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{{Short description|Armenian noble family}}
{{Noble house
| surname            = Kamsarakan
| estate             =
| coat of arms       =
| country            = [[Ayrarat]]<br>[[Arsharunik]]
| parent house   = [[House of Karen]]
| titles             =
| founder            = Prince Kamsar (d. 325){{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}
| final ruler        =
| current head       =
| founding year      =
| cadet branches     = [[Pahlavuni]]{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}
}}

The '''House of Kamsarakan''' ({{langx|hy|Կամսարական}}) was an [[Armenia]]n noble family that was an offshoot of the [[House of Karen]], also known as the Karen-Pahlav. The Karens were one of the [[Seven Great Houses of Iran]] and were of [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]] origin.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

In the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]]-[[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] era, the Kamsarakan were mostly known for following a pro-Byzantine policy. In the late 8th century, they met their downfall as a result of participating in an uprising against [[Arminya|Arab rule]].

After the 8th century, a branch of the Kamsarakan, the [[Pahlavuni]], rose to prominence. According to [[Cyril Toumanoff]] the Pahlavunis in turn had two branches: the [[Mkhargrdzeli]], associated with the [[Kingdom of Georgia]]; and the [[Hethumids]], associated with the [[Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

==Background and history==
===The Kamsarakan family===
A branch of the House of Karen (Karen-Pahlav), one of the [[Seven Parthian clans|Seven Great Houses of Iran]], the name of Kamsarakan is derived from Prince Kamsar, who died in 325.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} The Kamsarakans had their base in the "two princely states", which were both located in the historic region of [[Ayrarat]]-[[Arsharunik]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} The city of [[Yervandashat (ancient city)|Yervandashat]], in present-day eastern [[Turkey]], was their capital. The fortresses of [[Bagaran (ancient city)|Bagaran]], Artagers, Shirak and [[Ani]] (which later became a city) were also associated with the Kamsarakan.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

From their establishment the Kamsarakans enjoyed prestige in Armenia due to being the cousins of the royal [[Arsacid dynasty of Armenia|Arsacids]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} Following the demise of the Arsacids in Armenia in 428 the Kamsarakan acquired a large amount of political power due to their position as important border lords; or, as Toumanoff puts it "to their quasi-[[margrave|margravial]] position on the northern frontier of the realm".{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} The Kamsarakans had a high rank in the order of precedence of the Armenian princes; they supposedly ranked second "of the four broad classes".{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} As such they had a [[Feudalism|feudal]] obligation to supply 600 horses to their suzerain, the King of Armenia.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

According to [[Cyril Toumanoff]] / ''[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]'', due to the geographical location of their principalities, the Kamsarakan were not involved "in any special way in Armino-Iranian relations".{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} However, according to [[Parvaneh Pourshariati]] / ''Encyclopædia Iranica'', the Kamsarakan "were directly involved in the history of the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantines]] and the [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanians]]".{{sfn|Pourshariati|2017}} When the [[Roman Empire]] annexed the [[Byzantine Armenia|western part of historic Armenia]], Gazavon{{nbsp}}II Kamsarak and other family members moved to [[Sasanian Armenia]], at the time ruled by an Armenian vassal.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} Prior to this Gazavon{{nbsp}}II had been the leader of the pro-Roman Armenian princes.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} Later another Kamsarakan family member, [[Arshavir II Kamsarakan|Arshavir{{nbsp}}II]], is recorded as having participated in the anti-Sasanian revolt led by [[Vardan Mamikonian]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} Arshavir{{nbsp}}II also took part in the insurrection of 482–484, together with his son and successor Nerses.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

The Kamsarakans were known for following a broadly pro-Byzantine policy, and they were actively involved in the political life of the empire as well.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} For example, three brothers from the Kamsarakan family served as generals for [[Justinian I]] (r. 527–565); [[Narses]], [[Isaac the Armenian]] (Sahak), and another Isaac (Sahak), who was executed by the king of the [[Ostrogoths]], [[Totila]], in 546.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} A later Kamsarakan, [[Narses{{nbsp}}II Kamsarakan]], served as presiding prince of Armenia for the Byzantine emperor in the late 7th century, and also held the high-ranking Byzantine office of ''[[curopalates]]''. Another individual, presumably a Kamsarak, was the patrician Arsaber (Arshavir), noted for revolting against the Byzantine emperor in 808.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

The Kamsarakans took part in the revolt against [[Arminiya|Arab rule in Armenia]] in 771–772.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} When the insurrection failed, the Kamsarakan were amongst the "victims of the disaster", and they had no choice but to sell their "double princedom" to the [[Bagratid Armenia|Bagratids]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

===The Pahlavuni family===
In the Bagratid era, the Kamsarakan rose to prominence once again, now represented by its cadet branch the [[Pahlavuni]]s, led by the princes Bdjni and Nig. Cyril Toumanoff notes: {{quote|it derived also the name of Arsharuni from one of its principalities, which distinguished it from the related houses of Abelian (princes of Abelunikʿ), [[Karbelian|Gabelian]], Havenni and, possibly, Dziunakan; after the 8th century, it bore, in memory of its origin, the surname of Pahlavuni."{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}}}

When the Bagratids were destroyed and Prince Gregory II abdicated in 1045–1046 to allow the Byzantine emperor to assume control over his lands, the Pahlavunis moved to [[Cilicia]], where they were known as the [[Hethumids]]. They dominated this "last phase of Armenia’s political history", first as princes of Lambrun, and after 1226, as kings of Armenia.{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} When the Hethumids died out in the 14th century the Armenian crown passed, through inheritance, to the [[Lusignan dynasty]] of Cyprus, and afterwards to the [[House of Savoy]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} The [[Mkhargrdzeli]], another branch of the Pahlavunis, were a dominant force in the [[Kingdom of Georgia]] in the 12th{{snd}}14th centuries, and "has survived to this day".{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

===Patrons of architecture===
The Kamsarakans and their Pahlavuni branch, and in turn the Mkhargrdzelis, were known for being patrons of [[Armenian architecture]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}} Notable examples of structures built by the family include castles and palaces, as well as "splendid churches", such as the Church of St. Gregory (commissioned by Abughamr{{nbsp}}I Pahlavuni).{{sfn|Toumanoff|2010|pages=453–455}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{Encyclopædia Iranica Online | title = Kārin | last = Pourshariati | first = Parvaneh | author-link = Parvaneh Pourshariati | url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/karin | year = 2017 }}
* {{Encyclopaedia Iranica| title = Kamsarakan | last = Toumanoff | first = C. | author-link = Cyril Toumanoff | url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kamsarakan | volume = 15 | fascicle = 5 | pages = 453–455 }}

[[Category:Kamsarakan family]]