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25-707: The Melikdom of Kashatagh was founded at the end of the 15th century by Melik Haykaz I, also the founder of the Melik-Haykazyan dynasty (the youngest branch of the Armenian princely dynasty of Proshyan ). Previously, the Kashatagh region was first ruled by the Orbelian family, and then by the Shahurnetsi clan. Haykaz I was succeeded by his son, Hakhnazar I, who died in 1551. Hakhnazar's grave survived until

50-554: A list of the services provided by the melik to Iranian authorities. The decree itself has no date, but the date of 999 of the Hijrah (1590/1591) exists on the seal used by Abbas I. In 1699, Melik Emirbek of Kashatagh, son of Melik Martiros, participated in the Angeghakot Assembly where the Armenian meliks decided to authorize a delegation led by Israel Ori to negotiate with the leaders of European powers such as Peter

75-791: The Elisabethpol Governorate of the Russian Empire. By the time the Russians arrived, the indigenous Armenians of the region only had a significant population left in Lachin . The Armenian population of Lachin left during the Soviet period and the other villages in the Lachin district were also subsequently abandoned by their Armenian population. During that time, the area became part of Red Kurdistan until 1929. Starting in

100-560: The 1930s, this area was administered as a part of Soviet Azerbaijan until the First Nagorno-Karabakh War when Armenia occupied the region. After the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War , the Lachin District was returned to Azerbaijan . Kashatagh is home to 30 churches and chapels built between the 4th century and the beginning of the 18th century. Tsitsernavank Monastery is an example of Armenian culture in

125-536: The 1930s. One of the ancient residences of the Kashatagh meliks is located in Khnatsakh and contains the partially ruined palace of Melik Hakhnazar I. Another palace of Melik Haykaz I , built in the late 15th century, is located close to the village of Melikashen (today Hüsülü), near the Tsitsernavank Monastery . The names of Melik Hakhhnazar and his brother Haykaz (who is also mentioned in

150-579: The Armenian people after the end of Russo-Swedish War. In the meantime Ori also met with Pope Clement XI in 1704 who offered him his support. Ori proposed to the Russian court a plan, which contained the following points: for liberating the Armenian and Georgian peoples it is necessary to send via the Caucasus a twenty-five thousand strong Russian army, fifteen thousand Cossack riders and ten thousand infantrymen. Cavalry must move to Transcaucasia with

175-613: The Great on the liberation of historic Armenia. The names of Haykaz I, Hakhnazar I, Haykaz II and their descendants are found in tombstones preserved on gravestones from the 16th–18th centuries. A document written in Persian on behalf of the Melikdom of Kashatagh in 1691/92 has been preserved. It includes the joint appeal of Melik Hakhnazar and his subordinate village headmen ( Armenian : tanuter , Persian : kadkhudā ), addressed to

200-587: The beginning of the 19th century, most of the abandoned Armenian villages were populated by Kurdish and Turkic nomads. It is not known when the last members of the princely Melik-Haykazyan family left Kashatagh, but some of their descendants were living in Shaki , Kutaisi , and elsewhere by the early 19th century. Following the Russo-Persian Wars , this area became part of the Zangezur Uyezd of

225-495: The city of Düsseldorf , where he established connections with Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine . Hoping that the question of Armenia would become the object of consideration in the highest diplomatic circles of European states, German prince sent Ori with a letter of recommendation to the emperor of Austria and the ruler of Florence . However, since Ori did not have official authority from the Armenian political mainstream, his statements were disregarded. Ori departed to Armenia with

250-528: The document of 1691/92 as one of the witnesses) are part of the 1682 inscription on the facade of the entrance to the Church of the Holy Virgin in the village of Mirik . The Statistical Committee of Armenia reported its population as 1,073 in 2010, up from 1,021 at the 2001 census. Melikdom of Kashatagh 1475–1520 Khnatsakh The Melikdom of Kashatagh ( Armenian : Քաշաթաղի մելիքություն)

275-800: The large formation solemnly went to Persia. The French missionaries in Persia attempted to prevent the arrival of Ori into Isfahan , trying to convince the Shah that Russia was intending to restore the political independence of Armenia, and that Ori intends to be the King of Armenia. When Ori reached Shamakhi , he was forced to wait several days before being granted permission to enter Isfahan. In Shemakhi he met local Armenian and Georgian political figures, strengthening their sympathies towards Russia. In 1709 Ori arrived in Isfahan, where he again conducted negotiations with

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300-428: The melikdoms of Aghahech-Kashatagh (1450–1520), made Kashataghk his capital. The whole region was named Kashatagh after this princely residence. The Melik Haykaz Palace was built at the end of the 15th century on an artificial slope surrounded by a fortified wall with towers and gates. Being constructed in 1480, the complex is one of the earliest surviving examples of secular Armenian architecture . Melik Haykaz I

325-646: The noble Armenians and advisers at the court of Shah of Iran Abbas I. According to historian Morus Hasratyan , Haykaz II lived in exile in Iran for 10–15 years due to the Ottoman Empire's brutal policies during the temporary occupation of Transcaucasia in the 1580s or 90s. After the reconquest of the region by Iran in 1606–1607, Haykaz II, as one of the loyal supporters of the Shah, was not only restored to his rights but also received some possessions beyond its borders. A decree ( ferman ) of Shah Abbas I contains

350-540: The plan was abandoned, but Ori independently resolved to complete the mission and journeyed to Venice , Paris and Vienna . He joined the French army of Louis XIV , and entered into contact with the high political circles of France, in course of which he constantly raised the question about the liberation of Armenian people from the foreign yoke; however, he was met with cold indifference. In 1695 Ori settled in Germany, in

375-470: The purpose to obtain the appropriate written documents from the Armenian nobility on the advice of Johann Wilhelm. In 1699 Ori, together with melik Safraz called in Angekhakot a secret conference along with eleven Syunik Meliks, where they agreed to officially ask for military aid from West European states. Ori met with Emperor Leopold I in 1700 who advised him that Russian support would be necessary for

400-608: The region. There are numerous khachkars , palaces, and Armenian tombstones in the region which were left behind by the melikdom. Israel Ori Israel Ori ( Armenian : Իսրայել Օրի ) (1658–1711) was a prominent figure of the Armenian national liberation movement and a diplomat that sought the liberation of Armenia from Persia and the Ottoman Empire . Ori was born in 1658 in the village of Sisian in Syunik . He

425-582: The road, which passes on the Daryal gorge , and infantry should cross from Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea . Russian troops will meet the Armenian and Georgian armed forces. Thus, even in the beginning of the 18th century within the Russian court the question about the preparation for a march in Transcaucasia was raised. It was agreed that a special envoy should be sent to Persia headed by Ori, to study

450-405: The shah's court. In the document, they appoint as their authorized representatives the son of Melik Hakhnazar, Ilyas (Elias), and one of the elders, Gikor, who were supposed to present the problems arising in the region to the shah's court and defend the interests of the local population. The names of Melik Hakhnazar and his brother Haykaz (who is also mentioned in the document of 1691/92 as one of

475-585: The situation, the will of the locals, gather information on the fortresses and roads of the country and so forth. In order not to excite suspicions, Ori would say that he was sent by the Pope of Rome, to the court of Shah Husayn for the purpose of gathering information on the well-being of the Christians in Persia. In 1707, after the necessary preparations, Ori with the rank of the Colonel of Russian army and with

500-587: The success of his plan. Without having attained results in Germany and Austria, Ori in 1701 left for Moscow. Ori was the first to set the pro-Russian orientation of the Armenian liberation movement for decades to come. After arriving in Moscow, Ori met Peter the Great and presented the request from the Meliks of Syunik where they had written that we do not have another hope, we hope for God and your country . Peter responded favorably. He promised to render assistance to

525-482: The witnesses) are marked in the inscription of 1682 on the facade of the entrance to the Church of the Holy Virgin in the village of Mirik of the Kashatagh region. The Armenian population of Kashatagh left in the years 1730–1750. A number of settlements in the dictrict were abandoned by the second half of the 18th century. It was later included in the Karabakh Khanate . By the end of the 18th century and

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550-576: Was an Armenian melikdom (principality) which existed in the 15th–18th centuries. It was located along the Hakari River , on the southeastern section of the modern border of Armenia and Azerbaijan . The residences of the meliks were located in the villages of Kashataghk and Khnatsakh , in the west of the present Lachin District of Azerbaijan and the east of the present Syunik region of Armenia respectively. The Melikdom of Kashatagh

575-411: Was founded at the end of the 15th century by Melik Haykaz I, also the founder of the Melik-Haykazyan dynasty (the youngest branch of the Armenian princely dynasty of Proshyan ). Previously, the Kashatagh region was first ruled by the Orbelian family, and then by the Shahurnetsi clan. According to historical evidence such as the accounts of Arakel of Tabriz , Melik Haykazyan, the first dynastic ruler of

600-520: Was succeeded by a son, Hakhnazar I. Hakhnazar died in 1551; his grave survived until the 1930s. Hakhnazar's palace in Khnatsakh has survived to this day. The most prominent member of the dynasty was Melik Haykaz II, who was melik from 1551 to 1623 and an active supporter of Iran during the Turkish-Persian wars for the possession of Transcaucasia. Arakel of Tabriz mentions him as one of

625-523: Was the son of Melik Haikazian of Syunik . During his youth along with a number of other Armenians, Ori looked for support among the European powers in the fight of Armenians against the Persian and Ottoman Empires. As one of the members of a seven-man delegation created by Catholicos Jacob IV and the support of Georgian King George XI he visited Constantinople in 1678. When the Catholicos died,

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