Smbat I of Armenia

Smbat I, sometimes called Smbat the Martyr was the second king of the medieval Kingdom of Armenia of the Bagratuni dynasty, and son of Ashot I. He was the father of Ashot II and Abas I. He inherited the Armenian throne in 890, but his rule was firmly established only in 892. After the death of Ashot I, the Armenian throne passed to Smbat according to the principle of seniority. However, Ashot I’s brother, Abas Sparapet (Commander-in-Chief), also claimed the throne. As a result, a struggle for succession broke out, leading to internal conflicts that developed into civil wars. Eventually, Smbat defeated his uncle and secured the Armenian throne in 892. In the same year, Smbat’s authority was officially recognized by the Arab Caliphate. Also in 892, he captured Dvin, the last Arab stronghold in Armenia. He incorporated the provinces of Tayk, Taron, Arzanene, Upper Armenia, and the Javakhk district of Gugark into the kingdom. According to the historian Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi, during Smbat’s reign the borders of Armenia extended east to Atropatene (Adurbadagan), west to the Euphrates River, north to Georgia, and south to the Taurus Mountains.