Upper Armenia
Encyclopedia
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 Upper Armenia, as it was upper than the other provinces. Upper Armenia's area was 23860 km² (9,212.4 sq mi) and consisted of 9 districts:
Upper Armenia was famous by its lakes, rivers especially Euphrates
, gold
] mines and fields. In 2nd millennium BC Upper Armenia's wester parts were conquered by Hittite Empire, from XV century BC was conquered by Hayasa-Azzi
. From 189 BC it became part of Kingdom of Armeni. Upper Armenia was famous by its pagan temples. From 62 AD it became part of Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia
. As it was an outlying province it served as an defense shield against enemies. According to Pavstos Buzand, Armenian Arshakid Kings were buried in Ani (Upper Armenia). In 387 Upper Armenia passed to the Roman Empire
. It was renamed into Inner Armenia, which was ruled by a count. Inner Armenia's capital was Teodosupolis (Karin). During Justinian I
's reign Inner Armenia was made a province with the name of First Armenia. In VIII century western parts of Upper Armenia were conquered by Arabs, and soon many Arab tribes settled in that parts to separate Armenia from Byzantine Empire
. In 885 Upper Armenia became part of Bagratuni Kingdom of Armenia
. In XI century Upper Armenia was once again conquered by Byzantine Empire
. In 1071 it passed to Seljuks, in 1157 it was conquered by Sultanate of Rome. In 1207 Upper Armenia's eastern parts were liberated by Zakarids. In 1242 Mongols
conquered Upper Armenia, in 1502 was conquered by Persia, in 1514 by Ottoman Turkey. Upper Armenia had a big number of Armenians
until 1915 Armenian Genocide
.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
located in present-day Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
roughly corresponding to the modern province of Erzincan
Erzincan Province
Erzincan Province is a province in the eastern region of Anatolia, Turkey, and home to Erzincan, a city which was destroyed and rebuilt after an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 on December 27, 1939...
. immediately west of the Kura River
Kura River
Kura is a river, also known from the Greek as the Cyrus in the Caucasus Mountains. Starting in north-eastern Turkey, it flows through Turkey to Georgia, then to Azerbaijan, where it receives the Aras River as a right tributary, and enters the Caspian Sea...
. Within the borders of the Kingdom of Armenia, it was bounded by the regions of Dsopk, 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...
, Tayk
Tayk
Tayk was a historical province of the Greater Armenia, one of its 15 ashkars . Tayk consisted of 8 cantons:* Kogh* Berdats por* Partizats por* Tchakatk* Bokha* Vokaghe* Azordats por* Arsiats por....
, and 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 ....
. It was called Upper Armenia, as it was upper than the other provinces. Upper Armenia's area was 23860 km² (9,212.4 sq mi) and consisted of 9 districts:
- Daranagh
- Aghivn
- Mndzur
- Ekeghyats
- Mananagh
- Derjan
- Sper (Armenia)
- Shaghagom
- Karin (Greater Armenia)Karin (Greater Armenia)-History:Karin was Greater Armenia's Upper Armenia province's main city. The territory of Karin was inhabited from 3rd millennium BC. By 387's division the city passed to the Roman Empire. As Karin was near to the border with Persia, many fortresses were built around Karin. In 421 AD in the honor...
.
Upper Armenia was famous by its lakes, rivers especially Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
] mines and fields. In 2nd millennium BC Upper Armenia's wester parts were conquered by Hittite Empire, from XV century BC was conquered by Hayasa-Azzi
Hayasa-Azzi
Hayasa-Azzi or Azzi-Hayasa was a Late Bronze Age confederation formed between two petty kingdoms of Anatolia, Hayasa located South of Trabzon and Azzi, located North of the Euphrates and to the South of Hayasa...
. From 189 BC it became part of Kingdom of Armeni. Upper Armenia was famous by its pagan temples. From 62 AD it became part of Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia
Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia
The Arsacid dynasty or Arshakuni dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Armenia from 54 AD to 428 AD. Formerly a branch of the Iranian Parthian Arsacids, they became a distinctly Armenian dynasty. Arsacid Kings reigned intermittently throughout the chaotic years following the fall of the Artaxiad Dynasty...
. As it was an outlying province it served as an defense shield against enemies. According to Pavstos Buzand, Armenian Arshakid Kings were buried in Ani (Upper Armenia). In 387 Upper Armenia passed to 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....
. It was renamed into Inner Armenia, which was ruled by a count. Inner Armenia's capital was Teodosupolis (Karin). During Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
's reign Inner Armenia was made a province with the name of First Armenia. In VIII century western parts of Upper Armenia were conquered by Arabs, and soon many Arab tribes settled in that parts to separate Armenia from Byzantine Empire
Byzantine 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 885 Upper Armenia became part of Bagratuni Kingdom of Armenia
Bagratuni Kingdom of Armenia
The medieval Kingdom of Armenia, also known as Bagratid Armenia , was an independent state established by Ashot I Bagratuni in 885 following nearly two centuries of foreign domination of Greater Armenia under Arab Umayyad and Abbasid rule...
. In XI century Upper Armenia was once again conquered by Byzantine Empire
Byzantine 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 1071 it passed to Seljuks, in 1157 it was conquered by Sultanate of Rome. In 1207 Upper Armenia's eastern parts were liberated by Zakarids. In 1242 Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
conquered Upper Armenia, in 1502 was conquered by Persia, in 1514 by Ottoman Turkey. Upper Armenia had a big number of Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
until 1915 Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
.