Prince Ashot IV "Msaker" of Armenia

From Aragatsotn Marz, produced by TourAmernia in 2007:

http://www.tacentral.com/aragatsotn/ARAGATSOTN_Region.pdf

Worn down by continued Armenian rebellions, in 861, the Arabs appointed Ashot Bagratuni ("the Carnivorous") Prince over Armenia, and in 885 King of Armenia, beginning a long period of eminence for his family (The Bagratuni or Bagratid dynasty).

Aragatsotn became a part of the Bagratuni landholdings, forfeited by the Mamikonians after their defeat during the 774-775 revolt. The Arabs gave the lands to the Bagratunis, who had not joined the rebellion, creating a vast northern kingdom relatively free from Arab and Byzantine interference.

The Bagratuni dynasty lasted until the end of the 11th century, when Seljuk and Byzantine attacks captured and then destroyed the Bagratuni capital at Ani, as well as Vagharshapat and Dvin.

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From the Wikipedia page on Ashot I

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashot_I_of_Armenia

Ashot I, King of Armenia

• Reign in Armenia: Prince of Princes 862–884
• King of Armenia 884–890
• Full name Ashot I Bagratuni
• Titles Prince of Princes, King of Armenia
• Successor Smbat I the Martyr
• Consort Katranide
• Royal House Bagratuni Dynasty of Armenia
• Dynasty Bagratids
• Father Smbat the Confessor

Ashot I Bagratuni (Աշոտ Մեծ) was an Armenian prince, with Ashot II, oversaw Armenia's second golden age (862–977). He was born to Smbat the Confessor.

His family, the Bagratunis, was one of the most powerful in the kingdom along with the Artsruni. Both families were struggling for power through warfare against Arab invaders.

He was recognized by the Abbasid Caliph as Prince of Princes of Armenia in 862. His later crowning as King of Armenia was consented to by Abbasid Caliph al-Mu'tamid in 885, a move to prevent intrusion into the Armenian territory by Basil I Byzantine emperor, an Armenian.

He was succeeded by his son, Smbat I. He reigned for five years until 890 and was married to Katranide.

References

Federal Research Division (2004). Armenia a Country Study. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 1-4191-0751-8.

Ghazarian, Jacob G. (2001). The Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia During the Crusades. Routledge (UK). ISBN 0-7007-1418-9.

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Ben M. Angel notes: The original dates of birth and death were 750-826. Obviously, these weren't correct, given that he became Prince of Armenia in 861, and King of Armenia in 885, under an Arabian overlord, and given that he was the first Bagratuni to take this title.

His epithet "the Carnivore" is apparently synonymous with "the Brave" in Armenian. (Not very likely to be a cannibal.)