History of Arménie

The Arménie is an area whose original Peuplement goes up with the prehistoric times. Its history thus spreads on several Millénaire S. the Armenian , after being fixed there, developed a Civilization original although located at the crossroads of large Empire S - Perse, Séleucide, Parthian, Roman, Sassanide, Byzantine, Arab, Turkish seldjoukide, Mongolian, Turkish Othoman, Séfévide, Russian - which will dispute its Territoire. Vis-a-vis the invasions, the Armenians always showed in their history a savage will to preserve to them Identité Nation ale. Even if them Culture were influenced by their neighbors in many fields (Musique, Cuisine, Littérature, Architecture, etc), the Armenians drew from a national version of the Christianisme enracinée in their Langue the force to overcome the worst tests, especially at the beginning of the 20th century with the Armenian genocide. The Armenian culture remains in République of Arménie but also a little everywhere in the world in the Armenian Diaspora.

Origins in Achéménides

The Armenian constitutes a branch isolated from the Indo-European group. If, in the majority of the languages, the word “Armenian” is used to designate these people, the Armenians themselves name “Hay” (in Armenian alphabet: “Հայ”, in the plural: “Hayer”, “Հայեր”), name which seems to come from the national hero éponyme Haïk. In addition, “Arménie” is written “Հայաստան” in Armenian, and decides “Hayastan”. According to the Armenian tradition, Haïk would be the son of Torgom, wire To gum, wire of Japhet, itself wire of Noah, and the Armenians would have populated the area with the foot of the Mont Ararat after the Déluge.

The word “Arménie” would come from the araméen. According to Elisee Recluse, the registered designation of Arménie, origin araméenne and probably meaning “highland”, is a term of vaguest, applied generally to all the area of the plates which the double-cone of Ararat covers.

Prehistory

The prehistory of Arménie lies within the broader scope of that of the Transcaucasie. Traces of human occupation to the Paléolithique were found. The beginnings of the neolithisation of -9500 with -6000 are obscure. Recent excavations revealed the existence of the culture of Kmlo (along the river Kasakh) characterized by tools of Obsidienne whose size is original. The Céramique is however absent. Ensuite is distinguished;:

cultures of Aratashen (plain of the Araxe close to Etchmiadzine) and of Shulaveri-Shomutepe (plain of the Koura of -6000 with -4000) whose ceramics is comparable with that of the North of the Mésopotamie of the time. Objects out of copper make their appearance (pearls of Aratashen).
the culture kouro-araxienne (of -4000 with -2200) which draws its name from the rivers Koura and Araxe, sometimes also called “old culture transcaucasienne”. This culture of the old Bronze Age is characterized by a black typical pottery glossed with a red interior. One practices the culture of cereals as well as the breeding and naturally the Métallurgie of bronze.
the culture of Trialeti (of -2200 with -1500) prolongs the culture kouro-araxienne. It draws its name from the site of Trialeti in Georgia. It is characterized by funerary Tumulus called Kourgane S and a advanced metallurgy. Two cuts, one out of money and the other out of gold, discovered in the tumulus of Karachamb in Arménie (beginning of thousand-year-old IIe front J.C.) and preserved at the Historical Museum of Arménie represent undeniable masterpieces of them.

Urartu

Arrival of the Armenians

The arrival of the Armenians is an extremely discussed question. In the absence of local sources, certain specialists, mainly Armenian, made a bringing together between Hay (the name of the Armenians in their own language) and the country of Hayasa (mentioned in the documents Hittites and which one generally locates in the north of the town of Erzurum), which would tend to accredit the thesis of the indigenous character of the Armenians. The majority of the authors defy this opinion, estimating that it is about a “fortuitous analogy” or thinking that it is “dangerous to too strongly insist on the similarities between the proper names and the geographical names”. The theory most usually advanced is that the Armenians would have belonged to the groups thraco - Phrygie NS passed in Anatolia towards -1200 at the time of the invasions of the Peuples of the sea. A branch proto-Armenian would have separated from the Phrygiens and moves towards the east until the Euphrate in the area of the current city of Malatya. The opinions diverge again;: so some think that the Armenians were one of the components of the kingdom of Urartu, the majority of the authors think that the proto-Armenians would have penetrated in the country with the hinge of VIIe and the Life front century J. - C., during the period which sees the weakening then collapse of Urartu. They cross Euphrate then and are based with Urartéens on which they impose their language. At this point in time appears the word Arménie in the trilingual inscription of Behistoun which reports the victories of the Persian king Darius. The version Akkadien does not speak about Ourachtou but the texts in Old man-Persan and élamite mention Arminia and khar-min-or-ia ^,. The Greek geographer Hécatée de Milet also speaks about Arminioi .

Period achéménide

With the Life front century J. - C., Arménie belongs to the Persian Empire Achéménides. The new kings begin a program from expansion which will reach its apogee later hundred years. A synopsis of their acquisitions is provided by the historian Strabon. Zariadris, king de Sophène, conquered Acilisène and the country around the Anti-Taurus. Artaxias, as for him, inaugurates the dynasty of Artaxiades and founds a Armenian kingdom hellenistic in -190. Its capital bears the name of Artaxata (“joy of Artaxias”). Artaxias is an ambitious monarch of international stature. It obtains territories of Mèdes for its assistance brought vis-a-vis Séleucides, it takes possession of the grounds of Albans and gains territory in Ibérie and Syria. Then, it runs up against the Pontus, Syria séleucide and the Cappadoce. It takes part in the consecutive treaty with the victory of a group of Anatolian kings over Pharnace of the Bridge in 181 av. J. - C, by which Pharnace yields the whole of its conquests to the west.

A new power appears then in Perse : the Parthes. The king Artavazde II is overcome by Mithridate II. Arménie becomes tributary of Parthes, must yield territories to them, and the son of Artavazd, Tigrane, is retained at the Parthian court. He will become under the name of Tigrane II, largest king d' Arménie. Its empire extends from the Caspian Sea with the the Mediterranean and corresponds to the maximum extension of Arménie. It conquers the North-West of the current Iran, the Palestine, the Syria and the Lebanon and founds a new capital, Tigranocerte.

Arménie is influenced by the world gréco-Roman in the fields of the policy, art, philosophy and the religion. The temple of Garni (-77) is an example.

At that time, with I er., the Armenian Polythéisme is abandoned with the profit of the Persian mazdeism, which brings closer the Armenian people to an assimilation to the remainder of the population. The expansion of Arménie towards the Mediterranean worries the Romains which declare the war to him. The Roman general Lucullus seizes his capital and Tigrane the Large one is obliged to give up the majority of its conquests and to be combined with Rome. It then continues to reign until its death in 55 av. J. - C. The son of Tigrane, Artavazde III, is sent in exile in Egypt where it is carried out.

After several transitory reigns, the kingdom of Arménie dies out in the year 1 and fall under Roman control.

Arsacides

Arménie enters the Romano-Byzantines and Sassanides

At the 3rd century, a new dynasty, the Sassanides, eliminates the Parthian dynasty from Arsacides in Iran. Sassanides found a religion of State, the mazdeism, and follow an aggressive foreign politics of restoration of the Persian empire achéménide. They are caught some quickly with the Armenian branch of Arsacides. Arménie is conquered by Persians in 252 - 253. A young prince arsacide, Tiridate (which converts later with Christianity), takes refuge near the Romans. The Roman Empire, in full crisis, is able to intervene only under Dioclétien : Sassanides are then obliged to conclude with the Romans the treaty from Nisibe (298), very désavantageux for them, and Tiridate finds its throne.

Following the division of Arménie between the Roman Empire and Sassanides (387), Arménie Western becomes the minor province of Arménie whereas Arménie Eastern residence a kingdom under Persian influence. Entered the orbit of the Persian mazdeism, this part of the country is threatened of cultural destruction.

It is however at that time that, thanks to creation by the monk Mesrob Machtots of a Armenian alphabet composed of thirty-six letters, the Armenians can do without the Greek and Syriaque in the religious field (the Bible is translated into Armenian) and of the Persan in the administrative domain. This original alphabet, always of use today, constitutes a powerful element of cohesion for the Armenians vis-a-vis all the foreign occupations.

* List of the kings from 428 to 646 (Marzpanat and princes d' Arménie)

In 428, Nakhararq revolt against the last one representing dynasty arsacide and Sassanides benefits from it to annex the kingdom which from now on is controlled by a Persian satrap (called marzpan or marzban from which one formed the word “marzpanat” which indicates this period). The king Yazdgard II (438 - 457) and its successors try to convert of force the Armenians to the mazdeism but without success. One of the most known episodes of the Armenian fight for their religion opposes the nakhararq Vardan Mamikonian and them his to the Persian army at the time of the battle of Avaraïr (451). Although this battle is a defeat for the Armenians, they still regard it as a symbol of their resistance. Indeed, if this day is a true military disaster, it imposes on the other hand a certainty on the eyes of Perses : inextinguishable attachment from now on of the Armenian people to Christianity.

In addition, the Armenian Church does not want to yield with the decisions of the Concile of Chalcédoine (council of Dvin in 553) and its chief takes the title of “Catholicos” (506).

The country remains a stake between the Byzantine Empire and the Persian empire until the Arab conquest . In 591, the warlike emperor Maurice beats Persians and reincorporates most of Arménie in the Byzantine empire. He follows a policy of displacements of population of Arménie towards other areas of the empire. After the total victory of the emperor Héraclius over Persians in 629, all Arménie is found in the Byzantine bosom.

The 5th century is the golden age of the Historiographie arménienne : Moïse of Khorène writes its famous Histoire of Arménie , mixture of history and legends, and Agathange written to him also a Histoire of Arménie .

Arménie medieval

Vicissitudes of Large Arménie

A few years after the beginning of the Arab conquests, Arménie becomes tributary of the Califat (653). It preserves a certain political autonomy and religious and is directed by “prince d' Arménie” ( ichkhan ), resulting from the family of Bagratouni or Mamikonian. At the end of the 7th century, the Arabs set up an administration directe : the country is directed by an Arab governor installed with Dvin. The first Arab emirates in Arménie are founded at the 9th century. The princely family of Mamikonian is erased with the profit of Bagratouni and Artsrouni which benefit from the indiscipline of the Arab emirs to obtain favors of the caliph and to return to the system of the ichkhan .

At the 9th century, Achot Ier of the family of Bagratouni, founder of the dynasty of Bagratides, obtains Abbassides the title of “prince of the princes” (862). In 885, he is recognized king d' Arménie at the same time by Byzance and the caliphate. After his death, his/her son Sembat I {{er}} becomes king d' Arménie (890).

Its reign is a long fight against Nakhararqs. The emir of Azerbaïdjan, Youssouf, is combined with the one those, Gagik Artsrouni, prince of Vaspourakan. Sembat is made prisoner and carried out after being tortured. This murder links the Armenian princes around his son Achot II (913 - 928). One of its successors, Achot III (952 - 977) transfers the capital to Ani, the “city of the thousand and one churches”. The ruins of this city (located in current the Turkey) still testify to the splendor of the dynasty to the Bagratide S at the 10th century and the strong influence which it had on the neighbouring states.

At the end of the 12th century, the queen géorgienne Tamar, downward from a branch of Bagratouni, benefits from the weakening of the Seldjoukides to take again Ani to them which shines of a last glare. Several members of the Armenian nobility adopt Géorgiens, releasing Arménie of North illumination was also a very important activity. Arménie is artistically heiress of many civilizations: Byzance, Anatolia for example. 10th at the 14th century, the sculpture develops with Katchkars (" Խաչքար " in Armenian, " means; stone-croix"), which is a stone of engraved commemoration, that one typically finds in Arménie. The art of this country played a paramount role in Christian Eastern art. At that time develops also Armenian, existing poetry since the 5th century: Gregoire de Narek is one of the principal representatives, with Nersês Lambronatsi, or Gregoire Magistros. The majority of these poets were of the monks.

Kingdom of Small-Arménie

See also: List of the princes then kings of Small-Arménie, Kingdom of Small-Arménie

As from the 11th century, good number of Armenians emigrate in Cilicie (area located at the south-east of the Anatolia) that they reconquer on the Moslems on behalf of the Byzantines. At the end of the 11th century, the Philarète Armenian controls Cilicie, Antioche and Édesse but succumbs under the blows of Seldjoukides. It one is finally named Rouben, cut off in the mountains from the Taurus, which is at the origin of a durable Armenian State between the Anti-Taurus and the Amanus. Thus, of 1080 with 1375, the center of gravity of Armenian civilization moves towards the Small-Arménie principality roubénide of which becomes a new national hearth, the capital of the kingdom cilician. During XIIIe and XIVe centuries, the influence of the Roman Church increases in Cilicie. The Armenians are divided into pro and anti-Latin, i.e. between partisans and adversaries of the Union with Rome. In XIIIe century, the Catholic church shows relatively respectful Armenian rites but in XIVe century, the concessions made with papacy irritate Armenians more and more, especially the clergy of Large-Arménie remained more with the variation of the Western influences. The drafting of a list of “117 Armenian errors” under the pontificate of Benoît XII in particular contributes to increase the hostility of many Armenians with regard to the Church of Rome. In 1441, after the disappearance of the Kingdom of Small-Arménie, a catholicossat is restored with Etchmiadzine into Large-Arménie, that of Located being tiny room to a local jurisdiction. Armenian sovereignty in Cilicie hard until in 1375 when the Egyptian Mamelouks benefit from the situation to destroy the last Christian core of the area. The last king of the kingdom, Leon V of Lusignan, is overcome and made captive by the invaders.

The Armenian Diaspora develops Europe with the the Far East. The Armenians of the diaspora are financial or are delivered to the international business. The Armenian merchants of the News-Djoulfa, which one calls the “khodjas”, form a company which trades with the Orient. Towards the west, Colbert makes it possible the Armenians to trade with Marseilles in 1669 runs up against the hostility and the annoyances of the Armenian patriarch of Constantinople.

Starting from the end of the 17th century, the reverses of the Ottoman Empire make emerge into Large-Arménie from the hopes of independence. The Armenians base these hopes on an intervention of the European powers. In 1678, the catholicos of Etchmiadzine decides to send a Armenian delegation in Occident. She addresses to Louis XIV but without success. The mélik of the Karabagh, which counts on the support of the Russians, launches out in a revolt against the Shah of Persia (1722 - 1730) but this one is crushed.

Arménie between Othomans and Russians, premises of the genocide

Starting from the end of the 18th century, the Russian conquer the the Caucasus and are posed as liberators Christian people. 1813 with 1829, they seize Persian Arménie. By the Treated of Turkmanchai, Persia yields to Russia the khanats Erevan and of Nakhitchevan. Russia now has a border with Arménie Othoman. The dream of reconstitution of a Armenian State is quickly disappointed. A “oblast” (province) Armenian is well created in the conquered territories but it disappears in 1840 at the time of the reorganization of the Transcaucasie in governorships. One witnesses a double mouvement in addition;: emigration of Armenians towards the Russian territory and immigration of Moslems coming from the provinces lost by the Ottoman Empire or from the Caucasus.

At the beginning of the 18th century, there exists an aristocracy of administrators and contractors Armenian (“will amiras”) who play a great part in the Othoman State. This elite, which controls the election of the Armenian patriarch of Constantinople by paying the “decree” of nomination, causes the irritation of the remainder of the community. Between 1820 and 1836 take place several riots to obtain the democratization of the management of the “millet”. To stop the decline of the empire, the Othoman sultans agree to launch out in a policy of reforms and opening to the Occident (“Tanzimat”, preached by intellectuals and officers initiated with the humanistic ideas come from “the Spirit of the Lights”, very present in Constantinople then multicultural and already in process of Europeanization). Thus, the hatt-i sherif (imperial charter) of Gülhane guarantees on all the subjects empire the equal rights, without reference of race or religion. But these concessions are concretized only partially and only within the framework communautarist of the “millets”: they will contribute to the rise of the national feelings, reviving the hopes of independence more, that those of a real equality.

Two material changes affect the community arménienne : the creation of a catholic millet which gathers all the roman catholics of Eastern rites (1830) as well as the creation of a millet protesting (1850) in which one finds Armenians. In addition, the Armenian middle-class is touched by the nationalist and democratic ideas which agitate the Europe. In 1863 is adopted a “constitution”, the Armenian organic Règlement , which equips the Armenian community elected representatives. The decline of the Ottoman Empire continues and the mistrust of the Musulman S with regard to the Christian minorities increases. In 1877, Russia declares the war with the Ottoman Empire. During military operations, Armenian civilians are massacred by Kurdish whose surface of nomadisation moved towards north at the 19th century. The Armenian question is mentioned at the time of the Traité of San Stefano (1878), revised by the Congrès of Berlin. The interference of the European powers causes the irritation of the Abdülhamid sultan without however really protecting the Armenian populations.

Disappointed, the Armenians found two parties révolutionnaires : the Hentchak (“the bell”), of socialist tendency, in 1887 and the Dachnak (Armenian revolutionary Federation) in 1890. Their Western agitation in Arménie and also elsewhere in the empire starts a wild repression organized by the sultan Abdülhamid II : from two hundreds to three hundred and thousand Armenians are massacred of 1894 with 1896 without the European powers, whose public opinion is however favorable to the Armenians, not intervening. These massacres are called “massacres hamidiens” in reference to the Abdülhamid sultan.

If the revolution of the Young person-Turks against the sultan Abdülhamid (1908) is initially well accommodated by the Armenians, the birth of a Turkish nationalism can only worsen the situation of the Armenians considered from now on an alien element and in 1909, 30 000 Armenians are massacred in the area of Adana.

The genocide of 1915-1916

During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire is found with dimensions Germany and Empire Austro-Hungarian against the France, the the United Kingdom and their Russian ally . Arménie is again a field of Bataille. Armenians are found in the two camps. The Othoman government benefits from the war to get rid of any foreign control in the Armenian question. The Turkish defeats vis-a-vis the Russians exacerbate the resentment against the Armenian .

Mû by a nationalist movement extremely, the Othoman government " Youths-Turcs" wished to create a state touranien, gathering all the people considered as Turkish, of Turkey in the Central Asia. The obstacle major with this unification was the Armenians. In January 1915, the Othoman government takes the first measurements against them, namely disarmament then the execution of all the Armenian soldiers in the Turkish army. It continues by the massacre of the elites and deportation of the remainder of the Population under pretext of move away them from the theater of the operations. The genocide begins really the April 24th 1915 with the arrest and the deportation of 650 intellectuals and notable Armenian with Constantinople. This date is used for the commemoration of the genocide in the world.

Starting from this date, the adults of male sex are assassinated. The old men, the women and children are off-set under bad conditions towards camps located in the desert of Syria where they are dedicated to a death quasi some. The Imam S in the mosques authorize the Moslems to massacre the Armenians. Sometimes, the deportation is done in the train in cattle trucks. The camp of Deir be-Zor is sadly famous. Many international observers sent - Swedish, French, American and others - testify to horrors, people between the life and death . Much body was carted by Euphrate. However, there was sometimes a strong resistance on behalf of the Armenians as to Musa Dagh. These Massacre S, which makes indignant even the German allies of the Ottoman Empire, makes 800 000 (figures of the ministry for the Turkish Interior in 1919) with 1 500 000 dead. The estimate most often met is of more than 1 000 000 (1 200.000 victims). Although the concept of genocide dates only from the following days from the Second world war, it will be retained for the massacres of 1915 - 1916 by various countries like by the European Parliament (1987).

This genocide is denied officially by the Turkish government .

The first Republic

The Soviet mode

Arménie is the smallest republic of the the USSR, extending on 29 800 square kilometers. The towns of Kars and Ardahan were returned to the Turkey. Nakhitchevan and Haut-Karabagh became the property of the Azerbaïdjan which is it also Soviet and the Georgia took again the provinces of Alkhalkalak and Akhaltskha. Soviet Arménie, right from the start, is marked by the repression of nationalism. Less than two months after its “sovietization”, Arménie revolts and restores a government dachnak (March 8th with the April 2nd 1921). But the Russians return to Erevan and Dachnaks must take refuge in Perse.

In 1922, Arménie is integrated into the Federation of the Republics transcaucasiennes and then into the federative socialist Republic of Transcaucasia, the USSR requires officially, the October 24th 1947, with the platform of UNO, the return of Kars and Ardahan for Arménie. Stalinist terror prevails in Arménie as in all URSS : collectivization and purgings (in Arménie one is accused of “dachnakism”). One of the tragedies of the Stalinist time is the return to the country, with the invitation of the Soviet government, of a hundred thousands of Armenians of the diaspora. Many will finish in Gulag. Approximately 80 000 of them will end up being authorized to leave the country again.]]

The economy of Arménie develops after the death of Joseph Stalin. Supported by the very good sunning of the mountainous sides, the orchards are shown a profit and the production of Blé, of Betterave, Tabac and Coton grows appreciably. But industry, since the beginning of the Years 1960, gives to Arménie a more modern face. The principal effort initially related to hydroelectric installation and the raw material extraction (Cuivre, Aluminum, Plomb, Marbre). Since the medium of the Years 1970, the Chemistry and the Nucléaire settled in their turn, so much so that, among the seven most polluted cities of the USSR, five are arméniennes : Erevan the capital, Alaverdi, Kirovakan, Kapan and Katcharan.

In addition, the nationalist movement was never resigned. On the contrary, it re-appears from time to time with strength. The requests for emigration are the first sign. Between 1956 and 1972, twenty-eight thousand Armenians left the USSR, twelve thousand for the only years 1979 - 1980 and five thousand in 1987. After the Jews, it is the most important national quota to flee the USSR, primarily for the the United States. The lack of freedom, the refusal to take into account the national claims and the economic difficulties are the leading causes of these migrations, either towards the outside of the borders of the USSR, or worms of other Soviet republics.

The April 24th 1965, at the time of the celebrations of the fiftieth birthday of the genocide, of tens of thousands of people ravelled in the streets of Erevan, overflowing the service of order and asserting the Armenian territories occupied by Turkey. One curled the diplomatic incident turco-Soviet and Moscow had to proceed to rehandlings within the direction of the republic of Arménie. Two years later, Erevan builds its memorial in remembering the genocide. In 1966 and for the first time in the USSR since the liquidation of the left opposition, a clandestine party is fondé : the Party of the national unit. The majority of its militants were stopped, certain died in the Gulag and three were shot with Moscow in 1979. The survivors, who profited from the liberalization of the mode since 1986, founded in 1987 the Union for national self-determination (UAN). The fastening of Karabagh to the Arménie seems very perilous. However, the Supreme Soviet of Arménie wants and votes the fastening of the Haut-Karabagh towards the June 15th 1988. Many Armenians strike, for example in Stepanakert and Erevan, to support this vote. The Azeri , on their side, express against the Armenian claims. A new pogrom takes place in the town of Kirovapat. The confrontations involve many shifts in population, as well of Armenians fleeing Azerbaïdjan as of Azeris fleeing Arménie.

The December 7th 1988, terrible a earthquake devastation Arménie, causing the death of thirty thousand people. The epicentre of the seism is located in the area of Gyumri.

A “committee of Karabagh”, to which belonged Levon Ter-Petrossian, incarnates the national aspirations in spite of the attempts at Gorbatchev to take again the situation in hand. Before even the Coup d'etat against Gorbatchev, Arménie declares his sovereignty with respect to the Soviet Union the August 23rd 1990. Ter-Petrossian founds a political party, the Armenian National movement, which gains the elections of 1990. The new Parliament takes series of measure which are equivalent to a “desovietisation” in fact of Arménie.

The third Republic

The Coup d'etat against Gorbatchev in August 1991 involved the collapse of the the USSR. The large majority of the Armenians will declare in favor of independence the September 21st 1991. The October 16th, Levon Ter-Petrossian becomes officially the first president of the republic of Arménie (“Hayastani Hanrapetout' youn”, in Armenian “ՀայաստանիՀանրապետություն”). The December 21st according to, Arménie joined the Communauté of the independent States. Following these events, the economic conditions are unfavourable even déplorables : the country recovers very with difficulty from the earthquake of 1988 which because of many damage and suffers from the economic blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaïdjan following the conflict from Haut-Karabagh.

War of Haut-Karabagh

Appendices

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