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Ani Archaeological Site is a medieval Armenian city situated 44 km (27 mi) East of Kars, Kars province of Turkey. It is famous for its majestic ruins of the Christian churches. Many still preserve colorful frescoes of saints and apostles.
In the period from 961 to 1045, Ani was the
capital of the Kingdom of the same name, whose borders occupied a
large part of modern Armenia and Eastern Turkey. The city stands on
a triangular hill formed by the gorge of the Akhuryan river and the
Bostanlar valley, its location served as a natural protection. Ani
is called the city of 1001 churches, several trade routes ran
through it, and its religious buildings, palaces and fortifications
were among the most technically and artistically advanced in the
world.
Arab historian of the XIII century Sibt Ibn al-jauzi reported that
before the destruction of the city by the Turks in 1064, the
population of the Armenian capital reached 1 million people, of
which some were cut out, and of those who survived, 500 thousand
were taken prisoner. According to other sources, in the XI century,
at the height of the city's development, 100-200 thousand people
lived in Ani, and the city competed with Constantinople, Baghdad and
Damascus. In the XII century Ani was rebuilt by the Armenian
princely family Zakarian and again became the center of Armenian
culture. Ani was abandoned after the earthquake of 1319. The anian
Armenians established a number of colonies far beyond the borders of
Armenia.
Etymology
Armenian historians, in particular, Yeghishe and Lazar Parpetsi
first mentioned Ani in the V century. They described Ani as a
Kamsarakan impregnable fortress on a hill. The city got its name
from the fortress and the pagan settlement of Ani-Camargue, located
in the region of karinska Taranaki. Ani was also known for a time as
Hnmk (arm. Խնամք), although there is no consensus among historians
as to why it was so called. Henry Hubschman, a German linguist who
studied the Armenian language, suggested that this word may derive
from the word "namely" (arm. խնամել), a verb with the meaning "to
care".
The capital of the Armenian Bagratuni Kingdom
By the beginning of the ninth century, the former territories of the
Kamsarakans in Arsharunik and Shirak, including Ani, were included
in the lands of the Bagratid dynasty. Their suzerain, Ashot IV
Msaker (806-827) received the title ishkhanats Ishkhan (Prince of
princes) of Armenia from the Caliphate in 804. The first Bagratid
capital was Bagaran, located about 40 km South of Ani, the second
was Shirakavan, 25 km from Ani, and in 929 Kars became the capital.
In 961, Ashot III (953-977) made Ani the capital. In the reign of
Smbat II (977-989), Ani grew rapidly. In 992 the Armenian
Catholicosate of the also moved to this city. In the X century, the
population of the city was from 50 to 100 thousand people.
The peak of the city's development occurred during the long reign of
Gagik I (989-1020). After his death, a power struggle developed
between the two heirs, and the eldest, Hovhannes-Smbat (1020-1041),
gained power over Ani. Fearing an attack by the Byzantine Empire, he
proclaimed the Byzantine Emperor Basil II as his heir. In January
1022, the Catholicos Peter went to Basil to deliver him a letter
from Hovhannes-Smbat, in which he asked Basil to ascend the throne
after him. After the death of Hovhannes-Smbat (1041), Basil's heir,
Michael IV, proclaimed authority over Ani, but the new king of Ani,
Gagik II (1042-1045), did not obey him. Several Byzantine armies
tried to take the city, but all their attacks were repulsed. In
1045, at the instigation of the Pro-Byzantine citizens, Ani
surrendered to Byzantium and was ruled by a Greek Governor.
Cultural and economic center
Ani initially lay away from trade routes, but due to its size, power
and wealth became an important trading hub. The city's main trading
partners were the Byzantine and Persian empires, Arabs, and small
Nations in Central Asia and Russia. Ani became one of the largest
cities in the world of its time.
The looting and devastation
Ani was attacked by the Byzantine army and sacked by the Turks. On
the Byzantine attack in 1044, the Armenian historian Vardapet
Aristakes wrote: "in these days the romaic troops in their onslaught
invaded Armenia four times, until by sword, fire and capture in
polon they turned the whole country into desolation. When I
recollect these calamities, my spirit is troubled, my thoughts stop,
terror makes my hands tremble, and I am unable to continue the
narrative, for my story is bitter, it is worthy of great tears!»