Nakharar
Encyclopedia
Nakharar was a hereditary title of the highest order given to houses of the ancient and medieval Armenian nobility
.
was divided into large estates, which were the property of an enlarged noble family and were ruled by a member of it, to whom the title of Nahapet "chief of the family" or tanuter
master of the house was given. Other members of a Nakharar family in their turn ruled over smaller portions of the family estate. Nakharars with greater authority were recognized as ishkhans (princes).
This system has often been labeled as feudal for practical purposes; however, there are differences between this system and the feudal system later adopted in Western Europe
. The estate as a whole was actually ruled by a single person, it was nonetheless considered the property of his whole enlarged family, so that, if the ruler died heirless, he was succeeded by a member of a different branch of the family. Furthermore, it was allowed to alienate a part of the family estate only to another member of the family or by permission of the whole enlarged family. This may also explain why Armenian feudal families were normally endogamic, in order not to scatter parts of their property, as would have happened if they had to give a part of their property to another family as dowry. It must also be noted that endogamic marriages had a religious reason too, particularly before Christianity, because Armenian paganism favored marriages between relatives very highly.
Each nakharar had his own army, depending on his domain. The national force or "Royal cavalry" was under the Sparapet
, a "Commander in Chief" who presided over the whole of the nation. Schools and courts were all run by the Armenian clergy.
In 4th century Armenia, as in Parthia
, large estates were hereditarily possessed by noble families and actually ruled by a member of them. The whole enlarged family was devoted to the worship of the same ancestors, lived in small fortified villages and spent most part of their time in hunting and in banqueting. Furthermore, each nakharar family had a particular social function: in Armenia a member of the Arshakuni family was chosen as king, who was consequently a sort of primus inter pares; among the Mamikoneans the chief general of the army (sparapet
) was chosen, one of the Bagratunis was the chivalry chief (aspet
or knight) and king crowner (tagadir), and so on.
, who coexisted with the Roman
and Parthian Empire
, and they are mentioned to have pillaged many pagan temples when Armenia's conversion to Christianity began under Tiridates III
.
The Nakharars survived the fall of the Arshakuni dynasty and the subsequent placement of the Marzban
Governor-Generals by Sassanid king, and allowed a great deal of autonomy for the vassal state, up until the attempted conversion of Armenia to Zoroastrianism by Yazdegerd II
, in which Vartan Mamikonian led a rebellion, and through the Battle of Vartanantz
convinced the Persians that conversion would come at to high a price, eventually leading to the Nvarsak Treaty
.
In western Armenia
under Byzantine
rule, Justinian's reform removed the martial role of the nakharars, as well as attempting to annex estates from Armenian nobles. The nakharars, angered at their restriction in power, began a full-scale insurrection that had to he quelled through swift military intervention, eventually sparking war with the Sassanids.
Though weakened by numerous invasions and the legal reforms of Kings, the nakharar structure remained virtually unchanged for many centuries and was finally eliminated during the Mongol invasions in the thirteenth century. Certain aspects of the nakharar system remained intact in Armenia until the early 20th century, when the noble class was altogether abolished by the Bolsheviks.
Armenian nobility
Armenian nobility has a long history with many interruptions, most notable of which were the Ottoman and Russian occupations of Armenia.-Terminology:...
.
Nakharar system
Medieval ArmeniaMedieval Armenia
-Prelude:Western Armenia had been under Byzantine control since the partition of the Kingdom of Armenia in AD 387, while Eastern Armenia had been under the occupation of the Sassanid Empire starting 428. Regardless of religious disputes, many Armenians became successful in the Byzantine Empire and...
was divided into large estates, which were the property of an enlarged noble family and were ruled by a member of it, to whom the title of Nahapet "chief of the family" or tanuter
Tanuter
Tanuter was the head of an Armenian nakharar house in ancient and medieval Armenia. Prior to the Russian annexation of Eastern Armenia in 1828, the village headmen of a melikdom carried the title....
master of the house was given. Other members of a Nakharar family in their turn ruled over smaller portions of the family estate. Nakharars with greater authority were recognized as ishkhans (princes).
This system has often been labeled as feudal for practical purposes; however, there are differences between this system and the feudal system later adopted in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. The estate as a whole was actually ruled by a single person, it was nonetheless considered the property of his whole enlarged family, so that, if the ruler died heirless, he was succeeded by a member of a different branch of the family. Furthermore, it was allowed to alienate a part of the family estate only to another member of the family or by permission of the whole enlarged family. This may also explain why Armenian feudal families were normally endogamic, in order not to scatter parts of their property, as would have happened if they had to give a part of their property to another family as dowry. It must also be noted that endogamic marriages had a religious reason too, particularly before Christianity, because Armenian paganism favored marriages between relatives very highly.
Each nakharar had his own army, depending on his domain. The national force or "Royal cavalry" was under the Sparapet
Sparapet
Sparapet was a hereditary military rank that originated in the 2nd century BC, under the reign of King Artashes I, and was used in the Kingdom of Armenia and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , was supreme commander of the armed forces. It was the equivalent of the Parthian Spahbod Sparapet was a...
, a "Commander in Chief" who presided over the whole of the nation. Schools and courts were all run by the Armenian clergy.
In 4th century Armenia, as in Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
, large estates were hereditarily possessed by noble families and actually ruled by a member of them. The whole enlarged family was devoted to the worship of the same ancestors, lived in small fortified villages and spent most part of their time in hunting and in banqueting. Furthermore, each nakharar family had a particular social function: in Armenia a member of the Arshakuni family was chosen as king, who was consequently a sort of primus inter pares; among the Mamikoneans the chief general of the army (sparapet
Sparapet
Sparapet was a hereditary military rank that originated in the 2nd century BC, under the reign of King Artashes I, and was used in the Kingdom of Armenia and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , was supreme commander of the armed forces. It was the equivalent of the Parthian Spahbod Sparapet was a...
) was chosen, one of the Bagratunis was the chivalry chief (aspet
Aspet
Aspet was a hereditary military title of the Armenian nobility, usually found within the Bagratuni family.The name has been derived from either the Old Persian *viƒa/visapati “head of the clan”, or in more likelihood aspapati, later aspbad/-bed which designated the Iranian office of Master of the...
or knight) and king crowner (tagadir), and so on.
History of the Nakharars
The origin of the Nakharars seems to stretch back to pagan ArmeniaHistory of Armenia
Armenia lies in the highlands surrounding the Biblical mountains of Ararat. The original Armenian name for the country was Hayk, later Hayastan , translated as the land of Haik, and consisting of the name Haik and the suffix '-stan' ....
, who coexisted with the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and Parthian Empire
Parthian Empire
The Parthian Empire , also known as the Arsacid Empire , was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Persia...
, and they are mentioned to have pillaged many pagan temples when Armenia's conversion to Christianity began under Tiridates III
Tiridates III of Armenia
Tiridates III or Diritades III was the king of Arsacid Armenia , and is also known as Tiridates the Great ; some scholars incorrectly refer to him as Tiridates IV as a result of the fact that Tiridates I of Armenia reigned twice)...
.
The Nakharars survived the fall of the Arshakuni dynasty and the subsequent placement of the Marzban
Marzpanate Period
Marzpanate period refers to the period in Armenian history after the fall of the Arshakuni Dynasty of Armenia in 428, when Marzpans , nominated by the Sassanid Persian King, governed the eastern part of Armenia...
Governor-Generals by Sassanid king, and allowed a great deal of autonomy for the vassal state, up until the attempted conversion of Armenia to Zoroastrianism by Yazdegerd II
Yazdegerd II
Yazdegerd II was the fifteenth Sassanid King of Persia. He was the son of Bahram V and reigned from 438 to 457....
, in which Vartan Mamikonian led a rebellion, and through the Battle of Vartanantz
Battle of Vartanantz
The Battle of Avarayr also known as Battle of Vartanantz, was fought on May 26, 451 on the Avarayr Plain in Vaspurakan, between the Armenian Army under Saint Vartan and their Sassanid rulers...
convinced the Persians that conversion would come at to high a price, eventually leading to the Nvarsak Treaty
Nvarsak Treaty
The Nvarsak Treaty was signed between the Armenian general Vahan Mamikonian and the representatives of the Persian shah Peroz I at Nvarsak in 484....
.
In western Armenia
Roman Armenia
From the end of the 1st century BC onwards, Armenia was, in part or whole, subject to the Roman Empire and its successor, the East Roman or Byzantine Empire...
under Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
rule, Justinian's reform removed the martial role of the nakharars, as well as attempting to annex estates from Armenian nobles. The nakharars, angered at their restriction in power, began a full-scale insurrection that had to he quelled through swift military intervention, eventually sparking war with the Sassanids.
Though weakened by numerous invasions and the legal reforms of Kings, the nakharar structure remained virtually unchanged for many centuries and was finally eliminated during the Mongol invasions in the thirteenth century. Certain aspects of the nakharar system remained intact in Armenia until the early 20th century, when the noble class was altogether abolished by the Bolsheviks.