ng Vahan, who held almost the whole of the country,
since the Persian troops had been withdrawn on the news of the death
of Perozes, proposed to the Armenian prince that they should discuss
amicably the terms upon which his nation would be content to end the war
and resume its old position of dependence upon Persia. Vahan expressed
his willingness to terminate the struggle by an arrangement, and
suggested the following as the terms on which he and his adherents would
be willing to lay down their arms:

(1) The existing fire-altars should be destroyed, and no others should
be erected in Armenia.

(2) The Armenians should be allowed the full and free exercise of the
Christian religion, and no Armenians should be in future tempted or
bribed to declare themselves disciples of Zoroaster.

(3) If converts were nevertheless made from Christianity to
Zoroastrianism, places should not be given to them.

(4) The Persian king should in person, and not by deputy, administer the
affairs of Armenia. Nikhor expressed himself favorable to the acceptance
of these terms; and, after an exchange of hostages, Vahan visited his
camp and made arrangements with him for the solemn ratification of peace
on the aforesaid conditions. An edict of toleration was issued, and it
was formally declared that "every one should be at liberty to adhere to
his own religion, and that no one should be driven to apostatize." Upon
these terms peace was concluded between Vahan and Nikhor, and it was
only necessary that the Persian monarch should ratify the terms for them
to become formally binding.

While matters were in this state, and the consent of Balas to the
terms agreed upon had not yet been positively signified, an important
revolution took place at the court of Persia. Zareh, a son of Perozes,
preferred a claim to the crown, and was supported in his attempt by a
considerable section of the people. A civil war followed; and among the
officers employed to suppress it was Nikhor, the governor of Armenia. On
his appointment he suggested to Vahan that it would lend great force to
the Armenian claims if under the existing circumstances the Armenians
would furnish effective aid to Balas, and so enable him to suppress the
rebellion. Vahan saw the importance of the conjuncture, and immediately
sent to Nikhor's aid a powerful body of cavalry under the command of his
own nephew, Gregory. Zareh was defeated, mainly in consequence of the
great valor and excellen