Sadun was a great-grandson of Amir K'urd (
Abulasan), governor of
Tbilisi during Queen
Tamar's reign in Georgia. In 1258, Sadun won a wrestling match in front of the Mongol ruler
Hulegu Khan, who gave him the title of
Tarkhan. Sadun then accompanied Hulegu in his military campaigns in
Syria in 1259, in the conquest of
Sasun, and in the capture of the citadel of
Aleppo. He was then awarded the district of Sasun from Hulegu. , 1273. Throughout the 13th century, the high offices
Atabeg (Governor General) and
Amirspasalar (Commander-in-Chief of the Georgian army) had been held by the
Zakarids, but following the
Mongol invasions of Georgia the Mongol victors gave these offices to the "renegade"
Sadun of Mankaberd in 1272. When
Abaqa became the new Mongol ruler, Sadun received from him the title of
Atabeg Amirspasalar for the Georgian
Bagratid Kingdom. He was said to be close to the Mongols, and had been promoted by them: "Sadun Artsruni was appointed as atabeg of Georgia by Abaqa Khan". Sadun was also awarded control of the royal domains of
Telavi,
Belakani and
Kars, and acquired
Dmanisi from
Demetrius II. His estate in Georgian Armenia was next to that of the
Zakarids. , son of Sadun Artsruni. Church of the Holy Sign.
Haghpat Monastery, southern wall. Late 13th century. The rise of Sadun exemplifies the way the Mongol maintained control over the Georgian territory, by maintaining the original kingship within the original Bagratid family, through the offices of the
atabegi and the
amir-spasarali, given to those who were collaborating with them. He was an acquaintance of
Shams al-Din Juvayni, a
vizier in the service of the Mongols, and organized his marriage with
Khoshak, daughter of
Avag Zakarian, whom he had had under his supervision. Sadun married the daughter of
Xoja Aziz, a powerful Persian official active in the administration of Georgia. Sadun died in 1282, and his title of
Amirspasalar was transmitted to his son
Khutlubuga. However,
Demetrius II of Georgia blocked Sadun's son Khutlubuga from getting the office of
atabeg, and instead promoted Tarsaich Orbelian of the
Orbelians. ==References==