[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 347.3.1703 # Storia do Mogor 347.3.1703 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 347.3.1703 - **Language:** English ### [347.3.1703](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.347.3.1703) When this man reached the passage which touched the honour of his Majesty, he began to tremble from head to foot to such an extent that he was unable to utter a word. Seeing this, the king told him to have no fear, but to read every word that was written, assuring him that he would not take any offence with him personally. After these reassuring words he managed to read, and when it was finished the king, being a young man, felt it deeply, and ordered a household slave to cut off the Patriarch's head. The executioner reached the Three Churches when the Patriarch was saying Mass on Good Friday in the principal church. It was full of people, and various Armenian bishops and priests were present. The executor of the harsh order entered the church. It is impossible to describe sufficiently the amazement and confusion that at once spread among the bystanders. The man sprang up the altar steps, seized the Patriarch, and dragged him by main force out of the church preparatory to decapitating him. Among all those present there was not one who dared to hinder such a lamentable act. Only the principal men who, as good luck would have it, were present succeeded in persuading the executioner to allow the Patriarch to be divested of the ecclesiastical vestments before the carrying out of the royal orders. This short delay saved the Patriarch's life, for in the meantime a horseman arrived with a revised order from his Majesty : the Patriarch was no longer to be beheaded, but to be taken to prison instead. The origin of this new order was traced to a faint suspicion that reached, I know not how, the ears of his Majesty that there had been the treachery we have already described. Anyhow, it is certain that when the king gave the first order the bishops already mentioned, with all the rest of their faction, betrayed great satisfaction. The renegade bishop also boasted among his friends of having been the causer of the royal order. Our Lord, who is a just ruler over all things, and the defender of the innocent, so worked that his Majesty penetrated the deception, although some doubts remained. Therefore, to find out the rest of the facts, as told above, he caused the renegade bishop to be arrested, and ordered him to be questioned to find out if he was to blame. Although he did not confess the crime, his answers to the demands and cross-questioning of the judges had not been consistent. Therefore he was put to the torture vigorously. The man, unable to stand the torture, confessed that the letter had been drawn up by him at the instigation of the three Armenian bishops, and that for the same they had given him a reward in money. At once, upon receipt of this confession, men were sent to arrest the three bishops, and after being well examined they confessed they were the culprits. After their conviction they were subjected to a punishment as degrading as it was painful. It took place in the public square in front of the royal palace. The three bishops and the renegade were bound with their feet raised, so that half of their bodies touched the earth. Such a beating was then administered on the soles of their feet that their toe-nails and some of their toes dropped off. They were then released. A new tribute was imposed on the church of Zulfah, whereby they were called on to pay twenty thousand patacas in addition to the usual annual demand. However, the Patriarch was released from prison, subject to the penalty of paying yearly ten thousand patacas. These insults caused to the Armenians loss and to the Mahomedans profit; and the latter are guilty of a thousand outrages on the Christians. It is the custom of the Armenians, in whatever part of the world they have churches, to pray God on behalf of their patriarch, Nahapet, venerating him as their Pope, equally in their public as in their private prayers. It is only in the three churches of the above-named bishops that he is not prayed for. The above events happened in the year 1703. - [Previous: 347.3.182](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.347.3.182) - [Next: 347.3.p3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.347.3.p3) - [Up: 347.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.347.3) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.347.3.1703](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.347.3.1703) · Pramāṇa