Gahnamak (literally: "throne registrar") - Official state document, list of places and thrones (bardzes) that the Armenian princes and naharars were occupying at the royal court of Armenia. The throne of the prince or naharar was defined by his economic or military strength (according to the Zoranamak), as well as according to the ancient tradition. Gahnamak was composed and sealed by the king of Armenia,because the naharars (lords) were considered to be his vassals. Naharar thrones (gahs, i.e. the positions at the royal court) were changing rarely and were inherited from father to son. Only in special circumstances - such as high treason, cessation of the family etc. - the king had the right to make some changes in the Gahnamak. The sequence and classification of Armenian lords' thrones had been defined and observed from the ancient times. According to Khorenatsi, the first actual listing of lords in the shape of Gahnamak was Armenian king Vagharshak. According to the recorded sources, the classification of Armenian lords' thrones in the form of Gahnamak existed throughout the reign of Arshakuni (Arsacide) dynasty (the 1st - 5th centuries). The same system was continued during the Marzpanian period in the history of Armenia (the 5th - 7th centuries), i.e. during the supremacy of the Sasanian kings of Iran. There are significant discrepancies and inaccuracies in the data of Gahnamaks of different centuries regarding the number of princely houses and degrees of their thrones. According to the Gahnamak of the 4th century preserved in "The Deeds of Nerses", during the reign of king Arshak II (350-368) the number of the Armenian aristocratic houses reached 400. However the author of "The Deeds" mentions the family names of only 167 lords, 13 of whom did not have a throne. The author himself explains that he is incapable of listing all of them. Armenian historian of the 13th century Stepanos Orbelian also mentions 400 naharar thrones, who had "throne and respect" at the royal court of king Trdat III (287-332). Pavstos Buzand mentions 900 princely lords, who carried honorary services at the royal court and who sat on a special throne (gah) or cushion (bardz). The Gahnamak that is believed to be written by Armenian catholikos Sahak Parthev (387-439), and which the latter made available to the Iranian Sasanian court, there are 70 naharars mentioned. In another source of the 4th century 86 naharars were listed. According to the Arab chronologist Yacoubi (the 9th century) there were 113 lords in the administrative province of Arminiya, whereas another Arab historian, Yacout al-Hamavi (the 12-13th centuries) the number of Armenian principalities was 118. Armenian historians Agathangelos, Pavstos Buzand, Yeghishe, Lazar Parbetsi, Movses Khorenatsi, Sebeos and others also provided numerous data and information about Armenian princely houses and lords. However, the Gahnamaks and lists of naharars (princely houses), based on these data and information, remain incomplete.

L. Shahinian

Source: Armenian Encyclopedia. Volume 2. Yerevan, HSH, 1977-1979 , pages 662-664.

Notes by Vrej Atabekian

© Vrej Atabekian 2004
© Union of Armenian Noblemen 2004