History of Armenia, by Father Michael Chamich; from B. C. 2247 to ...

37G
HISTORY OF ARMENIA.
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Saracens having suspended their incursions
consequence of commotions among themselves.
Haican Thcsc, howcver, having at length subsided,
Murwan the caliph sent an army under the
command of his renowned general named Moh-
Mohmat Ogba
mat Ogba, to invade Armenia.
on entering tlie province of Vanand began to lay
waste all before him.
in
Nerseh the Camsaracan
observing this, joined Suinbat, and both, having
raised a force from the people of Vanand,
marched towards the plunderers. A fight
ensued, wherein the Saracens were defeated
with great slaughter. iMohmat Ogba with
difficulty escaped, attended by a few horsemen.
On his return to Damascus, he greatly inflamed
the anger of the Caliph against the Armenians,
by the detail of his late defeat, and
obtained from him an order to assemble an
overwhelming army to endeavour to wipe off
The troops being
the disgrace he had incurred.
collected he set out for Armenia, determined
to spare no one in his vengeance. When Isaac
the pontiff, who was then a prisoner in Damascus,
heard of the calamities that awaited
his countrymen, he sent to Mohmat entreating
his permission to accompany him in his expedition.
On his request being complied with,
he set out to join the army, but on reaching
Charran he was suddenly taken ill and died.