Varazdat facts for kids

Varasdates or Varazdat (Վարազդատ) was an Armenian prince. He became the King of Armenia in 374, taking over from his uncle, King Papes.

Becoming King of Armenia

After King Papes was killed, the Roman Emperor Valens chose Varazdat to be the new King of Armenia. Varazdat was King Papes' nephew and was known for being smart and strong. He took the throne in 374.

Challenges from Persia

At this time, Armenia was often caught between two big empires: the Roman Empire and the Persian Empire. The Persian King, Shapur II, wanted to divide Armenia with the Roman Empire. Emperor Valens said no to this idea.

Valens sent a representative named Victor Magistrianus to talk with King Shapur II. However, Victor was tricked into agreeing to the Persian plan, even though he wasn't supposed to.

Trouble at Home

While these talks were happening, things became difficult inside Armenia. King Varazdat had disagreements with the powerful noble families, called nakharars. These disagreements led to the killing of Musel Mamikonian, who was a very important leader of the nakharars.

Musel's son, Manuel, was very upset. He gathered his forces and fought against King Varazdat. Because of this conflict, King Varazdat had to leave Armenia in 378, after ruling for four years.

After Varazdat Left

Even though Varazdat's life was safe, Armenia fell into chaos. The Persians tried to take advantage of this confusion and invaded Armenia. However, their control did not last long. King Shapur II died in 379, and the Persians quickly left Armenia. Manuel Mamikonian, Musel's son, then brought together a strong Armenian army to restore order.

Related pages

• List of Armenian Kings