Photo Gallery: Principality of Khachen

King Hetum I of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (reigned from 1226 to 1270). Reproduction of a medieval Armenian miniature from Matenadaran—Armenia’s Institute of Ancient Manuscripts

Hasan Jalal Vahtangian’s famous inscription on the interior of the northern wall of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The text, in Old Armenian, reads: “In the name of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, I, Jalal Dola Hasan, servant of God, son of Vahtang, grandson of Hasan the Great, the native potentate of the high and broad province of Artsakh, King of Hohanaberd, with large districts, have ordered to inscribe these lines. Father of mine, before his departure from this world, ordered me and my mother Khorishah, daughter of Sargis the Great, Prince of Princes, to erect a church and [organize] the cemetery of our forefathers in Gandzasar, building of which began in the year 765 of the Armenian Calendar (1216) with the help of the Grantor of Benefits (God); and when we erected the wall above the windows, mother of mine abandoned secular life and departed for pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the third time, where, putting on the cilice and spending many years in reclusion near the Lord’s Temple, passed away on the day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, and there was laid to rest. As to us, we, being aware of the danger of being idle, hurried to complete the construction work with the holy blessing of Merciful God, in the year 787 (1238)...” (Source: Bishop Makar Barkhudarian. Artsakh. Baku, 1885)

Hasan Jalal Vahtangian’s famous inscription on the interior of the northern wall of Gandzasar’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

Bas-relief of the Lion—a symbol of the Vahtangian princes of Artsakh, Armenia’s 10th historical province.

The Gandzasar Monastery: interior of the gavit.

Tombstones of Grand Prince Hasan Jalal Vahtangian and top hierarchs of the Holy See of Gandzasar in the gavit

Tombstone of Hasan Jalal Vahtangian in front of entrance to
Gandzasar’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

The Mongol Khan Hulagu (reigned from 1217-1265), the ill-famed “butcher of Baghdad”, with his Christian wife Dokuz. Miniature from Rachid Ad-Din’s History of the world, 14th century. Gandzasar’s patron Hasan Jalal Vahtangian, Lord of Khachen, both fought against and cooperated with Hulagu.