"King Sarduri II (reigned 764–735 B.C.) of Van (Armenian Kingdom)...

02:11:00 23.08.2025

"King Sarduri II (reigned 764–735 B.C.) of Van (Armenian Kingdom) was the son, co-ruler, and successor of Argishti I. In the inscriptions, Sarduri II is glorified with titles such as “Great King,” “Mighty King,” “King of the Universe,” “King of the Land of Biainili" (another name for the Armenian Kingdom, also sometimes called "Urartu" in Assyrian sources), and “King of Kings.” During his reign, the borders of the Van kingdom briefly stretched to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. One inscription records that Sarduri II conquered 23 cities in a single day. It is believed that this Sarduri fell victim to a palace coup. He was buried in the royal tomb at the Musasir Temple.

One of the lords of the land of Biainili, whose territory bordered Assyria, sold his lands to King Tiglath-Pileser II, took whatever he could carry, and settled in Hellas—Greece. Learning of this, King Sarduri II mustered an army and, through an assault, reclaimed the lord’s sold territories for his kingdom. He then hired spies and sent them after the lord.

'My lord king,' said the royal counselors, 'is it worth spending so much wealth to punish one lord?'

'If he had only betrayed me,' replied Sarduri II, 'perhaps I would not have issued such a harsh decree, but I will not forgive—cannot forgive—one who sells his homeland to the enemy. Such a person must be pursued to the ends of the earth and put to a cruel death. Those who sell their homeland are not forgiven, my lords…"

— From Hayk Khachatryan’s "Chronicle of Kings" book

The future Armenian national state, like Sarduri II, must relentlessly pursue all the November criminals who sold out Artsakh—betraying our army and our state, and dishonoring the sacred sacrifices of our freedom fighters. Their punishment must serve as a lesson to all traitors, that such deeds can never go unpunished. They will never escape the future judgment of history…