he Armenians to the
Zoroastrian religion. In the early part of his reign he entertained
a hope of effecting his purpose by persuasion, and sent his vizier,
Mihr-Narses, into the country, with orders to use all possible peaceful
means--gifts, blandishments, promises, threats, removal of malignant
chiefs--to induce Armenia to consent to a change of religion.
Mihr-Narses did his best, but failed signally. He carried off the chiefs
of the Christian party, not only from Armenia, but from Iberia and
Albania, telling them that Isdigerd required their services against the
Tatars, and forced them with their followers to take part in the Eastern
war. He committed Armenia to the care of the Margrave, Vasag, a
native prince who was well inclined to the Persian cause, and gave
him instructions to bring about the change of religion by a policy of
conciliation. But the Armenians were obstinate. Neither threats,
nor promises, nor persuasions had any effect. It was in vain that
a manifesto was issued, painting the religion of Zoroaster in the
brightest colors, and requiring all persons to conform to it. It was
to no purpose that arrests were made, and punishments threatened. The
Armenians declined to yield either to argument or to menace; and no
progress at all was made in the direction of the desired conversion.

In the year A.D. 450, the patriarch Joseph, by the general desire of the
Armenians, held a great assembly, at which it was carried by acclamation
that the Armenians were Christians, and would continue such, whatever it
might cost them. If it was hoped by this to induce Isdigerd to lay aside
his proselytizing schemes, the hope was a delusion. Isdigerd retaliated
by summoning to his presence the principal chiefs, viz., Vasag, the
Margrave; the Sparapet, or commander-in-chief, Vartan, the Mamigonian;
Vazten, prince of Iberia; Vatche, king of Albania, etc.; and having got
them into his power, threatened them with immediate death, unless they
at once renounced Christianity and made profession of Zoroastrianism.
The chiefs, not having the spirit of martyrs, unhappily yielded, and
declared themselves converts; whereupon Isdigerd sent them back to
their respective countries, with orders to force everywhere on their
fellow-countrymen a similar change of religion.

Upon this, the Armenians and Iberians broke out in open revolt. Vartan,
the Mamigonian, repenting of his weakness, abjured his new creed,
resumed the profession of Christian