Satenik was the name of the Alan

Alans

The Alans, or the Alani, occasionally termed Alauni or Halani, were a group of Sarmatian tribes, nomadic pastoralists of the 1st millennium AD who spoke an Eastern Iranian language which derived from Scytho-Sarmatian and which in turn evolved into modern Ossetian.-Name:The various forms of Alan —...

 princess who married Artashes I

Artaxias I

Artaxias I was the founder of the Artaxiad Dynasty whose members ruled the Kingdom of Armenia for nearly two centuries....

, the king of Armenia. Their love story, known as Artashes and Satenik, is presented by the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi

Movses Khorenatsi

Moses of Chorene, also Moses of Khoren, Moses Chorenensis, or Movses Khorenatsi , or a 7th to 9th century date) was an Armenian historian, and author of the History of Armenia....

 in his History of Armenia

History of Armenia (Moses of Chorene)

The History of Armenia attributed to Moses Khorenatsi is an early account of Armenia, covering the mythological origins of the Armenian people as well as Armenia's interaction with Sassanid, Byzantine and Arsacid empires down to the 5th century....

. Movses noted that the story, which he directly quotes from, was a well-known epic

Epic poetry

An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...

 during his time among the common people of Armenia told by traveling storytellers and minstrel

Minstrel

A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...

s. Satenik is a popular feminine name among Armenians today.

Background

Artashes, whose name is also seen in the Westernized form as Artaxias, had risen to throne of Armenia in around 189 BC and was recognized as such by both Rome

Roman Republic

The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...

 and 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....

. The invasion of the Kingdom of Armenia by the Alans

Alans

The Alans, or the Alani, occasionally termed Alauni or Halani, were a group of Sarmatian tribes, nomadic pastoralists of the 1st millennium AD who spoke an Eastern Iranian language which derived from Scytho-Sarmatian and which in turn evolved into modern Ossetian.-Name:The various forms of Alan —...

 during the reign of King Artashes I (189 BC - 160) serves as the backdrop of the romantic tale between Artashes and Satenik. Following their conquering of the lands of Georgia

Georgia (country)

Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...

, the Alans moved further southwards, crossing the Kur River

Kur River

The Kur River may refer to:*Kur River , in the Dnieper basin, Russia*Kur River , in the Amur River basin, Russia*Kura River, in Stavropol Krai, Russia...

 and, effectively, into Armenia. Artashes gathered a large force to meet the Alanian threat and a fierce war took place between the two sides, resulting in the capture of the young son of the Alanian king. The Alanians were forced to retreat back to the Kur river and there they set up a base camp on the northern side of the river. Meanwhile, Artashes' army pursued them and established their camp on the southern side of the Kur. The Alanian king asked for an eternal peace treaty to be concluded between his people and the Armenians and promised to give Artashes anything he wanted so long as he would release his son, but the Armenian king refused to do so.

Romance with Artashes

At this time, Satenik came near the shore and, through an interpreter, called on Artashes to release her brother:

Classical Armenian	Modern Armenian	English translation
«Քեզ ասեմ, այր քաջ Արտաշէս, Որ յաղթեցեր քաջ ազգին Ալանաց, Ե՛կ հաւանեա՛ց բանից աչագեղոյ դստերս Ալանաց՝ Տալ զպատանիդ. Զի վասն միոյ քինու ոչ է օրէն դիւցազանց՝ Այլոց դիւցազանց զարմից բառնալ զկենդանութիւն. Կամ ծառայեցուցանելով ի ստրկաց կարգի պահել, Եւ թշնամութիւն յաւիտենական Ի մէջ երկոցունց ազգաց քաջաց հաստատել»	«Քեզ եմ ասում, քաջ տղամարդ Արտաշես, Որ հաղթեցիր ալանների քաջ ազգին. Ե՛կ լսի՛ր ալանների գեղաչյա դստերս խոսքերին Եվ տուր պատանուն: Որովհետև օրենք չէ՝ որ քենի համար դյուցազունները Ուրիշ դյուցազն զարմերի կենդանությունը ջնջեն Կամ իբրև ծառա ստրուկների կարգում պահեն, Եվ երկու քաջ ազգերի մեջ Մշտնջենավոր թշնամություն հաստատեն»	I speak to you, oh brave Artashes, For you have defeated the brave Alan people; Come, listen, to the bright-eyed Alan princess And return the youth. For it is unbecoming of heroes To destroy the liveliness of other great warriors Or to take and keep them in enslavement, So that two valiant peoples Are consigned to perpetual enmity.

Hearing these words, Artashes traveled down to the river and upon seeing Satenik, was immediately captivated by her beauty. Artashes called on one of his close military commanders, Smbat Bagratuni, and confessing his desire for Satenik, expressed his willingness to conclude the treaty with the Alans and ordered Smbat to bring her to him. Smbat dispatched messengers to the Alanian king, who gave the following reply:
Artashes remained undaunted and instead sought to abduct Satenik since bride abductions were considered more honorable during this period than formal acquiescence:

Classical Armenian	Modern Armenian	English translation
«Հեծաւ արի արքայն Արտաշէս ի սեաւն գեղեցիկ, Եւ հանեալ զոսկէօղ շիկափոկ պարանն, Եւ անցեալ որպէս զարծուի սրաթեւ ընդ գետն, Եւ ձգեալ զոսկէօղ շիկափոկ պարանն Ընկէց ի մէջք օրիորդին Ալանաց. Եւ շատ ցաւեցոյց զմէջք փափուկ օրիորդին, Արագ հասուցանելով ի բանակն իւր»:	«Հեծավ արի Արտաշես արքան գեղեցեկ սև ձին, Եվ հանելով ոսկեգօծ շիկափոկ պարանը, Եվ անցնելով գետն իբրև սրաթև արծիվ, Եվ նետելով ոսկեօղ շիկափոկ պարանը, Ձգեց մեջքը ալանաց օրիորդի, Եվ շատ ցավեցրեց փափուկ օրիորդի մեջքը, Արագաբար իր բանակը հասցնելով»:	King Artashes mounted his handsome black horse, And taking out a red leather rope studded with golden rings, And crossing the river like a sharp-winged eagle, And throwing his red leather rope studded with golden rings, Cast it upon the waist of the Alanian maiden, And this hurt the delicate maiden's waist, Quickly taking her back to his camp.

Marriage

Following Satenik's abduction, Artashes agreed to pay to the Alans vast amounts of gold and red leather, the latter of which, was highly valued material among the Alans. With this, the two kings concluded a peace treaty and a lavish and magnificent wedding took place. Movses stated that during the wedding a "golden shower rained down" on Artashes and a "pearl shower" rained down on Satenik. It was a popular tradition among the Armenian kings, according to Movses, to stand in front of the entrance of a temple and drop money from above his head and to shower the queen's bedroom with pearls. They had six sons: Artavasdes (Artavazd)

Artavasdes I of Armenia

Artavasdes I of Armenia was the son of Artaxias I and Queen Satenik....

, Vruyr, Mazhan, Zariadres (Zareh), Tiran and Tigranes

Tigranes I

Tigranes I of Armenia reigned as King of Armenia from 115 BC to 95 BC. Artavasdes I did not leave any heir; his brother, Tigranes ascended to the throne of the Artaxiads. Some historians claim that Tigranes II the Great was the son of Tigranes I and not Artavasdes I....

(Tigran). The Artashesyan, or Artaxiad, dynasty lasted until the beginning of the next century, expiring in around 14 A.D.

Later life

The later relationship between Artashes and Satenik remains largely unknown. Early on in History of Armenia, Movses had stated that Satenik had fallen in love with Argavan, a descendant of a race of dragons (vishaps, in Armenian), but the remainder of the story that was sung by the minstrels is missing and believed to be lost.