13th Century Armenian Poet about the Mongols

Abstract

Introduction. Medieval Armenian sources are essential for studying various aspects of Mongolian historical realities, inclu­ding administration, language, ethnography, religion, and key figures, while Mongolian historian Bayarsaykhan Dashdondog has extensively examined Armenian historical works on the Mongols, other types of sources, such as poetry, remain underexplored. In this context, the works of the eminent 13th-century Armenian poet Frik are analyzed for the first time in relation to Mongol history. Frik lived under the rule of the Ilkhanate, governed by the Mongol House of Hülegü, which controlled much of Armenia. His life and works were profoundly shaped by this political reali­ty. The purpose of this article aims to collect and analyze all Mongol-related references—figures, terms, and events—found in Frik’s poetry. By doing so, it reconstructs aspects of Mongol rule as reflected in medieval Armenian sources. Materials and methods. The study is based on Frik’s poetic heritage, which holds both artistic and historical significance. His references to the Mongols are examined in the context of historical events and interpre­ted ­using insights from subsequent scho­lars. Results. In his youth, Frik was engaged in masas—a trade supplying the Mongol mili­tary with weapons, equipment, and hor­ses. Although this business initially brought him considerable wealth, he later fell into poverty due to persecution by corrupt Mongol officials who oppressed those involved in the masasa trade (masaschi). Frik’s historical poem “About Arghun Khan and Bugha” (1289), along with his other works, serves as a valuable primary source for studying Mongol rule in Armenia, particularly under the House of Hülegü. His poetry offers unique perspectives on Mongol administration and its impact on Armenian society, complemen­ting our know­ledge of a number of Mongolian realities of the Middle Ages.