Grigor Hamam

Grigor Hamam (, ; died 897) was king of Hereti (Arran) from 893 to 897, and previously prince from 865 to 893. He was one of the descendants of the princely family of the Mihranids (Arranshahiks). Prince Grigor Hamam occupied large part of Arran and even restored the Albanian kingship for a while.Movses Kaghankatvatsi, History of the Country of Aghvank, Book III, Chapter XXII According to Armenian historians, he was called "Pious" (Barepasht) for his charitable deeds. Grigor Hamam was also a notable scholar and writer, author of biblical commentaries, grammatical works, and a sharakan.Acharian, Hrachia. Hayots' Anjnanunneri Bararan. Vol. III. Yerevan, 1946, pp. 23–25.

Origins and family

Grigor Hamam descended from the princely family of the Arranshahiks (Mihranids). He was the son of Artnerseh. Some sources consider him a relative of the Bagratids.Gh. Alishan, Shirak, Venice, 1881, pp. 96–97 Grigor Hamam had five sons:Movses Kaghankatvatsi, History of the Country of Aghvank, Yerevan, 1969, pp. 340–341

Apuli — was killed by his brother Smbat. Smbat — ruler of the lands around Gandzasar (Lower Khachen). Sahak Sevada — ruler of Gardman and Parisos. Vasak — ruler over Upper Khachen. Adarnase the Patrikios (Atrnerseh) — ruler of Hereti.

Principality and territories

Grigor Hamam's principality encompassed the entire Eastern region, as well as the left-bank Kambechan of the Kura River. He occupied large part of Arran. For a short time, he managed to "restore the abolished kingdom of Aghvank" (Albania).V. A. Shnirelman, Wars of Memory: Myths, Identity and Politics in Transcaucasia, Moscow, 2003, p. 198 This kingdom, which lasted only a few years, was initially under the suzerainty of the Armenian king of the Bagratuni dynasty.Mark Whittow, The Making of Byzantium, 600-1025, University of California Press, 1996, p. 217A. A. Vasiliev, Byzantium and the Arabs, Vol. II, St. Petersburg, 1902

Inscriptions

Two inscriptions of Grigor Hamam have been preserved:

The inscription in Gegharkunik (881) – on a khachkar, where he calls himself "Grigor Atrnersehyan" (son of Atrnerseh).S. Barkhudaryan, Divan of Armenian Epigraphy, Vol. IV, Yerevan, 1973, p. 334 The inscription near Artsakh's Tigranakert – in the village of Sofulu, with the name "Hamam", without a date.S. Barkhudaryan, The Principalities of Artsakh, Shaki and Parisos in the 9th-10th Centuries, Historical-Philological Journal, 1971, No. 1, p. 66

Political activity

Restoration of the Albanian kingdom

Grigor Hamam restored the Albanian kingdom in parallel with the restoration of the Armenian kingdom by Ashot I Bagratuni. According to Movses Kaghankatvatsi: "Then the pious Hamam, who also became king of Aghvank, likewise restored the ruined kingdom of the house of Aghvank, just as Ashot Bagratuni restored the Armenian kingdom. At the same time they accomplished this."Movses Kaghankatvatsi, History of the Country of Aghvank, Yerevan, 1969, p. 335

Relations with the Bagratids

Grigor Hamam recognized the suzerainty of the Ani Bagratids and acted as their ally.Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi, History of Armenia, Yerevan, 1996, pp. 170–171 In 893, he played a major role in the ransom of Catholicos Gevorg II Garnetsi from Arab captivity.Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi, History of Armenia, Yerevan, 1996, p. 175

Division of inheritance

After Grigor Hamam's death (897), his sons became vassals of the Bagratid Armenian Kingdom.

The eldest son Apuli was killed by his brother Smbat. Smbat ruled the lands around Gandzasar (proper Khachen). Vasak ruled Upper Khachen. Sahak Sevada founded the principality of Parisos. Atrnerseh (Adarnase the Patrikios) became ruler of Hereti (Shaki-Kambechan).

Fratricide

According to tradition, Grigor Hamam killed his younger brother, after which he repented and wrote a sharakan.Movses Kaghankatvatsi, History of the Country of Aghvank, Yerevan, 1969, p. 336 The Sofulu inscription mentions the names of his brothers – Philip and Smbat.S. Barkhudaryan, The Principalities of Artsakh, Shaki and Parisos in the 9th-10th Centuries, Historical-Philological Journal, 1971, No. 1, p. 66

Literary heritage

Grigor Hamam was a notable scholar and writer. Stepanos Taronetsi Asoghik testifies: "And Hamam Areveltsi, who wrote the commentary on the Proverbs, and translated (interpreted) the book of Job, and the blessings that are said at the beginning of the Psalms – one book, and the book "Ambic", and the commentary on grammar."Stepanos Taronetsi Asoghik, Universal History, Yerevan, 2000, p. 258

"Questions and Answers" (856–865)

Grigor Hamam is credited with the work "Questions and Answers" (Vasn hartsmants ev pataschanits), which is of a religious-dogmatic nature.Studia Patristica, 2006

Commentary on the Book of Proverbs

The "Commentary on the Book of Proverbs of Solomon" is Hamam's most famous work. It has been preserved in several manuscripts.R. W. Thomson, Hamam, Commentary on the Book of Proverbs, Peeters, Leuven, 2005 The commentary is written concisely, with a verse-by-verse explanation, and has a penitential-moral character.K. Kostanyants, Hamam Areveltsi, Vagharshapat, 1896, pp. 28–30

Commentary on Grammar

Grigor Hamam wrote a commentary on Dionysius Thrax's "Art of Grammar", which is primarily theological in nature.Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, 2000, pp. 108–109Journal of the American Oriental Society, 2003, p. 256 It has been preserved partially and was published by Nikoghayos Adonts and Hakob Keosyan.N. Adonts, The Glory of the Bagratids, Yerevan, 2006, pp. 285–290

Sharakan (Hymn)

A penitential sharakan (spiritual hymn) has been preserved in Grigor Hamam's name, beginning with the words "Heavenly Father", the acrostic of which spells the name "HAMAM".H. Acharian, Dictionary of Armenian Personal Names, Vol. III, Yerevan, 1946, p. 24 This sharakan is unique in that it was the first time in Armenian poetry that a personal theme was addressed – repentance for a specific sin of a specific person.H. Bakhchinyan, Armenian Medieval Poetry, Vol. I, Yerevan, 2021, pp. 152–154

Other works

The following works are also attributed to Grigor Hamam: "Commentary on Dionysius the Areopagite" "Order of the Psalms" (musicological-textological) "History of Armenia" (lost)Mnatsakanyan, A. (1966). On Questions of the Literature of the Aghvank World. Yerevan, pp. 181–190.

Question of national identity

In the mid-20th century, Azerbaijani historian Z. Buniyatov attempted to present Grigor Hamam as a Turk.Z. Buniyatov, Azerbaijan in the 7th-9th Centuries, Baku, 1965, pp. 184–190 However, this theory has been thoroughly refuted by Armenologists.V. Yegiazaryan, Hamam Areveltsi and the Problem of His National Identity in Armenology, Etchmiadzin, 2010, pp. 487–515 Grigor Hamam's Armenian origin is confirmed by numerous facts: testimonies of Armenian historians, the Armenian acrostic of the sharakan, and the nickname "Areveltsi" (Eastern), which indicates his connection with the Eastern regions of Armenia.V. Yegiazaryan, Hamam Areveltsi and the Problem of His National Identity in Armenology, Etchmiadzin, 2010, pp. 492–495

Grigor Hamam

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