The Byzantine commonwealth: Armenia

Armenia The establishment of the Hellenistic kingdom of Alexander after 331 B.C. has brought Armenia closer to the Mediterranean world. It had asserted it's independence through the ages as a buffer state between the Hellenistic Seleucids & the Parthian empire. Armenia would reach its highest development under King Tigran the great after 95 B.C.; who expanded the boundaries of the realm to the shores of the Caspian & Mediterranean. Tigranes would conclude an alliance between Armenia & the Hellenistic kingdom of Pontus. This alliance had been cemented through the marriage of Tigranes & Cleopatra, the daughter of King Mithridates VI who was engaged in a bitter war against the Roman Republic. The Mithridatic wars ended with the victory of Pompeius who would reduce Armenia to its ethnic boundaries. Armenia would keep it's independence but it would resume its status as a buffer state between the Romans & the Persians. The conversion of Armenia to Christianity would be the most crucial step of its history. This step has driven Armenia away from the Persian orbit and introduces it to the Orthodox Byzantine commonwealth. The continuous Byzantine Persian wars would lead a disastrous effect upon the Armenians. The Armenian dynasty of Arshakuni would lose the thrown at 390. The country would lose their independence. Armenia would be partitioned between the Persian and the Byzantines. During the Persian dominion over Armenia the MARZANATE; the Armenian would be persecuted for being Christians. The Armenians would initiate their long struggle for independence. On the other hand Byzantine Armenia would be peaceful but it would be Romanized. Emperor Maurice & his successors would impose unsuccessfully the Chalcedonian doctrine upon the Monophysite Armenian, Assyrian and Coptic churches. That would be the first schism and it would weaken the Byzantines against the muslim conquest of the east. The Arabs would conquer Armenia through the Armies that had been sent from Azerbaijan. The Armenians would be forced to pay jezia and kharaj. The continuous Byzantine Arab wars had loosened the arab grip over Armenia. The Armenians would establish medieval kingdoms of their own. King Ashot I would be the first independent king. His kingdom would flourish and prosper due to international trade between the superpowers of the Byzantine and the Arabs this trade has included goods from all around the world; even from the distant Kievan Russia. The Byzantine Armenian emperors of the Macedonian dynasty would continue to claim suzerainty upon the Armenian plateau & this would lead to the annexation of Armenia to the Byzantine Empire at 1055. This step would be disastrous because it has broken the Armenia protective shield against the Seljuk turks who after Battle of Manzikert would occupy Asia minor Eight hundred sixty years later; at 1915-1922 more than million and half people would lose their lives during the Armenian genocide which was committed by the turks, whom renounce their responsibility of the shameful act until this day. Reference: Richard G. Hovannisian et al. "The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century (Paperback)", Palgrave Macmillan; 1st Pbk. Ed edition (January 17, 2004) soundtrack: Sirusho - Qele Qele Eurovision 2008 Armenia Ara Dinkjian: Meeting My Past; Dele Yaman - An Armenian in America - Live from Jersalem