Geography and power
Shirakavan, also known as Yerazgavors, became the capital during the reign of Smbat I Bagratuni. In 892, the king was ceremonially crowned there, and the city became the political center of Bagratid Armenia. The transfer of the capital showed that the new kingdom was moving beyond the symbolic stage of its formation and required a more practical center of governance.
Shirak was the dynastic stronghold of the Bagratunis. The region was rich in settlements, fortresses, and agricultural lands, while its position allowed control over roads leading northward, westward, and toward the Ararat Plain. From Shirakavan, Smbat I and Ashot II the Iron directed the struggle against Arab emirates and internal opponents.
Historical evidence
A major monument of Shirakavan was the Church of the Holy Saviour. The coronation narrative records a ceremony of recognition; architectural documentation describes the urban setting in which court and clergy appeared before the public. The alternative name Yerazgavors is essential when locating the city in historical sources.
Later history of the city
These wars simultaneously strengthened the state and exposed the limitations of an open settlement. The Bagratuni kings needed a more securely protected center capable of withstanding a prolonged siege. For this reason, in the first half of the tenth century, the capital was moved to Kars, the powerful fortress of Vanand.
Sources and further reading
Հովհաննես Դրասխանակերտցի, Հայոց պատմություն · P. Cuneo, Architettura armena, 1988.