390 HISTORY OF ARMENIA.
considerable abilities, having from his infancy always resided with the reigning pontiff. In his time flourished Stephen of Duin, the pious Ephraim, Anastas, Catchick, and David of Horomair, who were ail distinguished for emi- nent wisdom and scientific talent, but owing to the perturbed nature of the age in which they lived, their abilities were permitted to remain unrewarded. After Bekir had ruled Armenia nine years, hated by the people of that country on account of his cruel admi- nistration, he was succeeded by Hasan, sent
^' HtiiSi '^y *^® Caliph of Bagdad. Hasan exceeded <»227. all his predecessors in tyranny. The nation became sadly impoverished during his sway* the troops he kept being permitted to exercise the most wanton cruelties on the inhabitants with impunity. The licentious conduct of the soldiers, at length roused the anger and exertions of Mushel the Mamiconian, who, having as- sembled a few men, attacked a party of them who had come to Taron for the purpose of plun- dering. He defeated and killed two hundred of them. Elated at this, he procured reinforce- ments, and in a second encounter with these public robbers he massacred 4,000 of them. He then marched to the capital Duin, and taking it by assault, drove from it the governor in the third year of his sway.
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