Among these the most important was that of the Mamigonians, long celebrated in Armenian history, and at this time reckoned chief among the nobility.

The renegades sought to discredit this family with the Persians; and Vahan, son of Hemaiiag, its head, found himself compelled to visit, once and again, the court of Persia, in order to meet the charges of his enemies and counteract the effect of their calumnies.

Successful in vindicating himself, and received into high favor by Perozes, he allowed the sunshine of prosperity to extort from him what he had guarded firmly against all the blasts of persecution--to please his sovereign, he formally abjured the Christian faith, and professed himself a disciple of Zoroaster.

The triumph of the anti-Christian party seemed now secured; but exactly at this point a reaction set in.

Vahan became a prey to remorse, returned secretly to his old creed and longed for an opportunity of wiping out the shame of his apostasy by perilling his life for the Christian cause.