T H E    S I W N I D    D Y N A S T Y


SIWNI. ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL HOUSES OF ARMENIAN NOBILITY.

THE SIWNI ROYAL HOUSE RULED THE KINGDOM OF SIWNIK‘ [SYUNIK‘
NAMED AFTER THE ANCIENT SUN GOD ŠIVINI -- CAPITAL CITY -- KAPAN]
INCLUDING VAST LANDS IN THE EASTERN PROVINCES OF GREATER ARMENIA
FROM THE IXTH TO THE XITH CENTURIES COMPETING WITH THE BAGRATIDS

THE POWERFUL SIWNIK‘ NOBILITY HAD THE LARGEST STANDING
ARMY OF ALL THE NAXARAR HOUSES. GAHNAMAK RECORDED 20,000 WARRIORS --
 MOST OF WHOM WERE MOUNTED CAVALIERS.

THE XTH CENTURY TAT‛EV MONASTERY IN THE HIGHLANDS OF SIWNIK‘
BECAME AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF CULTURE AND LEARNING.

ALLIED KINGDOM OF LORI IN GREATER ARMENIA. GURGEN [KIURKE] II [1048-1089].
OBVERSE: BUST OF CHRIST. REVERSE: FIVE LINES -- 'MAY THE LORD HELP
KIURKE THE CUROPALATUS'

ALTHOUGH BY HIGH MIDDLE AGES BORDER PROVINCES OF GREATER ARMENIA
WERE LOST TO FOREIGN INVADERS -- THE ARMENIAN KINGS AND PRINCES
STILL HELD MUCH OF ANCESTRAL LANDS IN THEIR HANDS.

HAŁPAT MONASTERY ROOFSCAPE.

PAIRS OF CROSSING ARCHES IN HAŁPAT FOYER.

PŁNJAHANK‘ MONASTERY. X-XIIITH CENTURY.

HAŁARCIN MONASTERY IN NORTHERN ARMENIA. XII-XIIITH CENTURIES.

ONE OF THE WINGS OF THE SANAHIN MONASTERY COMPLEX WITH THE
CUTAWAY PERSPECTIVE SHOWING ONE OF THE PORTICOS
AND THE CUPOLA OF THE HERMIT SANCTUM.

OUTER WALLS [FROM SOUTH-EAST] OF THE OUTPOST FORTRESS OF
BERDAVANK‘ IN THE KINGDOM OF LORI.

LIST OF THE MONARCHS FROM THE IXTH TO XIITH CENTURIES

RELIEF OF ONE OF THE ARMENIAN QUEENS ON AN
ARMENIAN CHURCH IN NAXČAWAN [GOŁT‘AN].
THE ARMENIAN PROVINCE OF NAKHICHEVAN WAS DEPOPULATED
OF ITS NATIVE ARMENIAN POPULATION IN THE 20TH CENTURY AND THE
PROVINCE WAS PLACED AS AN EXCLAVE IN THE AZERBAIJANI REPUBLIC.

TOMBSTONE OF BISHOP HAYRAPET OF SIWNIK‘. TWO ARMENIAN
XAČ‘K‘AR [CROSS-STONES] FLANKING THE VERY SYMBOL OF ETERNITY
AND LIFE/FERTILITY LEAVES IN A FORM OF 8.

THE FREE SPIRIT OF SIWNIK‘ HIGHLANDERS WAS KEPT ALIVE BY LEGENDARY MELIKS -
THE NOBILITY OF SIWNIK‘ AND ARTSAKH [ALSO KNOWN AS LITTLE SIWNIK‘]
BETWEEN 1722-1728 LED THE NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT
UNDER DAWIT‘ BEK AND COMMANDER [SPARAPET] MXIT‘AR.
HISTORIC 1946 PAINTING BY E. A. ISABEKEAN.

PROMOTIONAL POSTER OF THE 1944 ARMENFILM CLASSIC DAVID BEK BY
HAMO BEKNAZARYAN STARRING LEGENDARY ARMENIAN ACTOR
HRACHYA NERSISIAN.

Smbat I (976-998)
Vasak (998-1040)
Smbat II (1040-1044)
Grigor I (1044-1084)
Senek'erim (1084-1094)
Grigor II (1094-1166)
Asan (1166-1170)