Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/416

 immediately ordered Leontius^ a celebrated general, to march into Armenia at the head of a large army. In the interim, Sumbat gather- ing a few Armenian chiefs, and assembling a few troops, took post in the city of Vardanakert. Abdullah on hearing of this, quitted Duin and marched to attack him at the head of 5,000 men. During bis absence the Greek troops arrived in j^;^^^** the country of Ararat, when they entered the «» ^*** city of Duin and destroyed his house and the bouses of all his followers. They then marched with the greatest speed to Vardanakert, where they formed a junction with Sumbat, and at- tacking Abdullah gave him a complete defeat. His troops in their flight over the river Araz were almost all drowned, by the sudden break- ing of the ice with which.it was then covered. Abdullah with only ten men escaped. Those of the Saracens who had been taken prisoners in this late encounter, were sold as slaves. Leontius shortly after returned to Constan- tinople, where being elected emperor on the deposition of Justinian, he appointed Sumbat governor of Armenia.

Sumbat the Bagratian, surnamed the younger ^^^ Beuratian, on receiving his appointment, took «»M4. up his residence in the fortress of Thu- khars in the country of the Taics, and for some years governed the country in peace^ the

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