Bjni Fortress
Encyclopedia
Bjni Fortress
Bjni Fortress ( is a castle
located in the village of Bjni
in the Kotayk Province of Armenia
. It sits upon the top and along the sides of a mesa that divides the village nearly in half. The larger portion of which is located west of the mesa and curves south, while a smaller portion is east. The walls of the fortress may only be seen from the western side of the village, and are easiest reached via a narrow dirt road that forks (take the left fork) and goes up the side of the hill past some residences.
family of the Bagratuni Dynasty
. The commander of Bjni, lord Vasak Holum Pahlavuni (the Pahlavid) reconstructed the fortress. The 12th century Armenian historian Matteos Urhayetsi
wrote in part 1 of the "Chronicle" covering the late 10th c. to early 11th c., of the invasions of mercenary Turkish soldiers of the Daylamis at Bjni in 1021 who went to raid and plunder villages and towns.
Vasak and his men became furious and pursued the enemy forces into battle near the Kasakh River killing 300 of them and causing the rest to flee. After becoming exhausted from the fighting, Vasak left the battle to find a place to rest at a mountain called Serkevelo. One of the villagers who had fled the scene, saw the commander asleep and struck him with a heavy blow. He then threw Vasak from one of the high rocks, killing him.
During the years of 1387-1388 the Turko-Mongol conqueror Timur Lenk
destroyed the village of Bjni and most likely the castle as well. In manuscripts written by Thomas of Metsoph
during the late 14th c. to mid 15th c., he left an account of Timur's invasions stating that,
, there are sections of battlement
s that remain in relatively poor condition. Traces of where the foundations of structures had once stood are indicated by depressions
in the ground at various areas. There is also the stone foundation of a church of the 5th c., a medieval structure that is still partially standing (currently being rebuilt as of 2009), two cisterns one with the remains of intact vaulting
, and a covered passage that led to the river in the event of a siege
.
Bjni Fortress ( is a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
located in the village of Bjni
Bjni
Bjni is a village in the Kotayk Province of Armenia. It is situated in a valley between canyon walls and a small river. Throughout Bjni's history, it has remained one of the main centers of education in Armenia. Some manuscripts from Bjni dated to the 12th to 17th centuries have survived...
in the Kotayk Province of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. It sits upon the top and along the sides of a mesa that divides the village nearly in half. The larger portion of which is located west of the mesa and curves south, while a smaller portion is east. The walls of the fortress may only be seen from the western side of the village, and are easiest reached via a narrow dirt road that forks (take the left fork) and goes up the side of the hill past some residences.
History
The fortress of Bjni was built in the 9th to 10th centuries by the royal PahlavuniPahlavuni
Pahlavuni was an Armenian noble family that rose to prominence in the late 10th century during the last years of the Bagratuni monarchy.-Origins:...
family of the Bagratuni Dynasty
Bagratuni Dynasty
The Bagratuni, Bagratid or alternatively Pakradouni royal dynasty of Armenia was a royal family whose branches formerly ruled many regional polities, including the Armenian lands of Sper|presently Ispir in Tayk Province of the Armenian Kingdom, Bagrevand in Ayrarat Province of the Armenian...
. The commander of Bjni, lord Vasak Holum Pahlavuni (the Pahlavid) reconstructed the fortress. The 12th century Armenian historian Matteos Urhayetsi
Matthew of Edessa
Matthew of Edessa was an Armenian historian in the 12th century from the city of Edessa . Matthew was the superior abbot of Karmir Vank' , near the town of Kessoun, east of Marash , the former seat of Baldwin of Boulogne...
wrote in part 1 of the "Chronicle" covering the late 10th c. to early 11th c., of the invasions of mercenary Turkish soldiers of the Daylamis at Bjni in 1021 who went to raid and plunder villages and towns.
Vasak and his men became furious and pursued the enemy forces into battle near the Kasakh River killing 300 of them and causing the rest to flee. After becoming exhausted from the fighting, Vasak left the battle to find a place to rest at a mountain called Serkevelo. One of the villagers who had fled the scene, saw the commander asleep and struck him with a heavy blow. He then threw Vasak from one of the high rocks, killing him.
During the years of 1387-1388 the Turko-Mongol conqueror Timur Lenk
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
destroyed the village of Bjni and most likely the castle as well. In manuscripts written by Thomas of Metsoph
Thomas of Metsoph
Thomas of Metsoph was an Armenian churchman and chronicler who left an account of Timur’s invasions of the Caucasus . What we know of Thomas’s life comes from a biography written by his own student Kirakos Banaser as well as a number of 15th-century colophons.Born in Aghiovit, north of Lake Van,...
during the late 14th c. to mid 15th c., he left an account of Timur's invasions stating that,
Site
Portions of the exterior fortification walls at Bjni have survived and follow the sides of the mesa. At the plateauPlateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
, there are sections of battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
s that remain in relatively poor condition. Traces of where the foundations of structures had once stood are indicated by depressions
Depression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
in the ground at various areas. There is also the stone foundation of a church of the 5th c., a medieval structure that is still partially standing (currently being rebuilt as of 2009), two cisterns one with the remains of intact vaulting
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
, and a covered passage that led to the river in the event of a siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
.