ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Kashatagh 284 Monuments

NKR (Country) / Kashatagh (District)

Historical Introduction
7 c․

This district was first mentioned in “Ashkharatsuyts”, a source that dates from the 7th century, as Aghahejk - one of the twelve administrative regions of the historical Syunik province.

Anania Shirakatsi, Bibliography, Yerevan, 1979, p. 295 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 122.

846 y․

Later in 846, Movses Kaghankatvatsi mentioned this region in regard of the Arab invasion, when the Arab military commanders “leading a campaign against Syunik, and taking captives in the town Baghatsn finally stopped at the district of Aghahej, in a settlement called Arkuget...”

Movses Kaghankatuatsi, History of Albania, Yerevan, 1983, p. 331 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 122.

13 c․

Although the toponym Aghahej was still in use in the historical records of the XIII cent, yet beginning from that very period the district was more often regarded as: “... the district of Aghahej, which is now called Kashatagh and Khozhoraberd”. The district obviously split to two minor parts named after the fortresses of Kashatagh and Khozhoraberd, situated in the former Aghahej.

Stephanos Orbelian, History of Syunik, Yerevan, 1986, pp. 70-71 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 122.

1488 y․

Unlike Khozhoraberd, the district of Kashatagh, including the southern and southeastern parts of the former Aghahej, had been playing some role during the next centuries and was mentioned for a number of times. It is recorded alongside with village Khoznavar in the colophon of the manuscript Gospel of 1488: “written in the district of Kashatagh, in the village called Khozanavar, under the auspices of St. Stephanos, the Martyr...”.

Colophons of the Armenian Manuscripts of the XV Century, vol. 3, Yerevan, 1967, p. 116.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 122.

16 c․

In the XVI cent the toponym had been transformed into Kshtagh. In conformity with the historical records mentioning some: “Melik Haykaz of Kshtagh, from the Khanatzakh village” an Armenian principality with the center in Khanatzakh had been established since at least the end of the same century.

Arakel Davrizhetsi, Book of History, Yerevan, 1990, p. 63 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

1609 y․

The edict of shah Abbas I, heralded in 1609 and aimed at protection of the rights of Melik Haykaz against his opponents, called the latter “the best Christian, Melik Haykaz of Kushtasif".

H. D. Papazian, Persian Documents in Matenadaran: Edicts, vol. 2, 1601 -1650", Yerevan, 1959, p. 89-90 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

1620 y․

Another edict of the same shah, issued in 1620 “confirms the title of melik Haykaz of Kashatagh to the estates situated in Kashatagh and Ghapan”.

H. D. Papazian, Persian Documents in Matenadaran: Edicts, vol. 2, 1601 -1650", Yerevan, 1959, pp. 99-100.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

1634 y․

For a few more times the district was mentioned in the edicts of Persian shahs of the XVII cent: thus Echmiadzin was granted the right to collect the church tithe from the Armenians residing in Kashatagh (against the catholicos of Gandzasar, who claimed for similar right) by the edict of the Safavide shah Safi, dating back to 1634, and the edict of shah Abbas II issued in 1646 granted tax exemption to 4 villages of Kashatagh.

H. D. Papazian, Persian Documents in Matenadaran: Edicts, vol. 2, 1601 -1650", Yerevan, 1959, pp. 109, 124-125.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

1647 y․

Later the district was mentioned again in the colophon of a manuscript: “This is written in the district of Kashtagh, in the village Khanatzakh, under the auspices of the Savior, in 1647 of Armenian dating”.

Colophons of the Armenian Manuscripts of the XVII Century, vol. 3, Yerevan, 1984, p. 256 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

1652 y․

The fortress of identical name was mentioned in the colophon of a manuscript written in 1652: “in the invincible castle Kashtagh, where the God dwells, in the village Khznavar, under the auspices of St. Stephanos the Martyr...”.

Colophons of the Armenian Manuscripts of the XVII Century, vol. 3, Yerevan, 1984, p. 506.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

17 y․

Trade routs passing through “the land of Kashtagh” were described in the work of Zakariah Kanakertsi written at the end of the same century.

Annals of Zakariah the Deacon, Vagharshapat, vol. 2, 870, p. 9 (in Arm.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

18 c․

A number of settlements in this district were abandoned by the second half of the XVIII cent. We know, for instance, that upon the conclusion of Peace accord between Panah Khan of Shushi and Fat-Ali Khan of Urmiah the Armenian residents of the Halak village in Kashatagh left their homes and joining the meliks of Jraberd and Gulistan moved to Gandzak seeking protection of the local khan: “Halak was emptied and occupied by the Kurds of Moghaurts, that live there up to now”.

V. Potto, General-Leutenant Ivan Davidovich Lazarev, Tiflis, 1900, p. 11 (in Rus.).
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

18 — 19 cc․

By the end of the XVIII cent and, especially, in the beginning of the next century most of the abandoned villages were occupied by the Kurdish and Turkish nomads. We cannot say when exactly the last offspring of Melik-Haykazian princely dynasty left the district, but at the beginning of the XIX cent already their traces are found in the towns of Shaki, Kutaisi and elsewhere.

For instance, a tombstone, which was still in situ in 1986 at "the Strangers' Cemetery" in Shaki had the following versified inscription:

"HERE RESTS DAVID LAZARIANTS/, BORN IN ARTSAKH/, LAND OF THE BRAVE/, OFFSPRING OF THE PRINCES OF KSHTAGH /MELIK HAYKAZ AND BHATUR BEK,/ UNLUCKY STRANGER WENT TO HIS GRAVE, LEAVING HIS YOUNG AND BELOVED SON/, POURING TEARS ON HIS DEATHBED/, I SUBMITTED HIM TO THE HEAVENLY LORD. PASSED AWAY IN SEPTEMBER, 1823, AT THE AGE OF THIRTY".

On the other side:

"THIS TOMBSTONE WAS ERECTED BY THE SON OF THE DECEASED, GENERAL-MAJOR IVANE DAVITEAN LAZAREANTS".

"Meghu Hayastani" podporuchik (military rank) Alexandre Tovmassian Melik-Haykazeants had been corresponding with this weekly from Kutaisi, Georgia, see. 1862, N 28, July 14, p. 111. In 1890 colonel Isahak Melik-Haykazeants, residing in Akaltsikh, Georgia undertook the expense for the renovation of the cross bed of the cathedral of Ani ("Mshak", 1890, N 1, p. 3). I. Melik-Haykazeants was the chairman of the Akhaltsikh branch of the Armenian Charitable Association of the Caucasus during ten years. He died in 1899 in Tbilisi, Georgia (Murtzh, 1899, N 1, p. 144-145). Generally, the descendants of the Melik-Haykazian dynasty traditionally occupied with military service.
Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

17 — 18 cc․

The history of Khozhoraberd, situated in the north and northeast of the former Aghahejk, remains obscure, as there are no historical records, which might spread any light on it. We should only state that in the XVI-XVIII cent this part of the district was mainly known as Maghavuz, later in the beginning of the XIX cent it was usually named Zarist (see in Chapter Zarist).

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

Geographical Environment

Currently the area of the former Aghahejk is mainly included into the Kashatagh district (former Lachin - 1835 sq km) of the NKR.

Samvel Karapetian, Armenian Cultural Monuments in the Region of Karabakh, Yerevan, 2001, p. 123.

Historical Introduction
13 c․

15 — 18 cc․

Geographical Environment

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Lachin
Aghahetchk	7 c․
Kshtagh	16 c․
Kashataghk
Kashtagh
Khojoraberd	13 c․