Thomas of Metsoph
Encyclopedia
Thomas of Metsoph (1378–1446) was an Armenia
n churchman and chronicler who left an account of Timur
’s invasions of the Caucasus
(1386–1403). 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 colophon
s.
Born in Aghiovit, north of Lake Van
, Thomas received his early education at the monastery of Metsoph north of the city of Archesh. He had to spend a peripatetic life fleeing the repeated attacks by the Timurid and Turkoman
armies. He engaged in teaching and literary activity at several religious centers of Armenian, including Sukhara, Tatev
, Lim, and Metsoph. He was also involved in the struggle against the influence of Roman Catholicism within the Armenian church
, and helped transfer the Armenian catholicos
ate from Sis
in Cilician Armenia to back to Echmiadzin
in Greater Armenia
(1441). His major work is The History of Timur and His Successors, which is essentially an eyewitness account written for the most part from memory. Although not flawless and sometimes inaccurate, it is an important source for Armenia and Georgia
in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. The classical Armenian text was published K. Shahnazarian in Paris in 1860, translated into French by Felix Neve in 1855, and into English by Robert Bedrosian in 1977.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n churchman and chronicler who left an account of Timur
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...
’s invasions of the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
(1386–1403). 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 colophon
Colophon (publishing)
In publishing, a colophon is either:* A brief description of publication or production notes relevant to the edition, in modern books usually located at the reverse of the title page, but can also sometimes be located at the end of the book, or...
s.
Born in Aghiovit, north of Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
, Thomas received his early education at the monastery of Metsoph north of the city of Archesh. He had to spend a peripatetic life fleeing the repeated attacks by the Timurid and Turkoman
Oghuz Turks
The Turkomen also known as Oghuz Turks were a historical Turkic tribal confederation in Central Asia during the early medieval Turkic expansion....
armies. He engaged in teaching and literary activity at several religious centers of Armenian, including Sukhara, Tatev
Tatev
The Monastery of Tatev is a 9th century Armenian monastery located in the Tatev village in Syunik Province in southern Armenia. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery. It stands on a plateau on the edge of the deep gorge of the Orotan River...
, Lim, and Metsoph. He was also involved in the struggle against the influence of Roman Catholicism within the Armenian church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
, and helped transfer the Armenian catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
ate from Sis
Kozan, Adana
Kozan is a city in Adana Province, Turkey, 68 km north of the city of Adana, in the northern section of the Çukurova plain. The city is the capital of Kozan district. The Kilgen Stream, a tributary of the Ceyhan River , flows through Kozan crossing the plain south into the Mediterranean Sea....
in Cilician Armenia to back to Echmiadzin
Echmiadzin
Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is a 4th century Armenian church in the town of Ejmiatsin, Armenia. It is also the central cathedral of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church....
in Greater Armenia
Greater Armenia (political concept)
Greater Armenia or United Armenia refers to an irredentist concept of the territory claimed by some Armenian nationalist groups outside the Republic of Armenia which are considered part of national homeland by Armenians, based on the present-day and historical presence of Armenian...
(1441). His major work is The History of Timur and His Successors, which is essentially an eyewitness account written for the most part from memory. Although not flawless and sometimes inaccurate, it is an important source for Armenia and Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. The classical Armenian text was published K. Shahnazarian in Paris in 1860, translated into French by Felix Neve in 1855, and into English by Robert Bedrosian in 1977.