See also
| Husband: | Abas I + (880-952) | |
| Wife: | OF TAO (890-937) | |
| Children: | Ashot III + (920-977) | |
| Mushegh (c. 922- ) | ||
| Name: | Abas I + | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Father: | Smbat I + (850-914) | |
| Mother: | Rhipsime + (850- ) | |
| Birth | 0880 | Armenia |
| Occupation | King of Armenia | |
| Title | frm 0928 to 0953 (age 47-73) | King of Armenia |
| Group/Caste Membership | Bagratuni Dynasty | |
| Death | 0952 (age 71-72) | Armenia |
| Name: | OF TAO | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Father: | Gourgen II + (865-941) | |
| Mother: | OF CALARZENE (870- ) | |
| Birth | 0890 | |
| Death | 0937 (age 46-47) | |
| Name: | Ashot III + | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Spouse: | Khosrovanoush + (930- ) | |
| Birth | 0920 | |
| Occupation | King of Armenia | |
| Title | King of Armenia | |
| Death | 0977 (age 56-57) | |
| Name: | Mushegh | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Birth | 0922 (est) | |
Abas I of Armenia was king of Armenia from 928 to 953. Abas was of the royal Bagratuni Dynasty. He was the son of Smbat I and the brother of Ashot "Yerkat" II. In contrast to the way his predecessors' ruled, Abas' reign was marked by years of peace, stability, and prosperity that Armenia had not enjoyed for decades.[1] His capital was based at the fortress-city of Kars and Abas achieved numerous successes on both the foreign and domestic fronts. In the same year that he became king, Abas traveled to Dvin, where he was able to convince the Arab governor there to release several Armenian hostages and turn over control of the pontifical palace back to Armenia. Conflict between the Arabs were minimal too, with the exception of a military defeat Abas suffered near the holy city of Vagharshapat. He was far less conciliatory towards the Byzantines, who had repeatedly demonstrated their unreliability as allies by attacking and annexing Armenian territories. Fortunately for him, Romanus of Byzantium was more focused on fighting the Arab Hamdanids, leaving Abas virtually free to conduct his policies without foreign hindrance.[2]Also, Abas confronted an invasion by king Ber of Abkhazia in 943: a new church had been completed in Kars under Abas' orders and prior to its consecration, Ber had appeared with an army along the river of the Araxes, demanding that the new church be consecrated under Chalcedonian rite.[3] Abas refused to make any concessions and ambushed Ber's forces in a dawn assault. Several more skirmishes took place, wherein Ber was finally captured by Abas' men. Abas took the king to his new church and told him that he would never see it again, blinding him and sending him back to Abkhazia. Abas died in 953, leaving his kingdom to his two sons, Ashot III and Mushegh.
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The Height of the Bagratouni Era, Abas I, Ashot III, Smbat II, Gagik I
Armenia reached the height of its golden era during the reign of the kings Abas I (928-951), Ashot III (952-977), Smbat II (977-989) and Gagik (990-1020), an era which according to Muyldermans "in regard to its brilliance and glory was unique." 39
These four kings, as the emperors in the Antonin dynasty 40, succeeded each other on the Armenian throne, each one offering his country the mightiest governmental power and implementing a just rule over the nation.
Abas I began his reign by annulling the peace treaty with the leaders in the Persian Azerbaijan. These leaders, after various wars which ended in heavy defeat for them, were compelled to recognize a strong and independent Armenia instead of the land which they were accustomed to dividing amongst themselves and plundering as they pleased. After the close of the war the parties exchanged the prisoners of war.
Abas I resumed the work of constructing the country, especially the cities and their suburbs. Among others he rebuilt the city of Kars, constructing several churches in this city and appointing it s the second capital of Armenia. His reign was characterized by peace and tranquillity; the only military campaign which he was forced to carry out was the war against the Abkhazian king (a region in western present-day Georgia, by the Black Sea), since this king had claims on Kars. The Armenian army defeated the Abkhazians on two separate occasions and drove them back to the other side of the Kur River. 43
Abas I's successor, the great king Ashot III, was crowned in 952, and during his reign the country continued to strengthen and develop in all areas. The new power of Armenia had reached such a level that the country, at short notice, could summon an army of 90,000 men, ready to be sent out to battle. 1,2
| 1 | Mikhail Chamhyants, "History of Armenia from B.C. 2247 to the Year of Christ 1780" (2005, ISBN 1-4021-4853-4). |
| 2 | "History of Armenia" (http://www.armenica.org/cgi-bin/armenica.cgi). |