Armand

Armand is a vampire from Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles. Melton, J. G. (1999). The Vampire Book. 2 ed. p.21-23
== Fictional Biography ==
When Armand was a child, he and his family were captured by the Tatars and sold as slaves in Constantinople. He was bought by the vampire artist Marius and taken to Venice. There, Marius used him as a model for his painting The Temptation of Amadeo, and when he was seventeen Marius turned him into a vampire. 
Marius' home was invaded by Satanists, who inducted Armand into their group. Armand eventually became their leader, and he travelled Europe spreading Satanism before eventually settling in Paris with his own coven. There, he attracted people who wanted to die in order to feed from them. 
After a century in Paris, he met the vampire Lestat, and attempted to induct him into his coven. This resulted in the coven being destroyed and most of its members being killed. Lestat then bought the theatre and gave it to the Parisian vampires. 
Shortly before the French Revolution, Armand led a group of vampire performers who worked at the theatre. He learned about the vampires Louis and Claudia who had come to the city, and he sent a representative to invite them to the theatre. He broke up a fight between Louis and the representative, and the next night discussed God and existence with Louis, causing him to realise that life was meaningless. 
Louis was infatuated with Armand, causing Claudia to become jealous. This led Louis to turn Madeleine, a dollmaker, into a vampire to serve as Claudia's companion. The Parisian vampires then took Louis, Claudia, and Madeleine captive because Louis and Claudia had attempted to kill Lestat, and executed Claudia and Madeleine, while Armand released Louis. Armand then escaped when Louis burned the theatre and killed the other vampires inside. 
Louis and Armand then travelled the world, settling in New York for a number of years before travelling to New Orleans in the 1970s, where they parted ways. After Louis gave an interview about vampires, the interviewer, Daniel Molloy, went to New Orleans looking for Lestat. Instead of Lestat, he found Armand. The two entered into a relationship, but Daniel was annoyed with how Armand kept coming and going, and how Armand refused to turn him into a vampire. Daniel taught Armand about the 20th century, prompting Armand to leave the old ways behind. He became obsessed with modern technology, made a fortune, and built a shopping entertainment complex in Miami called Night Island. 
Armand gave Daniel a vial containing his blood, telling him that if other vampires endangered him, to drink it and cause the other vampires to feel Armand's power and leave him alone. Due to Armand continuing to refuse to make him a vampire, Daniel eventually left and his life went downhill. In 1985, Armand found him again. 
In 1985, the primordial vampire Akasha started killing other vampires. Daniel used his clairvoyance to learn that the threat was called "Akasha", leading to Armand having a breakdown wherein he turned Daniel into a vampire. After Akasha was dealt with, the vampires regrouped at Night Island before going their separate ways.
Some years later, Armand went to New Orleans to meet with Lestat, who he was concerned about. They met shortly before Lestat went to travel to Heaven and Hell. When Lestat returned, he told Armand what he saw, breaking his worldview. This religious experience caused Armand to attempt suicide by exposing himself to the sun. 
== Further Reading ==
* Interview with the Vampire, Rice, A.
* Memnoch the Devil, Rice, A.
* Queen of the Damned, Rice, A.
* The Vampire Companion: The Official Guide to Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, Ramsland, K.
* The Vampire Lestat, Rice, A.
== See Also ==
* Satan
* Vampires in Russia
* Vampires in Television
== References ==
Category:The Vampire Book
Category:Pop Culture