Gardman
Encyclopedia
Gardman was one of the eight districts of the ancient province of Utik
' in the Kingdom of Armenia and simultaneously, together with the district of Tush, an Armenian principality
. In the Early Middle Ages
a feudal state of Gardman emerged on the area of Caucasian Albania
. It roughly corresponded within the modern Qazakh, Shamkir or Gadabay raions of Azerbaijan
.
In prehistoric times Gardman was homeland of the Armenized tribe Gardman, with a possible Georgian
connection. Contemporary Armenian authors referred to the historical area of Gardman as Northern Artsakh
. During the reign of the Arshakuni kings of Armenia (66-428 A.D.), Gardman was the seat of the nakharar
s of Utik' (and for this, it was sometimes called "Gardmantsvots ishkhanutyun", or the principality of Gardman). After the collapse of the Armenian royal dynasty Gardman was acquired by Caucasian Albania
in 387. In the seventh century the local house of Gardman was replaced by the Mihranid family (of Persian or Parthia
n origin), which later became the ruling dynasty in the region of Arran
.
The region was conquered by the Arab
s in 855. Contemporary Armenian historians repeatedly noted the presence of two well known venues in Gardman: a fortress called Getabakk' (in the current-day Azerbaijani region of Gadabay) and a copper mine.
In 982, Gardman and Parisos, the northern district of Artsakh, became a small Armenian kingdom which lasted until 1017 and thereafter it became part of the Kingdom of Lori
. In 1601, the princely family of Melik-Shahnazaryan established the melik
dom of Gardman. The ruling family belonged to a branch of the House of Khachen, and their residence was in the village of Voskanapat (and for this reasion, the statelet was sometimes referred to as the Voskanapat melikdom). The territorial rights of the meliks were confirmed after the Russian Empire took control of the region in the early nineteenth century.
Utik
Utik was a historic province of the Kingdom of Armenia and a region of Caucasian Albania. Most of the region is located within present-day Azerbaijan immediately west of the Kura River while a part of it lies within the Tavush province of present-day northeastern Armenia.-History:According to...
' in the Kingdom of Armenia and simultaneously, together with the district of Tush, an Armenian principality
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
. In the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
a feudal state of Gardman emerged on the area of Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
. It roughly corresponded within the modern Qazakh, Shamkir or Gadabay raions of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
.
History
Georgian people
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
connection. Contemporary Armenian authors referred to the historical area of Gardman as Northern Artsakh
Artsakh
Artsakh was the tenth province of the Kingdom of Armenia from 189 BC until 387 AD and afterwards a region of Caucasian Albania from 387 to the 7th century. From the 7th to 9th centuries, it fell under Arab control...
. During the reign of the Arshakuni kings of Armenia (66-428 A.D.), Gardman was the seat of the nakharar
Nakharar
Nakharar was a hereditary title of the highest order given to houses of the ancient and medieval Armenian nobility.-Nakharar system:Medieval Armenia was divided into large estates, which were the property of an enlarged noble family and were ruled by a member of it, to whom the title of Nahapet...
s of Utik' (and for this, it was sometimes called "Gardmantsvots ishkhanutyun", or the principality of Gardman). After the collapse of the Armenian royal dynasty Gardman was acquired by Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
in 387. In the seventh century the local house of Gardman was replaced by the Mihranid family (of Persian or Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
n origin), which later became the ruling dynasty in the region of Arran
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
.
The region was conquered by the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s in 855. Contemporary Armenian historians repeatedly noted the presence of two well known venues in Gardman: a fortress called Getabakk' (in the current-day Azerbaijani region of Gadabay) and a copper mine.
In 982, Gardman and Parisos, the northern district of Artsakh, became a small Armenian kingdom which lasted until 1017 and thereafter it became part of the Kingdom of Lori
Kingdom of Lori
Kingdom of Lori alternatively known as the Kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget or Kingdom of Albania, was an Armenian kingdom formed during the breakup of Bagratuni Armenia. The kingdom encompassed territories of modern-day Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia....
. In 1601, the princely family of Melik-Shahnazaryan established the melik
Melik
Мelik , from malik ) was a hereditary Armenian noble title, in various Eastern Armenian principalities known as melikdoms encompassing modern Yerevan, Kars, Nakhchivan, Sevan, Lori, Artsakh, Tabriz and Syunik starting from the Late Middle Ages until the end of the nineteenth century...
dom of Gardman. The ruling family belonged to a branch of the House of Khachen, and their residence was in the village of Voskanapat (and for this reasion, the statelet was sometimes referred to as the Voskanapat melikdom). The territorial rights of the meliks were confirmed after the Russian Empire took control of the region in the early nineteenth century.