Vaspurakan was a province and then kingdom of Greater Armenia during the Middle Ages. During most of its history it was ruled by the Ardzruni dynasty, who first managed to create a principality in the area. At its greatest extension Vaspurakan comprised the lands between Lake Van and Lake Urmia (also known as Kaputa) in 908. During this time they were under the seniority of the Kingdom of Ani. // Prehistory Archaeologists refer to the Shulaveri-Shomu culture of the central Transcaucasus region, including modern Armenia, as the earliest known prehistoric culture in the area, carbon-dated to roughly 6000 - 4000 BC. However, a recently discovered tomb has been dated to 9000 BC. Another early culture in the Armenian Highland... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Ardzruni (or Ardzrouni) was a region and also a ruling family in old Armenia c. ... Lake Van from space, September 1996 Lake Van Landsat photo Lake Van (Turkish: Van Gölü, in Armenian: Վանա լիճ) is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country. ... Lake Urmia from space, October 1984 Satellite image of Lake Urmia, taken in November 2003 Lake Urmia (37. ... Events Battle of Belach Mugna Births Deaths Categories: 908 ... Ani, Church of Saint Gregory and Citadel Ani, known to Romans as Abnicum, is a ruined capital of medieval Armenia, now situated in the Turkish province of Kars, immediately south of the Turko-Armenian frontier, at an altitude of 4390 ft. ...

Vaspurakan was elevated to kingdom status in 937. It was annexed by the Byzantine Empire on 1021. A monarchy, (from the Greek monos, one, and archein, to rule) is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. ... Events Athelstan wins the Battle of Brunanburh September 21 - Magdeburg is now the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, after a Diet held by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Births Duke William IV of Aquitaine (d. ... Byzantine Empire (Greek: ) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... // Events Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, sixth Fatimid Caliph of Egypt disappears on a trip to al-Muqattam hills. ...

Rulers

• Hamazasp II, Prince (800-836). Married to a daughter of Ashot Msaker of the Bagratuni family.
• Ashot I Abulabus Ardzruni, Prince (836-852). Son of Hamazasp II.
• Gurgen I Ardzruni, Prince (852-853). Brother of Ashot I.
• Abu Djafar Ardzruni, Prince (853-854). Probably brother of Ashot I.
• Gurgen II Ardzruni of Mardastan, Prince. (854-857). Distant relative.
• Grigor Derenik Ardzruni, Prince (857-868). Married Sofia, daughter of Ashot I Bagratuni the Great, Prince of Armenia. Son of Ashot I Ardzruni.
• Ashot I Abulabus Ardzruni, Prince (868-874). Second term.
• Grigor Ardzruni, Prince (874-887). Second term.
• Gagik Abu Morvan Ardzruni, regent for Sargis Ashot (887-897), then prince (897-898).
• Sargis Ashot, Prince (898-900). Son of Grigor Ardzruni.
• Emir Afshin (900).
• Safi, as governor of Van (900-901).
• Sargis Ashot (901-904). Reinstated.
• Khatchik Gagik III Ardzuni, Lord of Rechtuniq (887-897). Prince of northwest Vaspurakan (904-937). King of Vaspurakan (937-943). Brother of Sargis Ashot.
• Gurgen III Artzruni, Lord of Parskahaiq (887-897). Prince of southeast Vaspurakan (904-925). Brother of Sargis Ashot.
• Derenic Ashot III, King (943-953). Son of Gagik III.
• Abushal Hamazasp III, King (953-972). Brother of Derenic Ashot III.
• Ashot Sahak, King (972-983). Son of Abushal Hamazasp III.
• Gurgen Khatchik, King (983-1003) and Lord of Antzevaziq. Brother of Ashot Sahak.
• Seneqerim Ioan, King (1003-1021) and lord of Rechtuniq. Also King of Sebaste (1021). Brother of Gurgen Khatchik.

After the Byzantine annexation the dynasty continued with Derenic, son of Gurgen Khatchik, who became lord of Antzivaziq by 1004 and had two brothers: Gugik and Ashot. King Senequerib Ioan also had several children: David, Atom, Abushal and Constantine. David had a daughter that married King Gagik II of Ani. Events December 25, Rome, coronation of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) as emperor by Pope Leo III. Celtic monks begin work on the Book of Kells on the Island of Iona. ... Events Abbasid caliph al-Mutasim establishes new capital at Samarra, Iraq. ... ... Events Abbasid caliph al-Mutasim establishes new capital at Samarra, Iraq. ... Events Boris I Michael succeeds the duumvirate of Malamir and Presian as monarch of Bulgaria. ... Events A Byzantine fleet destroys Damiette (in Egypt) Births Deaths Categories: 853 ... Events Charles the Bald, Louis the German and Lothar meet at Attigny. ... Events Viking raid of Dorestad. ... Events 11 May: Printing of The Diamond Sutra, the oldest dated printed book. ... Events March 13 - The bones of Saint Nicephorus are interred in the Church of the Apostles, Constantinople. ... Events Emperor Uda ascends to the throne of Japan Births Deaths September 18 - Pietro I Candiano, Doge of Venice (killed in battle) Emperor Koko of Japan Categories: 887 ... Events Accession of Pope John IX Accession of King Kasyapa IV of Sri Lanka Magyar army headed by Álmos besieges Kiev Magyar tribes found state of Szekesfahervar in Hungary Bologna joins Italian Kingdom End of Yodit era in Ethiopia Foundation of Bhaktapur in Nepal Births Deaths Category: ... Events Persian scientist, Rhazes, distinguished smallpox from measles in the course of his writings. ... Safi has several meanings: Safi is a city in Morocco. ... Events Mesoamerican ballgame court dedicated at Uxmal Kingdom of Taebong established in Korean peninsula Fuzhou city was expanded with construction of a new city wall (Luo City). Births Deaths February 18 - Thabit ibn Qurra, Arab astronomer and mathematician Categories: 901 ... Events Accession of Sergius III Destruction of Changan, the capital of Tang Dynasty and the largest city in the ancient world. ... Rechtuniq was a region of the old Armenia c. ... Events January - the Cadaver Synod July/August- Pope Stephen VII dies and is succeeded by Pope Romanus. ... Events Athelstan wins the Battle of Brunanburh September 21 - Magdeburg is now the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, after a Diet held by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Births Duke William IV of Aquitaine (d. ... Events King Constantin II of Scotland retires and becomes a monk, succeeded by his cousin Malcolm I of Scotland Births Deaths Harald I of Norway Categories: 943 ... Events Alfonso IV the Monk becomes king of Leon Ha-Mim proclaims himself a prophet among the Ghomara of Morocco Tomislav, duke of the Croatian duchies of Pannonia and Dalmatia, is crowned King of Croatia at Duvno field. ... Events First time that Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal appeared in a Roman map. ... Events Otto II marries Theophanu, Byzantine princess. ... Events Hugh Capet, a distant relative of the last Carolingian king of the Franks, is crowned King of France, beginning the Capetian dynasty and, arguably, modern French history. ... Events Sweyn I of Denmark begins his first invasion of England. ... // Events Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, sixth Fatimid Caliph of Egypt disappears on a trip to al-Muqattam hills. ... Sebaste is a common placename, mostly in classical Antiquity, since the word was the Greek equivalent of the Latin Augusta: ancient towns by the name sought to honor Augustus or a later Roman emperor. ... Events December: End of the Samanid dynasty in Bokhara. ... Seal of Gagik II as Duke of the thema of Charsianon Gagik II of Ani (Armenian: Գագիկ Բ) was the last Bagratuni King of Ani from 1042 to 1045. ...

Another branch of the family appeared on the person of Khatchik the Great in 1040, who had three children: Hasan, Djendjluk and Ishkhanik. Hasan had a son called Abelgharib who had a daughter that married King David of Ani. Events March War of Independence of Western Xia occurred. ...

Cantons

Vapusrakan was divided into 35 cantons. They usually took the name of the local nashrakar (canton chief) that ruled them:

• Aghiovit
• Aghvandrot
• Akeh
• Andzakhidzor
• Antzevasiq - ruled by the Antzevatsi.
• Arberani
• Archishaovit
• Arnoyotn
• Artavanian
• Artashesian
• Artaz
• Atrpatunik
• Bagan
• Bujnunik
• Bogunik
• Darni
• Ervandunik
• Gavityan
• Gazrikan
• Gokhten
• Gukan
• Kirchunik
• Kughanovit
• Mardastan
• Metz Aghbak
• Metznunik
• Nakhichevan
• Rechtuniq - ruled by the Rechtuni.
• Patspatounik
• Palouniq
• Taygirian
• Tchevashrot
• Tornavan
• Tosb
• Varajnuniq - ruled by the Varajnuni.

Antzevasiq was a region of the old Armenia c. ... The Antzevatsi were a family that ruled the Armenian region of Antsevasiq, South-East of Van Lake and also South-East of Vaspurakan, where it was an enclave. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Rechtuniq was a region of the old Armenia c. ... Categories: Wikipedia cleanup | Stub | Armenia ... Old district of Armenia c. ...

Further reading

• Der Nersessian, Sirarpie. Armenia and the Byzantine Empire: a Brief Study of Armenian Art and Civilization. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1947.