Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/39

 XXXVlil PREFACE.

soon changed the state of things. Treason and disunion began gradually to weaken the government of the Arsacidae; Greece and Persia by craft and outrage succeeded in partitioning Armenia between them> per- mitting the Armenian monarchs to hold only a nominal power. The Armenian chiefs were the principal instru- ments in overthrowing the kingdom of Armenia by their factious and ambitious proceedings ; for, having preferred a complaint to the Persian king Viram, against their lawful king Artaces or Artashir, they caused him to be deposed from his royal dignity. By his deposition the Arsacidae lost for ever their power over Armenia, and the country successively fell a prey to the strongest invader.

The fourth part embraces a period of 456 years. Ar« menia was from this time governed by prefects sent by the government of Persia^ by the caliphs of Bagdad, and by the Greeks, being oppressed with every kind of persecution. We see in this part the extraordinary struggles of Christianity against idolatry, the memorable martyrdoms of the Vardanians and Levondians, the treachery of the Vasakians, the herojc bravery of the Vahanians, and of other faithful Armenian chiefs, who «hed their blood in defending their church from the profanation of the fire-worshippers, the Persians, and the infidel caliphs. Armenia was literally rendered a 0laughter*house, churches were converted into temples Ibr the worship of fire; priests were superseded by the infidel magi; clergy and laity were doomed to iespriflon*^ Aent or banishment, and exposed to the tortures of fiie

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