# Timeline of Armenian history

This is a timeline of Armenian history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Armenia and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Armenia. See also the list of Armenian kings.

## 12000 BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| ca. 12000 | | Some Ughtasar Petroglyphs carved onto dark brownish-black volcanic stones left behind by an extinct volcano |

## 43rd century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| ca. 4300 | | Areni-1 cave late Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age ritual site and settlement, was inhabited by humans |

## 40th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| ca. 4000 BC | | Godedzor archeological site was built |

## 30th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| ca. 3000 BC | | Shengavit site inhabited during a series of settlement phases from approximately 3000 BC to 2500 BC |

## 25th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 2492 BC | 11 August | A legendary battle recounted by Movses Khorenatsi, said to have taken place in the valley of Hoşap River, Vaspurakan. |

## 24th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 2400 BC | | The Book of Genesis identifies the land of Ararat as the resting place of Noah's Ark after the "great deluge" described there. The Indo-Europeans were people who presumably spread from the Caucasus, settling on lands along the way. Armenian is one of the Indo-European language branches. |

## 23rd century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 2300 BC | | The legendary figure Hayk creates the Armenian nation in the Ararat region. (Akkadians mention Armani in 2300 BC) |

## 20th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 2000 BC | | Trialeti culture |

## 17th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1700 BC | | Aram, Armenian patriarch mentioned in the History of Armenia (Moses of Chorene) (dated 5th century AD) See also: Mitanni |

## 15th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1450 BC | | Artatama I (Thutmose III of Egypt, mentions the people of Ermenen in 1446 BC) |

## 14th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1400 | | Artashumara |
| 1384 | | Artatama II |

## 12th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1200 BC | | Nairi, a confederation of tribes in the Armenian Highlands, roughly corresponding to the modern Van and Hakkâri provinces of modern Turkey. |

## 9th century BC

| Year | Event |
| 860 BC | Foundation of the Kingdom of Urartu with Aramé. |
| 834 BC | Reign of Sarduri I who constructs Tushpa (Van). (to 828 BC) |
| 810 BC | Reign of Menuas who conquers the Araratian fields. (to 785 BC) |

## 8th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 785 BC | | Reign of Argishtis I. |
| 782 BC | | Construction of the fortress of Erebuni (modern Yerevan). |

## 7th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 680 BC | | End of the Argishti II's reign. |
| 680 BC | | Beginning of the reign of Rusa II. |

## 6th century BC

| Year | Event |
| 585 BC | Conquest of Urartu by the Medes. |
| 570 BC | Reign of Orontes I Sakavakyats. |
| 512 BC | Armenia is annexed to Persia by Darius I. Urartu is officially called Armenia in the Behistun inscription. |

## 5th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 401 BC | | Orontes I (Yervand I). |

## 4th century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 331 BC | | Alexander the Great attacks Persia and defeats Darius III, but never conquers Armenia. As a result, Armenia regains its independence from Persia. |

## 2nd century BC

| Year | Date | Event |
| 190 BC | | Artaxias I reclaims the sovereignty of Armenia from the Seleucids by establishing the Artaxiad dynasty with Artaxata as the capital. |

## 1st century BC

| Year | Event |
| 95 BC | Accession of power by Tigranes the Great. |
| 93 BC | Invasion of Cappadocia |
| 88 BC | Conquest of Atropatene, Gordyene, and Osrhoene |
| 83 BC | Conquest of Syria, Phoenicia, and Cilicia |
| 71 BC | Conquest of Acre. |
| 69 BC | Tigranes' army is defeated at the Battle of Tigranocerta against Lucullus' Roman army. |
| 68 BC | Lucullus is beaten off from Artaxata. |
| 67 BC | Lucullus is recalled to Rome. |
| 66 BC | Pompey invades Armenia, but returns to Roman land after being offered a generous sum of money by Tigranes. |
| 55 BC | Death of Tigranes the Great. Artavasdes II continues to rule Armenia. |
| 55 BC | Reign of Artavasdes. |
| 34 BC | Mark Antony campaigned against Armenia. |
| 34 BC | End of Artavasdes II's reign. |
| 31 BC | Antony's defeat at the Battle of Actium, Cleopatra had Artavasdes decapitated. |
| 30 BC | Beginning of Artaxias II's reign |
| 20 BC | Artaxias II was killed by his rebellious subjects. |
| 20 BC | Beginning of Tigranes III's reign. |
| 8 BC | The Armenians installed Tigranes IV as King as the successor to his father. |

## 1st century

| Year | Event |
| 1 | End of the Artaxiad dynasty in Armenia. Arsacid dynasty of Parthia incorporates Armenia. |
| 53 | Tiridates I reaffirms Armenian independence by founding the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia. |
| 58 | Roman general Corbulo invades Armenia with the assistance of the Iberians and Commagenians. |
| 62 | The combined Armenian-Parthian forces defeated Roman army near place called Rhandeia. |
| 66 | Tiridates is crowned in Rome by Nero, after he and Corbulo came to an agreement. |
| 72 | War against the Alans. |
| 77 | Tiridates I bulit Garni Temple. |
| 88 | End of Tiridates I’s reign. |

## 2nd century

| Year | Event |
| 109 | End of Sanatruk's reign. |
| 110 | Axidares was put on the Armenian throne by his paternal uncle, King Osroes I of Parthia without Roman consultation. |
| 114 | Roman emperor Trajan annexes Armenia and declares war on Parthia. |
| 117 | Beginning of the reign of Vologases I. |
| c. 120 | The old town of Vardgesavan was renovated and renamed Vagharshapat. |
| 161 | Vologases IV invaded Armenia and replaced its Roman client king Sohaemus with his own son Pacorus. |
| 191 | Beginning of the reign of Khosrov I. |

## 3rd century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 228 | | Tiridates II repels Sassanid invasion. |
| 287 | | Beginning of the reign of Tiridates III. |

## 4th century

| Year | Event |
| 301 | Armenia becomes the first official Christian state in the world, King Tiridates III proclaims Christianity as the official state religion of Armenia. Zoroastrianism starts to decline gradually. |
| 330 | End of Tiridates III's reign. |
| 356 | Council of Ashtishat called by Saint Nerses, catholicos of the Armenian church. |
| 370 | Beginning of the reign of Pap. |
| 371 | Roman-Armenian forces defeated Sasanian army near Bagavan. |
| 374 | Murder of Pap. |
| 374 | Beginning of the reign of Varazdat. |
| 387 | Division of Armenia into Western and Eastern parts per the Peace of Acisilene between the Sassanid Persians and Byzantines. |
| 392 | Armenia regains its might by the coronation of King Vramshapuh in 392. |

## 5th century

| Year | Event |
| 405 | Mesrop Mashtots invents the Armenian alphabet. |
| 428 | End of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia. Marzpanate Armenia era as part of the Sassanid Empire begins. |
| 451 | The Battle of Avarayr, led by Vartan Mamikonian, secures the Christian religion in Armenia. |

## 7th century

| Year | Event |
| 639 | The first Arab invasion under the leadership of Abd ar-Rahman ibn Rabiah devastates the region of Taron. |
| 642 | Arabs storm the city of Dvin killing 12,000 its inhabitants and taking 35,000 into slavery. |
| 645 | Theodorus Rshtuni and other Armenian nakharars accepted Muslim rule over Armenia. |
| 650 | Armenia becomes the main battleground of the Khazar–Arab Wars & Byzantine–Arab Wars which leaves the lands depopulated. (to 750) |

## 8th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 790 | | The Principality of Hamamshen is established in the modern day area of eastern Rize Province, Turkey. |

## 9th century

| Year | Event |
| 861 | Ashot I Bagratuni is recognized as prince of princes by the Baghdad court, followed by a war against local Muslim emirs. (to 862) |
| 885 | Ashot wins and is thus recognized King of the Armenians by Baghdad in 885. |
| 886 | Formal recognition of Armenian sovereignty by Constantinople. |
| 891 | King Ashot I dies and is succeeded by his son Smbat I, in 892. |

## 10th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 961 | | King Ashot III (953–977) transfers the capital from Kars to Ani, which came to be considered the "City of a 1001 Churches" which rivaled other metropolises like Baghdad and Constantinople. |

## 11th century

| Year | Event |
| 1016 | Seljuk Turks first appear in the region. |
| 1045 | Armenia falls to Byzantine troops, and an exodus from the Armenian lands begins. |
| 1064 | Byzantine Ani, once the capital of Bagratid Armenia, is conquered and destroyed by the Seljuk Turks. |
| 1071 | After the Battle of Manzikert, Seljuk dominance is established over Anatolia and a large number of Turkish tribes migrate to the region. |
| 1072 | The Seljuks sell Ani to the Shaddadid, a Kurdish tribe ruling a territory coinciding with modern-day Armenia. |
| 1078 | Establishment of the Armenian Principality of Cilicia, led by the Rubenid dynasty. |
| 1095 | The First Crusade is launched by Pope Urban I. |

## 12th century

| Year | Event |
| 1187 | Debut of Leon II's reign as prince. |
| 1194 | After the decline of the Seljuk dominance in the region, Eastern Anatolia is ruled by a slew of Turkish emirates and tribes, such as the Ahlatshahs, Mengujekids, Saltukids and the Artuqids. (to 1241) |
| 1198 | Leon II "the Magnificent" managed to secure his crown, becoming the first King of Armenian Cilicia. |

## 13th century

| Year | Event |
| 1219 | Death of Leon II. |
| 1241 | Mongol Invasion of Anatolia, much of the sedentary population of Armenia is slaughtered. (to 1244) |
| 1256 | Turco-Mongol rule continues in Eastern Anatolia under the Ilkhanate rulers and their Turkish and Kurdish vassals. (to 1335) |

## 14th century

| Year | Event |
| 1335 | The decline of Mongol power leads Armenia to be dominated once again by Anatolian Turkoman tribes such as the Chobanids. (to 1400) |
| 1375 | Fall of the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia to the Mameluks of Egypt and their Ramadanid vassals. |
| 1400 | Tamerlane's devastating invasion of Georgia, Armenia and Central Anatolia leads to the slaughter of large portions of the population of Armenia and the enslavement of over 60,000 people from Anatolia and the Caucasus. |

## 15th century

| Year | Event |
| 1405 | After Tamerlane's death, Anatolia becomes a battleground between the rival tribal confederations of the Ak Koyunlu and the Kara Koyunlu. |
| 1461 | Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople established by the then Ottoman Emperor, Mehmed II. |
| 1478 | Armenian migration to Bruges, Belgium. |

## 16th century

| Year | Event |
| 1502 | The Safavid dynasty is established in Persia, that conquers Armenia. |
| 1512 | Printing of first Armenian books. |
| 1514 | The Ottoman-Persian Wars rage in the Armenian Highlands for the first time, the Ottomans temporarily gain Western Armenia. |
| 1519 | Decree of King Sigismund I that Armenians in Poland be governed under code of laws by Mkhitar Gosh. |
| 1519 | The first Jelali revolts; clashes between Sunnite Turks and Kurds and Shi'ite Qizilbash cause friction in Eastern Anatolia. (to 1528) |
| 1520 | Large portions of Armenia are conquered by Selim I. |
| 1532 | Ottoman-Safavid War (1532-1555) commences. |
| 1555 | Peace of Amasya signed between the Ottomans and Safavids. Western Armenia falls in Ottoman hands, Eastern Armenia stays under Persian rule. |
| 1567 | Establishment of Armenian printing press in Constantinople. |
| 1598 | Continuation of the devastating Jelali revolts in Anatolia. (to 1611) |

## 17th century

| Year | Event |
| 1603 | Shah Abbas of Persia invades Ottoman Armenia (to 1618) and reestablishes full control over Eastern Armenia and large parts of Western Armenia as part of his empire. |
| 1605 | When forced to abandon the siege of Kars, Shah Abbas orders the complete destruction of many Armenian towns and villages and deports over 300,000 Armenians to Persia, of which only half survive. |
| 1623 | The final Ottoman-Safavid War rages in both parts of historic Armenia. |
| 1639 | Treaty of Zuhab signed between the Ottomans and Safavids. Western Armenia falls decisively under Ottoman rule. Safavids remain in possession of Eastern Armenia. |
| 1648 | Major earthquake in Van. |

## 18th century

| Year | Event |
| 1712 | Sayat Nova, renowned Armenian poet troubadour. |
| 1722 | David Bek leads the national liberation movement in 1722, but passes away in 1728. |
| 1747 | The Persians establish the Karabakh Khanate. |
| 1759 | Arrival of Hovsep Emin in Armenia |
| 1778 | Establishment of Nor Nakhichevan |

## 19th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1809 | 15 October | Khachatur Abovian, renowned novelist, poet, and playwright, is born. |
| 1810 | | Zeitountsi revolts. |
| 1811 | | Mkhitarist order of Vienna founded. |
| 1813 | | Treaty of Gulistan. All of Eastern Armenia remains under Persian rule, except for the Armenians in Karabakh, which had already de facto become part of the Russian Empire. |
| 1824 | | Founding of Nersessian Academy in Tiflis |
| 1826 | | Nickolas Balian, architect in Constantinople (to 1858) |
| 1827 | | Occupation of Yerevan by Russian forces |
| 1828 | | Treaty of Turkmanchay. Eastern Armenia is forcefully ceded by Persia to Russia per the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828), strengthening Russian control of Transcaucasus. |
| 1836 | | The Russian government enacts the Polozhenie, a statute greatly restricting the power of the Armenian Church. |
| 1894–1896 | | Hamidian massacres; an estimated 80,000–300,000 are killed. |

## 20th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1901 | 3 November | Battle of Holy Apostles Monastery. |
| 1904 | | 1904 Sasun uprising. |
| 1905 | | Armenian–Tatar massacres. |
| 1905 | | Attempted assassination of Abdul Hamid II. |
| 1907 | 27 May | Battle of Sulukh. |
| 1909 | | Adana massacre: An estimated 15,000–30,000 are killed. |
| 1915 | | Armenian genocide: An estimated 1,500,000 are killed. (to 1923) |
| 1918 | 3 March | The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk gives Kars, Ardahan and Batum regions to the Ottoman Empire. |
| 1918 | 22 May | Battle of Sardarapat |
| 1918 | 23 May | Battle of Abaran |
| 1918 | 25 May | Battle of Karakilisa |
| 1918 | 28 May | The Armenian Congress of Eastern Armenians declares the first Republic of Armenia. |
| 1918 | 4 June | Treaty of Batum |
| 1918 | 30 October | Armistice of Mudros, the Ottoman Empire agreeing to leave the Transcaucasus. The Democratic Republic of Armenia assumes control of Western Armenia, now that the Ottomans are forced to leave. |
| 1920 | 10 May | May Uprising ( failed coup d'état by the Armenian Bolsheviks). |
| 1920 | 24 September | Turkish–Armenian War. |
| 1920 | 24 September | Red Army invasion of Armenia. |
| 1920 | 2 December | Soviet-aligned Armenian SSR established (distinct from and opponent of the first Republic of Armenia). |
| 1920 | 6 December | Fall of the first Republic of Armenia, fully occupied by the Turkish National Movement and the Red Army (Soviet Union). |

### Soviet rule

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1921 | 13 February | February Uprising. |
| 1922 | 30 December | Establishment of the Soviet Union; Armenian SSR joins the Soviet Union. |
| 1923 | 7 July | Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast is created granting Armenian autonomy for Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan SSR. |
| 1965 | 24 April | 1965 Yerevan demonstrations |
| 1988 | 20 February | First Nagorno-Karabakh War commences. |
| 1988 | 22 February | Askeran clashes. |
| 1988 | 27 February | Sumgait Pogrom, marked by widespread killings, injuries, and destruction, intensifying the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. |
| 1988 | March | Gugark pogrom. |
| 1988 | 27 November | Kirovabad pogrom. |
| 1988 | 7 December | Spitak earthquake. |
| 1990 | 12 January | Baku pogrom. |

### Independence; last decade of the 20th century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 1991 | 30 April | Operation Ring. |
| 1991 | 21 September | Armenian independence referendum |
| 1991 | 17 October | First-ever Armenian presidential election, Levon Ter-Petrosyan elected president with overwhelming popular support. |
| 1991 | 21 December | Armenia joins the Commonwealth of Independent States |
| 1992 | 17 February | Capture of Garadaghly. |
| 1992 | 26 February | Khojaly massacre. |
| 1992 | 10 April | Maraga massacre. |
| 1992 | 9 May | Victory in the Battle of Shushi. |
| 1992 | 9 May | The Siege of Stepanakert ended after prolonged conflict during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, marking a turning point in the struggle for Nagorno-Karabakh. |
| 1992 | 1 October | Battle of Lachin. |
| 1992 | 12 June | Operation Goranboy. |
| 1992 | 25 June | Armenia joins the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation |
| 1992 | 27 June | Mardakert and Martuni Offensives. |
| 1993 | 27 March | Battle of Kalbajar. |
| 1993 | 12 June | Battle of Aghdam. |
| 1993 | 4 July | 1993 Summer Offensives. |
| 1993 | | Operation Horadiz. |
| 1993 | 15 December | Operation Kalbajar. |
| 1994 | 12 May | First Nagorno-Karabakh War formally ends |
| 1995 | 5 July | Armenian constitutional referendum |
| 1999 | 1 July | EU-Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement enters into force |
| 1999 | 27 October | Armenian parliament shooting |

## 21st century

| Year | Date | Event |
| 2001 | 25 January | Armenia's accession to the Council of Europe |
| 2001 | 28 November | Armenia becomes a permanent observer member of the Organization of American States |
| 2004 | 12 April | Robert Kocharyan's government dispersed massive, peaceful protest using excessive force |
| 2008 | 19 February | 2008 Armenian presidential election |
| 2012 | 6 May | 2012 Armenian parliamentary election |
| 2013 | 18 February | 2013 Armenian presidential election |
| 2015 | 2 January | Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Union |
| 2015 | 12 January | 2015 Gyumri massacre |
| 2016 | 1–5 April | 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh clashes |
| 2017 | 2 April | 2017 Armenian parliamentary election |
| 2017 | 24 November | The Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement is ratified in Brussels |
| 2018 | 2 March | 2018 Armenian presidential election |
| 2018 | 8 May | 2018 Armenian Velvet Revolution |
| 2018 | 9 December | 2018 Armenian parliamentary election |
| 2020 | 27 September | Second Nagorno-Karabakh War commences |
| 2020 | 10 November | 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War formally ends |
| 2021 | 20 June | 2021 Armenian parliamentary election |
| 2022 | 24 June | Armenia joins the European Political Community |
| 2023 | 23 January | European Union Mission in Armenia began operations |
| 2023 | November | Armenia joins the International Solar Alliance |
| 2024 | 12 March | The European Parliament passed a resolution confirming Armenia meets Maastricht Treaty Article 49 requirements and that the country may apply for EU membership. |
| 2024 | 12 June | Armenia joins the Artemis Accords |
| 2025 | 14 January | Armenia and the United States sign the Armenia–United States Strategic Partnership Charter in Washington, D.C. |
| 2025 | 12 February | Armenian parliament officially passed a bill calling for the start of the process of Armenia's accession to the European Union |