath to Him to be faithful to His commands.
By the command of God, an angel in the form of an eagle with golden feathers appeared to their chief named Ch’ankez, calling out to him in the dialect of their own language. [Ch’ankez] went and stood opposite the angel in the form of an eagle out in the open at a distance of an arrow shot. And then the eagle, speaking their own language, related all the commands of God.
Who is this book for:
This edition and translation offers an Armenian point-of-view of the Mongols and their invasion of the Middle East. While the account has many historical inaccuracies, it represents what Grigor and other Armenians believed was going on. The Mongols are depicted as a terrible people but it also shows how the Armenians adapted and accepted being under their overlordship. The work will be useful for anyone studying the Middle East in the thirteenth century or the Mongol empire.
The author:
Robert Bedrosian, who did his PhD at Columbia University in 1979, is one of the earliest medieval historians to have an online presence. In the mid-1990s he established his own website, which focused on Armenian history, and put online several translations of medieval chronicles. These works, which includes History of the Nation of Archers, can still be found on several websites. His works are now being published in print form by Sophene Books. Click here to read this article about Robert from 2010.
Click here to learn more about this book from the publisher’s website
You can also buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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