Vachutians


Vachutian dynasty was an Armenian nobel feudal family headed by a line of princes with the title "Prince of Princes", that ruled as a suzerainty in part of Medieval Armenia from around 1206 AD to 1350 AD in the Ayraradian area and Aragatsotn Aparan.
The Vachutian dynasty was founded by Vache I Amberdtsi in the beginning of the thirteenth century as one of the ruling families of the semi-independent Zakarid Armenia, as Zakare II Zakarian and Ivane I Zakarian had reorganized Armenia into several provinces each ruled by a feudal prince, amongst them the descendants of Vachut.
Throughout their rule, the Vachutians kept close family relations through marriages with other Armenian feudal princes like the Zakarids the latter keeping the title of king in Zakarid Armenia after the collapse of the Bagratuni dynasty. Vachutians also kept close relation with the Hamazapyan-Mamikonian family, Ukanantz and other feudal families.

Capitals and religious seats

The main seat of the vachutians was at Amberd and the religious centers at Hovhannavank, Saghmosavank and in Karbi that they generously financed, repaired and rebuilt. After the capital fortress of Amberd was partially destroyed by the invading Mongols in 1236, Kurd I that followed to reign after his father Vache I moved the capital to Vardenis, Aragatsotn building a fortified castle. Historians of the time recounted that Kurt I invited Hethum I), king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia to Vardenis. Kurt I's sons Hassan and Davit II moved the capital to Karbi's fortress. Kurt II and his son Theoedos who was the last ruling prince of the dynasty reestablished Amberd as the dynasty's capital in the 1300s, after repairing it from destruction.

End of the dynasty

The dynasty was destroyed and terminated around 1350 AD by Chupanid ruler of Northern Iran Malek Ashraf, who destroyed the Zakarid dynasty and almost all the other Armenian principalities of the time as well.

Princes of the Vachutian dynasty