There is a great deal of interest in the history of Armenia since its renewed independence in the 1990s and the ongoing debate about the genocide - an interest that informs the strong desire of a new generation of Armenian Americans to learn more about their heritage and has led to greater solidarity in the community. By integrating themes such as war, geopolitics, and great leaders with the less familiar cultural themes and personal stories, this book will appeal to general readers and travellers interested in the region.

PART I: Origins and Formation * Dynasties and the Geopolitics of Empire: The Ervanduni and the Artashesian Dynasties * Culture, Language, and Wars of Religion: Kings, Marzpans, Ostikans * PART II: Transformation and Transplantation * The Bagratuni Kingdom and Disintegration * The Kilikian Kingdom, the Crusades, and the Invasions from the East * PART III: Sultans, Tsars, and Tyrants * Armenia under Ottoman and Russian Rule * The Armenian Genocide * PART IV: Perils of Modernization and Globalization * The Republic of Armenia: The First Republic * The Leninist-Stalinist Legacy: Seventy Years of Soviet Rule * Independence and Democracy: The Second Republic

Simon Payaslian is Kaloosdian/Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies and Modern Armenian History, Clark University. He lives in Worcester, Massachusetts.