Gagik II (; - May 5/November 24, 1079) was the last Armenian king of the Bagratuni dynasty, ruling in Ani from 1042 to 1045. Biography In Armenology, the activities of Gagik II Bagratuni have been discussed by Mikael Chamchyan, Leon, Manuk Abeghian, Ghevond Alishan, Hrachya Acharyan, Maghakia Ormanyan, and others. Among Armenian chroniclers, he was mentioned by Aristakes Lastivertsi, Grigor Magistros, Samvel Anetsi, Vardan Areveltsi, Mkhitar Ayrivanetsi, Matthew Urkhaetsi, Kirakos Gandzaketsi, Smbat Sparapet, and others, while among Byzantine historians, he was mentioned by Hovhannes Skylitzes and Michael Attaleiates. Gagik II was born around 1024. The 12th-century chronicler Matthew Urkhaetsi describes Gagik II as a wise and God-fearing youth.Մատթէոս Ուռհայեցի, Ժամանակագրութիւն, Վաղարշապատ, 1898, էջ 150: Manuk Abeghian notes that there was a library at the court of Ani. The same was true at the Catholicosate. Gagik II is also known as a scholar and sage. Historiography contains conflicting accounts of his marriage. According to Matthew Urkhaetsi, his family was brought from Ani to Byzantium; according to Aristakes Lastivertsi, he married the daughter of David, son of Sennacherib, at the emperor's request; and according to M. Ormanyan, he married David's widow to inherit his estate.Եղիազարյան Վ. (2020). Գագիկ Բ Բագրատունին և «Հավատոյ գիրը». Եր. էջեր 25–41. Gagik II was an educated and wise king. Kirakos Gandzaketsi wrote of the king:"But since he had been studying books since childhood, he also enjoyed them.Կիրակոս Գանձակեցի, Հայոց պատմություն, Երևան, 1982, էջ 75:"Matthew Urkhaetsi wrote:...And Gagik was a man of genius and wisdom."Other authors also wrote about the king's wisdom:"...In those days lived the wise Gagik, son of Abas Kartsi." “A man who loved wisdom and was filled with all understanding, and knowledgeable in the Old and New Testaments”Սմբատայ Սպարապետի Տարեգիրք, Վենետիկ, 1956, էջ 66:.
The Period Before the Accession of Gagik II In 1020, the Armenian King Gagik I died. Although his eldest son, Hovhannes-Smbat, was expected to inherit the throne by right of seniority, a serious struggle for the throne arose between him and his brother, Ashot IV. Through the mediation of Vahram Pahlavuni, Catholicos Petros Getadardz, and the Georgian king, a peace was concluded under which the capital, Ani, and its surroundings were transferred to Hovhannes-Smbat, and the remainder to Ashot IV. One of the conditions of the peace was that upon the death of Hovhannes-Smbat, the Armenian throne would pass entirely to Ashot IV, or, if he also died, to his son.Հայ ժողովրդի պատմություն. Vol. Գ. Եր.: Հայկական ՍՍՀ Գիտությունների Ակադեմիայի հրատ. 1976. էջեր 151–154. However, this peace, established in the country, was short-lived. In 1022, Georgian-Byzantine negotiations began in Trebizond, in which Catholicos Petros Getadardz also participated. During the negotiations, Byzantine Emperor Basil II (Barsegh)Treadgold, Warren (1997)։ Բյուզանդական պետության եւ հասարակության պատմություն։ Stanford University Press։ էջեր 528–529։ demanded that the Catholicos hand over the Kingdom of Ani. Under pressure from the pro-Byzantine Catholicos, Hovhannes-Smbat agreed. As a result, this humiliating testament was sent to Basil II. This fact became known to the people of Ani, and when the Catholicos returned to his homeland, they rebelled against him. He was imprisoned until 1037, but was later released. In 1041, first Ashot IV died, then Hovhannes-Smbat. Following these events, Emperor Michael IV sent an army to capture the Kingdom of Ani in accordance with the testament. Vahram Pahlavuni, leading an army of approximately 30,000 men, managed to repel the enemy onslaught.Մելքոնյան Ա. (1998). Հայոց պատմություն. Դասախոսությունների ձեռնարկ. Եր.: «Հայագիտակ» հրատ. էջեր 78–79. In the context of the aforementioned events, the pro-Byzantine faction came to the fore. Among these nobles was Sargis Syunetsi, who received the Byzantine title of "vest" and is known in history as Vest Sargis. He confiscated the royal treasures, which aroused the hatred of the population. As a result, on the initiative of Vahram Pahlavuni, the son of Ashot V the Brave, eighteen-year-old Gagik, Gagik II (1041-1044), was proclaimed king of the Kingdom of Ani. He was a well-educated and noble youth, but his shortcoming lay precisely in this nobility, which later had its fatal consequences. According to Karen Matevosyan, the crown prince was Grigor Bjnetsi.Եղիազարյան Վ. (2020). Գագիկ Բ Բագրատունին և «Հավատոյ գիրը». Եր. էջեր 25–41. The central Kingdom of Ani attempted to rise to its feet during this short period, but as a result of the external conquests of the Byzantine Empire, it suffered a different fate. During the imperial army's final attack on Ani, Abu'l-Aswar Shawir, who ruled in Dvin, also took a hostile stance, resulting in the army of the Kingdom of Ani, led by King Gagik II, invading the outskirts of Dvin in mid-August 1041 and retreating. It is noteworthy that in these final events, although to a lesser extent, Abu'l-Aswar Shawir this time also drew the Seljuk Sultanate into the conflict, whose army, leaving Dvin aside, attempted to penetrate deeper into the territory of the Kingdom of Ani. However, at the end of August 1041, in the Battle of Bini Fortress, the army of the Kingdom of Ani (approximately 10,000 men), under the command of Vasak Pahlavuni's son, Grigor Magister Pahlavuni, defeated the army of the Seljuk Sultanate (approximately 20,000 men) that had invaded the territory of the Kingdom of Ani and captured its commander. In early September 1041, the army of the Kingdom of Lori (approximately 10,000 men), commanded by David I Anhoghin, who sought to be proclaimed king of the Kingdom of Ani, again raided the outskirts of Ani and retreated, but to no avail.Մատթէոս Ուռհայեցի, Ժամանակագրութիւն, Վաղարշապատ, 1898, էջ 150: Thus, the Armenians, having armed themselves, preserved the integrity and sovereignty of their kingdom, but even greater difficulties lay ahead. Matthew Urkhaetsi testifies: "At that time, an eighteen-year-old youth named Gagik of the Bagratuni dynasty appeared, the son of King Ashot, the son of Gagik, the son of Ashot, the son of Abbas, the son of Smbat, the son of Yerkat. The youth Gagik was very wise, pious, and God-fearing."
In 1042, the 18-year-old Gagik II Bagratuni was solemnly crowned king of Armenia by Catholicos Peter Getadardz in Ani.Վանո Եղիազարյան, Գագիկ Բ Բագրատունին և նրա «Հավատոյ գիր»-ը, Երևան, 2020, էջ 30։
Grigor Bjnetsi placed the crown on the head of Gagik II Bagratuni."By crowning Gagik, they attempted to prevent the fall of the Bagratuni kingdom in Ani, with Vahram Pahlavun as the powerful patriarch and the learned Grigorius as the ideological and ceremonial participant.Կ. Մաթևոսյան, Անիի ազնվականության պատմությունից կամ երեք Գրիգոր Մագիստրոս,Երևան, 2015, էջ 60:"
The Fall of the Bagratid Kingdom In 1042, Constantine Monomachos became Emperor of Byzantium. He finally decided to resolve the existing problem: seizing the Kingdom of Ani. He approached Gagik II, as his heir, and demanded that he hand over the kingdom. Gagik II recognized his enemy's military advantage and attempted diplomacy. The situation changed dramatically in 1044, when the emperor decided to put an end to the Armenian Kingdom and sent a large army led by Michael Iasites. However, the Armenians were not prepared to surrender so easily, and as a result, in April 1044, at the Battle of Ani, Vostanik's army (approximately 40,000 men), under the command of commander Vahram Pahlavuni, routed the advancing Byzantine army (approximately 70,000 men) and its Armenian warriors (approximately 15,000 men). The Armenians achieved another victory over the advancing imperial army at the walls of Ani in May 1044, and then another in June. The emperor then sent his chamberlain, Nicholas. In a fierce battle at the gates of Ani, the Armenian forces, under the command of Vahram Pahlavuni and Gagik II, achieved a brilliant victory.Հայ ժողովրդի պատմություն. Vol. Գ. Եր.: Հայկական ՍՍՀ Գիտությունների Ակադեմիայի հրատ. 1976. էջեր 151–154.
The emperor also approached the emir of Dvin, Abu'l-Asvar Shavir, inviting him to invade the kingdom of Ani. The emperor promised to grant him any territories the emir could conquer by force of arms. In June 1044, an army under Abu'l-Asvar Shavir captured Surmaru (Ayrarat, north of Masyatsotn Province, on the right bank of the Araks), Amberd (Ayrarat, west of Aragatsotn Province, on the southern slope of the Aragats), and the fortress of Khor Virap from the army of the Kingdom of Ani (numbering approximately 1,000). In July 1044, the imperial army again attacked in the direction of Ani. However, under the walls of Ani, the provincial army under General Vahram Pahlavuni (numbering approximately 30,000) routed the Byzantine army (numbering approximately 55,000) and the Armenian warriors (numbering approximately 10,000), who had besieged the city with a surprise attack. After suffering a final military defeat, Constantinople decided to pursue diplomatic action regarding the Ani issue. As a result, using the entire arsenal of diplomatic guarantees of the time, a message was composed and sent to Gagik II, inviting the latter, so to speak, to Constantinople for a final clarification of relations. Gagik II, apparently, even made a deliberate mistake by not listening to the experienced general Vahram Pahlavuni and giving in to the claims of the courtier Vest Sargis, who had long ago betrayed his king, as well as the claims of the most unsuccessful Armenian Catholicos of all time, Peter I Getadardz (1019-1058). Hoping to finally establish peace, Gagik II decided to set out for Constantinople. In the imperial capital, the Armenian king was initially greeted with great honors, and Monomakh himself honored him for several days, hosting a royal feastՄատթէոս Ուռհայեցի, Ժամանակագրութիւն, Վաղարշապատ, 1898, էջ 150:.Vahram Pahlavi and the other freedmen who had placed Gagik on the throne advised him against going to Constantinople, but Gagik, with the faintest hope of ending the war peacefully and saving Armenian statehood, after much hesitation, went to the emperor. The outcome exceeded all expectations, as after King Gagik II's departure for Constantinople, he was captured there and never returned to Ani.Բագրատունյաց թագավորության անկումը, Հ․ Բարթիկյան, Երևան, 1976, էջ 153։