FOREIGN RULE AND THE
NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT

...We now come upon a truly Great Man, who embodies an entire [18th] Century...
It can truly be said that within the context of the History of our intellectual
development, the entire Century during which he dispensed the Light and Enlightenment
can be called a Mekhitarian Century...The great Academy of Sciences he founded
operates to this day according to his plan and covenants...'
-- LEO

YAKOB MEŁAPART. PUBLISHED PRINTED ARMENIAN
BOOKS IN VENICE IN 1512. THE SEAL USED ON THE BOOKS
PUBLISHED BETWEEN 1512-1513 HAD THE DOUBLE SQUARE
[ONE WITHIN THE OTHER] AND THE DOUBLE-BAR CROSS
[LOWER BAR ENCIRCLED FORMING THE ALCHEMICAL CROSS]
WITH THE INITIALS D. I. Z. A.: DEI SERVUS - IAKOBUS - ZANNI  ARMENIUS.
[SEE BELOW]

SECTION OF ĒRIVAN IN 1631. SKETCH BY JEAN-BAPTISTE TAVERNIER.
 

Written by Gevork Nazaryan

Beginning from the XIth century, waves of nomadic Turkic tribes from Central Asia began destructive raids into Armenian Plateau -- Caucasus -- Near East. The savage nature and the led lifestyle showed little care of human lives and human civilization. Armenian villagers were killed, raped and taken as captives -- cities, towns and villages were looted and obliterated. The Turkic tribes lived off of the seized bread of other peoples. Large migrations took place out of Greater Armenia to other places, to Europe and beyond.

'DIE STADT ERIUAN. - ERIVAN.' COPPER ENGRAVING, HAND COLORED IN
OUTLINE AND WASH. THE 1684 MAP [PUBLISHED IN FRANKFURT IN 1719]
BY ALLAIN MANESSON MALLET SHOWS ERIVAN IN BIRD'S EYE VIEW
WITH THE HOLY TWIN MOUNTAIN WITH MANKIND'S ARK OF SALVATION.

THE FLAG OF THE ARMENIAN MERCHANT NAVY WITH THE
RED-YELLOW-RED FLAG WITH THE SUPERIMPOSED LAMB OF
GOD HOLDING A WHITE FLAG WITH A RED CROSS.

THE ARMENIAN MERCHANT NAVY DOMINATED MUCH OF THE EAST INDIES
THROUGHOUT THE XVI-XVIIITH CENTURIES. ABOVE IS AN ENGRAVING OF ARMENIAN
MERCHANT SHIPS OF THE XVIITH CENTURY WITH THE RED-YELLOW-RED BANNERS
FLOWN AT THE MASTS. ARMENIAN MERCHANTS HELD VIRTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
RIGHTS FOR TRADE AND COMMERCE THROUGHOUT THE EAST WELL INTO THE
XVIIITH CENTURY.

THE MAP OF THE EAST JULFAN ARMENIAN TRADE NETWORK AND SETTLEMENTS
IN THE EARLY MODERN INDIAN OCEAN WORLD BY SIMON WRIGHT. VIRTUALLY
AN IDENTICAL NETWORK OF VIBRANT ARMENIAN TRADE AND COMMERCE
THAT GAVE A GREAT IMPETUS TO SOCIAL LIFE AND CIVILIZATION WAS
ALSO THRIVING IN THE WEST - THROUGHOUT EUROPE AND BEYOND.

Many Armenians fled to Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and Ukraine and Western Europe. Yerevan's inhabitants were no exception to the migrations and many in fear of their lives left. In the XVth century, the Ottoman Turks invaded and plundered Yerevan.

ĒRIVAN  I N  1 6 7 3.  E N G R A V I N G  B Y  J E A N  C H A R D I N.

During this period the Ottoman Turks and later the Safavid Iranians fought for control of Armenia. The great number of nomadic Turkic tribes the most numerous being the Ak-koyunlu, Khara-koyunlu and Khizilbash had a devastating effect on the settled towns and cities of Armenia from the XVth to the late XVIIIth century.

THE SEAL OF ABGAR DPIR [WITH THE PATRIARCHAL CROSS AND THE DOVE
OF MERCY WITHIN A LAUREL OF GLORY -- WINGED ANGEL HEADS
ABOVE AND BELOW. ONE OF THE GREAT XVITH CENTURY
BOOK PUBLISHERS OF THE PROMINENT VENETIAN ARMENIAN
COMMUNITY. ABGAR DPIR WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN
RAISING THE NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND
HARNESSING ALL OF THE HEALTHY FORCES
THAT LED THE NATIONAL LIBERATION STRUGGLE.

ASTROLOGICAL  B O L O R A K [ALL-WHEEL] OF ABGAR DPIR.
ROME. 1584.

AN ENGRAVING FROM A BOOK PUBLISHED IN VENICE IN 1565 BY ABGAR DPIR,
DEPICTING ABGAR PRESENTING A BOOK OF PSALMS TO THE CURIA OF POPE PIUS IV.

THE LIBRARY OF OLD EUROPEAN PUBLICATIONS AND MUSEUM IN SAN LAZZARO.

The Armenians looked forward to the day of Liberation from brutal tyranny of the Turks. Plans for liberating the Armenian people and Armenia from foreign oppression were made in the XVIth, XVIIth and XVIIIth during covert meetings organized by the Catholicoi of

THE BEAUTIFUL LEATHER-BOUND DICTIONARY OF ABBOT MEKHITAR.


BARGIRK‛ HAYKAZEAN LEZUI [DICTIONARY OF ARMENIAN LANGUAGE].
THE FRONTISPIECE OF THE MONUMENTAL 1749 WORK DEDICATED TO THE
STUDY OF ARMENIAN LANGUAGE BEARING THE INSIGNIA OF THE
MEKHITARIST ORDER -- EQUILATERAL SPLINT CROSS PATTEE WITHIN
TWO CIRCLES [THAT IN BETWEEN CONTAIN 16 SPHERES
DIVIDED INTO FOUR SEGMENTS BY FOUR CROSSES]
WITH BELL, FLAME, STAFF AND AN OPEN BOOK MARKING
THE FOUR-FOLD + DIVISION MARKED WITH
LETTERS -WO. KEN. VEW AND AYB.
LEADING TO THE CRUX  IN THE CENTER.
THE SEAL OF THE ORDER UPHELD BY A WINGED ANGEL
SURROUNDED BY LILIES. NOTE THE LAMB BEARING
THE FLAG OF ST. GEORGE ABOVE.

H. MEŁAPART'S INITIALED .D. .I. .Z. .A. WOODCUT] SEAL -- DOUBLE
SQUARED PATRIARCHAL CROSS FORMING THE ANCIENT EQUAL ARMED CROSS
WITHIN A CIRCLE BELOW. MEŁAPART ON FRONTISPIECE OF
URBAT‛AGIRK [BOOK OF FRIDAY]  PUBLISHED IN VENICE IN 1512
THE FIRST PRINTED ARMENIAN BOOK.

STATUE OF MEŁAPART IN THE MATENADARAN.

A SECTION OF A FRESCO BY RUBEN GHEVONDYAN IN THE XNKO APER
CHILDREN'S LIBRARY IN YEREVAN DEPICTING THE ARMENIAN PRINTING CENTERS
IN THE XVI-XVIITH CENTURIES ALONG WITH PROMINENT ARMENIAN PUBLISHERS -
HAKOB MEŁAPART AND ABGAR DPIR T‘OXAT‘EC‘I.



TITLE-PAGE OF ŠARAKNOC‛  PUBLISHED IN AMSTERDAM IN 1664.
WITHIN AN ARCH OF TWO PILLARS TIPPED BY INNER CIRCLE [FIRE]
WITHIN THE CIRCLE TOPPED BY LEFT AND RIGHT SPINNING
GOLDEN SPIRALS. IN THE CENTER STANDS THE VULVA [EYE] FLANKED BY TWO
ANGELIC BEINGS WITHIN THE FEMININE PRINCIPLE THE MALE PRINCIPLE
TWO EQUAL ARMED CROSSES AND THE 8 LETTER WORD [2 ROWS OF 4] ŠARA KNOC‛.
FERTILITY FLORAL SYMBOLS OF NEW LIFE EMBELLISH THE GRIEVING MOTHER/WIDOW.

PAGE FROM A PUBLIC CALENDAR PUBLISHED IN 1513 BY Y. MEŁAPART
PRINTING HOUSE IN VENICE.

THE LIBRARY OF OLD EUROPEAN PUBLICATIONS AND MUSEUM IN SAN LAZZARO.

SAINT SARKIS CHURCH [1450] IN THE HEART OF THE CAPITAL
HIGH ABOVE THE HRAZDAN GORGE.

HALLS OF THE MURAT-RAFAELIAN SEMINARY

MANY LEADING MEMBERS OF INTELLIGENTSIA DURING
THE ENLIGHTENMENT ERA RECEIVED THEIR EDUCATION HERE,
TRULY YEARNING TO SEE THE LIBERATION OF THEIR HOMELAND
AND THEIR PEOPLE WHO WERE IN BONDAGE TO FOREIGN TYRANNY
BUT ABOVE ALL MANY WERE IN THE GRIPS OF IGNORANCE AND FALSE DOGMA.

OLD MEGHRI ONE OF THE IMPORTANT STRONGHOLDS OF FREEDOM
LOVING HIGHLANDERS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SYUNIK.

PAGES FROM URBAT‛AGIRK‛. 1512.

'...ARMENIAN CHILDREN MUST RECEIVE ALL-AROUND
EDUCATION BY STUDYING VARIOUS ARTS AND SCIENCES...'
EXCERPT AND ENGRAVING FROM G. AVETIKIAN'S ARMENIAN GRAMMAR.
PHYSICAL MAP OF THE WORLD BY ARMENIAN CARTOGRAPHER ŁUKAS.
AMSTERDAM, 1695.

CHURCH OF THE SAVIOR IN GYUMRI, SHIRAK MARZ.


GOLD PYX [1687] FROM CAESAREA DEPICTING THE LAST SUPPER AND THE APOSTLES.
ON DISPLAY IN THE CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN MUSEUM IN LISBON.

FRONTISPIECE OF GRAMMAR OF GRABAR [CLASSICAL ARMENIAN]
PUBLISHED IN VENICE BY ABBOT MEKHITAR IN 1730.

ARMENIAN ALCHEMIST WITH THE [PHALLIC] MITHRAIC CAP...
PREPARING THE ELIXIR USING THE ESSENCE OF PHILOSOPHER'S STONE...
IS IT NO WONDER THAT AN ARMENIAN [YALE GRADUATE] IN 1840s FROM A FAMILY
OF ALCHEMISTS WOULD 'DISCOVER' THE MAGIC GREEN DYE FOR
THE  $ [SERPENT OF WISDOM ON THE POLE...THE STAFF OF HIGH PRIESTS OF
THE WISDOM TEMPLES/ESCULAPIUS/GURUS ON AND ON]...AGELESS WISDOM
DOES NOT DISAPPEAR FOR IT RESIDES IN THE COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS
[SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS BLOOD MEMORY] AS AN ARCHETYPE.


FRONTISPIECE OF BERNARD VON BREYDENBACH'S PEREGRINATIO, IN TERRAM
SANCTAM. 1486. THE BRITISH LIBRARY, IB. 355.

BERNARD VON BREYDENBACH'S 1486 WOODCUT OF THE 'EDENIC ARMENIAN
ALPHABET' [THE BOOK INCLUDES A WOODCUT MAP SHOWING ARMENIA:
PARADISE/LAND OF EDEN] WITH ACCOMPANYING PRONUNCIATION OF EACH
ARMENIAN LETTER IN LATIN. THE FIRST KNOWN WOODCUT OF ARMENIAN LETTERS
AFTER [RE]INVENTION OF PRINTING. FOL. 2 RECTO, AFTER A LEAD BEARING A
WOODCUT ON THE VERSO. 36 ARMENIAN LETTERS + 38TH F [WITHOUT THE 37TH O.]
WOODCUTS AND WOODCUT FOLDING VIEWS AND A MAP, FROM DRAWINGS BY
E. REUWICH.


THE ARMENIAN THRONE OF TSAR ALEXEI MIKHAILOVICH ON DISPLAY IN
THE WORLD RENOWNED ARMORY CHAMBER IN KREMLIN.
In 1660, Zakar Sahratian of the prosperous Armenian community of New Julfa, as a gesture of friendship between the Armenian and Russian people brought with him to Moscow a precious gift that would become the new throne of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich [1629-1676]. The throne in all contains 897! pieces of various kinds of large and small precious rubies, 1, 298 sea pearls, 8,030 pieces of topaz and lapis lazuli. The throne is made out of 28 pounds of pure gold, 8 pounds of silver and The throne at that time was valued at 22, 589 rubles in gold (tens of millions of dollars in today's value). Two guardian angels in a gold embroidery hold the crown. Imperial double headed eagle at the center top.

ONE OF THE COUNTLESS MEDIEVAL ARMENIAN CHURCHES THROUGHOUT
EUROPE.

THE ARMENIAN CHURCH IN LVIV [LWOW] UKRAINE BUILT IN 1363.

CRUCIFIXION SCENE FROM THE  BREATHTAKING FRESCOES INSIDE
THE ARMENIAN CHURCH IN LVIV [LWOW] IN UKRAINE.


ARMENIAN STREET IN THE OLD ARMENIAN QUARTER IN WARSAW, POLAND.
THE BUILDINGS ARE EMBELLISHED WITH STUNNING RELIEFS IN BAROQUE STYLE.

the Holy See, the Armenian nobility headed by the powerful Siwnik' princes Davit' Bek and Mkhit'ar sparapet, and the emerging nouveaux riche bourgeoisie.

ONE OF THE PAGES PUBLISHED IN VENICE BY ABGAR DPIR
WITH TAROT-LIKE ALLEGORICAL SYMBOLISM
[LIBERATION...]. VENICE. 1565-66


DICTIONARY OF ARMENIAN LANGUAGE IN TWO VOLUMES.
VENICE, 1749.

'...STEP CAUTIOUSLY ON THE CONSECRATED ISLAND OF
THE MEKHITARIAN FATHERS...EACH ONE OF YOUR STEPS
CAN MEET THE ASHES OF A GENIUS,
AND IN MY PLACE I SUPPLICATE...KISS THE TOMBSTONE
OF FATHER ALISHAN AND BE SURE THAT YOUR LIPS
WILL BE ABLAZED AS MY HEART IS ABLAZED
WHEN I TOUCH THAT CONSECRATED MARBLE...'

THE GREAT NATIONAL POET AND IDEALIST
-- DANIEL VARUZHAN

THE ISLAND MONASTERY OF SAN LAZZARO, VENICE IN 1733,
IN THE EARLY YEARS FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT [1701]
OF THE MEKHITARIST ENLIGHTENMENT ORACLE.
ENGRAVING DEPICTING THE ZODIAC WITH THE FOUR WINDS/CORNERS/ANGELS
CARDINAL DIRECTIONS. NOTE THE PLANETARY ALIGNMENT WITH
THE HOUSES OF CAPRICORN AND...AQUARIUS.

ARMENIAN HISTORY PUBLISHED IN 1784 IN VENICE.

The most viable option discussed was liberation with the aid of the Western powers and/or Russia.

THE NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT IN THE XVII-XVIIITH CENTURIES

Israyēl Ori was a prominent figure of the Armenian national liberation movement and a diplomat that sought the liberation of Armenia from Persia and the Ottoman Empire. Ori was born in 1658 in the city of Sisian, in the Syunik province of Armenia. He was the son of an Armenian nobleman. During his youth along with a number of other Armenians, Ori looked for support among the European powers in the fight of Armenians against the Persian and Turkish yoke. As one of the members of a seven man delegation created by Catholicos Hagop Jughaetsi and the support of Georgian King George XI he visited Constantinople in 1678. When the Catholicos died, the plan was abandoned, but Ori independently resolved to complete the mission and journeyed to Venice, Paris and Vienna. He joined the French army of Louis XIV, and entered into contact with the high political circles of France, in course of which he constantly raised the question about the liberation of Armenian people from the foreign yoke; however, he was met with cold indifference.

STATUE OF AN OUTSTANDING ARMENIAN PATRIOT -
ISRAYĒL ORI (1659-1711) IN JERMUK.
 

In 1695 Ori settled in Germany, in the city of Düsseldorf, where he established connections with Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine. Hoping that the question of Armenia would become the object of consideration in the highest diplomatic circles of European states, German prince sent Ori with a letter of recommendation to the emperor of Austria and the ruler of Florence. However, since Ori did not have official authority from the Armenian political mainstream, his statements were disregarded. Ori departed to Armenia with the purpose to obtain the appropriate written documents from the Armenian nobility on the advice of Johann Wilhelm. In 1699 Ori, together with prince Safraz called in Angexakot‘ a secret conference along with eleven Syunik princes (meliks), where they agreed to officially ask for military aid from West European states. Ori met with Emperor Leopold I in 1700 who advised him that Russian support would be necessary for the success of his plan. Without having attained results in Germany and Austria, Ori in 1701 left for Moscow.

Ori was the first to set the pro-Russian orientation of the Armenian liberation movement for decades to come. After arriving in Moscow, Ori met Peter the Great and presented the request from the Meliks of Syunik where they had written that we do not have another hope, we hope for God and your country. Peter responded favorably. He promised to render assistance to the Armenian people after the end of Russo-Swedish War. In the meantime Ori also met with Pope Clement XI in 1704 who offered him his support. Ori proposed to the Russian court a plan, which contained the following points: for liberating the Armenian and Georgian peoples it is necessary to send via the Caucasus a twenty-five thousand strong Russian army, fifteen thousand Cossack riders and ten thousand infantrymen. Cavalry must move to Transcaucasia with the road, which passes on the Daryal gorge, and infantry should cross from Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea. Russian troops will meet the Armenian and Georgian armed forces.

THE FLAG OF THE RESTORED ARMENIAN STATE UNFURLED
IN HOLLAND BY ORI. THE TRICOLOR [WITH THE SUPERIMPOSED
WHITE STARS AND CROSSED-SWORDS] IN RED, BLUE AND
YELLOW/GOLD [APPRICOT WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE
DESIGNATION SINCE PRUNUS ARMENICUS [LIT. ARMENIAN FRUIT IN LATIN]
WAS ONE OF THE TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN FRUITS NATIVE TO ARMENIAN HIGHLAND
WAS TAKEN FROM THE CILICIAN KINGDOM'S - YELLOW-RED-BLUE-WHITE - FLAG.
THE ELEVEN EIGHT-POINTED STARS OF TIGRAN THE GREAT WERE ALIGNED
IN THREE ROWS OF  TOP TO BOTTOM - 5 [RED FIELD] 3 [BLUE FIELD] AND 3
[YELLOW/GOLD FIELD] RESPECTIVELY - WITH THE CROSS SWORDS
SUPERIMPOSED UPON THE THREE HORIZONTAL STRIPES.

Thus, even in the beginning of the 18th century within the Russian court the question about the preparation for a march in Transcaucasia was raised. In was agreed that a special envoy should be sent to Persia headed by Ori, to study the situation, the will of the locals, gather information on the fortresses and roads of the country and so forth. In order not to excite suspicions, Ori would say that he was sent by the Pope of Rome, to the court of Shah Husayn for the purpose of gathering information on the well being of the Christians in Persia. In 1707, after the necessary preparations, Ori with the rank of the Colonel of Russian army and with the large formation solemnly went to Persia. The French missionaries in Persia attempted to prevent the arrival of Ori into Isfahan, trying to convince the Shah that Russia was intending to restore the political independence of Armenia, and that Ori intends to be the King of Armenia. When Ori reached Shamakhi, he was forced to wait several days before being granted permission to enter Isfahan. In Shemakhi he met local Armenian and Georgian political figures, strengthening their sympathies towards Russia. In 1709 Ori arrived in Isfahan, where he again conducted negotiations with the local political figures. In 1711 Ori suddenly died in Astrakhan during the return to Russia from Persia.

AFTER THE HERCULEAN EFFORTS OF ORI IN LATE XVIITH AND
EARLY XVIIITH CENTURIES, THE NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT WAS LED
BY YET AGAIN SYUNIK NOBILITY THAT WAS LED BY PRINCE DAVIT' BEK AND
MKHIT'AR SPARAPET.