Works devoted to the history of Armenia and other countries.
The works of the Armenian historians are primary sources about the history of Armenia and its surrounding countries. The first work of the Armenian historiography, The Life of Mashtots was written in the 40s of the 5th century and is preserved in a 13th-14th century copy. In this book, written by the pupil of Mashtots Koriun, The Life and Activities of Mashtots, including the creation of the Armenian, Georgian and Albanian alphabets are described. The work is translated into German (1841), French (1869), English (1952), Russian (1962), etc. The History of Agathangelos (5th century), is about the struggle against paganism in Armenia, and about the acknowledgement of Christianity as a state religion in 301. This primary source about the first period of Christianity has several editions in different languages. Some of this editions and the Armenian original have been lately translated into Italian (1843), Swedish (1860), French (1867), English (1976), etc.
The history of Pavstos Buzand, a contemporary with Agathangelos, includes the historical period of 330-387 and reflects the social and political life of Armenia. It contains important information about the Armenian - Roman and Armenian - Persian relationships as well as interesting data about the history of the peoples of Transcaucasia. The work has been translated into French (1867), German (1879), Russian (1953), etc. In his History of Armeniaо Movses Khorenatsi is the first to give the history of the Armenian people from the mythological times up to the 5th century AD in chronological order. He has been fairly called the Father of the Armenian Historiography by generations. 31 manuscripts of his history and several fragments, the oldest of which dates back to the 9th century, are preserved at the Matenadaran. Writing the history of Armenia, Khorenatsi used works of Greek and Syrian authors, quoting from them. Some of them are world-known only thank to the history of Khorenatsi. Source materials for the History of Armenia are also the Armenian folk - tales, legends and songs of other peoples, lapidary inscriptions, official documents, etc. The history of Khorenatsi is an indispensable source for the study of the historical past of the neighbour countries. Suffice it to say that the oldest registration of the name of Rostam, the famous hero of the Iranian folk - tale is done by Khorenatsi. It is even older, than the Iranian registration. 500 years earlier than Ferdoussi Khorenatsi registered the legend of Biuraspi Azhdahak.
The history of Pavstos Buzand, a contemporary with Agathangelos, includes the historical period of 330-387 and reflects the social and political life of Armenia. It contains important information about the Armenian - Roman and Armenian - Persian relationships as well as interesting data about the history of the peoples of Transcaucasia. The work has been translated into French (1867), German (1879), Russian (1953), etc. In his History of Armeniaо Movses Khorenatsi is the first to give the history of the Armenian people from the mythological times up to the 5th century AD in chronological order. He has been fairly called the Father of the Armenian Historiography by generations. 31 manuscripts of his history and several fragments, the oldest of which dates back to the 9th century, are preserved at the Matenadaran. Writing the history of Armenia, Khorenatsi used works of Greek and Syrian authors, quoting from them. Some of them are world-known only thank to the history of Khorenatsi. Source materials for the History of Armenia are also the Armenian folk - tales, legends and songs of other peoples, lapidary inscriptions, official documents, etc. The history of Khorenatsi is an indispensable source for the study of the historical past of the neighbour countries. Suffice it to say that the oldest registration of the name of Rostam, the famous hero of the Iranian folk - tale is done by Khorenatsi. It is even older, than the Iranian registration. 500 years earlier than Ferdoussi Khorenatsi registered the legend of Biuraspi Azhdahak.
For about 200 years this work of world importance is being studied by foreign historians and philologists.In 1736 it was translated into Latin and together with its Armenian original was published in London. Before that the brief summary of the history was published in Stockholm by the swedish scolar Henrich Brenner (1669 - 1732). This editions of the 18th century were followed by others in different languages - in Russian (1809, 1858, 1893), in French (1836, 1844, 1869, 1993), in Italian (1841, 1850), in German (1869, 1881), in Hungarian (1892), in Persian (1992), etc. In 'The History of Vardan and the war of the Armenians', the 5th century historian Yeghisheh describes the self - sacrificing struggle of the Armenians against Sassanian Persia in 451 AD and the invincible will of the people to fight for the freedom and independence of the Motherland. The title includes the name of Vardan Mamikonian, the leader of the courageous Armenian regiments. Valuable information on the Zoroastrian religion and the political life of Persia in general is given in this book. The history has been published for about 40 times both in armenian and foreign languages - in English (1830, 1926, 1952), in Italian (1840), in French (1841, 1868), in Russian (1853, 1884, 1971), etc. Two copies of The History of Armenia of Ghazar Parpetsi, another historian of the 5th century, are preserved at the Matenadaran. His work refers to the historical events of the period from 387 to 486 AD, it also includes events having occured in Persia, the Byzantine Empire, Georgia, Albania and other countries. A trustworthy source about the Arabian invasions of Armenia and Asia Minor is the history of the 8th century historian Ghevond. It is the only source containing many facts about the relations between Arabs on one side and Armenians, Georgians, Albanians, Khazars on the other side. It is also an interesting source for studying the history of the struggle against the Arab yoke. Among the literary monuments, History of Albania, known as the work of Movses Kaghankatvatsi is of exceptional value. Different authors from the 7th to 10th centuries participated in the creation of the work. It is the only source in the world literature dealing especially with the history of Albania. Other 10th century historians, Hovhannes Draskhanakertsi, Toma Artsruni, Ukhtanes, Stepanos Asoghik, also give important information about the political relations and social struggle of the time.
The 11th century historian Aristakes Lastivertsi tells about the Turkish and Byzantine invasions. It is in this period, that the mass migration of the Armenians to foreign countries began. Lastivertsi has mentioned inner conflicts, including dishonesty of the merchants, fraud, bribery, self - interest, dissensions between princes, which was one of the reasons of hard conditions in the country. In the 12th - 13th centuries there was a considerable animation in the political life of the country. Armenia became a crossing of trade roads. The Armenian State of Cilicia, which lasted for about 3 centuries (up to 1375) was established. This period (12th -13th centuries) was one of the most richest periods of the Armenian historiography. It gave more than ten historians and chronologists - Samuel Anetsi, Mekhitar Anetsi, Matheos Urhayetsi, Mekhitar Ayrivanetsi, Vardan Areveltsi, Kirakos Gandzaketsi, Grigor Aknertsi, Vahram Rabuni, Sembat Sparapet, Hetum Patmich, Stepanos Orbelian, etc. 14th - 16th centuries are the most fruitless centuries in the Armenian historiography. It produced only one famous historian - Toma Metsopetsi (1376/9 - 1446), who gave the history of the invasions of Thamerlane and his descendents to Armenia. Among the minor chroniclers of this period are the stories in verse of Grigor Khlatetsi (Tserents) (1350 - 1425), Movses Artsketsi, Arakel Baghishetsi, Abraham Ankiuratsi, Simon Aparantsi and the Chronicles of Andreas Evdokatsi, Barsegh Artshishetsi, Hovhannes Tsaretsi, etc, who give important information about the political and social life of the time. The 17th - 18th centuries vastly differ from the proceeding period. They are rich in both minor and significant historiographical works. The History of Armenia of the well - known 17th century historian Arakel Davrizhetsi deals with the events of 1601 - 1662 in Armenia, Albania, Georgia, Turkey, Iran and in the Armenian communities of Istanbul, Ispahan, Lvov, etc. It gives the detailed history of deportation of the Armenians to Persia by the Persian Shah Abbas. The works of other well - known historians, chroniclers, travellers, including the works of Zachariah Sarkavag (1620), Eremiah Chelepi (1637 - 1695), Kostand Dzhughayetsi (17th century), Essai Hasan - Dzhalalian (1728), as well as the works of Hakob Shamakhetsi (1763), the Supreme Patriarch Simeon Yerevantsi (1780), etc. Of a particular historiographical value are the Armenian translations of foreign authors, such as Josephus Flavius, Eusebius of Caesarea, Socrates Scholasticus, Michael the Syrian, Martin of Poland, George Francesca and others.
