Hayk facts for kids
Hayk (in Armenian: Հայկ), also known as Haik, is a very important figure in Armenian legend. He is known as the founder of the Armenian nation. Most of his story comes from the book History of Armenia, written by the historian Moses Khorenatsi in the 5th century.
According to Moses Khorenatsi, Hayk was a descendant of Japheth, who was one of Noah's sons. Hayk is also seen as the ancestor of the Haykazuni dynasty, which was a line of rulers. Another historian, Juansher, said that Hayk was a prince among seven brothers. He served a powerful giant named Nimrod, who was said to be the first king to rule the whole world.
Interestingly, "Hayk" is also the Armenian name for the constellation Orion in the Armenian Bible.
Contents
Hayk's Journey and Conflict
According to Moses Khorenatsi, Hayk had a son named Armeneak while living in Babylon. At that time, a very proud giant named Bel (who Moses says was Nimrod) had made himself king of the world. Hayk did not want to live under Bel's rule. So, he decided to leave Babylon with his family and about 300 other people.
They traveled to the land near Mount Ararat. There, Hayk started a village he called Haykashen. On their journey, he even left one area for his grandson, Cadmus, to settle.
The Challenge from Bel
Bel was not happy that Hayk had left. He sent one of his sons to tell Hayk to come back to Babylon. But Hayk bravely refused. This made Bel very angry, and he gathered a large army to march against Hayk.
Luckily, Cadmus warned Hayk that Bel was coming. Hayk quickly gathered his own army on the shore of Lake Van. He told his soldiers that they had to either defeat Bel or die trying. He wanted to make sure they would never become Bel's slaves.
The Battle and Victory
Hayk found Bel's army on a mountain. Moses Khorenatsi said this mountain was near a place called Dastakert. Bel himself was leading his army from the front.
During the battle, Hayk showed great skill and bravery. He shot a lucky arrow that hit and killed Bel. When Bel fell, his army became confused and scattered, and Hayk's forces won the battle.
Naming the Land
Some writers say this important battle happened around Julamerk, southeast of Lake Van, in the year 2501 BC. After his victory, Hayk built a castle called Haykaberd and the village of Haykashen.
Hayk named the country where the battle was fought "Hayk" after himself. Even today, the country of Armenia is called "Hayastan" in its own language, and the Armenian people are called "Hay". This shows how important Hayk is to their history and identity. Also, ancient writings from the Hittites mention a country called Hayasa in that same area.
Images for kids
-
Hayk defeats Bel with an arrow.
See also
In Spanish: Hayk para niños
