Melikdom of Kashatag facts for kids
The Melikdom of Kashatag (also called Kyshtag) was an Armenian princedom. It existed from the late 1400s to the 1600s (15th to 17th centuries). This princedom was located along the Akera River. This area is now near the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The leaders, called Meliks, lived in a village named Khnats. This village is in what is now the Syunik region of Armenia.
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A Look at Kashatag's History
The Melikdom of Kashatag started in the late 1400s. Its founder was Melik Haykaz I. He started the Melik-Haykazyan family, which was a branch of the older Proshyan princely family. Before the Haykazyan family, other groups ruled the Kashatag area. These included the Shahurnetsi clan and the Orbelian family.
Important Leaders of Kashatag
Melik Haykaz I was followed by his son, Ahnazar I. Ahnazar I passed away in 1551. His grave was still there until the 1930s. You can still see the ruins of Ahnazar's palace in Khnatsakh today.
The most famous leader from this family was Melik Aykaz II. He was a Melik from 1551 to 1623. Aykaz II was a strong supporter of Iran during the wars between Turkey and Persia. These wars were fought to control the region of Transcaucasia. A historian named Arakel of Tabriz said that Aykaz II was an important Armenian noble. He was also an adviser to Shah Abbas I, the ruler of Iran.
Challenges and Return to Power
During the 1580s or 1590s, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) took over Transcaucasia for a while. Their rule was very harsh. Because of this, Aykaz II had to leave his home. He lived away in Iran for about 10 to 15 years.
Later, Iran won back the region and pushed out the Turkish soldiers. In 1606-1607, Aykaz II was rewarded for his loyalty to the Shah. He got back his lands in Kashatag. He also received some new lands outside of Kashatag.
We still have a special order, called a ferman, from Shah Abbas I. This document lists all the good things Melik Aykaz II did for the Shah. The ferman itself doesn't have a date. But the seal of Abbas I on it shows the date 999 of the hijra. This means it was from 1590 or 1591.
Family Records and Legacy
The names of Haykaz I, Ahnazar I, Aykaz II, and their children are found on old gravestones. These gravestones are from the 1500s to the 1700s.
There is also a document from 1691-92 written in Persian. It is from the Melikdom of Kashatag, which was ruled by the Aykazyan family. This document is a request from Melik Akhnazar and his village leaders. They asked the Shah's court for help. They chose Melik Akhnazar's son, Ilyas, and an elder named Hikor to represent them. These two were supposed to tell the Shah's court about problems in the region. They also defended the local people's interests.
The names of Melik Ahnazar and his brother Aykaz are also on an inscription from 1682. This inscription is on the front of the Church of the Holy Virgin. This church is in the village of Mirik in the Kashatag region.
