Grigor I of Taron

Grigor I of Taron (Armenian: Գրիգոր; Greek: Κρικορίκιος/Γρηγόριος ὁ Ταρωνίτης, Krikorikios/Grēgorios ho Tarōnitēs) was an Armenian noble of the Bagratid family and ruler of the southern Armenian region of Taron from ca. 896/98 until his death in 923/36.

Grigor was a member of the Bagratid dynasty of Armenia. Of his father only the name is known, Derenik or T‘ornik, who was evidently the brother of Ashot I of Taron and son of Bagrat I of Taron.

After the death of his cousin, Gurgen I of Taron, ca. 896, Grigor became, probably with Arab support, prince of Taron (896/98). From the start he played a double game of diplomacy with the two great powers of the region, the Abbasid Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire, then ruled by Caliph al-Mu'tadid (r. 892–902) and Emperor Leo VI the Wise (r. 886–912) respectively. According to the De administrando imperio of the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959), he pledged his allegiance to Leo VI, exchanging precious gifts with him, while at the same time allowing the Caliph's armies to cross his lands to raid Byzantine territory and betraying Byzantine campaign plans to the Arabs. Leo sent repeated messages inviting him to visit Constantinople, but Gigor refused, citing the vulnerability of his domains to Arab attack in his absence. Grigor also fought against his nephews or cousins, the two "sons of Arkaikas"—"Arkaikas" has been identified with either Ashot II of Taron or his father David—and took them captive. King Smbat I of Armenia, who was also their uncle, pleaded with Leo to intercede so that they would not be delivered to the Arabs. Leo sent Sinoutes and Constantine Lips as envoys to Grigor. The embassy resulted in the visit of Grigor's bastard son, Ashot III, to Constantinople, followed at a later date by Grigor's brother Abu Ghanim and the "sons of Arkaikas". All the Armenian nobles received Byzantine titles and were then sent home.

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