Արաբական խալիֆայութեան առաջին համաձայնագիրը Արմինիյայի բնակիչների հետ

Abstract

According to the "father of Muslim historiography", at-Tabari (838-923), in 22 A.H. (642/3), or to be more precise, in the summer of 643, Arab conquerors from Adarbaygan (Atropatene) invaded "Arminiyah", meaning three Christian principalities (Armenia, Iberia [K'art'li] and Albania [Atuank']) subject to the Byzantine Empire, and eventually occupied it in the early 8mn century. In fact the Caliphate forces, led by 'Abd ar-Rahman b. Rabiah, Salman b. Rabiah and Bukayr b. 'Abd Allah, under the general command of the Caliph's governor Suraqah b. 'Amr, reached as far as al-Bab (Derbent) in al-Qabg (the Caucasus).. Within the Armenian principality, the Muslims Muslims defeated a Greek-Armenian coalition six times their strength in the battle of Mardastan (in Vaspurakan). This forced the founder of the adjacent principality of Atuank', Varaz-Grigor (named Shahrvaraz by at-Tabari), to come to the camp of 'Abd ar-Rahman,and enter into peace negotiations with him. As a result, the governor of Suraqah b. 'Amr, on behalf of the ruling caliph 'Umar b. al-Khattab (634-644), handed over to the inhabitants of al-Bab wa-l-'Abwab (Derbent) and the whole of "Arminiyah" a letter (al-'aman) by which they were officially transferred to the patronage of the Arab Caliphate. The author of the article argues that this letter, unknown in academic literature, was the first document that legally formalized the relations of the Caliphate with Christian subjects of the Byzantine Empire in the Armenian highlands and the Southern Caucasus. Indeed, this al-aman was issued nine years before the signing of the well-known Arab-Armenian treaty of union in 652. The paper discusses the content of the treaty focusing on the duties and rights of the Christians throughout "Arminiyah", like guarantees of the inviolability of persons and property, freedom of religion, taxing, and being given the freedom of choice between paying aljizyah and doing military service.