LOUISE NALBANDIAN REVOLUTIONARY OVEMENT The Development of Armenian Political Parties through the Nineteenth Century THE ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT: The Development of Armenian Political Parties through the Nineteenth Century BY LOUISE NALBANDIAN This is the first comprehensive work in English dealing with the nineteenth- century Armenian revolutionary move- ment and the subsequent rise of Ar- menian political parties. It covers in detail the history of the Armenian rev- olutionists' armed struggle against the government of the Ottoman Turks be- ginning with the first major uprising in 1862 and extending to the culmina- tion of the Turkish Armenian massa- cres in 1896. Incredibly daring yet loosely organ- ized and sporadic uprisings directed by small secret societies characterized the early stage of Armenian political conciousness. But in 1885 the first Ar- menian political party, the Armena- kan, was founded in Turkish Armenia, signaling the beginning of political maturity. Thereafter the leadership of the Armenian revolutionary forces passed into the hands of organized political parties; the Armenakan, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, and the Hunchakian Revolutionary Party. These same parties, with some changes, continue to remain active to this very day. Miss Nalbandian analyzes the ac- tions of the revolutionists within the framework of the political and intel- lectual history of the Armenians and endeavors to clarify the sources, ob- jectives, and accomplishments of the Copyrighted material The Armenian Revolutionary Movement PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE NEAR EASTERN CENTER UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES This One K9ZA-JBF-YQKY THE ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT The Development of Armenian Political Parties through the Nineteenth Century LOUISE NALBANDIAN UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley, Los Angeles, London Copyrighted material University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California University of California Press, Ltd., London, England © 1963 by The Regents of the University of California Third Printing, 1975 ISBN: 0-520-00914-2 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 63-13806 Printed in the United States of America Designed by Marian Jackson Skinner In Memory of My Parents Ziazan Hinaekian of Erzingan Boghos Mugerditch Nalbandian of Sinamoud-Kharput Preface The need for a more comprehensive work in English dealing with the revolutionary activities among the Ar- menians during the nineteenth century has led to the writing of this book. I have endeavored to clarify the origins, objectives, activities, and achievements of the Armenian political parties that arose during the last half of the nineteenth century. These developments are shown in relation to similar national revolutionary forces that were already at work in Western Europe, Russia, and the Balkans. This study covers in detail the armed struggle of the Armenian revolutionists against the Ottoman government, beginning with the first major disturbance in 1862 and extending to 1896. The latter year terminates this work for three major reasons. The year 1896 marked a national crisis in Armenian history by reason of the massacres of Armenians by the Turks; also, a definite shift took place within the ranks of the political organizations; and, finally, there was a reevaluation by outside forces of what could or should be done in regard to the revolutionary move- ment in Armenia. Small secret societies directed these uprisings from 1862 to 1885. In the latter year a maturity of political thought was evidenced by the formation of the first political party; and thereafter organized political parties assumed leader- ship of the Armenian revolutionary forces. These physical manifestations of revolution are narrated and analyzed within a framework of the political and intellectual his- tory of the Armenians in chapters i and ii. The year 1896 does not, of course, end the activities viii Preface of Armenian political parties. These same parties, with some changes, continue as active organizations to this very day. Accordingly, this study may be considered the first part of the history of modern Armenian political parties. The source material for this work has been obtained mainly from private collections in the Near East, Europe, and the United States. The most important private collec- tions utilized are those of the late Paul Julian, Fresno, California, and of Mr. Albert Nalbandian and Mr. Harry M. Tashinian, both resident in San Francisco, California. I am particularly indebted to the Libraries of the Ar- menian Mekhitharist Monasteries at Vienna and Venice; the Armenian Cultural Foundation in Boston; the Collec- tions at the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in Bos- ton; and the Hoover Institution and Library on War, Revolution, and Peace, at Stanford University, Stanford, California. I am grateful for the pertinent suggestions and counsel of Harlan J. Swanson, the late Professor John Mills Mc- Clelland, Dr. A. O. Sarkissian, and Dr. Michael O'H. La- vin. At the Hoover Institution generous assistance was given by Mrs. Marina Stragus Tinkoff and Dr. Enver Ziya Karal. I am also indebted to Professor Gustave E. von Grunebaum for his assistance in arranging for the publi- cation of the work, and to Mr. Robert Y. Zachary for his editorial suggestions and personal attention to the text. In addition to the sources mentioned above, I have had the inestimable advantage of conferring both per- sonally and by letter with numerous Armenians, both abroad and in the United States, who were involved in the revolutionary and political activities narrated in these pages. These include the former Prime Minister of the Armenian Republic, Mr. Simon Vratzian of Beirut, Leba- non, the late Archbishop Tirayre Der Hovhanisian, and the late Mushegh Seropian, former Archbishop of Cilicia. I have also had the fortunate opportunity of obtaining Copyrighted material Preface ix first-hand knowledge of the organizations dealt with in this study by attending meetings and functions sponsored by various Armenian political parties in the Near East, Eu- rope, and the United States. Louise Nalbandian Copyrighted material Contents I An Outline of Armenia's Struggle for Freedom 1 II The Ideological Background and Sources of the Armenian National Awakening 30 III Revolutionary Activity in Turkish Armenia, 1860-1885 67 IV The Armenakan Party, 1885-1896 90 V The Hunchakian Revolutionary Party, 1887-1896 104 VI Revolutionary Activities among the Armenians of Russia, 1868-1890 132 VII The Armenian Revolutionary Federation or Dashnaktsuthiun, 1890-1896 151 VIII Conclusion 179 Notes 187 Bibliography 221 Index 237 I An Outline of Armenia's Struggle for Freedom The Armenian Revolutionary Movement of the nineteenth century was the expression of a new national- ism, which embodied a fervent desire for individual free- dom and political rights. At first the movement was only the inspired and inspiring response of a few patriotic in- dividuals to those ideals. Through the stirring message of that handful of men, the Armenian people awoke from years of lethargy. First small groups, then organizations, and finally political parties came into existence to create from those ideals a social reality. Before proceeding to the political and intellectual his- tory of the nineteenth century, it is necessary to trace the historical development of the Armenian nation. The re- mote past reveals the deep roots which in later centuries helped the Armenian political parties to stand spiritually firm and strong. More than twenty-five centuries of cultural heritage, national consciousness, and political vicissitudes are woven into the revolutionary carpet on which stands the patriot of modern times. Let us briefly examine this Copyrighled material 2 Armenia's Struggle for Freedom Armenian "carpet" and outline the struggles for freedom which it displays. GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL ARMENIA Geographically, Armenia covers roughly that area of Western Asia which includes the highest and most rugged mountain ranges. On the north, the region is bounded by the Pontus and is separated from the Caucasus by the Kur and Rioni rivers. On the south, Armenia extends to the plain of northwestern Mesopotamia. On the west, the re- gion is bounded by Asia Minor and on the east by the plateau of Azerbaijan and the southern extension of the Caspian Sea. Thus, the geographical area includes the ter- ritory situated 47i/ between longitudes 37 and 2 degrees East and latitudes 37 and 41 1/2 degrees North. It is a natu- ral geographic unit comprised of roughly 120,000 square miles. 1 The mountain ranges of the Armenian Plateau act as fortresses and are the source of numerous rivers, notably the Tigris and the Euphrates. The land of the Armenians, 2 which locally is called Hayastan, is often identified by patriotic natives with the Garden of Eden. And according to Genesis 8:4, Noah's Ark landed "upon the mountains of Ararat." Mount Ararat is of singular importance to the Armenians. It marks the epicenter of their country and it is also at the present time a symbol of their national aspira- tions; for it is a fact that only in one period of Armenian history has the whole region been a united kingdom under a single ruler—in the first century B.C., under Tigranes the Great. Historically, the country was divided into three distinct areas: Armenia Major (Greater Armenia), Armenia Minor (Lesser Armenia), and New Armenia (Armeno-Cilicia or Sissouan). Armenia Major and Armenia Minor date from ancient times, and were considered two separate states by Copyrighted material Armenia's Struggle for Freedom 3 the writers of the ancient world. Armenia Major was the largest of the three areas. It consisted of fifteen provinces, among which the most important were Sophene, Upper Armenia, Perso-Armenia, Vaspurakan (Van), Sunik, Kara- bagh, and Ararat with its historic cities of Armavir, Ar- taxata, Etchmiadzin, Ani, and Erivan. Armenia Minor was the region west of Armenia Major, south of the kingdom of the Pontus, and north of Cappadocia. After the period of Alexander the Great, Armenia Major and Armenia Minor were often considered to be one region.