Encyclopedia >> Encyclopedia of Armenian History >> Ashot III the Merciful (953-977)

Ashot II the Merciful (953-977) succeeded Abbas and just at the beginning of his reign he defeated the Kingdom of the Abkhazes with 45 thousand Armenian Haghpat Monasterytroops and strengthened the northern regions of Armenia. He also defeated arabs of Aghdznik (Armenian: Աղձնիք) in 959. In 961 Ashot the III made developing city of Ani capital of Armenia. 

Having the support of Queen Khosrovanush Ashot the Merciful started construction of Ani. Sanahin and Haghpat monastic complexes were built in the valley of Dzoraget river that later became famous educational and scientific centers. 

In 967, Byzantine Empire seized the Power of Taron Bagratids by fraudulentSanahin and Haghpat Monastic Complexes. means and made it a separate army and already in 970-s began to threaten to Armenian Kingdom.

 Ashot III went against the threatening Byzantine 80 thousand troops in Hark (Armenian: Հարք) province and the Byzantine Emperor John I Tzimiskes signed a Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 947 and left the borders of Bagratid Kingdom. 

 
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