Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/320

 tng the church for a period of five years, he died. On the election of Melitey, the chiefs set out for the court of Persia. Mihmerseh at first received them with much outward respect and honour, but quickly changing his demeanour^ * caused them to be arrested and thrown into the gaol where the priests were confined. Here they were tormented in various ways, to force ^em to embrace the Persian religion. Just about this period Hazkert, having considered the charges before alleged against the wretched apostate Vasak, found him guilty, divested him of all his power, and committed him to prison* Here he died a most miserable death, after proving the most bitter and successful foe that •had ever taken arms against his country.* His non-in-law, the apostate Varazvalan, was ap- -pointed by the king his successor, as chief of the Seunies. This individual was tormented, it is said, by an evil spirit, and strangled himself. The vile Vazgen, governor of the Georgians, at this time in Persia, and an apostate, on his return to Georgia proved a great tyrant. He was continually urging his wife, St. Susana, the eldest daughter of Yardan, to embrace the Per- sian religion, and on her determined refusat, he tormented her fur a period of six years, when •he perished through her sufierings, A. D. 458.

• See Hist Book UI, c. H ^5.

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