ARMENIAN - Erevangala500
ARMENIAN - Erevangala500
ARMENIAN - Erevangala500
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The Seljuk cemetary o f Ahlat on Lake Van, a symbol of the<br />
peaceful cooperation between the Seljuk conquerors and the<br />
Haik. Byzantine rule had meant constant religious persecution<br />
for the Haik, who were finally relieved of that burden by the<br />
Seljuks.<br />
The battlefield o f Malazgirt, north of Lake Van. This is where<br />
a Seljuk mounted army led by Alp Arslan destroyed the<br />
Byzantine army in 1071 and took Emperor Romanus IV<br />
Diogenus prisoner. The way was now completely open for the<br />
Turks to move into Anatolia. This was made especially easy by<br />
the fact that the Byzantines had long since subjugated the<br />
Armenian buffer principalities.<br />
A church o f the Armenian Orthodox congregation in Kayseri<br />
(Roman Caesarea), in central Anatolia. This is the city where<br />
the young Parthian, Gregory, was converted to Christianity. He<br />
went down in history as "St. Gregory the Illuminator" and the<br />
converter o f the Armenian people.<br />
It is difficult, if not impossible, for the art historian to analyse<br />
the reciprocal influences o f Iranian, Turkish, Byzantine, and<br />
Arab art.<br />
It is a fact that the empire of the Caliphs, whether they resided<br />
in Cairo, Damascus, or Baghdad, was under strong Mamluk<br />
(i.e. Turkish) influence. It is also a fact that the peaceful cooperation<br />
o f Turks and Armenians produced some magnificent<br />
results.<br />
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