[1][2] In 1285/6, Stepanos's father Tarsayich Orbelian became the prince of Syunik and sent him to the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, where he was hosted at the court of King Levon III for three months.
[2][3] After an extended struggle with the rebellious clergy of Syunik, Stepanos was able to assert his authority over the prelacies of Tatev and Noravank and began the renovation of many ruined churches and monasteries in his diocese.
[1][2] Orbelian is known to have completed three works during his lifetime: the History of the Province of Syunik (Patmutʻiwn Nahangin Sisakan)[b] in 1297; the Lament on Behalf of the Cathedral (Voghb i dimatsʻ surb Katʻoghikēin), where he calls on the Armenians to repopulate historic Armenia, which was under Mongol rule at the time, in 1300; and the Argument Against Dyophysitism (Hakacharut'iun unndem yerkabnakats'), in 1302, a work criticizing the pro-Byzantine and Westernizing tendencies of Grigor VII Anavarzetsi of Cilicia.
[1] Before he began writing it, he conducted an extensive amount of research, utilizing a wide variety of sources derived from speeches, letters, colophons, previous histories and chronicles by Armenian historians, as well as works by Georgian authors.
[1][5] Like other Armenian historians and chroniclers, Orbelian's work briefly narrates the beginning of the world starting with Adam and Eve, but then moves on to tell Syunik's and Armenia's history, spanning from the time of king Tiridates I to the end of the thirteenth century.