Gardman Castle :: ARTSAKH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Gardman Castle

Azerbaijan / Northern Artsakh / Dashkesan / Gardman

Historical Introduction
6 c․

The earliest records of the monument date back to the 6th century, when “…Vardan the Brave...,” a representative of Mihranian Family, “who built the fortress of Gardman in three years.”

Movses Dasxuranci: Appendix by Mkhitar Gosh. Yerevan, 1983, p. 108.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 148.

637 — 683 yy․

Prince Jvanshir (637 to 683) “…founded a house of God in his native canton of Gardman-berd, richly ornamenting it for the pleasure and glory of Christ the Lord.”

Movses Dasxuranci: Appendix by Mkhitar Gosh. Yerevan, 1983, p. 119.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 148.

9 c․

In the mid-9th century, Arab War-Lord Bugha “…invaded the district of Gardman and laid siege to the stronghold. He finally conquered it and captured prince of Gardman Ktrij.”

History of the Armenian Nation by Catholicos Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsy, Yerevan, 1996, p. 127, in Armenian.
According to some Arabic sources, the castle was conquered by war-lord Zirak sent by Bugha (Ibn-al-Asir, p. 159).
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 148.

10 c․

In the mid-10th century, “…Sahak, who was called Sewaday, a brave and capable man, subjected the cantons of Gardman and K‘ustip‘ar.nay to his rule and imposed his suzerainty upon the robberchiefs of Joroyget…”

Movses Dasxuranci: Appendix by Mkhitar Gosh. Yerevan, 1983, p. 226.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 148.

10 c․

At the end of the same century, King Gagik I made the stronghold and the entire district part of the kingdom of the Armenian Bagratids: “…in the year 989, …he took the fort and district… together with Parisos…”

Universal History by Stepanos Taronetsy the Asoghik. St. Petersburg, 1885, pp. 255-256, in Armenian. During that period, the mountainous part of Gardmank, where the castle of the same name towered, was known by the name of ‘Parisos’ deriving from a local kingdom.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 148.

13 c․

In the early 13th century, princes Zakarian liberated “…the impregnable castle of Gardman…” from the Seljuk-Turks’ dominion and put it under Prince Vahram’s rule.

History of Armenia by Kirakos Gandzaketsy. Prepared for publication by Melik-Ohanjanian K. Yerevan, 1961, pp. 153, 163.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 148.

Unfortunately, however, the Mongol invasions made him escape without any resistance, leaving the monument to the whims of fate: “…Vahram, who was in Gardman at that time, stealthily ran away under the cloak of night and savedhis skin.” The subsequent sources do not make any mention of the monument.

History of Armenia by Kirakos Gandzaketsy. Prepared for publication by Melik-Ohanjanian K. Yerevan, 1961, p. 243.
Karapetian, Samvel. Northern Artsakh, Yerevan, 2007, p. 148.