Queen... Now we use this word, this concept, more often in relation to Armenian women who have reached the highest peaks in their professional activities, than those who, having inherited the crown from their predecessors, rule their Kingdom, and as for the current period, - their state or country.
As for today, we are not going to talk about Queens in different sports or about the strongest pieces on the Chess Board, but about real Queens, Armenian Queens - the wives of kings, the strongest figures in their kingdoms.
And in the article below, we will refer mainly to the book of the writer Hayk Khachatryan (“Armenian Queens”, Yerevan, “Amaras”, 1998). With gratitude.
This book lists 150 Armenian queen names. But it should be clarified that being the wives of Armenian kings, not all of them were Armenians by nationality. Let us clarify that the author of the book covers the period almost from the time of the first Armenian king, who ruled several millennia before our era, and... until the last, who ruled in Cilicia in 1375.
Let us recall who the wives of our ancestors-kings were by nationality. (It is well known that in those days many kings had several wives and heirs could be born only from one of them, let's say, the main, first wife, called the Queen, that is, to inherit the throne and be called the king.)
The nationality of Armenian queens
If you think that the term “The nationality of Armenian queens” is nonsense, then I am going to surprise you. So, out of 150 recognized Armenian Queens, only 103 were Armenian by nationality, 10 were French, 9 were Greek, 8 were Parthians, 6 were Roman, 6 were Persian, 4 were Georgian, 2 were Alanki (Ossetians), 1 was Assyrian, and 1 was Mongolian.
This is the ethnic composition of our Armenian Queens before the 14th century. We will focus on the biographies of some of them, which, in our opinion, may evoke your interest as a passionate reader, who understands that much of these stories are born on the basis of not only concrete facts, but also on the legends, tales, and sometimes according to the imagination of a romantic author.
Armenian Queen #1 Sosem
The name of the first Armenian Queen is Sosem. According to the author of the book, he gave this name to the Queen (she was the wife of the first Armenian king Aram) presumably, since the history has not preserved her real name.
Armenian Queen #2 Epige
Epige was the name of the wife of King Arame, who ruled in 860-840 BC. It is not exactly known how many wives this king had, but the history of the formation of this unusual name for Armenians has come down to us. The story is as follows.
The king of Arame got married to the daughter of one of the richest princes in Van. Her name was Lasma. And then one day the king calls her to him and says: “Listen, Queen! Since childhood, I hate and fight with the king of Assyria, whose name is Salamanser. He is my enemy, and I fight him even in my sleep. When I hear his name, I shudder. And even your name that consists of letters, which are included in the word “Salamanser” (the name of the king I hate) I get annoyed that your name always reminds me of him. Let's throw it away, forget your name Lasma. My sages have chosen a new name for you — Epigen. In this word, none of the letters included in the name of the Assyrian king Salamanser.”
Now, you are already familiar with the story of how the name of another Armenian Queen - Epigene, appeared.
Armenian Queen #3 Cleopatra
When Tigran the Great married second time Cleopatra - the daughter of King Mithridates of Pontus the Sixth Eupator - she was 16 years old. Nevertheless, this unfortunate woman played a bitter and fateful role not only in the life of king Tigran the Great himself but also in Armenia's relations with its neighboring countries. And it was then in 94 BC. And that was the answer to the story. “Cleopatra” in Greek means “glory of her father”. And the person who bore this name had to justify the meaning of this word.
Thus throughout her life, Cleopatra contributed to the greatness of the name not of her Armenian husband, but on the contrary, to the greatness of the glory of her father — that is, the king of Ponteaea — Mirdad the Sixth.
Queen Cleopatra gave birth to three sons by Tigran the Great, and all of them, like their mother, betrayed their father, their homeland, causing an irreparable wound to both the king and the Armenian Kingdom. In the end, Cleopatra left Armenia and fled to her father in Pontus.
Armenian Queen #4 Margarita
Margarita was the wife of the last Armenian king of Cilicia, Levon Lusinyan, who reigned in 1374-1375 but only for seven months. Queen Marguerite was French by origin.
In 1375, the Mamluks attack Cilicia and capture king Levon Lusinyan and his entire family. From that time on, there were no more Armenian kings or Armenian Queens in Cilicia. But Armenian women played a significant role not only in the life of their people and their country but also outside of the borders of the country.
Armenian Queen #5 Anna
Is it possible not to call the Armenian Anna, who was taken as a wife by Prince Yaroslav Svyatoslavovich (XI century), a Queen? She bore him two sons: Boris and Gleb, of course, and with Armenian blood.
Isn't it possible to call one of five wives of Ivan the Terrible, who was Armenian, a Queen?
To Sum Up
In the course of history, Armenian Queens helped their husbands taking part in the governance and defense of the country. Surely, it isn’t possible to refer to all Armenian Queens. However, I’ll at least list the names of the most famous 150 queens and their husbands:
- Sosem - the wife of Aram
- Epige - the wife of Arame
- Arkana - the wife of Arame
- Araransa - the wife of Sarduri the 1st
- Naira - the wife of Ishpuini
- Tariria - the wife of Menua
- Tilama - the wife of Inushpua
- Bagena - the wife of Argishti the 1st
- Susaratu - the wife of Sarduri the 2nd
- Rusaina - the wife of Rusa the 1st
- Hasis - the wife of Argishti the 1st
- Koton - the wife of Rusa the 2nd
- Orash - the wife of Sarduri the 3rd
- Urania - the wife of Sarduri the 4th
- Patar - the wife of Argishti the 3th
- Tsirane - the wife of Erimena
- Hutsan - the wife of Rusa the 3th
- Kaputan - the wife of Rusa the 4th
- Asarhadonia - the wife of Paruyr Skayordi
- Tsamtsam - the wife of Hrachya
- Vanuhi - the wife of Yervand the 1st Sakavakyats
- Zaruhi - the wife of Tigran Yervandyan
- Tigranuhi - the wife of Hidarnes the 1st Yervanduni
- Mihrana - the wife of Hidarnes the 2nd Yervanduni
- Sipane - the wife of Hidarnes the 3rd Yervanduni
- Asatera - the wife of Artashir Yervanduni
- Hrodogune - the wife of Yervand the 2nd Yervanduni
- Tsovinar - the wife of Vahe Yervanduni
- Nane - the wife of Yervand the 3rd Yervanduni
- Areg - the wife of Vananes
- Yervanduhi - the wife of Yervand the 4th last
- Samosia - the wife of Samos Yervanduni
- Hierarksia - the wife of Arsham Yervanduni
- Antiokia - the wife of Kserkses Yervanduni
- Astghik - the wife of Zareh Yervanduni
- Lusatikin - the wife of Arkatias Yervanduni
- Hutomia - the wife of Mehrudzan Yervanduni
- Mortch - the wife of Artanes Yervanduni
- Aspanuysh - the wife of Ptghomeos Yervanduni
- Artasa - the wife of Samos the 2nd
- Arshanuysh - the wife of Mihrdat Kalinikos Yervanduni
- Voskemayr - the wife of Antiokos the 1st Yervanduni
- Hayama - the wife of Antiokos the 2nd Yervanduni
- Satenik - the wife of Artashes the 1st Bari
- Dshkho - the wife of Artavazd the 1st
- Anahit - the wife of Tigran the 1st
- Hutomia - the wife of Tigran the 2nd Great
- Cleopatra - the wife of Tigran the 2nd Great
- Hamaspyur - the wife of Tigran the 2nd Great
- Sosem-Zosima - the wife of Tigran the 2nd Great
- Zahanira - the wife of Tigran Junior
- Araksa - the wife of Artavazd the 2nd
- Sasa - the wife of Artashes the 2nd
- Janama - the wife of Artashes the 2nd
- Ogtava - the wife of Tigran the 3rd
- Erato - the wife of Tigran the 4th
- Harmonia - the wife of Artavazd the 3rd
- Arshakadukht - the wife of Vagharshak
- Anuysh - the wife of Artavazd the 4th
- Elektra -the wife of Tigran the 5th
- Bagratuhi - the wife of Zenon-Artashes
- Shahapsdukht -the wife of Arshak the 1st
- Zenobia - the wife of Hradamizd
- Maya - the wife of Kotis
- Zenobia - the wife of Hradamizd
- Bakuradukht - the wife of Trdat the 1st
- Chermakuhi - the wife of Trdat the 1st
- Kapitola - the wife of Tigran the 6th
- Sandukht - the wife of Sanatruk Arshakuni
- Sirunik - the wife of Ashkhadar-Shidar
- Nazenik - the wife of Partamasir
- Vagharshuhi - the wife of Vagharsh Arshakuni
- Silva - the wife of Sohemos
- Mazeta - the wife of Bakur Arshakuni
- Arshamuhi - the wife of Vagharsh the 2nd Arshakuni
- Khosrovanuysh - the wife of Khosrov the 1st Great Arshakuni
- Nushik - the wife of Artavazd the 5th
- Sasandukht - the wife of Vormizd-Artashir
- Nersehanuysh - the wife of Nerseh
- Ashkhen - the wife of Trdat the 3rd Great
- Chakhruhi - the wife of Khosrov the 2nd Kotak Arshakuni
- Bambish - the wife of Tiran
- Parandzem - the wife of Arshak the 2nd Arshakuni
- Olimpdia - the wife of Arshak the 2nd Arshakuni
- Zarmandukht -the wife of Pap
- Romela - the wife of Varazdat Arshakuni
- Vardandukht - the wife of Arshak the 3rd Arshakuni
- Smbatuhi - the wife of Vagharshak
- Zrvandukht - the wife of Khosrov the 3rd Arshakuni
- Geghanuysh - the wife of Vramshapuh
- Shahandukht - the wife of Shapuh Parsik
- Knkush - the wife of Artashes the 2nd Arshakuni
- Hayranuysh - the wife of Abgar the 7th
- Hovandukht - the wife of Abgar the 8th
- Sopia - the wife of Abgar the 9th
- Hurama - the wife of Vache
- Shushanik - the wife of Vachagan the 3rd Barepasht
- Grigoranuysh - the wife of Hamam Areveltsi
- Katranide - the wife of Ashot the 1st Great Bagratuni
- Ashotdukht - the wife of Smbat the 1st Bagratuni
- Sahakanuysh - the wife of Ashot the 2nd Iron Bagratuni
- Mariam - the wife of Abas Bagratuni
- Khosrovanuysh - the wife of Ashot the 3rd Voghormats Bagratuni
- Katranide - the wife of Smbat Tiezerakal Bagratuni
- Katranide - the wife of Gagik the 1st Bagratuni
- Shushan -the wife of Hovhannes Smbat Bagratuni
- Flora - the wife of Hovhannes Smbat Bagratuni
- Taguhi - the wife of Ashot the 4th Bagratuni
- Grigoradukht - the wife of Gagik-Khachik Artsruni
- Mlke - the wife of Gagik-Khachik Artsruni
- Gurgendukht - the wife of Ashot-Derenik Artsruni
- Kata - the wife of Abusahl-Hamazasp Artsruni
- Derenikuhi - the wife of Ashot-Sahak Artsruni
- Gayane - the wife of Gurgen-Khachik Artsruni
- Khushush - the wife of Senekerim-Hovhannes
- Parisuhi - the wife of Mushegh the 1st
- Gorandukht - the wife of Abas Bagratuni
- Gorandukht - the wife of Gagik Abasyan-Karsetsi
- Arusyak - the wife of Gurgen-Kyurike
- Zorakrtsel - the wife of Davit Anhoghin
- Hripsime - the wife of Kyurike the 1st Bagratuni
- Mamkan - the wife of Abas the 1st
- Ruzukan - the wife of Davit Kyurikyan
- Seda - the wife of Hovhannes Senekerim
- Shahandukht - the wife of Smbat the 1st Sahakyan
- Kupghidukht - the wife of Vasak the 1st
- Sopi - the wife of Smbat the 2nd Ashotyan
- Shahandukht - the wife of Grigor the 1st Ashotyan
- Hranush - the wife of Senekerim Sevadyan
- Mariam - the wife of Grigor the 2nd
- Kata - the wife of Hasan Garakaretsi
- Mama - the wife of Hasan Garakaretsi
- Zablun - the wife of Levon the 2nd Metsagorts
- Sipil - the wife of Levon the 2nd Metsagorts
- Zabel - the wife of Andreas
- Keran - the wife of Levon the 3rd
- Margarita - the wife of Hetum the 2nd
- Margarita - the wife of Toros the 1st
- Zabel - the wife of Kilikian Smbat
- Khatun - the wife of Kilikian Smbat
- Beatriche - the wife of Kostandin the 2nd
- Agnes - the wife of Levon the 4th
- Zablun - the wife of Oshin the 1st
- Hovhanna - the wife of Oshin the 1st
- Alis - the wife of Levon the 5th
- Kostandia - the wife of Levon the 5th
- Kandakuzenia - the wife of Gvidon-Kostandin
- Mariun - the wife of Kostandin the 4th
- Oshinduht - the wife of Kostandin the 4th
- Margarita - the wife of Levon the 6th
Published January 30, 2020
Article by Vera Mirzoyan
