Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/444

 means to overthrow Johannes, the three slan- derers before alluded to were seized, and openly punished for their malignity. In the course of Haiciif*^' a few years Bagarat himself was involved in *"^^^- trouble, being accused to the caliph of Bagdad of maladministration in his government, and as the latter, it will be recollected, had been previously prejudiced aginst him by the reports of Afshin, he endeavoured now to wreak his vengeance on him. As a first instance of his anger, he displaced him from the government, in the thirteenth year of his administration. Ba- garat not choosing to expose himself to future ill from the Caliph, hid himself in a secret place. Abuseth, who was sent to supersede Bagarat, a.d^48. came into Armenia at the head of a body of troops ; era 297. and while marching through the province of Taron, he received intelligence that Bagarat lay concealed there. Abuseth having found means to convey messages to him, invited him, under the promise of safety, to visit him ; but no sooner had he decoyed him into his camp than he loaded him with chains and sent him to Bag- dad. Bagarat, to avoid the rage of the Caliph, was obliged outwardly to change his religion. In the meantime the inhabitants of Mount A.D.849. Shem, who are called Sasuns, indignant at ^^ Abuseth's breach of faith in seizing Bagarat, took up arms, and falling upon the Saracens

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