Smbataberd
Encyclopedia
Smbataberd is a fortress located upon the crest of a hill between the villages of Artabuynk
and Yeghegis
in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia
.
s with towers are still relatively intact on the exterior. Within the confines of the fortress little remains except for the faint foundations of buildings near the fortification walls and a keep
located at the highest point of the site.
The fortress received water from an underground clay pipe leading from the monastery of Tsakhats Kar. Local legend tells that Smbataberd was captured by the Seljuq Turk
s in a similar manner as the fortress of Proshaberd
, where a thirsty horse was used to sniff out the pipeline so as to cut off the water supply to the fortress.
Because of dates relating to the destruction of the Tsakhats Kar and its later restoration in 1221, and the destruction of the village of Yeghegis toward the end of the 11th c., it would be assumed that the fortress also fell to invading forces during the 11th century. There is some evidence though that suggests the fortress was defended until the 13th c., which would mean that it may have possibly been captured by Mongol
forces rather than those of the Seljuq Turks.
Artabuynk
Artabuynk is a town in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
and Yeghegis
Yeghegis
Yeghegis is a town in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia....
in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
.
Site
Smbataberd was built in a very advantageous position on the southern end of a ridge, guarded by steep cliffs on three of its sides. Very large rampartDefensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
s with towers are still relatively intact on the exterior. Within the confines of the fortress little remains except for the faint foundations of buildings near the fortification walls and a keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
located at the highest point of the site.
History
It is likely that Smbataberd was founded during the 5th c., but was better established and heavily fortified during the 9th to 10th centuries.The fortress received water from an underground clay pipe leading from the monastery of Tsakhats Kar. Local legend tells that Smbataberd was captured by the Seljuq Turk
Seljuq dynasty
The Seljuq ; were a Turco-Persian Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries...
s in a similar manner as the fortress of Proshaberd
Proshaberd
Proshaberd is a fortress built in the 13th century by Prince Prosh Khaghbakian. It is located approximately 6-7 kilometers north of the town of Vernashen in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia...
, where a thirsty horse was used to sniff out the pipeline so as to cut off the water supply to the fortress.
Because of dates relating to the destruction of the Tsakhats Kar and its later restoration in 1221, and the destruction of the village of Yeghegis toward the end of the 11th c., it would be assumed that the fortress also fell to invading forces during the 11th century. There is some evidence though that suggests the fortress was defended until the 13th c., which would mean that it may have possibly been captured by Mongol
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
forces rather than those of the Seljuq Turks.