He is usually regarded by modern scholars as an Armenian on account of his first name (a Hellenized form of Vardan), whilst his sobriquet "Tourkos", which was bestowed upon him, probably disparagingly, only after his revolt, could suggest a Khazar origin.
Vardan or Vartan are both common given names for Armenian males, the female version is Vardanoush or Vartanoush.
Vardan | Vardan Hovhannisyan | Vardan Areveltsi | Vardan Ajemian | Vardan Kushnir | Vardan Ayvazyan | Tigran Vardan Martirosyan |
Early in 572, the Armenians under Vardan II Mamikonian defeated the Persian governor of Armenia and captured his headquarters at Dvin; the Persians soon retook the city but shortly afterwards it was captured again by combined Armenian and Byzantine forces and direct hostilities between Byzantines and Persians began.
Lindeman has translated Sagaen om Cú Chulainns sykeleie og Emers skinnsyke from Old Irish and Vardan og armenernes krig from Old Armenian for Thorleif Dahls kulturbibliotek.
He will sing the song "Lonely Planet", written by legendary Tony Iommi, the English guitarist and songwriter, a founder member of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath and Armenian lyricist Vardan Zadoyan.
A reference to the aristocratic plot against Demetrius on behalf of Vakhtang is found in the contemporaneous Armenian chronicle by Vardan although the author does not directly names the rebellious prince.
In 1186 or 1187 Vardan fought with distinction in the victorious campaign against the Ildenizid state in Arran, masterminded by Asat Grigolisdze, lord of Gishi, during which the Georgians raided Beylagan and the Araxes plain.