Battle of Vardanakert

Battle of Vardanakert
Date c. 702/703 Location Varnakert, North to the mountain Ararat, near the riverbanks of Araxes, Armenia Result Armenian victory
Belligerents
Umayyad Caliphate	Bagratid Armenia
Commanders and leaders
Ostikan of Arminiya	Smbat VI Bagratuni
Strength
8,000	2,000
Casualties and losses
7,700 killed, 300 prisoners	300 killed

Battle of Vardanakert was fought between an Arab garrison and Armenians. The Armenian prince Smbat VI Bagratuni defeated the 5,000-strong Umayyad army from the garrison in Nakhichevan.[1] Struck by a surprise attack, the remaining Arabs fled to the river Araxes and either drowned or froze to death.[1] Smbat, chosen to rule by Byzantine commission, managed to re-conquer the majority of Armenia and drive the Arabs out of the country.[2]

Aftermath

Despite this success, the Umayyad generals Muhammad ibn Marwan and Maslamah ibn Abd al-Malik soon restored Armenia to subject status.[a] Muslim control was secured by organizing a large-scale massacre of the princely families (nakharar) within the cathedral of Nakhchivan, which was burned, in 704.[2]

Notes

1. Macler states it was the Arab commander Qasim that invaded and reconquered Armenia.[2]

References

1. Hoyland 2015, p. 155.
2. Macler 1923, p. 156.

Sources

• Hoyland, Robert G. (2015). In God's Path: The Arab Conquests and the Creation of an Islamic Empire. Oxford University Press.
• Macler, Frederic (1923). "Armenia". The Cambridge Medieval History. Vol. IV:The eastern Roman empire (717-1453). Cambridge at the University Press.

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