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The work minutely recounts about services of Ghirdman ruler Cavanshir
characterizing him as prominent statesman, mighty military chief and talented
diplomat.
In IV century in Albania there was extremely complicated religious
situation. Paganism continued remaining, and Christianity with Zoroastrianism
struggled for spreading on vaster territories. Defence of Zoroastianism by Iran and
of Christianity - by Byzantium betokened overstepping the country frontiers by the
interreligious struggle.
Numerous woman's idols discovered in Ghirdman monuments also betoken
merciless struggle against paganism everywhere. Broken state of all the idols' head
and extremities confirm this.
Consolidating of Christian positions in Ghirdman was also prevented by
sectarianism. As compared to other provinces, here forces propagandizing and
defending Khalcedonism enjoyed more powerful support. According to
M.Kalankatuisky, after decease of Albanian catholicos Holy Yelizar, the former
Ghirdman bishop Nerses Bakur belonging to Khalcedon diophisite sect came to
secret agreement with Cavanshir's sister-in-law, Albanian queen Sparama and told
her so: «If you elect me to Albanian Catholicosatc, I'll spread Khalcedon sect in the
whole Albania. And the Albanian queen, in her turn, ordered bishops and nobles to
secure electing of Nerses as catholicos. And the latter keeping his promise ordered
to demolish altars of most Albanian churches, banished Great Kolmak's bishop
Israil and Ghirdman bishop Yelizar, who converted most priests who neglected
Khalcedon decrees, including Khazars and Huns to Christianity, from the country.
According to the Albanian historian, along with Nerses, several other
Ghirdman bishops were promoted to Albanian catholicos post. Among them
Nerses had been Albanian catholicos for 17 years half (684-704), Theodorus-
during 4 years, and Gaik - 14 years (848-862). All this, surely, betokens that
Ghirdman bishops had decisive positions in religious life of the country as a whole.
The fact of their attendance in wide delegation at Aguen Meeting displays that just
like in the country's military, economic and political life, the province very actively
took part in solving religious problems. Presence of Kilsadagh temple and holy
church built by Cavanshir namely on the territory of Ghirdman once more confirms
this.
In result of Arabs' invasion to Albania complicated religious situation in the
country aggravated even more. I.e. if until VII century there had been conducted
struggle just between pagans, Zoroastrianists, Christians and respective sects, from
the middle VII century there had begun mass Islamization. Due to researchers who
deal with mass adopting of Islam by population at territories seized by the
Caliphate troops, «Arabs introduced a new and powerful religion. That's why
Albanians who had been suffering from religious persecutions and clashes up to
now, met it as saviour. Thus, within just hundred years almost everywhere Islam
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fully kept down Zoroastrianism. V.V.Bartold writes that unlike Christianity,
Islamic religion, didn't make use of individual missionaries and was propagated
just through invasion; boundaries of Moslem lands corresponded to spreading
range of Islam. The religion wasn't forcedly propagated, that's why neither
Christians, nor Zoroastrianists were persecuted. In such conditions weakening of
Albanian church and failure of Arabs to reach highland territories resulted in
spreading activities of Armenian Church in the places. Thus, Armenian Church at
best took opportunity of Grigorianizing Christian population of highlands,
including Ghirdman territories. The fact of Udins' remaining Christians and serving
to Grigorian faith must be explained namely by this. The subchapter IV minutely
deals with all the foregoings.
The subchapter V of chapter VI reflects the author's investigations about
cultural life of Ghirdman, judgements about language of Albanians, Udins,
Khaputs and Tats who settled down on the territory, appearance and spreading of
Albanian alphabet. Numerous material and moral culture works reflecting
Ghirdman history were generalized and characterized in Albanian history context.
The work's conclusion reflected main outcomes of the research. They are
chiefly below ones:
1. Judgements about localization of the territories of Ghirdman province,
which played particular role in economic, political and military strengthening of
Albania that ranked with leading states of the South Caucasus in the Early Middle
Ages, at the Kur river's right bank on frontier with Armenia and Georgia haven't
any serious scientific ground. It's interesting that among those who localize
Ghirdman in west of Albania - on territories bordering upon Armenia and Georgia
there exist certain discords of opinions. And this, first of all, betokens that the
authors' arguments about localization of Ghirdman aren't sufficiently serious. In
such conditions, surely, appearing of other versions was necessary. Namely on this
basis in works of different researchers there appeared suppositions about existing
of two Ghirdman provinces at the same time on Albania territory. The version
authors, on the one hand, couldn't deny well-known thesis about location of
Ghirdman province territories at the Kur river's right bank, - in west of Albania,
which appeared in Soviet historical studies, on the other-couldn't help to account
for very serious scientific proofs of location of Ghirdman at Shirvan territory.
In result of investigations about respective problem, held by the author, it
was proved that judgements about localization of Ghirdman territories in west or
north-west of Albania, or about existing of two Ghirdman provinces at the same
time on Albania territory are groundless. On the basis of many source data,
archaeological materials, architectural monuments, ancient toponyms and
historically shapen ethno-cultural environment there was pointed out location of
Ghirdman province namely at Shirvan territory. The province for the first time
mentioned in IV century sources roughly until the late VI century had been