Inspirited by the conduct of the gallant ^^l^'^ MusheU the other Armenian chiefs took up «»229. arms and revolted from the dominion of the Saracens. The latter upon this invaded Ar- menia with 30,000 men, and were bravely op- posed by a small body of Armenians, amounting to no more than 5,000, headed by Mushel, Sum- bat, and Samuel. A battle took place between the two armies during the festival of Easter, when, after a resolute contest, superiority of numbers of their men falling on the field. The remainder of the beaten troops took flight, accompanied by the two sons of Sumbat, whose names were Ashot and Shapuh. The Saracens immediately Haki/ ^^ after their victory began to spoil the country, «»^*' but Ashot, surnamed Misaker (the flesh-eater), with his brother Shapuh, having procured a few brave troops, attacked those of the plunderers who were ravaging the provinces of Ashozes and Tashirs, and put them to flight. Ashot then marched to the province of Shirak, where a similar success attended him ; having expelled thence the Saracen governor Jahap, together with all his forces, Ashot built a city in this last province and named it Ani the Second. It after* wards became the capital of the nation and the lesidence of the pontiff. For about six years after this event, Armenia was one scene of
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