Papers by Zohrab Gevorgyan
The Jews, the Jewish colonial network is exceptional in terms of characterizing and studying the ... more The Jews, the Jewish colonial network is exceptional in terms of characterizing and studying the above realities. The success and efficiency of any medieval state in international trade largely depended on the possible availability of information and communication links between distant places. Unlike the high technologies used in modern international trade, which enable people even without knowing any international language, by quickly converting the units of size and weight, to make
purchases with a flick of the finger, in the Middle Ages, each state had its own units of size and weight, and as a matter of fact there was no any international language. The obstacles in trade were not only technical, but also cultural. From this perspective, the peoples who established colonies over the centuries had a much greater opportunity to form and develop a communication network that was effective especially in terms of playing an important role in international trade.
Journal of Mediterranean Studies, Nov 2022
bstract:
When in the 12th century the King Levon I (as prince Levon II — 1187–1198, as king — 11... more bstract:
When in the 12th century the King Levon I (as prince Levon II — 1187–1198, as king — 1198–1219) united the state with a huge part of the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean sea, Cilicia Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time, the Mediterranean system. The accessibility of documenting private capital through paper changed the way people treated and used their private property. If in earlier centuries, only people of higher social strata could document their property using parchment, then the wide circulation of paper and the increase in its production volumes made it possible to document property to different classes, including both men and women.
The capital and the issue of private property are components characterising the culture of medieval everyday life. The types and transformations of private properties in Cilician Armenia are reflected in historical sources, particularly in the codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Constable. There are numerous legal points in their works, as well as numerous evidences about the division of different types of properties, marital property etc. There is plenty of evidence in the documents drawn up in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents mainly from Genoa and Venice, which are unique sources for this issue.
Բանբեր Մատենադարանի , 2023
WALLS AND FENCES: BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT OF CILICIAN ... more WALLS AND FENCES: BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT OF CILICIAN ARMENIA Keywords:
Cilician Armenia, medieval trade, Mediterranean trade, feudalism, private property, medieval capital, Ayas, Venice, Genoa.
When in the 12th century King Levon I (as prince, Levon II, 1187–1198, as king, 1198–1219) united the state with a part of the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean, Cilician Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time. The accessibility of documenting on paper changed the way people treated and used their private property. While in earlier centuries only people of higher social strata could document their property using parchment, the wide circulation of paper and the increase in its production made it possible to document property for different classes, including both men and women. The capital and private property are components characterizing medieval culture of everyday life. The types and transformations of private properties are mentioned in historical sources, particularly in the Law Codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Constable. There are numerous laws and rich evidence in their works on the division of different types of properties (marital property etc.). The documents prepared in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents, mainly from Genoa and Venice, are also important and unique sources for this study.
L’Arménie et les Arméniens, entre Byzance et le Levant Mélanges offerts à Gérard Dédéyan, 2023
Transformations of Capital and Private Property in the Everyday Life History of Cilician Armenia ... more Transformations of Capital and Private Property in the Everyday Life History of Cilician Armenia
The capital and the issue of private property are components characterizing the culture of medieval everyday life, which are expressed in various ways in both medieval European and Oriental legal systems. In this case, we are talking about the circumstances conditioned by feudal relations of the High Middle Ages, where the role of private property, including marital property, had become more important over time in both legal documents and codes, and in everyday life. Throughout history, the essence of human relationships, coexistence and social relations have been conditioned by the types of capital that were typical of that time. In early medieval feudal reality, the types of capital were incomparably few and limited. The key and the main thing was the land, which conditioned the nature of human coexistence, socio-economic relations. The spread of paper-making technologies from China to the Middle East and Europe since the 8th century brought radical changes in human life and financial relations. As early as the 12th century, the banking system began to take shape in a number of Italian cities, such as Siena and Florence, bringing about huge changes in finanԿապիտալի և մասնավոր սեփականության փոխակերպումները... 277 cial relations, in the nature and content of capital. In the second half of the 13th century, a system of international trade and loans was formed, which connected Cilicia Armenia and the Black Sea basin on the one hand, and Catalonia, England on the other. When in the 12th century the King Levon I (as prince Levon II—1187–1198, as king—1198–1219) united the state with a huge part of the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean sea, Cilicia Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time, the Mediterranean system. As early as the second half of the 13th century, the whole palette of the system of financial and commercial interactions operating in the states of the Mediterranean basin was fully implemented in Cilician Armenia. The merchant traveling from Ayas (Laiazzo) to Barcelona took only a piece of paper receipt instead of cash or gold to buy goods, and received cash from another merchant in the city of arrival. So, these commercial and financial changes brought deep transformations in the forms of capital in Cilician Armenia. These are clearly reflected in historical sources, particularly in the Codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Sparapet. There are numerous legal points in their works, as well as numerous evidences about the division of different properties, marital property etc. Also, there is plenty of evidence in the documents drawn up in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents mainly from Genoa and Venice, which are unique sources to study everyday life history and the transformations of capital in Cilician Armenia. How did the capital transformations affect human, socio-economic relations in Cilician Armenia? In this study, Cilician Armenia will be considered as an example for the study of capital forms and transformations in the Middle Ages.
ԲԱՆԲԵՐ ՄԱՏԵՆԱԴԱՐԱՆԻ, 2022
PAPER, EVERYDAY LIFE AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS
IN CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, p... more PAPER, EVERYDAY LIFE AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS
IN CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, paper, trade, everyday life, capital, Mediterranean trade, medieval trade, Smbat Sparapet, Venice, Genoa.
Throughout history, the discovery and spread of certain materials have been revolutionary in human daily life, as well as in economic, political and cultural transformations. One such material is paper, the discovery and widespread use of which brought profound changes to the world. The spread of paper, in fact, led to a unique informational revolution in the Middle Ages. It culminated in the establishment of the first printing house in Europe, which was followed by many others including the first Armenian printing house in Venice founded in 1512. The "domination" of paper
continued until the late 20th century. After the Battle of Talas (751) between the Abbasid Caliphate and the Tang Dynasty of China, the Caliphate's spies managed to obtain paper-making technologies from China, and henceforth paper began to spread rapidly to the Middle East
and from there to Europe. During the period of the Armenian state of Cilicia, especially in the 13th–14th centuries, paper had already deeply penetrated into the countries of the Middle East and the Mediterranean basin, becoming an inseparable part of human life. It widely
circulated in Cilician Armenia, particularly from the end of the 12th century, when
Cilicia became a part of the large family in the Mediterranean. The sea brought greater speeds of communication which, along with the development of international trade, also accelerated information flows in Cilician Armenia. The extensive use of paper in Cilician Armenia is evidenced by various sources that survive on paper. The use of paper is especially impressive in the internal-foreign trade relations of Cilician Armenia. Its widespread use brought about substantive changes in financial relations and the transformation of capital. A merchant with
a piece of paper or a receipt could travel from Ayas on a long commercial trip to the distant cities of the Mediterranean and carry out his transactions relatively safely. The aim of this study is to present comprehensively, on the example of Cilician Armenia, the multilayered effects of the use of paper in the Middle Ages.
Հայոց պատմության հարցեր, 2010
ՏՈՆԱԳԻՐ: Գիտական ժողովածու Լեւոն Տեր-Պետրոսյանի 75-ամյակի առթիվ.- Եր.: «Մատենադարան» հրատ., , 2021
The development of internal and foreign trade, both in the Mediterranean countries and in Cilicia... more The development of internal and foreign trade, both in the Mediterranean countries and in Cilician Armenia, reduced the coexistence space between people. Other
forms of commercial, domestic and everyday communication between them became
more versatile, which inevitably increased the demand for new coexistent lifestyles
and rules. These realities became especially evident from the 13th century, when not
only the population but also the ethnic composition of Cilician Armenia was radically changing. These were challenges for the state, so it is no wonder that during
that period the creation of a new code of laws became an agenda for the Armenian
state of Cilicia, which should have been more in line with the changing realities. That
great work was undertaken and carried out by Smbat Sparapet. In addition to the fact
that the population of Cilician Armenia was diverse in terms of ethnic composition,
where people of different cultures, religions, temperaments, with different professions and belonging to different social strata met, it was also diverse from the Armenian point of view. Armenians, who differed from each other in terms of social strata, culture, temperament, legal awareness, and other components, settled here from different parts of the Armenian Highland located thousands of kilometers away from
each other.
The sea, rapid development of international and domestic trade, the growth of
foreign population, cities and urban population – were the factors under which in the
reality of Cilician Armenia were developing different platforms of micro and macro
levels of civilisational dialogues, which began to demand new dimensions of human
social relations, written and unwritten rules, moral and ethical norms.
How did they trade in Cilician Armenia, how did the moral, coexistence, and
ethical boundaries emerge in the big and small trade relations? Were these boundaries documented particularly in legal documents or did they mostly remain in the
field of verbal, everyday agreements?
Բանբեր Մատենադարանի, N 29, 2020
The dowry and the issue of marital property are components characterizing the
culture of medieval... more The dowry and the issue of marital property are components characterizing the
culture of medieval everyday life and marital law, which are expressed in various
ways in both medieval European (Roman law, Magna Carta, the Assizes of Antioch
and Jerusalem in the Crusader States) and Oriental legal systems.
In this case, we are talking about the circumstances conditioned by feudal
relations of the High Middle Ages, where the role of private property, including
marital property, had become more important over time in both legal documents and
codes, and in everyday life. Marriage, as a legal institution, had also played an
important role in the culture of Cilician Armenia.
This is evidenced by the state codes applied in Cilicia, the Codes of Mkhitar
Gosh and Smbat Sparapet, in which numerous articles on marriage law are included.
The marital regulations contain issues which had particular emphasis on the dowry
and marital property, especially when even the divorce existed as an institute and
was regulated by them.
What was the dowry of women from different classes in Cilician Armenia, what
legal formulation and significance did it receive in codes, notarial acts, and other
legal documents? What was the significance of the property in the marital legal
arrangements, and in the case of divorce, how was it divided depending on the
circumstances of the divorce? Since there are numerous evidences in the sources
about cases of marriage between Armenian women and foreigners in Cilician
Armenia, especially those of “Italian” descent, we also considered it important to
study what legal arrangements were used in such cases. Were they regulated by the
aforementioned Codes which became State Codes in Cilicia at different times, or,
depending on the origin of a foreigner, by the internal community laws governing
the Venetian, Genoese, and other communities established in the Cilician cities? The
study of those issues related to the legal regulation of the dowry and marital property
will make it possible to make the history of everyday and marital life in Cilician
Armenia more vivid. In this context, it is also possible to have some general insights
into the social perceptions of private property and its legal formulations in Armenian
Cilicia.
Հայոց պատմության հարցեր, 12, 2011
GEOPOLITICAL PROCESSES AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN CILICIAN
ARMENIA (1201-1337)
International tra... more GEOPOLITICAL PROCESSES AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN CILICIAN
ARMENIA (1201-1337)
International trade was of prime importance to the economy of
the Armenian state of Cilicia. It provided widespread consumption of
various goods which served as a stimulus for the development of
handicrafts and agriculture, but also brought huge revenues to the state
treasury. For nearly 140 years Cilician Armenia retained an important
role in the Mediterranean trade, which could not affect the foreign
policy of the state. In this paper, we tried to identify the degree of
influence of international trade on the external political relations of
Cilician Armenia. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding
of the geopolitical processes of this period and the role of the state of
Cilician Armenia in these processes
//«Culture of the Sea is the Culture of Mankind», The International Conference Devoted to 25th anniversary of the Marine Research Club "Ayas", Yerevan, 2010, p. 28-38, 2010
Հայկազեան հայագիտական հանդէս, 2017
Լրաբեր Հասարակական Գիտությունների, № 1 . pp. 78-85. ISSN 0320-8117, 2014
Since the second half of the 13th century, Cilician Armenia had established
commercial and econom... more Since the second half of the 13th century, Cilician Armenia had established
commercial and economical relations with the Kingdom of Aragon and with
the cities of Southern France. Merchants from Montpellier, Marseilles, Nîmes,
Narbonne and from other South-French cities arrived in Cilicia. Their names registered in the notary acts are made in the main port of Cilician Armenia in Laiazzo
(Ayas, Lajazzo, Layas, etc.). The Marseillais arrived in Cilicia in their own ships and
the Narbonnais merchants signed direct commercial contracts with the King of Cilician
Armenia. There is evidence about Narbonnais being inhabitants of Cilician Armenia.
Merchants from Montpellier, who were twice granted commercial privileges by the
Armenian Kings in 1314 and 1321, had a more secure position in Cilician Armenia
Со второй половины XIII века Киликийская Армения вступила в
экономические отношения с королевством Арагона, а также с городами южной
Франции. В Киликию прибывали купцы из Монпелье, Марселя, Нима,
Нарбонны и иных французских городов. Их имена сохранились в нотариальных актах, составленных в главном порту Киликийской Армении, в
Айасе (Lajazzo, Layas и т. д.). Марсельские купцы прибывали в Киликию на
собственных суднах, а купцы из Нарбонны подписывали прямые торговые
контракты с самим царем Киликийской Армении. Согласно некоторым
данным, купцы из Нарбонны надолго обосновались в Киликии. Купцам из
Монпелье были предоставлены армянскими царями две торговые привилегии
в 1314 и 1321 гг., и небезынтересно, что к северо-востоку от южного мыса
Киликии есть островок, который в средние века назывался "провансальским".
L'Arménie et la Géorgie en dialogue avec l'Europe : du Moyen Âge à nos jours, [édité par] Isabelle Augé, Vladimir Barkhoudaryan, Gérard Dédéyan, Mzaro-Mzagve Dochtourichvili, Irma Karaulashvili., 2016
Since the second half of the 13th century, Cilician Armenia had established
commercial and econom... more Since the second half of the 13th century, Cilician Armenia had established
commercial and economical relations with the Kingdom of Aragon and with
the cities of Southern France. Merchants from Montpellier, Marseilles, Nîmes,
Narbonne and from other South-French cities arrived in Cilicia. Their names registered in the notary acts are made in the main port of Cilician Armenia in Laiazzo
(Ayas, Lajazzo, Layas, etc.). The Marseillais arrived in Cilicia in their own ships and
the Narbonnais merchants signed direct commercial contracts with the King of Cilician
Armenia. There is evidence about Narbonnais being inhabitants of Cilician Armenia.
Merchants from Montpellier, who were twice granted commercial privileges by the
Armenian Kings in 1314 and 1321, had a more secure position in Cilician Armenia
Actes du colloque L'Europe et le Caucase. Les relations interrégionales et la question de l'identité Sous la direction de Mzaro/Mzagve DOKHTOURICHVILI, 2012
Բանբեր Մատենադարանի, N 24, 2017
ZOHRAB GEVORGYAN
MARRIAGES AND EXTRA-MARITAL CONTRACTS OF THE
EUROPEANS AND THE RESIDENTS OF CILI... more ZOHRAB GEVORGYAN
MARRIAGES AND EXTRA-MARITAL CONTRACTS OF THE
EUROPEANS AND THE RESIDENTS OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, everyday life, extra-marital contract,
Genoese, merchant, Law code, testament.
It is well known that many representatives of the ruling elite in
Cilician Armenia, including princes and kings, had marital relations with
the famous European dynasties of the time. But such relationships
between the nobility and the ordinary citizens of Cilician Armenia on the
one hand, and the Europeans who lived at the time in the Cilician cities
on the other, have not been of much interest to researchers. As a matter
of fact, particularly hundreds of Genoese lived for a long time in Laiazzo
(Ayas). Naturally, these men sought marital or extra-marital relationships
with the residents of Cilician Armenia.
The study of this topic may allow to identify a wide range of
questions about life in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
Պատմա-բանասիրական հանդես, № 3 . pp. 117-124., 2016
THE SEA-BATTLE OF AYAS IN 1294 AT THE CENTRE OF
RIVALRY BETWEEN VENICE AND GENOA
ZOHRAB GEVORGYA... more THE SEA-BATTLE OF AYAS IN 1294 AT THE CENTRE OF
RIVALRY BETWEEN VENICE AND GENOA
ZOHRAB GEVORGYAN
The Mediterranean coast of Cilician Armenia became the arena of the second war (1294–1299) between the Republics of Venice and Genoa. Ayas became the center of rivalry of Italian republics. We can find evidences in the source concerned with Templars in “The Deeds of Cypriots”, where we can read that in 1293 Venetian galleys arrived at Ayas and there confiscated a Genoese merchant ship. Eventually, at the seashore of Ayas between Venetian and Genoese fleet took place a sea battle, which had so big fame in the medieval world that anonymous Genoese poet of the same period wrote a poem dedicated to this battle. Hetum Patmich ended his chronicle by 1294 describing this sea-battle, so it is likely that he witnessed this events. In May 22 of 1294 at the shores of Ayas the Genoese ships, commanded by Niccolo Spinola, crashed with in total 32 Venetian galleys and taridas, led by Admiral Marco Bazilio. Despite the small quantity of ships the Genoese had a brilliant victory, 24 Venetian ships had been seized and also Marco Bazilio was taken captive.
Նյութեր ակադեմիկոս Լևոն Խաչիկյանի ծննդյան հարյուրամյակին նվիրված հայագիտական միջազգային գիտաժողովի (28-30 հունիսի 2018 թ.), 2019
Բանալի բառեր՝ Կիլիկյան Հայաստան, իրավական կարգավիճակ, Սմբատ Սպարապետ, Մխիթար Գոշ, կնոջ իրավունքնե... more Բանալի բառեր՝ Կիլիկյան Հայաստան, իրավական կարգավիճակ, Սմբատ Սպարապետ, Մխիթար Գոշ, կնոջ իրավունքներ, դատաստանագիրք։ Կիլիկյան Հայաստանի պատմությունն արձանագրել է բազմաթիվ հայտնի կանանց, որոնք խորը դրոշմ են թողել պետության զարգացման ընթացքում։ Բավական է միայն հիշատակել Զապել թագուհուն, ում Լևոն I Մեծագործի (1187-1198 որպես իշխան, 1198-1219, որպես թագավոր) կողմից միանձնյա թագաժառանգ հռչակվելն արդեն վկայում է պետության մեջ կնոջ՝ իր ժամանակի համար իրավական բարձր կարգավիճակ և հասարակական դիրք ունենալու մասին։ Դա առավել ակներև է Լևոն II-ի (1269-1289) կին Կեռան թագուհու օրինակով, որն իր սկեսրոջը հետևելով, լայն ներգրավվածություն ուներ Կիլիկիո սոցիալ-հասարակական և մշակութային կյանքում։ Սույն հոդվածով փորձելու ենք ուսումնասիրել Կիլիկյան Հայաստանում կնոջ իրավական կարգավիճակին առնչվող հասարակական իրողությունները և ընկալումները։ Ընդ որում, խոսքը ոչ միայն ազնվատոհմիկ, այլ ընդհանրապես հասարակ քաղաքացիների, նրանց ամուսնական, սոցիալական, կենցաղային, համակեցական իրավական տարաբնույթ կարգավորումներից բխող կարգավիճակային խնդիրների մասին է։ Հետազոտության համար առաջնային սկզբնաղբյուրներ են Մխիթար Գոշի, Սմբատ Սպարապետի «Դատաստանագրքերը», Կիլիկյան Հայաստանում եվրոպացիների կազմած իրավական նոտարական գործերը և այլն։ Կարևոր ենք համարում նկատել, որ հայ իրականության մեջ դեռևս մ.թ. Ա. դարում Մեծ Հայքի թագավորությունը միանձնյա գահակալել է Արտաշիսյան Էրատո թագուհին, ինչը բացառիկ էր ժամանակի պետական բոլոր համակարգերի համար: Այս հանգամանքը պատմաբանները հիմնականում արձանագրել են որպես զուտ փաստ և կնոջ հասարակական դիրքի տեսանկյունից վերլուծական համարժեք գնահատականի չեն արժանացրել: Այնինչ, չէր կարող կինը դառնալ միանձնյա միապետ, եթե պետության բնակչության մոտ չլինեին դրան նպաստող հասարակական ավանդութենական որոշակի ընկալումներ և տրամադրություններ: Սույն հետազոտությամբ կարևոր ենք համարում պարզաբանել հետևյալ խնդիրները․ 1. Կիլիկիայի հայկական պետության մեջ կիրառված հիմնական օրենսգրքերի`օրենսգրքերի`Մխիթար Գոշի ու Սմբատ Սպարապետի Դատաստանագրքերի բազմաթիվ հոդվածներում կնոջ իրավական ներկայացվածությունն արդյոք ավանդութենակա՞ն էր և գալիս էր հայկական կանոնական-իրավական ավելի հին ավանդույթներից, թե՞ դա կիլիկյան միջավայր է թափանցել առավելապես եվրոպական իրավունքից` իրավունքից`Անտիոքյան և Երուսաղեմյան ասսիզներից, որոնք Խաչակրաց պետությունների հիմնական օրենսգրքերն էին: 2. Իրավական ինչպիսի՞ կարգավիճակ ուներ կինը կիլիկյան հասարակությունում: Անշուշտ, այս խնդիրը հարկ է դիտարկել պատմականության մեջ և կնոջ իրավական կարգավիճակը ներկայացնել իր ժամանակի դրվածքների ու ընկալումների տեսանկյունից: Այս առումով հարկ է ընդգծել, որ չենք հավակնում բացարձակ գնահատականներ տալու առհասարակ Կիլիկյան Հայաստանի հասարակական կյանքում, կենցաղում, համակեցական տարբեր միջավայրերում կնոջ կարգավիճակին, այլ այն կարգավիճակին, որը տրվել է կնոջը զուտ իրավունքի պաշտոնական փաստաթղթերում: Այլ հարց է, թե պետական համակարգի օրենքի կիրառման միջնադարյան զինանոցը որքանո՞վ է թույլ տվել լիարժեք կիրառման մեջ դնելու այդ օրենքները: Առաջին կետը պարզաբանելու նպատակով, նախ կփորձենք կնոջը վերաբերող իրավունքի տեսանկյունից համեմատել մի կողմից Է. դարում Հովհան Օձնեցու «Կանոնագիրք Հայոց»ը և հետագայում՝ Ժ-ԺԱ. դդ. դրա խմբագրված ու հավելումներով կազմված կանոնագիրքը և մյուս կողմից՝ Մխիթար Գոշի ու Սմբատ Սպարապետի Դատաստանագրքերը: Ապա համեմատականներ կտանենք նաև միջնադարյան Եվրոպական հայտնի օրենսգրքերի հետ:
THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE WOMAN BY HISTORICAL SOURCES OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, legal status, Smbat Sparapet, Mkhitar Gosh, woman’s rights, code of law.
The history of Cilician Armenia has recorded numerous women who had great influences on the development of the state. It is enough to mention only the Queen Zapel. The fact that she was the only legal heir appointed by Levon I Metsagorts, testifies about high legal status for women in that state. One of the bright examples was the wife of Levon II, Queen Keran, who, as did her mother-in-law, had a great involvement in social, cultural life in Cilician Armenia. In this study we will examine the public realities and perceptions concerning women's legal status in Cilicia. Moreover, the matter is not only about the noble women, but also about the status of ordinary citizens in general, their marital, social, everyday life and coherent legal arrangements. The primary sources are Mkhitar Gosh’s and Smbat Sparapet's "Law Codes", notarial acts made by Europeans in Cilicia, and so on.
Լրաբեր Հասարակական Գիտությունների, № 1-2 . pp. 81-100., 2010
Italian Merchantry in Cilician Armenia (XIII-XIV cc.).
В результате исследований нотариальных ак... more Italian Merchantry in Cilician Armenia (XIII-XIV cc.).
В результате исследований нотариальных актов, составленных в Айасе и кипрской Фамагусте, а впоследствии переданных итальянским архивам, можно выделить имена сотен итальянских купцов, занимавшихся торговлей на территории Киликийской Армении. Наличие образцов итальянской архитектуры в городах Киликии, архивные данные о фактах брака итальянцев с армянками свидетельствуют о том, что итальянские купцы во второй половине XIII – первой половине XIV вв. принимали активное участие в экономической жизни Киликийской Армении.
Բանբեր Մատենադարանի N 24, 2017
It is well known that many representatives of the ruling elite in
Cilician Armenia, including pri... more It is well known that many representatives of the ruling elite in
Cilician Armenia, including princes and kings, had marital relations with
the famous European dynasties of the time. But such relationships
between the nobility and the ordinary citizens of Cilician Armenia on the
one hand, and the Europeans who lived at the time in the Cilician cities
on the other, have not been of much interest to researchers. As a matter
of fact, particularly hundreds of Genoese lived for a long time in Laiazzo
(Ayas). Naturally, these men sought marital or extra-marital relationships
with the residents of Cilician Armenia. The study of this topic may allow to identify a wide range of questions about life in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
MATENADARAN» MASHTOTS INSTITUTE OF ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS "UNION OF YOUNG RESEARCHERS OF THE MATENADARAN" PAPERS OF THE III YOUTH CONFERENCE, 2018
file:///D:/DESKTOP%202016%20JULY/HODVACNER/ACADEM%20EDU/THE%20SOCIAL%20STRUCTURE%20OF%20THE%20WES... more file:///D:/DESKTOP%202016%20JULY/HODVACNER/ACADEM%20EDU/THE%20SOCIAL%20STRUCTURE%20OF%20THE%20WEST-EUROPEAN%20MERCHANT%20POPULATION%201.pdf
ZOHRAB GEVORGYAN
THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF THE WEST-EUROPEAN MERCHANT
POPULATION
IN THE STATE OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
The formation of foreign merchant communities in the Cilician Armenia was started from the very beginning of the 13th century, when the state was just integrated into international trade relations. The privileges given by the Armenian kings guaranteed exceptional conditions to the merchants from Venice, Genoa, Pisa, Aragon and other European countries and cities. The merchant population who or visited either settled in Cilician Armenia had multicultural, multi-ethnic and socially hierarchic structure. Besides the professional merchants, there were many people with different professions, who, of course, came to Cilician Armenia to serve their numerous compatriots. Representatives of the famous noble families in Europe, particularly from Genoa, lived in Cilicia for a long time, often permanently, which is an evidence of their social stratification in Cilicia.
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purchases with a flick of the finger, in the Middle Ages, each state had its own units of size and weight, and as a matter of fact there was no any international language. The obstacles in trade were not only technical, but also cultural. From this perspective, the peoples who established colonies over the centuries had a much greater opportunity to form and develop a communication network that was effective especially in terms of playing an important role in international trade.
When in the 12th century the King Levon I (as prince Levon II — 1187–1198, as king — 1198–1219) united the state with a huge part of the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean sea, Cilicia Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time, the Mediterranean system. The accessibility of documenting private capital through paper changed the way people treated and used their private property. If in earlier centuries, only people of higher social strata could document their property using parchment, then the wide circulation of paper and the increase in its production volumes made it possible to document property to different classes, including both men and women.
The capital and the issue of private property are components characterising the culture of medieval everyday life. The types and transformations of private properties in Cilician Armenia are reflected in historical sources, particularly in the codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Constable. There are numerous legal points in their works, as well as numerous evidences about the division of different types of properties, marital property etc. There is plenty of evidence in the documents drawn up in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents mainly from Genoa and Venice, which are unique sources for this issue.
Cilician Armenia, medieval trade, Mediterranean trade, feudalism, private property, medieval capital, Ayas, Venice, Genoa.
When in the 12th century King Levon I (as prince, Levon II, 1187–1198, as king, 1198–1219) united the state with a part of the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean, Cilician Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time. The accessibility of documenting on paper changed the way people treated and used their private property. While in earlier centuries only people of higher social strata could document their property using parchment, the wide circulation of paper and the increase in its production made it possible to document property for different classes, including both men and women. The capital and private property are components characterizing medieval culture of everyday life. The types and transformations of private properties are mentioned in historical sources, particularly in the Law Codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Constable. There are numerous laws and rich evidence in their works on the division of different types of properties (marital property etc.). The documents prepared in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents, mainly from Genoa and Venice, are also important and unique sources for this study.
The capital and the issue of private property are components characterizing the culture of medieval everyday life, which are expressed in various ways in both medieval European and Oriental legal systems. In this case, we are talking about the circumstances conditioned by feudal relations of the High Middle Ages, where the role of private property, including marital property, had become more important over time in both legal documents and codes, and in everyday life. Throughout history, the essence of human relationships, coexistence and social relations have been conditioned by the types of capital that were typical of that time. In early medieval feudal reality, the types of capital were incomparably few and limited. The key and the main thing was the land, which conditioned the nature of human coexistence, socio-economic relations. The spread of paper-making technologies from China to the Middle East and Europe since the 8th century brought radical changes in human life and financial relations. As early as the 12th century, the banking system began to take shape in a number of Italian cities, such as Siena and Florence, bringing about huge changes in finanԿապիտալի և մասնավոր սեփականության փոխակերպումները... 277 cial relations, in the nature and content of capital. In the second half of the 13th century, a system of international trade and loans was formed, which connected Cilicia Armenia and the Black Sea basin on the one hand, and Catalonia, England on the other. When in the 12th century the King Levon I (as prince Levon II—1187–1198, as king—1198–1219) united the state with a huge part of the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean sea, Cilicia Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time, the Mediterranean system. As early as the second half of the 13th century, the whole palette of the system of financial and commercial interactions operating in the states of the Mediterranean basin was fully implemented in Cilician Armenia. The merchant traveling from Ayas (Laiazzo) to Barcelona took only a piece of paper receipt instead of cash or gold to buy goods, and received cash from another merchant in the city of arrival. So, these commercial and financial changes brought deep transformations in the forms of capital in Cilician Armenia. These are clearly reflected in historical sources, particularly in the Codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Sparapet. There are numerous legal points in their works, as well as numerous evidences about the division of different properties, marital property etc. Also, there is plenty of evidence in the documents drawn up in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents mainly from Genoa and Venice, which are unique sources to study everyday life history and the transformations of capital in Cilician Armenia. How did the capital transformations affect human, socio-economic relations in Cilician Armenia? In this study, Cilician Armenia will be considered as an example for the study of capital forms and transformations in the Middle Ages.
IN CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, paper, trade, everyday life, capital, Mediterranean trade, medieval trade, Smbat Sparapet, Venice, Genoa.
Throughout history, the discovery and spread of certain materials have been revolutionary in human daily life, as well as in economic, political and cultural transformations. One such material is paper, the discovery and widespread use of which brought profound changes to the world. The spread of paper, in fact, led to a unique informational revolution in the Middle Ages. It culminated in the establishment of the first printing house in Europe, which was followed by many others including the first Armenian printing house in Venice founded in 1512. The "domination" of paper
continued until the late 20th century. After the Battle of Talas (751) between the Abbasid Caliphate and the Tang Dynasty of China, the Caliphate's spies managed to obtain paper-making technologies from China, and henceforth paper began to spread rapidly to the Middle East
and from there to Europe. During the period of the Armenian state of Cilicia, especially in the 13th–14th centuries, paper had already deeply penetrated into the countries of the Middle East and the Mediterranean basin, becoming an inseparable part of human life. It widely
circulated in Cilician Armenia, particularly from the end of the 12th century, when
Cilicia became a part of the large family in the Mediterranean. The sea brought greater speeds of communication which, along with the development of international trade, also accelerated information flows in Cilician Armenia. The extensive use of paper in Cilician Armenia is evidenced by various sources that survive on paper. The use of paper is especially impressive in the internal-foreign trade relations of Cilician Armenia. Its widespread use brought about substantive changes in financial relations and the transformation of capital. A merchant with
a piece of paper or a receipt could travel from Ayas on a long commercial trip to the distant cities of the Mediterranean and carry out his transactions relatively safely. The aim of this study is to present comprehensively, on the example of Cilician Armenia, the multilayered effects of the use of paper in the Middle Ages.
forms of commercial, domestic and everyday communication between them became
more versatile, which inevitably increased the demand for new coexistent lifestyles
and rules. These realities became especially evident from the 13th century, when not
only the population but also the ethnic composition of Cilician Armenia was radically changing. These were challenges for the state, so it is no wonder that during
that period the creation of a new code of laws became an agenda for the Armenian
state of Cilicia, which should have been more in line with the changing realities. That
great work was undertaken and carried out by Smbat Sparapet. In addition to the fact
that the population of Cilician Armenia was diverse in terms of ethnic composition,
where people of different cultures, religions, temperaments, with different professions and belonging to different social strata met, it was also diverse from the Armenian point of view. Armenians, who differed from each other in terms of social strata, culture, temperament, legal awareness, and other components, settled here from different parts of the Armenian Highland located thousands of kilometers away from
each other.
The sea, rapid development of international and domestic trade, the growth of
foreign population, cities and urban population – were the factors under which in the
reality of Cilician Armenia were developing different platforms of micro and macro
levels of civilisational dialogues, which began to demand new dimensions of human
social relations, written and unwritten rules, moral and ethical norms.
How did they trade in Cilician Armenia, how did the moral, coexistence, and
ethical boundaries emerge in the big and small trade relations? Were these boundaries documented particularly in legal documents or did they mostly remain in the
field of verbal, everyday agreements?
culture of medieval everyday life and marital law, which are expressed in various
ways in both medieval European (Roman law, Magna Carta, the Assizes of Antioch
and Jerusalem in the Crusader States) and Oriental legal systems.
In this case, we are talking about the circumstances conditioned by feudal
relations of the High Middle Ages, where the role of private property, including
marital property, had become more important over time in both legal documents and
codes, and in everyday life. Marriage, as a legal institution, had also played an
important role in the culture of Cilician Armenia.
This is evidenced by the state codes applied in Cilicia, the Codes of Mkhitar
Gosh and Smbat Sparapet, in which numerous articles on marriage law are included.
The marital regulations contain issues which had particular emphasis on the dowry
and marital property, especially when even the divorce existed as an institute and
was regulated by them.
What was the dowry of women from different classes in Cilician Armenia, what
legal formulation and significance did it receive in codes, notarial acts, and other
legal documents? What was the significance of the property in the marital legal
arrangements, and in the case of divorce, how was it divided depending on the
circumstances of the divorce? Since there are numerous evidences in the sources
about cases of marriage between Armenian women and foreigners in Cilician
Armenia, especially those of “Italian” descent, we also considered it important to
study what legal arrangements were used in such cases. Were they regulated by the
aforementioned Codes which became State Codes in Cilicia at different times, or,
depending on the origin of a foreigner, by the internal community laws governing
the Venetian, Genoese, and other communities established in the Cilician cities? The
study of those issues related to the legal regulation of the dowry and marital property
will make it possible to make the history of everyday and marital life in Cilician
Armenia more vivid. In this context, it is also possible to have some general insights
into the social perceptions of private property and its legal formulations in Armenian
Cilicia.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN CILICIAN
ARMENIA (1201-1337)
International trade was of prime importance to the economy of
the Armenian state of Cilicia. It provided widespread consumption of
various goods which served as a stimulus for the development of
handicrafts and agriculture, but also brought huge revenues to the state
treasury. For nearly 140 years Cilician Armenia retained an important
role in the Mediterranean trade, which could not affect the foreign
policy of the state. In this paper, we tried to identify the degree of
influence of international trade on the external political relations of
Cilician Armenia. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding
of the geopolitical processes of this period and the role of the state of
Cilician Armenia in these processes
commercial and economical relations with the Kingdom of Aragon and with
the cities of Southern France. Merchants from Montpellier, Marseilles, Nîmes,
Narbonne and from other South-French cities arrived in Cilicia. Their names registered in the notary acts are made in the main port of Cilician Armenia in Laiazzo
(Ayas, Lajazzo, Layas, etc.). The Marseillais arrived in Cilicia in their own ships and
the Narbonnais merchants signed direct commercial contracts with the King of Cilician
Armenia. There is evidence about Narbonnais being inhabitants of Cilician Armenia.
Merchants from Montpellier, who were twice granted commercial privileges by the
Armenian Kings in 1314 and 1321, had a more secure position in Cilician Armenia
Со второй половины XIII века Киликийская Армения вступила в
экономические отношения с королевством Арагона, а также с городами южной
Франции. В Киликию прибывали купцы из Монпелье, Марселя, Нима,
Нарбонны и иных французских городов. Их имена сохранились в нотариальных актах, составленных в главном порту Киликийской Армении, в
Айасе (Lajazzo, Layas и т. д.). Марсельские купцы прибывали в Киликию на
собственных суднах, а купцы из Нарбонны подписывали прямые торговые
контракты с самим царем Киликийской Армении. Согласно некоторым
данным, купцы из Нарбонны надолго обосновались в Киликии. Купцам из
Монпелье были предоставлены армянскими царями две торговые привилегии
в 1314 и 1321 гг., и небезынтересно, что к северо-востоку от южного мыса
Киликии есть островок, который в средние века назывался "провансальским".
commercial and economical relations with the Kingdom of Aragon and with
the cities of Southern France. Merchants from Montpellier, Marseilles, Nîmes,
Narbonne and from other South-French cities arrived in Cilicia. Their names registered in the notary acts are made in the main port of Cilician Armenia in Laiazzo
(Ayas, Lajazzo, Layas, etc.). The Marseillais arrived in Cilicia in their own ships and
the Narbonnais merchants signed direct commercial contracts with the King of Cilician
Armenia. There is evidence about Narbonnais being inhabitants of Cilician Armenia.
Merchants from Montpellier, who were twice granted commercial privileges by the
Armenian Kings in 1314 and 1321, had a more secure position in Cilician Armenia
MARRIAGES AND EXTRA-MARITAL CONTRACTS OF THE
EUROPEANS AND THE RESIDENTS OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, everyday life, extra-marital contract,
Genoese, merchant, Law code, testament.
It is well known that many representatives of the ruling elite in
Cilician Armenia, including princes and kings, had marital relations with
the famous European dynasties of the time. But such relationships
between the nobility and the ordinary citizens of Cilician Armenia on the
one hand, and the Europeans who lived at the time in the Cilician cities
on the other, have not been of much interest to researchers. As a matter
of fact, particularly hundreds of Genoese lived for a long time in Laiazzo
(Ayas). Naturally, these men sought marital or extra-marital relationships
with the residents of Cilician Armenia.
The study of this topic may allow to identify a wide range of
questions about life in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
RIVALRY BETWEEN VENICE AND GENOA
ZOHRAB GEVORGYAN
The Mediterranean coast of Cilician Armenia became the arena of the second war (1294–1299) between the Republics of Venice and Genoa. Ayas became the center of rivalry of Italian republics. We can find evidences in the source concerned with Templars in “The Deeds of Cypriots”, where we can read that in 1293 Venetian galleys arrived at Ayas and there confiscated a Genoese merchant ship. Eventually, at the seashore of Ayas between Venetian and Genoese fleet took place a sea battle, which had so big fame in the medieval world that anonymous Genoese poet of the same period wrote a poem dedicated to this battle. Hetum Patmich ended his chronicle by 1294 describing this sea-battle, so it is likely that he witnessed this events. In May 22 of 1294 at the shores of Ayas the Genoese ships, commanded by Niccolo Spinola, crashed with in total 32 Venetian galleys and taridas, led by Admiral Marco Bazilio. Despite the small quantity of ships the Genoese had a brilliant victory, 24 Venetian ships had been seized and also Marco Bazilio was taken captive.
THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE WOMAN BY HISTORICAL SOURCES OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, legal status, Smbat Sparapet, Mkhitar Gosh, woman’s rights, code of law.
The history of Cilician Armenia has recorded numerous women who had great influences on the development of the state. It is enough to mention only the Queen Zapel. The fact that she was the only legal heir appointed by Levon I Metsagorts, testifies about high legal status for women in that state. One of the bright examples was the wife of Levon II, Queen Keran, who, as did her mother-in-law, had a great involvement in social, cultural life in Cilician Armenia. In this study we will examine the public realities and perceptions concerning women's legal status in Cilicia. Moreover, the matter is not only about the noble women, but also about the status of ordinary citizens in general, their marital, social, everyday life and coherent legal arrangements. The primary sources are Mkhitar Gosh’s and Smbat Sparapet's "Law Codes", notarial acts made by Europeans in Cilicia, and so on.
В результате исследований нотариальных актов, составленных в Айасе и кипрской Фамагусте, а впоследствии переданных итальянским архивам, можно выделить имена сотен итальянских купцов, занимавшихся торговлей на территории Киликийской Армении. Наличие образцов итальянской архитектуры в городах Киликии, архивные данные о фактах брака итальянцев с армянками свидетельствуют о том, что итальянские купцы во второй половине XIII – первой половине XIV вв. принимали активное участие в экономической жизни Киликийской Армении.
Cilician Armenia, including princes and kings, had marital relations with
the famous European dynasties of the time. But such relationships
between the nobility and the ordinary citizens of Cilician Armenia on the
one hand, and the Europeans who lived at the time in the Cilician cities
on the other, have not been of much interest to researchers. As a matter
of fact, particularly hundreds of Genoese lived for a long time in Laiazzo
(Ayas). Naturally, these men sought marital or extra-marital relationships
with the residents of Cilician Armenia. The study of this topic may allow to identify a wide range of questions about life in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
ZOHRAB GEVORGYAN
THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF THE WEST-EUROPEAN MERCHANT
POPULATION
IN THE STATE OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
The formation of foreign merchant communities in the Cilician Armenia was started from the very beginning of the 13th century, when the state was just integrated into international trade relations. The privileges given by the Armenian kings guaranteed exceptional conditions to the merchants from Venice, Genoa, Pisa, Aragon and other European countries and cities. The merchant population who or visited either settled in Cilician Armenia had multicultural, multi-ethnic and socially hierarchic structure. Besides the professional merchants, there were many people with different professions, who, of course, came to Cilician Armenia to serve their numerous compatriots. Representatives of the famous noble families in Europe, particularly from Genoa, lived in Cilicia for a long time, often permanently, which is an evidence of their social stratification in Cilicia.
purchases with a flick of the finger, in the Middle Ages, each state had its own units of size and weight, and as a matter of fact there was no any international language. The obstacles in trade were not only technical, but also cultural. From this perspective, the peoples who established colonies over the centuries had a much greater opportunity to form and develop a communication network that was effective especially in terms of playing an important role in international trade.
When in the 12th century the King Levon I (as prince Levon II — 1187–1198, as king — 1198–1219) united the state with a huge part of the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean sea, Cilicia Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time, the Mediterranean system. The accessibility of documenting private capital through paper changed the way people treated and used their private property. If in earlier centuries, only people of higher social strata could document their property using parchment, then the wide circulation of paper and the increase in its production volumes made it possible to document property to different classes, including both men and women.
The capital and the issue of private property are components characterising the culture of medieval everyday life. The types and transformations of private properties in Cilician Armenia are reflected in historical sources, particularly in the codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Constable. There are numerous legal points in their works, as well as numerous evidences about the division of different types of properties, marital property etc. There is plenty of evidence in the documents drawn up in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents mainly from Genoa and Venice, which are unique sources for this issue.
Cilician Armenia, medieval trade, Mediterranean trade, feudalism, private property, medieval capital, Ayas, Venice, Genoa.
When in the 12th century King Levon I (as prince, Levon II, 1187–1198, as king, 1198–1219) united the state with a part of the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean, Cilician Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time. The accessibility of documenting on paper changed the way people treated and used their private property. While in earlier centuries only people of higher social strata could document their property using parchment, the wide circulation of paper and the increase in its production made it possible to document property for different classes, including both men and women. The capital and private property are components characterizing medieval culture of everyday life. The types and transformations of private properties are mentioned in historical sources, particularly in the Law Codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Constable. There are numerous laws and rich evidence in their works on the division of different types of properties (marital property etc.). The documents prepared in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents, mainly from Genoa and Venice, are also important and unique sources for this study.
The capital and the issue of private property are components characterizing the culture of medieval everyday life, which are expressed in various ways in both medieval European and Oriental legal systems. In this case, we are talking about the circumstances conditioned by feudal relations of the High Middle Ages, where the role of private property, including marital property, had become more important over time in both legal documents and codes, and in everyday life. Throughout history, the essence of human relationships, coexistence and social relations have been conditioned by the types of capital that were typical of that time. In early medieval feudal reality, the types of capital were incomparably few and limited. The key and the main thing was the land, which conditioned the nature of human coexistence, socio-economic relations. The spread of paper-making technologies from China to the Middle East and Europe since the 8th century brought radical changes in human life and financial relations. As early as the 12th century, the banking system began to take shape in a number of Italian cities, such as Siena and Florence, bringing about huge changes in finanԿապիտալի և մասնավոր սեփականության փոխակերպումները... 277 cial relations, in the nature and content of capital. In the second half of the 13th century, a system of international trade and loans was formed, which connected Cilicia Armenia and the Black Sea basin on the one hand, and Catalonia, England on the other. When in the 12th century the King Levon I (as prince Levon II—1187–1198, as king—1198–1219) united the state with a huge part of the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean sea, Cilicia Armenia quickly became involved in the most developed financial and economic relations of the time, the Mediterranean system. As early as the second half of the 13th century, the whole palette of the system of financial and commercial interactions operating in the states of the Mediterranean basin was fully implemented in Cilician Armenia. The merchant traveling from Ayas (Laiazzo) to Barcelona took only a piece of paper receipt instead of cash or gold to buy goods, and received cash from another merchant in the city of arrival. So, these commercial and financial changes brought deep transformations in the forms of capital in Cilician Armenia. These are clearly reflected in historical sources, particularly in the Codes of Mkhitar Gosh and Smbat Sparapet. There are numerous legal points in their works, as well as numerous evidences about the division of different properties, marital property etc. Also, there is plenty of evidence in the documents drawn up in Cilician Armenia by notarial agents mainly from Genoa and Venice, which are unique sources to study everyday life history and the transformations of capital in Cilician Armenia. How did the capital transformations affect human, socio-economic relations in Cilician Armenia? In this study, Cilician Armenia will be considered as an example for the study of capital forms and transformations in the Middle Ages.
IN CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, paper, trade, everyday life, capital, Mediterranean trade, medieval trade, Smbat Sparapet, Venice, Genoa.
Throughout history, the discovery and spread of certain materials have been revolutionary in human daily life, as well as in economic, political and cultural transformations. One such material is paper, the discovery and widespread use of which brought profound changes to the world. The spread of paper, in fact, led to a unique informational revolution in the Middle Ages. It culminated in the establishment of the first printing house in Europe, which was followed by many others including the first Armenian printing house in Venice founded in 1512. The "domination" of paper
continued until the late 20th century. After the Battle of Talas (751) between the Abbasid Caliphate and the Tang Dynasty of China, the Caliphate's spies managed to obtain paper-making technologies from China, and henceforth paper began to spread rapidly to the Middle East
and from there to Europe. During the period of the Armenian state of Cilicia, especially in the 13th–14th centuries, paper had already deeply penetrated into the countries of the Middle East and the Mediterranean basin, becoming an inseparable part of human life. It widely
circulated in Cilician Armenia, particularly from the end of the 12th century, when
Cilicia became a part of the large family in the Mediterranean. The sea brought greater speeds of communication which, along with the development of international trade, also accelerated information flows in Cilician Armenia. The extensive use of paper in Cilician Armenia is evidenced by various sources that survive on paper. The use of paper is especially impressive in the internal-foreign trade relations of Cilician Armenia. Its widespread use brought about substantive changes in financial relations and the transformation of capital. A merchant with
a piece of paper or a receipt could travel from Ayas on a long commercial trip to the distant cities of the Mediterranean and carry out his transactions relatively safely. The aim of this study is to present comprehensively, on the example of Cilician Armenia, the multilayered effects of the use of paper in the Middle Ages.
forms of commercial, domestic and everyday communication between them became
more versatile, which inevitably increased the demand for new coexistent lifestyles
and rules. These realities became especially evident from the 13th century, when not
only the population but also the ethnic composition of Cilician Armenia was radically changing. These were challenges for the state, so it is no wonder that during
that period the creation of a new code of laws became an agenda for the Armenian
state of Cilicia, which should have been more in line with the changing realities. That
great work was undertaken and carried out by Smbat Sparapet. In addition to the fact
that the population of Cilician Armenia was diverse in terms of ethnic composition,
where people of different cultures, religions, temperaments, with different professions and belonging to different social strata met, it was also diverse from the Armenian point of view. Armenians, who differed from each other in terms of social strata, culture, temperament, legal awareness, and other components, settled here from different parts of the Armenian Highland located thousands of kilometers away from
each other.
The sea, rapid development of international and domestic trade, the growth of
foreign population, cities and urban population – were the factors under which in the
reality of Cilician Armenia were developing different platforms of micro and macro
levels of civilisational dialogues, which began to demand new dimensions of human
social relations, written and unwritten rules, moral and ethical norms.
How did they trade in Cilician Armenia, how did the moral, coexistence, and
ethical boundaries emerge in the big and small trade relations? Were these boundaries documented particularly in legal documents or did they mostly remain in the
field of verbal, everyday agreements?
culture of medieval everyday life and marital law, which are expressed in various
ways in both medieval European (Roman law, Magna Carta, the Assizes of Antioch
and Jerusalem in the Crusader States) and Oriental legal systems.
In this case, we are talking about the circumstances conditioned by feudal
relations of the High Middle Ages, where the role of private property, including
marital property, had become more important over time in both legal documents and
codes, and in everyday life. Marriage, as a legal institution, had also played an
important role in the culture of Cilician Armenia.
This is evidenced by the state codes applied in Cilicia, the Codes of Mkhitar
Gosh and Smbat Sparapet, in which numerous articles on marriage law are included.
The marital regulations contain issues which had particular emphasis on the dowry
and marital property, especially when even the divorce existed as an institute and
was regulated by them.
What was the dowry of women from different classes in Cilician Armenia, what
legal formulation and significance did it receive in codes, notarial acts, and other
legal documents? What was the significance of the property in the marital legal
arrangements, and in the case of divorce, how was it divided depending on the
circumstances of the divorce? Since there are numerous evidences in the sources
about cases of marriage between Armenian women and foreigners in Cilician
Armenia, especially those of “Italian” descent, we also considered it important to
study what legal arrangements were used in such cases. Were they regulated by the
aforementioned Codes which became State Codes in Cilicia at different times, or,
depending on the origin of a foreigner, by the internal community laws governing
the Venetian, Genoese, and other communities established in the Cilician cities? The
study of those issues related to the legal regulation of the dowry and marital property
will make it possible to make the history of everyday and marital life in Cilician
Armenia more vivid. In this context, it is also possible to have some general insights
into the social perceptions of private property and its legal formulations in Armenian
Cilicia.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN CILICIAN
ARMENIA (1201-1337)
International trade was of prime importance to the economy of
the Armenian state of Cilicia. It provided widespread consumption of
various goods which served as a stimulus for the development of
handicrafts and agriculture, but also brought huge revenues to the state
treasury. For nearly 140 years Cilician Armenia retained an important
role in the Mediterranean trade, which could not affect the foreign
policy of the state. In this paper, we tried to identify the degree of
influence of international trade on the external political relations of
Cilician Armenia. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding
of the geopolitical processes of this period and the role of the state of
Cilician Armenia in these processes
commercial and economical relations with the Kingdom of Aragon and with
the cities of Southern France. Merchants from Montpellier, Marseilles, Nîmes,
Narbonne and from other South-French cities arrived in Cilicia. Their names registered in the notary acts are made in the main port of Cilician Armenia in Laiazzo
(Ayas, Lajazzo, Layas, etc.). The Marseillais arrived in Cilicia in their own ships and
the Narbonnais merchants signed direct commercial contracts with the King of Cilician
Armenia. There is evidence about Narbonnais being inhabitants of Cilician Armenia.
Merchants from Montpellier, who were twice granted commercial privileges by the
Armenian Kings in 1314 and 1321, had a more secure position in Cilician Armenia
Со второй половины XIII века Киликийская Армения вступила в
экономические отношения с королевством Арагона, а также с городами южной
Франции. В Киликию прибывали купцы из Монпелье, Марселя, Нима,
Нарбонны и иных французских городов. Их имена сохранились в нотариальных актах, составленных в главном порту Киликийской Армении, в
Айасе (Lajazzo, Layas и т. д.). Марсельские купцы прибывали в Киликию на
собственных суднах, а купцы из Нарбонны подписывали прямые торговые
контракты с самим царем Киликийской Армении. Согласно некоторым
данным, купцы из Нарбонны надолго обосновались в Киликии. Купцам из
Монпелье были предоставлены армянскими царями две торговые привилегии
в 1314 и 1321 гг., и небезынтересно, что к северо-востоку от южного мыса
Киликии есть островок, который в средние века назывался "провансальским".
commercial and economical relations with the Kingdom of Aragon and with
the cities of Southern France. Merchants from Montpellier, Marseilles, Nîmes,
Narbonne and from other South-French cities arrived in Cilicia. Their names registered in the notary acts are made in the main port of Cilician Armenia in Laiazzo
(Ayas, Lajazzo, Layas, etc.). The Marseillais arrived in Cilicia in their own ships and
the Narbonnais merchants signed direct commercial contracts with the King of Cilician
Armenia. There is evidence about Narbonnais being inhabitants of Cilician Armenia.
Merchants from Montpellier, who were twice granted commercial privileges by the
Armenian Kings in 1314 and 1321, had a more secure position in Cilician Armenia
MARRIAGES AND EXTRA-MARITAL CONTRACTS OF THE
EUROPEANS AND THE RESIDENTS OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, everyday life, extra-marital contract,
Genoese, merchant, Law code, testament.
It is well known that many representatives of the ruling elite in
Cilician Armenia, including princes and kings, had marital relations with
the famous European dynasties of the time. But such relationships
between the nobility and the ordinary citizens of Cilician Armenia on the
one hand, and the Europeans who lived at the time in the Cilician cities
on the other, have not been of much interest to researchers. As a matter
of fact, particularly hundreds of Genoese lived for a long time in Laiazzo
(Ayas). Naturally, these men sought marital or extra-marital relationships
with the residents of Cilician Armenia.
The study of this topic may allow to identify a wide range of
questions about life in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
RIVALRY BETWEEN VENICE AND GENOA
ZOHRAB GEVORGYAN
The Mediterranean coast of Cilician Armenia became the arena of the second war (1294–1299) between the Republics of Venice and Genoa. Ayas became the center of rivalry of Italian republics. We can find evidences in the source concerned with Templars in “The Deeds of Cypriots”, where we can read that in 1293 Venetian galleys arrived at Ayas and there confiscated a Genoese merchant ship. Eventually, at the seashore of Ayas between Venetian and Genoese fleet took place a sea battle, which had so big fame in the medieval world that anonymous Genoese poet of the same period wrote a poem dedicated to this battle. Hetum Patmich ended his chronicle by 1294 describing this sea-battle, so it is likely that he witnessed this events. In May 22 of 1294 at the shores of Ayas the Genoese ships, commanded by Niccolo Spinola, crashed with in total 32 Venetian galleys and taridas, led by Admiral Marco Bazilio. Despite the small quantity of ships the Genoese had a brilliant victory, 24 Venetian ships had been seized and also Marco Bazilio was taken captive.
THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE WOMAN BY HISTORICAL SOURCES OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
Keywords: Cilician Armenia, legal status, Smbat Sparapet, Mkhitar Gosh, woman’s rights, code of law.
The history of Cilician Armenia has recorded numerous women who had great influences on the development of the state. It is enough to mention only the Queen Zapel. The fact that she was the only legal heir appointed by Levon I Metsagorts, testifies about high legal status for women in that state. One of the bright examples was the wife of Levon II, Queen Keran, who, as did her mother-in-law, had a great involvement in social, cultural life in Cilician Armenia. In this study we will examine the public realities and perceptions concerning women's legal status in Cilicia. Moreover, the matter is not only about the noble women, but also about the status of ordinary citizens in general, their marital, social, everyday life and coherent legal arrangements. The primary sources are Mkhitar Gosh’s and Smbat Sparapet's "Law Codes", notarial acts made by Europeans in Cilicia, and so on.
В результате исследований нотариальных актов, составленных в Айасе и кипрской Фамагусте, а впоследствии переданных итальянским архивам, можно выделить имена сотен итальянских купцов, занимавшихся торговлей на территории Киликийской Армении. Наличие образцов итальянской архитектуры в городах Киликии, архивные данные о фактах брака итальянцев с армянками свидетельствуют о том, что итальянские купцы во второй половине XIII – первой половине XIV вв. принимали активное участие в экономической жизни Киликийской Армении.
Cilician Armenia, including princes and kings, had marital relations with
the famous European dynasties of the time. But such relationships
between the nobility and the ordinary citizens of Cilician Armenia on the
one hand, and the Europeans who lived at the time in the Cilician cities
on the other, have not been of much interest to researchers. As a matter
of fact, particularly hundreds of Genoese lived for a long time in Laiazzo
(Ayas). Naturally, these men sought marital or extra-marital relationships
with the residents of Cilician Armenia. The study of this topic may allow to identify a wide range of questions about life in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
ZOHRAB GEVORGYAN
THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF THE WEST-EUROPEAN MERCHANT
POPULATION
IN THE STATE OF CILICIAN ARMENIA
The formation of foreign merchant communities in the Cilician Armenia was started from the very beginning of the 13th century, when the state was just integrated into international trade relations. The privileges given by the Armenian kings guaranteed exceptional conditions to the merchants from Venice, Genoa, Pisa, Aragon and other European countries and cities. The merchant population who or visited either settled in Cilician Armenia had multicultural, multi-ethnic and socially hierarchic structure. Besides the professional merchants, there were many people with different professions, who, of course, came to Cilician Armenia to serve their numerous compatriots. Representatives of the famous noble families in Europe, particularly from Genoa, lived in Cilicia for a long time, often permanently, which is an evidence of their social stratification in Cilicia.
The classical composition of history where the lion’s share belonged to the pure political history (countries, wars, kings, etc.) underwent content and worldview transformations especially in the 20th century. New schools of historical science emerged (Annales School, etc.) the representatives of which accepted the everyday activities, lifestyle, social and economic life of ordinary people as their subject of study.
The Mediterranean sea has always been one of the cradles of the structural development of world economy which gave birth to the ancient maritime civilizations of the Phoenicians, Ancient Greek, Roman etc.