Shows / The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Perched at the crossroads of East and West, the Armenian Highlands have witnessed the rise and fall of empires for millennia. In 'The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide,' hosts Lucas and Luna guide listeners through a saga of resilience that begins with the Urartian kingdom (9th–6th centuries BCE) and extends to the modern Republic of Armenia. The series traces Armenia's adoption of Christianity as a state religion in 301 CE under King Tiridates III, the creation of the…
Episodes
The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo HistoryThe Armenian Merchant Network: From Silk Road to Global Diaspora Revisited
This episode revisits the Armenian merchant network, focusing on the role of the Mkhitarist Catholic Congregation in preserving Armenian identity and culture…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Battle of Avarayr and the Defense of Armenian Christianity
This episode revisits the pivotal Battle of Avarayr in 451 CE, where the Armenian forces under Vardan Mamikonian faced the Sassanid Persian army demanding…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Zangezur Corridor: Armenia's Lifeline Through the Mountains
In the wake of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, a new geopolitical flashpoint emerged: the Zangezur Corridor. This episode traces the deep history of the narrow…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Alphabet: Mesrop Mashtots and a Nation's Voice
In the early 5th century, Armenia faced a cultural crisis: the country had no distinct written language, and the Church struggled to reach ordinary people…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Bagratuni Dynasty: Armenia's Golden Age of Kings
When the Abbasid Caliphate was fragmenting and Byzantium was looking east, a princely family from the heart of Armenia seized the moment. The Bagratunis —…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia: Crusader Kings and a Forgotten Crusade
In this episode of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna explore the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia—a medieval Crusader state forged by Armenian refugees fleeing…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Mamikonian Princes: Armenia's Warrior Dynasty
Before the Bagratids and the Rubenids, one family shaped Armenian destiny for nearly four centuries: the Mamikonians. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Merchant Network: From Silk Road to Global Diaspora
Long before the Genocide scattered Armenians worldwide, merchant communities from New Julfa to Madras built a commercial empire that connected Asia and Europe…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Tigranes the Great: Armenia's Empire That Challenged Rome
Long before the Ottoman and Safavid partitions, before the genocide and the republic, Armenia once ruled an empire stretching from the Caspian to the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Nakharar System: Armenia's Feudal Lords Who Shaped an Empire
Before the Mamikonians and the Bagratunis became household names, Armenia was governed by a web of noble houses known as the nakharars. These hereditary lords…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Van Kingdom: Urartu, Waterworks, and a Lost Empire
Long before Armenia was Armenia, the Kingdom of Urartu ruled the highlands around Lake Van. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the forgotten empire that…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's Forgotten Kingdom: Cilicia and the Crusader Alliance
In this episode of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna explore the medieval Kingdom of Cilician Armenia—a unique Armenian state that allied with Crusader…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Highlands: Cradle of Ancestral Civilizations
Long before the kingdoms of Urartu or the empires of Tigran the Great, the Armenian Highlands were home to some of the earliest settled societies in the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Genocide's Blueprint: The Teskilat-i Mahsusa
Episode 81 digs into the shadowy paramilitary force that orchestrated the Armenian Genocide: the Teskilat-i Mahsusa, or 'Special Organization.' Lucas…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Legion: Fighting for France Against the Ottoman Empire
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the story of the Armenian Legion, a volunteer military unit formed by the French during World War I. Recruited from…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Genocide: The Forgotten Testimony of Talaat Pasha's Telegram
In this episode of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna delve into the dark chapter of the Armenian Genocide, focusing on the controversial evidence of Talaat…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Sardarabad's Heroes: The Women of 1918
When the Ottoman Third Army surged toward Yerevan in May 1918, Armenia’s fate hung on a thread. While Sardarabad is often remembered as a battle won by men…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Air Force of 1918: Pilots, Planes, and a Desperate Fight
When the First Republic of Armenia was born in 1918, it had almost nothing: no army, no money, and barely a government. But within months, Armenian pilots were…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's First Republic: The Battle of Sardarabad and National Survival
In May 1918, as the Ottoman army advanced on Yerevan, a ragtag Armenian force of barely 10,000 men—mostly civilians, deserters, and priests—stood between the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Sardarabad 1918: How Armenia Stopped the Turks
In May 1918, the fate of the Armenian people hung by a thread. The Ottoman army was advancing on Yerevan, the Russian Empire had collapsed, and the First…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Battle of Avarayr: How Armenia Defended Its Faith
In 451 AD, the Armenian army faced the mighty Sassanid Persian Empire on the plain of Avarayr. Led by Vardan Mamikonian, the Armenians were vastly outnumbered…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's First Constitution: A Lost Experiment in Democracy
Long before the First Republic of Armenia's secret constitution of 1918, there was the 1773 'Snare of Glory' — the first ever Armenian…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Garni Temple: Armenia's Pagan Sanctuary and Hellenistic Survival
In the shadow of Mount Ararat, the Temple of Garni stands as a defiant testament to Armenia's pagan past and Hellenistic heritage. This episode explores…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Zoroastrian Legacy of Armenia Before Christianity
Long before Armenia adopted Christianity as its state religion in 301 AD, the kingdom was a battleground of faiths — Zoroastrianism, local mountain cults, and…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Treaty of Zuhab: How Armenia Was Split Between Ottoman and Safavid Empires
In 1639, the Treaty of Zuhab (also known as the Treaty of Qasr-e Shirin) formalized the division of historic Armenia between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The First Republic of Armenia's Secret Constitution
In May 1918, as Ottoman forces closed in on Yerevan, a hastily assembled Armenian National Council declared independence in a dusty Tiflis apartment. But the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's First Alphabet Mesrop Mashtots and the Birth of a Nation
In this episode of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna explore the extraordinary story of Mesrop Mashtots, the monk who created the Armenian alphabet in 405…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Vardan Mamikonian: The Battle That Saved Armenian Christianity
In 451 AD, the Armenian general Vardan Mamikonian led a desperate revolt against the Persian Sassanid Empire. The Battle of Avarayr became a defining moment…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Fall of the Kingdom of Commagene: Armenia's Last Hellenistic State
In this episode of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna explore the little-known Kingdom of Commagene — a Hellenistic-Armenian state that flourished on the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Hovhannes Tumanyan and the Armenian Folk Revival
This episode explores the life and legacy of Hovhannes Tumanyan, Armenia's beloved poet and folklorist who gathered ancient oral tales and reshaped them…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's Forgotten King: The Tragedy of Smbat I Bagratuni
In the late 9th century, Armenia's Bagratid kingdom reached new heights, but one of its most pivotal kings—Smbat I Bagratuni—met a tragic end that echoes…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Armenian Diaspora: Silk Road Merchants to Global Networks
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the centuries-old story of the Armenian diaspora, tracing its roots from the fall of the Bagratid kingdom and the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Tigran the Great and the Lost Empire of Greater Armenia
Before the Bagratids, before the Mamikonians, Armenia reached its zenith under King Tigran II — Tigran the Great. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Bagratid Silver and the Fall of Ani's Trade Empire
The Bagratid kingdom of Armenia is remembered for its golden age, but its economy ran on silver. This episode traces the rise of Ani as a Silk Road hub, the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
David of Sasun: Armenia's Legendary Hero Who Defeated Caliphs
Armenia's great national epic, David of Sasun or Sasuntsi Davit, is a thousand-year-old tale of a hero who defied the Arab Caliphate. Passed down orally…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Battle of Sevan: Armenia's King Ashot II and the Arab Siege
In the early 10th century, Armenia's Bagratid kingdom faced its gravest threat: an Arab invasion led by the Sajid emir Yusuf ibn Abi'l-Saj. King…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Battle of Chaldiran: How Persia's New Gunpowder Empire Crushed Armenia
In 1514, the Ottoman sultan Selim the Grim marched east with cannons and Janissaries to confront the Safavid shah Ismail I at Chaldiran. The battle, fought on…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Mkhitar Gosh: Armenia's Medieval Lawgiver and National Revival
In the aftermath of the Earthquake of 1188 that devastated much of Greater Armenia, a monk named Mkhitar Gosh set out to rebuild not just stone but justice…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Cilician Armenia's Last Queen: The Exile of Isabella
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the dramatic end of Cilician Armenia through the story of its last queen, Isabella (also known as Zabel). After the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Zakarids: Armenia's Last Feudal Lords Under Mongol Rule
In the shadow of the Mongol Empire, a noble Armenian family rose to power, ruling a semi-autonomous principality that preserved Armenian culture, rebuilt…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Kingdom of Cilicia: Armenia's Crusader State
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the fascinating history of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, a Crusader-era state that emerged from the ashes of the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's Lost Kingdom: The Bagratid Revival at Ani
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the brief but brilliant Bagratid golden age of Armenia, centered on the medieval capital of Ani. They follow the rise…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Battle of Sardarabad: Armenia's Last Stand for Independence
In May 1918, as the Ottoman army advanced on Yerevan, a ragtag Armenian force—mostly farmers and refugees—stood their ground at Sardarabad. Against…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's Bagratid Kings: Ani's Cathedral and Byzantine Betrayal
In episode 51 of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna explore the final decades of Bagratid rule, focusing on the reign of King Gagik I and his successor…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia Under the Mongols: Survival Between Khans and Sultans
Between the 13th and 14th centuries, Armenia found itself caught between the Mongol Ilkhanate and the Mamluk Sultanate. This episode explores how Armenian king…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Siege of Van 1915: Ottoman Empire vs Armenian Resistance
In April 1915, as the Ottoman Empire descended into war with Russia, the ancient city of Van became the stage for a desperate Armenian uprising. This episode…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's Bagratid Golden Age: Ani Against Byzantium and the Seljuks
This episode explores the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia, a beacon of independence and culture from the 9th to 11th centuries. We focus on the reign of King Gagik…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Dvin: Armenia's Medieval Capital Under Arab Rule
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the history of Dvin, the capital of early medieval Armenia that flourished under Arab rule. After the fall of the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Kingdom of Urartu: Armenia's Iron Age Precursor
Long before the kingdom of Armenia, the Armenian highlands were home to Urartu, a powerful Iron Age kingdom that rivaled Assyria and forged the cultural and…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Battle of Nvarsak: Armenia's Religious Freedom Treaty
In 484 CE, a rebellion in Armenia changed the course of history. After the devastating Battle of Avarayr in 451, where Vardan Mamikonian fell, resistance…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Nakharar System: Armenia's Feudal Lords and Empire's End
This episode dives deep into the nakharar system, the unique Armenian feudal structure that governed Armenian society for over a millennium. Lucas and Luna…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Vardan Mamikonian: The Battle of Avarayr and Armenian Faith
To understand the soul of Armenia, you must understand the Battle of Avarayr in 451 CE—a battle that Armenia lost but won. In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Mamikonians: Armenia's Rebel Knights of the Dark Ages
In this episode, Lucas and Luna delve into the Mamikonian dynasty, a powerful noble family that led Armenian resistance against Sassanid Persian rule in the…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Nerses the Great: Armenia's Patriarch Who Defied Empires
In this episode of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna explore the dramatic life and legacy of Nerses the Great, the fourth-century Catholicos who transformed…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
Armenia's Lost Kingdom of Commagene: Nemrut Dağ and the Sun Kings
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the forgotten Kingdom of Commagene, a Hellenistic-Armenian hybrid that bridged East and West for nearly two centuries…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Kingdom of Commagene: Armenia's Hellenistic Bridge
In this episode of The Story of Armenia, Lucas and Luna travel to the first century BCE to explore the Kingdom of Commagene—a small but strategically vital…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Mamikonians: Armenia's Rebel Knights of the Dark Ages
Before the Bagratids, before the Rubenids, there was the Mamikonian dynasty — a princely house that for centuries was the sword of Armenia. In this episode…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Arsacid Kings: Armenia's Parthian Dynasty
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Arshakuni (Arsacid) dynasty that ruled Armenia for nearly four centuries. They begin with the pivotal moment in 66…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Arshakuni Dynasty: Armenia's Parthian Kings
In the shadow of Rome and Parthia, the Arshakuni (Arsacid) dynasty ruled Armenia for nearly four centuries, from 54 AD to 428 AD. This episode explores how a…
- The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History
The Mamluk Sultanate's Conquest of Cilician Armenia
Episode 35 of The Story of Armenia picks up where Episode 24 left off, diving into the final decades of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and its conquest by the…