376 BISTORT OF ARMENIA.
Saracens haying suspended their incursions in consequence of commotions aitiong themselves. ' Httcaii These, however, having at length subsided, '^ ' Murwan the caliph sent an army under the command of his renowhed general named Moh- mat Ogba, to invade Armenia. Mohmat Ogba on entering the province of Yanand began to lay waste all before him. Nerseh the Camsaraoaxi observing this, joined Sumbat, and both, hav^ ing raised a force from the people of Vanand, marched towards the plunderers. A fight ensued, wherein the Saracens were defeated with great slaughter. Mohmat Ogba with difficulty escaped, attended by a few horsemeni On his return to Damascils, he greatly inflamed the anger of the Caliph against the Anne'* nians, by the detail of his late defeat, and obtained from him an order to assemble an overwhelming army to endeavour to wipe off the disgrace he had incurred^ The troops being collected he set out for Armetiia, determined to spare no dtie in his vengeance. When haac the pontiff, ^ho was then a prisoner in Da* mascus, heard of the calamities that awaited his countrymen, he sent to Mohmat entreating his permission to accompany him in his expe- dition. On his request being complied with, he set out to join the army, but on reaching Charran he was suddenly taken ill and died.
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