Smbat Artsruni

Smbat Sefedinyan-Artsruni ( date of birth unknown - around 1471) was the last king of Armenia (1465–1471), from the Sepedin dynasty, son of Amir Gurjibek, and nephew of Catholicos Zakaria 3rd of Aghtamar. Smbat's mother was Dunia Khatun, his sister was Khanumkhatun, and his son was Iskender, who was the father of Grigoris I Aghtamartsi. Smbat was descended from the Sefedin family, thus he was considered from the royal family of Gagik Artsruni.

The prerequisites for becoming a king
Following the collapse of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in 1375, the Armenian people still harboured aspirations of establishing their own sovereign state. Uncertain about the feasibility of attaining success independently, Armenian spiritual and secular leaders sought avenues to pursue this cherished objective through diplomatic channels with the assistance of European nations.

Steps taken
Amidst the decline and fragmentation of the once prominent Armenian noble houses, the Armenian Church took the initiative to revive the kingdom. Catholicos Zakaria 3rd of Aghtamar, hailing from the Artsruni dynasty of Vaspurakan, approached Jahanshah, the leader of the nomadic Karakoyunlu tribe ruling over Armenia, with such a proposition. Jahanshah governed with a lenient policy towards the Christian communities, aiming to rejuvenate the faltering economy with their assistance, bolster trade, and foster craftsmanship. Seizing upon this opportunity, the Armenian Catholicos put forward his nephew, Smbat Artsruni, as a candidate for king.

Restoration of the monarchy
In 1465, having received Jahanshah's approval, Smbat Artsruni was anointed as the Armenian king in a grand ceremony at the Cathedral of the Holly Cross in Aghtamar by Catholicos Stepanos D Tgha (as Catholicos Zakaria 3rd had passed away in 1465 ). This event was met with great enthusiasm by contemporaries. "And at that moment, they anointed Mr. Smbat as the Armenian king, following the tradition of his forefather Gagik I Artsruni. May God fortify his kingdom and elevate his throne, for the Armenian nation had long awaited a monarch." However, Smbat's reign was not only confined to Armenia but extended over the coastal regions of Aghtamar Island and Lake Van. Smbat Artsruni is recorded as the Armenian king until 1471.

The reign of Smbat holds significance in the history of Armenian liberation ideology, demonstrating the enduring viability of the idea of restoring Armenian sovereignty. It underscores that the essence lies not merely in the temporal or geographical extent of the kingdom but in the perpetuation of the aspiration for self-governance within the Armenian psyche.

Literature
Akinyan N., Book of the Wands of Catholicos of Aghtamar, Vienna, 1920