Minorities In The Ottoman State And Armenian Question According To Archives

Table 1. Breakdown of the Population of the Ottoman State in termsof Communities (1906-1914)

Communities             1906             %          1914         %
Moslems              15,518,478        74.26     15,044,846     81.24
Greek- Orthodox       2,822,773        13.50      1,729,738      9.33
Armenian-Gregorian    1,050,513         5.03      1,161,169      6.27
Bulgarians              762,754         3.65         -           -
Greek Catholics          60,597         0.29         62,468      0.34
Armenian Catholics       90,050         0.43         67,838      0.37
Protestants              53,880         0.26         65,844      0.36
Latin                    20,447         0.09         24,845      0.13
Jews                    256,003         1.23        187,073      1.01
Marooni                  28,726         0.14         47,406      0.26
Foreigners              197,700         0.95         -           -
Others                   35,696         0.17        128,789      0.69
TOTAL                20,897,617       100.00     18,520,016    100.00

1-1 MINORITIES IN OTTOMAN EMPIRE IN THE VIEW OF FOREIGNERS

The minority rights were granted with the firmans of the Sultan without any pressure from the external forces until the declaration of Gtilhane Imperial Decree in 1839, which constitutes the beginning of the Period of Reforms. However as of the Period of Reforms, the rights and freedoms of the minorities have been declared with the laws and constitutions due to the pressure of the major states. With the 1839 and 1856 Firmans and the Constitutional periods of 1876 and 1908, more and more rights have been claimed for the minorities and a gradually increasing pressure was imposed on the Ottoman State by means of the issue constantly being brought into the agenda by the major states.

The real objective of the major states, acting under the excuse of defending the rights of the minorities, has been creation of independent states under their control. Thus, no matter how well the approach of the Ottoman Empire has been towards the minorities, incorrect assessments were made to mislead history. Despite all of these adverse issues, the facts have been revealed as a result of the researches.

While the famous historian Thomas Philips has expressed said issue with his wording, "The Ottoman Empire had a superior structure in comparison with all other outdated states with its political stability, harmony between religions and social justice. The Ottoman Empire, which was Turkish in terms of its foundation and Islamic in terms of its law system, has granted broad rights, including the right of self-government other than political rights within the framework of the religious rules of law to the elements that it embodied as a community of nations and religions, initiated with the extension. Against these, it only requested obedience and loyalty to the State.", the Consulate-General of Russia in Van and Erzurum, General Mayewski has stated, "Turks have never intervened with the religious and national affairs of the nations that they ruled, at any time in their history." English statesmen Lord Clarendon has stated in his secret telegram of 23 March 1853, "The attitude against the Christians is not harsh and the tolerance displayed by the Sublime Porte towards said subjects may be construed as a model for certain governments who look down at Turkey as a barbarian state."

Moreover, the issue has been addressed as follows: Dr. Arstri KHAN of Jamia Hamburd University, India, "The opinions and politics of the Ottoman with regards to the non-Moslem communities were based on tolerance and understanding which constitute means for multi-culture, plurality and autonomy"; Missioner of Cezvit Emilli Lagrand, "One desires that the Catholics would be in comfort and freedom in England and Holland as they are on the lands of the Ottoman Emperor"; French diplomat and historian Engelhard, "The Ottomans have acted with an approach of negotiation and integration rather than causing conflicts and discrimination among people of different religions and sects"; Alafi Palmer, "The status of the Jews within the Ottoman Empire was much better than the situation in Russia and other specific countries in East Europe. As of 1868, two Jews at minimum have always been a permanent member of the Council of Reforms and have contributed to formation of the laws that would be applicable in the whole Empire. The Jews were in possession of the rights granted to the Orthodox Greeks and Armenians for a long time. Chief Rabbi of Istanbul was considered at the same level with the two Christian Patriarchs within the Ottoman social structure."

II- ARMENIAN QUESTION ACCORDING TO ARCHIVES 2-1. STATUS OF THE ARMENIANS WITHIN THE EMPIRE

The first nation to adopt Christianity as a whole in history were the Armenians. The lands of the Armenian Kingdom which was abolished in 430 A.D. were shared between the Byzantine and Persian Empires and the first tribe that the Turks met when they entered Anatolia were the Armenians. Armenians, who have lived together without any significant problems either in the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, have a history of one thousand years in common. The Armenians, who were the most privileged among the Christian citizens of the Ottoman State and who always took place in superior offices, were also given an important status in the society and were not subjected to discrimination from Turks and Moslem citizens. The most significant indication of the value that was given to them is the fact that they were considered as "Teba'yi Sadika" ("Loyal Nation"), Turks have placed Armenians along with Turks to the new lands that were conquered. Application of this practice, called voluntary settlement, in terms of the Armenians constitutes an example of the importance and privileges said nation enjoyed

The Echmiazin Church near Yerevan is known as the most ancient clerical center of the Armenians and the place where the clerical leader Catolicuses lived. Armenians who fled from the Tatar invasion have built two new centers by constructing two churches at Ahtamar Island in Van Lake and Sis (Kozan). Afterwards, despite the fact that the clerical center was considered as Echimiazin by the Armenians in Russia and Yerevan; Ahtamar by those at and near Van; and Sis by those living at and near Maras, Kozan and Aleppo, the Church of Echmiazin remained as the most significant clerical center due to the fact that its Catolicus was appointed by election.

Sultan Mohammed the Conqueror has recognized the Armenians as a nation in 1461 and brought Hovakim, the most superior religious leader, residing in Bursa, to Istanbul and declared him as the Armenian Patriarch. Thus, Istanbul has become the clerical center for the Armenians. Though the Armenian Patriarchy in Istanbul was affiliated to the Echmiazin, which was located within the borders of the Ottomans at the time, it was considered as the center conducting the administrative affairs of the Ottoman Armenians.

400 years after the rights granted by Sultan Mohammed the Conqueror, the right of constituting an Armenian Assembly of 140 members and some other new concessions were granted to the Armenians with the "Decree on Armenian Nation" published in 1860. With this decree, a kind of state in a state was created by means of assigning the government of the Armenians within the State to an assembly. This decree was approved by Sultan Abdulaziz in 1863.

Tn the Ottoman era, Armenians have been appointed to the posts of 22 generals, 33 member of parliaments, 7 ambassadors, 11 consulates, 11 lecturers, 8 doctors generals, 41 senior civil servants. Examples of such posts are Agop Pasha, who served for two terms as the Minister of Finance in the Sultan Abdulhamit II, Mavro Kordato Efendi who served as the Minister of Forestry, Mines and Agriculture, Naum Pasha who served as Minister of Trade and Gabriel Norodonkian Efendi.

Numerous documents, evidencing that the Armenians lived a trouble-free, happy and comfortable life with the Turks, are present in history. One of the most significant ones among these is the declaration elaborated by the Prince of Armenia, who lived in England, for distribution to the Armenians living on the Ottoman lands. Said declaration contains the wording, "Dear Brothers, loyal citizens! ... Our aim and heart-felt desire is to defend your country and the Sultan against the cruelty of the north to your last drop of blood. Remember brothers, there is no Russian whip in Turkey, they will not tear your nostrils; your women will not be whipped either in secret or in public. There is humanity under the sovereignty of the Sultan; whereas there is only brutality under the cruel sovereignty of the north. For this reason, keep yourselves in the path shown by God and fight for the freedom of your country and your current ruler in a heroic manner. The only happiness for me is to fight with you against those who tyrannize your country and your religion. I hope that God shall give the inspiration to the heart of the Sultan to approve my desire. Because, while our religion shall remain in a pure manner under the sovereignty under his rule, it shall be changed under the cruel sovereignty of the north".

Then, what has caused the loyal Armenian nation, who enjoyed broad possibilities, rights and freedoms, who spoke Turkish in their daily lives and even conducted their ceremonies in Turkish, to revolt against the Ottoman State and to attempt to stab the Ottoman army from the back with treason against their country of citizenship and participation in the rows of the enemy armies?

The best reply to this question can be given with the words of the British Ambassador, Layard in his report dated 12 June 1879, "If the Sublime Porte shall not act in a clever and foreseeing manner, it shall be faced with the Armenian problem which shall be similar to the Bulgarian problem that caused the recent war in Anatolia, in the near future. The same intrigues are being conducted in Anatolia to create an Armenian nation. Efforts are exerted to form a situation to cause a Christian outcry and European intervention."

The statement, "My community is very excited. If it is necessary to cause a revolt (among the Armenians) in order to gain the sympathy of the European States, it shall not be difficult to cause such an event.", sent by the Armenian Patriarch Nerses to English Ambassador Sir H. Elliot in 1876.

2-2 ARMENIAN QUESTION

The internal and external problems have started to emerge as of the 17th Century with Ottoman Empire not being able to follow the military, scientific, technical and economical changes i.e. the Empire entering the recession period. Countries like Russia, England and France, which started gaining power in a period in which the Ottomans were weakened, gradually started implementing a new imperialist strategy, i.e. the Orient Problem and in another words the East Question against the lands of the Ottoman Empire. The essence of the East Question was to accelerate the weakening period and to share the lands of the Empire by taking the Christian Ottoman citizens under their auspices with the excuse of protecting their rights and using them against the State. Russia, France and England, the three major states that initiated this policy, made the Armenian question the most significant part of the Orient problem.

The Armenian question is an artificial problem created by the Western States, acting in order to weaken the Ottoman State and take it under their control, then disintegrate its lands and seize the riches. This question was turned into an issue which was used, abused and exaggerated by said states for intervention to the Ottoman State and the rights, freedoms and privileges granted constantly to the Armenians was never deemed efficient. In brief, the Armenian question has never been an issue of humanity or Christianity but a question created on hatred, hostility and interests by the States wishing to intervene with the internal affairs of the Ottoman State.

Thought these countries which had conflicting interests in various periods, seemed to be on the side of the Ottoman State from time to time, they have continued their attempts to destroy the Ottoman Empire and seize its lands either individually or jointly. They have added the Armenians to the allies they had determined'to reach their goals and selected to form the force to strike the Ottoman Empire from the interior by playing the role of defender of the rights and protector.

Major states like England, France and Russia who succeeded in removing the Turks from both the Balkans and the Middle East, aimed at the Anatolia this time and selected to have people, who lived together for years, kill one another. The great forces who started to deceive and provoke the Armenians, who lived in an environment of peace without any problems until that date, with promises of land and independence, formed gangs to eliminate the Turks and seize their goods, as it had been at the Balkans, and used these gangs brutally against the defenseless and unarmed, innocent people. In other words, the major states who saw that no large minorities other than the Armenians in the last periods of the Ottoman Empire, have started to insist on the solutions they wanted by developing the Armenian question and taking the question completely under their control in order to achieve their interests, especially in the Middle East.

The first country to use the Armenians in line with its interests was Russia. The idea of foundation of a new Armenian Kingdom was set forth by Catherine II for the first time, as a part of the policy of encouraging the Armenians and pulling them to their side during the 1768-1774 Ottoman-Russia War. The aim was the project to found the "Kingdom of Ararat", under the protection of Russia. However, this project was never realized.

Kuchuk Kaainardji Treaty, signed in 1774, granted the right of protection of the Christians living on the Ottoman lands and founding churches to Russia; as of this date onwards the control and utilization of the Armenians against the Ottoman State became easier. With the Edirne Treaty of 1829, the Echmiazin Catolicusship, which constituted a large influence on among the Armenian, was left within the borders of Russia and taking good advantage of this, Russia has started its religious and political pressures on the Ottoman Armenians.

Russia, which knew very well that the path to accessing the warm seas and becoming dominant over the Mediterranean and the Middle East, passed from the Bosphorus and Anatolia, tried every means to weaken the Ottoman Empire. While implementing the policy to found a Slav and Orthodox Union which caused the revolts of the Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians, Bosnia-Herzogovinans, Russia selected the Armenians as the community to use for its interests in Anatolia. The Armenian question which never existed prior to the Ottoman-Russian war, started emerging with the provocation of the Armenians against the Turks by the Russians, following seizure of certain Turkish cities by the Russians and became clearly visible with the inclusion of articles requiring improvement, modification and renovation of the lands on which the Armenians lived, into the Treaties of San Stephano and Berlin. Said treaties have resulted in inclusion of articles that were related with the Christian Ottoman citizens and required more rights and freedoms into the treaties signed between the Ottoman State and the states such as Russia, England and France. Thus the Christians were given the message "We support you, revolt!"

Russia who undertook the protection of Christians in Ottoman Territory with the Treaty of Kuchuk- Kaainardji 1774, conducted this role with Prussia, Austria, England and France after The Treaty of Paris in 1856. Despite the name of Armenians is not explicitly specified in this Treaty, this new development meant that the studies and supports for Armenians would be conducted by a higher number of countries, the problem would increase and it would be out of the control of Ottomans.

English and French who started to be interested in Armenian question that had gradually gained significance in Europe by 1880s played the role of guardian of Catholics whereas Russians played this role for the Orthodox and undertook the protection of Armenian Protestants. Moreover, An article granting the freedom to change religion was added to 1856 Hatt-I Humayun Edict in order to increase the number of Protestants. The purpose of English was to take Armenians who were the most significant and effective community among Ottoman citizen Christians on their side and both to get benefit from against Ottomans and to have the Armenian ally who were a significant minority from the control of Russians. Therefore, although they sometimes seem to be on the side of Ottomans during Ottoman- Russian wars, they managed to get concessions on minority issues, particularly for Armenians in addition to the lands out of this case in return.

Despite the fact that France is the leader of the countries accusing Turkey with the allegations of genocide and who is discussing Armenian question in the international platforms today, it has been the last country who dealt with Armenian question in the past when compared with Russia and England. Despite the fact that capitulations granted by Sulayman the Magnificent in 1535 and extended in 1604, 1673 and 1740 are the most significant evidences of the importance given to French by Turks. France misused the opportunities and confidence granted to them by Turks, supported the rebellion actions occurring within the territory of Ottoman State, undertook the role for the protection of Ottoman citizen Catholics, tried to be efficient and influencing particularly on issues concerning holy places and established a great occupation power with including Armenians among its soldiers from colonies during the occupation of Anatolia, following 1918 Mudros Treaty. French who had supported Armenian gangs and organizations condoned the massacres by these forces and then left the Armenians whom they have deceived with the dream of an Independent Armenia to their fate.

French who is aware of the tortures and massacres to Turks and Muslims by the Armenians wearing French uniforms did not hesitate from naming those who have been killed as Armenians and deviating the truths since then and tried to make their role in this great catastrophe forgotten. The extend of the crimes of French who were the main actors in the events experienced in Antep, Maras and Adana are guilty against history is known by the researchers. French who had taken 30 thousand Armenians soldiers that they have used as occupation power in their own forces, when they were retreating, settled these Armenians to their country and laid the foundations of the Armenian colony in today's France.

Archives of French Presidency of the Chief of Staff are full of documents evidencing how French used Armenians in Anatolia, how they provoked Armenians against Turks and how they set two societies living in peace at loggerheads for their imperialist interests. In the book titled "Les Volontaires Armeniens Sous Les Drapauz Frangais" ( Armenians buried under the flag of France) by an Armenian named Aram Turabian in Marseilles in 1917 includes dramatic information on French- Armenian cooperation.

On the other hand, not only the three major countries but also Missioners also conducted activities provoking Armenian question. Although the Patriarchy was established by Sultan Muhammed the Conqueror for the purpose of representation of Ottoman Armenians had stayed away from politics for nearly three centuries, it gradually started to be interested in religious and national issues with the influence of the western churches who had been trying to include the Armenians into their sects after XVIII. Century and due to the efforts of te missioners and started to incite Muslim- Christian discrimination.

With the opportunities granted by both capitulations and by undertaking the protection of Christians, English, Russian, American and French missioners started to get organized particularly in the provinces with high Armenian population and established churches, aid institutions, hospitals, colleges and schools by the end of XVIII. Century and as of the beginning of XIX. Century. Missioner schools rapidly spread in the Ottoman territory and the actual purpose of the established schools was revealed with regards to the fact that their actual target was the Armenians.

According to statistics of Istanbul Armenian Patriarchy for 1901-1902, Armenians had a total of 803 schools, 81226 students and 2088 teachers in the Ottoman Empire.

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