The Mongol arrival imposed the need for fast footwork. In 1251 and 1256, the prudent and multi-lingual Orbelian prince Smbat made arduous pilgrimages to Karakorum, armed with a splendid jewel and divine blessing, and persuaded Möngke Khan, son of Genghis, the Mongol ruler, to make Syunik and its churches a tax-exempt fiefdom under Mangu's (or at least his Christian mother's) direct patronage.
The Mongol arrival necessitated swift movement. In 1251 and 1256, the astute and multilingual Orbelian prince Smbat undertook arduous pilgrimages to Karakorum, armed with a magnificent jewel and divine blessing, and persuaded Möngke Khan, son of Genghis, the Mongol ruler, to grant Syunik and its churches tax exemption under Mangu's (or at least his Christian mother's) direct patronage.