Page:The History of Armenia - Avdall - Volume 1.djvu/448

 manured the land, and the vallies were literally choked up by the corpses of their former inhabitants. Those whom the bloody governor spared, were incessantly tormented to embrace the religion of the Saracens, and when it was found that many determinedly adhered to their faith, they were tortured until death relieved them from their sufferings.

From this province he marched to the country about Mount Ararat. Sumbat the general, view- a. d. 852.

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mg the calamities to which his country was era30i. delivered up, and feeling convinced that all resistance would be vain, went to Bulah with great presents to endeavour to soften him. Bulah, contrary to his usual custom, received thq general with kindness and respect, and asso- ciated him with himself in all hazardous enter- prizes, in all of which Sumbat proved himself worthy of the confidence which was placed in him. Bulah, shortly afterwards entered the capital Duin, whence he dispatched parties of his troops to ravage the provinces of Ararat. The more comely of the inhabitants, as before, were spared and brought to the governor ; the others were slain immediately on their falling into the hands of the soldiers. A few days after their being sent to him, Bulah commenced per- secuting the captives taken in Ararat, on account of their religion. Many were tortured

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