Sumbat, Laws of

the law code of Sumbat Sparapet (1208–76), an Armenian military commander, diplomat, and jurist. The code dates from 1265. The sources for the Laws of Sumbat were the Code of Mkhitar Gosh and old Armenian law. The Laws of Sumbat contain the norms of state, civil, commercial, canon, and criminal law. In contrast to the code of Mkhitar Gosh, Sumbat’s code introduced cruel punishments, such as burning and stoning, for purposes of intimidation.