Climate, Ecology and Power in the Armenian highlands, 7th-11th century
Johannes Preiser-Kapeller
Österreichisch-Armenische Studiengesellschaft (ÖASG)
Digitising Patterns of Power (DPP)
The Armenian highlands are characterised by a fragmentation of land scapeby various mountain ranges and larger alluvial plains around rivers and lakes, which were of central economic importance, but also often show a delicate ecological balance with regard to temperatures, precipitation and evaporation [6; 24; 26]. These topographical parameters also fostered a fragmentation of political power among a number of aristocratic houses competing for power and prestige, which could also be enhanced by ties of patronage to an exterior superior imperial power. Especially this internal framework of political power allowedByzantium, Persia or later the Caliphate to exert their influence within Armenia or even to divide it into spheres of interest. Yet it did not only restrict the chances of collective action of the Armenian aristocracy, but also the stability of foreign domination; just as the Armenian kings (up to 428 CE), also the representatives installed by the imperial overlords were notable to enforce universal allegiance to the suzerain. The “decentralized character” of power equally permitted the adaptation to the separation between various rulers and spheres of interest of the neighbouring empires and the existence of multiple layers of authority and loyalty
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