Tondrakians
Encyclopedia
Tondrakians were members of an anti-feudal, heretical Christian
sect
that flourished in medieval Armenia
between the early 9th century and 11th century and centered around the city of Tondrak, north of Lake Van
in Western Armenia
.
along with all of its traditional rite
s. Tondrakians denied the immortality of the soul, the afterlife, the church and its feudal rights. They supported property rights for peasants, as well as equality between men and women. Tondrakians organized their communities in much the same fashion as did the early Christians
under the Roman Empire
during the first three centuries. They also participated in the peasant revolts of the tenth century, particularly in Ayrarat
and Syunik
. The Tondrakian movement resembled the Paulician movement in many ways, and various scholars consider it a continuation of the Paulician movement under different conditions, when Armenia was independent. The Paulician movement was of a social nature and simultaneously a resistance movement, directed against the Arabs and Byzantines, while the Tondrakian movement primarily had a social character and was used as a tool for class warfare.
fought against their feudal lords and landowners: destroying their castles and property. Peasant revolts appear also in Syunik
. After the construction of Tatev Monastery
was completed in 906 the ownership of the adjacent villages was transferred by a special princely edict to the monks of the monastery. Flatly rejecting to obey this edict, the peasants of Tsuraberd, Tamalek, Aveladasht and other villages carry on a prolonged struggle against the churchgoers. Several times this revolt transformed into an open uprising. With the aid of Smbat, the prince of Syunik, the monastery managed after a while to take control of Aveladasht and Tamalek. The struggle to take control of Tsuraberd bore a bloodier nature. Here the peasants attacked the monastery and plundered it. Smbat eventually suppressed the uprising. However, after a short while the people of Tsuraberd revolted again. Peasant uprisings continued with interruptions throughout the tenth century. In 990
, the King of Syunik, Vasak, burned down Tsuraberd and pacified its inhabitants. This led to the widespread acceptance of the Tondrakian movement among the lower classes of people in the late tenth century.
, Vaspurakan
, Mokq
and other provinces. Historians mention various leaders of the Tondrakians of this time such as Thoros, Ananes, Hakop and Sarkis. The wide acceptance of the movement began to worry secular and spiritual feudal lords, Byzantine authorities and even Muslims.
in the persecution of Tondrakians. The movement quickly spread to Shirak
, Turuberan
and the Armenian regions of Taron
, Hark and Mananali that were subject to Byzantium, after acquiring the nature of people's liberation struggle against the Byzantine expansion to their overall ideology. After suffering a number of defeats at the hands of Byzantium, most Tondrakians were deported to Thrace
in the 10th century. Following the Byzantine conquest of the Bagratuni Kingdom of Ani in 1045 the movement experienced a new resurgence, this time within large cities like Ani where they began appealing to the lower ranks of the nobility
and the clergy. The Tondrakian movement broke into three different directions during its last years, the most radical of which began advocating atheism
as well as doubt in the afterlife
and the immortality of the human soul. By the middle of the 11th century the Byzantine governor of Taron and Vaspurakan
, Gregory Magistros
, managed to eliminate all remnants of Tondrakians. Historian Aristakes Lastivertsi
describes the elimination of Tondrakians in great detail.
wrote a critical summary of Tondrakian doctrines in his Letter to the Abbot of Kchaw Concerning the Refutation of the Accursed Tondrakians. He lists the following among other accusations:
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
that flourished in medieval Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
between the early 9th century and 11th century and centered around the city of Tondrak, north of Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
in Western Armenia
Western Armenia
Western Armenia is a term, primarily used by Armenians, to refer to Armenian-inhabited areas of the Armenian Highland that were part of the Ottoman Empire and now are part of the Republic of Turkey....
.
History
The founder of the movement was Smbat Zarehavantsi, who advocated the abolishment of the ChurchArmenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
along with all of its traditional rite
Rite
A rite is an established, ceremonious, usually religious act. Rites in this sense fall into three major categories:* rites of passage, generally changing an individual's social status, such as marriage, baptism, or graduation....
s. Tondrakians denied the immortality of the soul, the afterlife, the church and its feudal rights. They supported property rights for peasants, as well as equality between men and women. Tondrakians organized their communities in much the same fashion as did the early Christians
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
under the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
during the first three centuries. They also participated in the peasant revolts of the tenth century, particularly in Ayrarat
Ayrarat
Ayrarat was a province of old Armenia . The main city was Oshakan. It is believed that the name Ayrarat is the Armenian equivalent of the toponym Urartu ....
and Syunik
Syunik
Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia. It borders the Vayots Dzor marz to the north, Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave to the west, Karabakh to the east, and Iran to the south. Its capital is Kapan. Other important cities and towns include Goris, Sisian, Meghri, Agarak, and Dastakert...
. The Tondrakian movement resembled the Paulician movement in many ways, and various scholars consider it a continuation of the Paulician movement under different conditions, when Armenia was independent. The Paulician movement was of a social nature and simultaneously a resistance movement, directed against the Arabs and Byzantines, while the Tondrakian movement primarily had a social character and was used as a tool for class warfare.
Background
In the early tenth century many regions of Armenia were undergoing peasant uprisings, which also first began in forms of open social protests, eventually adopting religious aspects. Contemporary historian and eyewitness Hovhanes Draskhanakertsi describes how the peasants of AyraratAyrarat
Ayrarat was a province of old Armenia . The main city was Oshakan. It is believed that the name Ayrarat is the Armenian equivalent of the toponym Urartu ....
fought against their feudal lords and landowners: destroying their castles and property. Peasant revolts appear also in Syunik
Syunik
Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia. It borders the Vayots Dzor marz to the north, Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave to the west, Karabakh to the east, and Iran to the south. Its capital is Kapan. Other important cities and towns include Goris, Sisian, Meghri, Agarak, and Dastakert...
. After the construction of Tatev Monastery
Tatev
The Monastery of Tatev is a 9th century Armenian monastery located in the Tatev village in Syunik Province in southern Armenia. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery. It stands on a plateau on the edge of the deep gorge of the Orotan River...
was completed in 906 the ownership of the adjacent villages was transferred by a special princely edict to the monks of the monastery. Flatly rejecting to obey this edict, the peasants of Tsuraberd, Tamalek, Aveladasht and other villages carry on a prolonged struggle against the churchgoers. Several times this revolt transformed into an open uprising. With the aid of Smbat, the prince of Syunik, the monastery managed after a while to take control of Aveladasht and Tamalek. The struggle to take control of Tsuraberd bore a bloodier nature. Here the peasants attacked the monastery and plundered it. Smbat eventually suppressed the uprising. However, after a short while the people of Tsuraberd revolted again. Peasant uprisings continued with interruptions throughout the tenth century. In 990
990
Year 990 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* The Pax Ecclesiae, an edict by the church in southern France attempting to outlaw acts of war against non-combatants and the clergy, is promulgated.- Births :* Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor * Edmund II of England,...
, the King of Syunik, Vasak, burned down Tsuraberd and pacified its inhabitants. This led to the widespread acceptance of the Tondrakian movement among the lower classes of people in the late tenth century.
Resurgence
After the suppression of the peasant revolts, the Tondrakians suffered a minor decline. However, by the beginning of the eleventh century the movement enveloped many regions of Armenia. Tondrakian villages and communities appeared in Upper ArmeniaUpper Armenia
Upper Armenia is a historic region of Armenia located in present-day Turkey roughly corresponding to the modern province of Erzincan. immediately west of the Kura River. Within the borders of the Kingdom of Armenia, it was bounded by the regions of Dsopk, Taron, Tayk, and Ayrarat. It was called...
, Vaspurakan
Vaspurakan
Vaspurakan was the first and biggest province of Greater Armenia, which later became an independent kingdom during the Middle Ages, centered around Lake Van...
, Mokq
Moxoene
Moxoene was a province of old Armenia, today in Van province, Turkey, as well as a feudal familial name c. 400–800, also known by the name Moghk or Mox, Moxq, Moxus, Moxos, Moks, Mukus, Miks, Mikus, sometimes Mekes, as Muksî or Muskî in Kurdish, today Bahçesaray in Turkish.The settlement...
and other provinces. Historians mention various leaders of the Tondrakians of this time such as Thoros, Ananes, Hakop and Sarkis. The wide acceptance of the movement began to worry secular and spiritual feudal lords, Byzantine authorities and even Muslims.
Decline
Armenian secular and spiritual feudal lords joined forces with neighbouring Muslim Arab emirs as well as ByzantinesByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
in the persecution of Tondrakians. The movement quickly spread to Shirak
Shirak
Shirak is a province of Armenia. It is in the north-west of the country, bordering Turkey in the west and Georgia in the north. Its capital is Gyumri. Shirak is known as the homeland of khash. It is as much semi-desert as it is mountain meadow or high alpine...
, Turuberan
Turuberan
-History:Turuberan was an Armenian region, that was part of the Kingdom of Armenia from 189 BC to 387 AD. Then it was part of Sassanid Empire, Byzantine Empire, Arab Caliphate, Kingdom of Armenia , Zakarid Armenia, Ottoman Empire. A very large Armenian population remained until 1915's Armenian...
and the Armenian regions of Taron
Taron
Taron may refer to: * Taron , a region of historic Armenia* Taron , an ethnic group in Myanmar* Taron, a genus of gastropods in the family Fasciolariidae...
, Hark and Mananali that were subject to Byzantium, after acquiring the nature of people's liberation struggle against the Byzantine expansion to their overall ideology. After suffering a number of defeats at the hands of Byzantium, most Tondrakians were deported to Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
in the 10th century. Following the Byzantine conquest of the Bagratuni Kingdom of Ani in 1045 the movement experienced a new resurgence, this time within large cities like Ani where they began appealing to the lower ranks of the nobility
Armenian nobility
Armenian nobility has a long history with many interruptions, most notable of which were the Ottoman and Russian occupations of Armenia.-Terminology:...
and the clergy. The Tondrakian movement broke into three different directions during its last years, the most radical of which began advocating atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
as well as doubt in the afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
and the immortality of the human soul. By the middle of the 11th century the Byzantine governor of Taron and Vaspurakan
Vaspurakan
Vaspurakan was the first and biggest province of Greater Armenia, which later became an independent kingdom during the Middle Ages, centered around Lake Van...
, Gregory Magistros
Gregory Magistros
Gregory Magistros was an Armenian linguist, scholar and public functionary. A layman of the princely Pahlavuni family, he was the son of Vassak Pahlavuni. After Byzantium annexed the Kingdom of Ani, Gregory went on to serve as the Governor-general of the province of Edessa. The Byzantine Emperor...
, managed to eliminate all remnants of Tondrakians. Historian Aristakes Lastivertsi
Aristakes Lastivertsi
Aristakes Lastivertsi was a medieval Armenian historian and chronicler. The author of many works, Aristakes' most valuable contribution in the field of the historiography was his History: About the Sufferings Visited Upon by Foreign Peoples Living Around Us , which described Armenia's relations...
describes the elimination of Tondrakians in great detail.
Beliefs
Tenth century Armenian theologian and monk Gregory of NarekGregory of Narek
Grigor Narekatsi is a canonized saint. He was an Armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher and theologian, born into a family of writers. His father, Khosrov, was an archbishop...
wrote a critical summary of Tondrakian doctrines in his Letter to the Abbot of Kchaw Concerning the Refutation of the Accursed Tondrakians. He lists the following among other accusations:
- They deny our ordination, which the apostles received from Christ.
- They deny the Holy Communion as the true body and blood of Christ.
- They deny our Baptism as being mere bath water.
- They consider Sunday as on a level with other days.
- They refuse genuflection.
- They deny the veneration of the cross.
- They ordain each other and thus follow self-conferred priesthood.
- They do not accept marriage as a sacrament.
- They reject the matagh as being a Jewish practice.
- They are sexually promiscuous.