His birthdate is not known. According to
Raffi, his father was Velijan III (d. 1686),
melik of Khachen. He was among the Armenian nobility who convened together and sent
Catholicos Jacob IV along
Israel Ori to gather Western support for liberation of Christians, namely Armenians from
Safavid Empire.
Catholicosate After deaths of
Simeon IV (1675-1701) and
Eremia II (Esayi's uncle, 1676-1700), who were rival catholicoses of Aghvank, Esayi applied to
Shah Sultan Husayn of Safavids in October–November of 1701 to be recognized as new catholicos and paid 50 gold. He was later consecrated as catholicos by
Nahabed I of Armenia in 1702. Esayi used opportunity to broaden his influence to Russia during 10-month vacancy in Armenian See. However, another bishop, namely
Nerses V (1706-1736) declared his own catholicosate in
Yerits Mankants Monastery. Although in 1707,
Alexander I of Julfa supported Esayi against Nerses, the latter kept claiming legitimacy. He went to Russia in 1711 with Israel Ori to meet
Peter the Great, however Israel died in
Astrakhan and Esayi went back to Karabakh. Alexander's successor
Asdvadzadur of Armenia later took certain privileges of Esayi back to Armenian church in 1716, but returned these rights in 1719. == Work ==