ASOT I. — King of Armenia, first of the Bagratid dynasty (885–90), created by the Caliph Muḥammad al-Muʿtaḍid at the unanimous request of the Armenian princes. He greatly favored religious worship and supported the work of Catholicos ZAKARIA I in uniting the Armenian Church with the Byzantine Church, seeking harmony especially on matters concerning the Council of Chalcedon. To this end, he convened the Council of Siragavan (862), and Asot himself attended its sessions. He died while returning from Constantinople, where he had gone to strengthen a pact of friendship with the Greeks, leaving much of his wealth to the poor and to churches.
BIBL.: L. Alisán, *Asot I e l'Armenia prima del mille*, in *Pazmavèb* (Armenian review), year 1863; H. Thopdschian, *Politische und Kirchengeschichte Armeniens unter Asot I. und Sembat I.*, Berlin 1905; K. Aslan, *Etudes historiques sur le peuple arménien*, Paris 1928, pp. 293–304. Giacomo Ciantain