Chronicle of Sembat Sources

Der Nersessian (1959::143) notes that Chronicle of Sembat is one of the principal Armenian sources for the history of the Crusades. Der Nersessian (1959:143) reports that the section of it which extends from the year 951 to 1162 follows mainly the History of Matthew of Edessa and of his continuator Gregory the Priest, occasionally including information derived from other sources. For events of the 13th century, it is particularly important since it was written by a man [Sempad] who had direct access to the official documents and who, moreover, played a major role in many of the events he related (Der Nersessian, 1959:143). Der Nersessian (1959::143) adds that an anonymous writer continued the Chronicle down to the year 1331.

Wikipedia reports that Sembat worked from older Armenian, Syriac, Christian, and possibly Byzantine sources, as well as from his own observations.