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Index

Armenia

The Urartu Civilisation

Victory for Independence

Artashisian Dynasty on the Armenian Throne

Armenia caught between Rome and the Arsacids

The Acceptance of Christianity

Defending Christianity

Armenia Under the Bagratouni Dynasty

Cilicia - the New Armenia

Armenia Under Turanian Rule

The Renaissance or the Resurrection of Armenia

The Eastern Question

Russia in the Caucasus

The Armenian Question

Battle on Two Fronts

Tsarist Russia Against the Armenians

The Revolution of the Young Turks and the Armenian People on the Eve of World War I

The First World War

The Resurrection of Armenia

Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

- Armenia on the Road to Independence, 1918

Eastern Armenia

Western Armenia

"The Fateful Years" (1914-1917)

"Hopes and Emotions" (March-October, 1917)

The Bolshevik Revolution and Armenia

Transcaucasia Adrift (November, 1917

Dilemmas (March-April, 1918)

War and Independence (April-May, 1918)

The Republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia

The Suppliants (June-October, 1918)

In conclusion

Soviet Armenia

The Second Independent Republic of Armenia

Epilogue

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The Turanians

The Turanians originate from a large area in Central Asia between Mongolia and Turkistan, the origin of several westward surges of attacking tribes. One group of these Turanians which moved westward were called Turks. Those who settled down in Russia were called Tartars, while those who remained at the borders of China, and occasionally moved westward, were called Mongols.

The arrival of these tribes, who were tent-living nomads, suddenly altered the composition of the Orient, as they converted to Islam and increased its strength in the region. 62 The Turanian rule in particular resulted in widespread destruction and impoverishment of the Orient, covering the region in drought, chaos and sorrow. It also altered the political makeup of the states in the region, transforming them into relations based on strength and tyranny and creating a world where a power without warfare or warriors was impossible.

The waves of Turanian tribes, including the Seljuk Turks, Mongols, Turkmens and the Ottoman Turks, into the Middle East and Asia Minor were staggered and became constantly stronger and larger. This force destroyed everything in its path and was the cause of destruction of several cultures, demolishing the culture in Armenia as well as in Persia, Arabia, Byzantine and in the Balkan countries.

The first signs of these nomadic people appeared at the frontiers of the Middle East during the 10th century, a people who were highly skilled riders and brave warriors. Since their path was blocked in the Caucasus by Armenia and Georgia, they turned south into the Middle East, via Persia, and came all the way to Mesopotamia.

War in Two Fronts



At the beginning of the 11th century the Seljuk Turks attacked Armenia. 63 But Bagratouni Armenia, as well as the Armenian Vaspourakan region, fought back these attacks over several years and drove them out of the country. 64

When one considers the consequences of the Turanian attacks on Middle East, it becomes obvious that these consequences did not only hit Byzantine, for whom it meant its doom, but also Europe in general was affected, since its south-western part was occupied over several centuries, threatening even central Europe. Armenia, it could be claimed, constituted the base for defence of the west.

Byzantine, however, left Armenia to its fate and the country was compelled to defend it-self alone in the face of recurring invasions. The Armenian Vaspourakan, which was weaker than Bagratouni Armenia, was soon defeated under the attacks of the Turanians. The supreme commander for the Vaspourakan army, Shapouh, managed on several occasions to repel the Turanians; but the Vaspourakan king, who had resisted the Turanians for a long period, eventually made a deal with Emperor Basil II according to which he handed his country over to Byzantine, and in return was allowed to move to Sivas with his people, to found a new kingdom under Byzantine protection. 67

Thus 40,000 Armenians left southern Armenia in order to settle down in Sivas and Arabkir. This emigration, caused by their helpless situation, resulted in catastrophic consequences. As Ormanian purports "this mass-emigration was one of the main reasons for the destruction and devastation of the Armenian fatherland." 70