398 0I6TORT OF ARliEKIA.
volent character and detested war. He was accompanied from Bagdad by Sumbat the son of Ashot, who had been raised to the dignity of general. Sumbat was surnamed Abulabas, A. V. 825. or the father of Abas. Some time after tbis^ •n 274. Sevada, a Saracen, son of Jahap, having married a Bagratian maiden named Arusiak» sought to overturn the power of the Saracens in Ar- menia. By his intrigues he induced Sumbat the general, Isaac the chief of the Seunies» and many other Armenian chiefs, to join in his plot. He then collected a large force and openly declared rebellion. Howl, on hearing this, hastily collected 5,000 of the most re*- solute of his troops, and marching with the greatest speed and secrecy, arrived at Sevada's camp on the banks of the river Hurastan. With-- out giving him the least intimation of his approach, he suddenly fell on the rebel's troops^ who, taken by surprise, made very little resis* tance. About one half of them were killed, the rest took to flight. Isaac the Seunian was amongst the former, and his fellow-conspirators, Sevada and Sumbat, with difficulty effected their escape.
Howl then returned triumphantly to the ca*- pital; and immediately sending for the pontiff, imparted to him the news of his victory: he then pointed out all the consequences that generally
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