Kajberunik

Kajberunik (Armenian: Քաջբերունիք, Աղիովիտ, English: Aghiovit, Qajberuniq, Kajberunik, Russian: Каджберуник) was a historical Armenian canton (Armenian: գավառ / gavar) on a northern shore of Lake Van – located in the eastern Turuberan province, which became known as the Kajberuni princely family's territory. The canton is also known as Arjesh or Arjisho country forenames, which included the Irishat and Ororan (Archesh) rivers.

History

5th century

Map of Greater Armenia with the Kajberuniq province marked in red in the 5th century.

Kajberunik was part of the Arshakuni Kingdom until its fall in the year 428 AD. It was known as a resting area for the younger members of the royal family. Kajberuniq was later integrated in Turuberan Province under the Greater Armenian Kingdom of Bagratuni. The Kajberuni princely family contributed arms and warriors in the Battle of Avarayr against the Persians in 451 AD under the leadership of Nerseh Kajberuni – who was killed during the battle along with seven other members of the family.

7th century

The Kajberunik canton was ultimately conquered by the caliphate (in the 9th century the province was integrated into the Kaysik's empire), following an entry into the Kingdom of Vaspurakan. The canton eventually fell under the Byzantine Empire's rule in the year 1021 AD.

9th century

Kajberunik was overrun by the Seljuk Turks. Later in the succession, the province was conquered by the Shah Armenns, the Eyubyannere, and the Mongols. In 850 Grigor Kajberuni joined the forces of Bagrat II Bagratuniin his failed rebellion against the Abbasid caliph.

16th–17th centuries

Kajberuniq was affected by the Turkish-Persian war. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Persian Shah Abbas 1st relocated thousands of Armenians from Kajberuniq into Persia. Under the conventions of Amasia (1555 AD) and Kasre-Shirin (1639 AD), control over the Kajberuniq province was transferred over to the Ottoman Empire, which became known as the Arjesh province of Van.

19th century

Lake Van's water level increased in the year 1841 AD, which resulted in the destruction of the city of Arjesh. The village-town of Akants (Turkish: Erciş) became the administrative center for the region following the destruction of Arjesh. About twenty-six thousand Armenians suffered heavy losses in the province during the Hamidian massacres of 1896 AD.

20th century

Kajberunik province in the 19th century, prior to the Armenian Genocide (1915).

On the eve of the First World War, around 10 to 15 thousand Armenians lived in the canton of Kajberuniq – mainly engaged in grain, horticulture, crafts, and fishing industries. A significant portion of the population residing in the Kajberuniq province was massacred during the Armenian genocide in 1915. Genocide survivors escaped the canton and found refuge in Eastern Armenia.

Shurishkan Gospel

In 1498, Turvanda prince of Vaspurakan requested T. Barsegh priest of Aspisnak village of Kajberuniq canton, to make a copy of the gospel – which later became known as Shurishan. It was difficult to imagine at the time that this manuscript would be highly admired and cherished by the Armenians of the region. The Persian king Shah Abbas forcefully relocated thousands of Armenians from the Lake Van area into Persia in the 17th century – the book was carefully carried to Peria, which was the most Armenian populated province of Persia at the time.

Nerses Kajberuni

Nerses Kajberuni was a priest from Payazit (Old Bayazet). He escaped the Ottoman Empire during the Genocide and raised his family in Yerevan. Kajberuni was executed by the Communist Party members in 1937 due to his religious affiliation.