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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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Armenians also held relatively important positions in the economic development and expansion of other countries. In France, for instance, during the reign of Henry IV, the Armenians had their share in the import and cultivation of silkworms. Later, it was an Armenian, by the name of Jean Althen, who introduced the cultivation of madder to France. By doing so he supplied a large area in the country with riches by providing one of the dyes vital to the flourishing of the textile-industry in old Armenia, and made the development and expansion of the same industry in France possible. The city of Avignon in France even built a monument to the memory of this mastermind. 73

Even in Virginia, during the 17th century, the governor employed two Armenians in order to assist the government with the import of silkworms. 74

When Catherine II (Tsarina of Russia) began creating settlements into southern Russia in order to build up the region, she used Armenian settlers on the Crimea Peninsula. One can read about the role of the Armenians in the realisation of this plan on a relief in the famous Catherine Hall in Moscow. On this relief is engraved: "They turned the plains to cities." 75

Cultural Aspects

The plundering swells of the Turanian tribes and their consecutive control over Armenian land shattered the Armenian nation, diminished its civilisation, and stopped its development and progress.

However, the traditions and the old cultural customs were so strongly rooted in this people that they still surfaced in different areas. Scattered works were written mostly in the monasteries, which were the last refuges for the power of thought. These monasteries played the same role for the Armenian people at this time as they had played in the western world during the rule of the savage tribes, monasteries which "had turned into a kind of fortress in which civilisation had hibernated", monasteries which prevented the chain of history connecting the past to the present from being breached.

Among these important works from the 13th century are the history book, written by Kirakos Gandzaki, which contains valuable information about the Mongols, the Georgians and the Albanians; the history of the Tartars, written by Malakia; the historical work by Vartan; and an astronomy script by Jean of Erzenga.

From the 14th century we have the "History of Siuni", written by Stephan Orbelian who was bishop in the province of Siuni; the history of the Tartars written by Hetoum; and the theological work about saints, written by Thomas of Medsoph. In the 17th century, the history of Persian Armenia during the reign of Shah Abbas was written by Arakel from Tabriz.

The 15th century produced great works within the field of medicine, including those of the famous Armenian physician, Amirdovlat of Amasia, whose most important work is the notable medical script "Angitaz Anpet". Finally there are the beautiful works of the Armenian poets in the 14th, 15th and the 16th centuries, among whom we must mention Frik, Constantine Erzenga, Arakel Baghechzi, Mégerditch Nagash, Ohannes Thoulkouranntzi, Grigor Akhtamartsi, Nahapet Koutchak and Jivani. 96