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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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Tchmtchian's work is of great significance since his History of Armenia, in awakening the past history of the Armenians, offers them pride, identity and patriotism. One can compare the work of Tchamtchian and its impact with a Serbian history, written by Rajitch, which was published in 1794 in Vienna, or with a Bulgarian history which Veneline published in 1829 in Moscow. Both these books played a major role in the intellectual and national awakening of their respective nations.

Besides these works the Mkhitarists, with financial help from two Armenians living in India, built two more Armenian collages, one in Venice and one in Padua. The collage in Padua was later moved to Paris and finally to Sèvres (1929). 49/317

The competent Armenian author and scientist, Arshak Tchobanian, pays regard to the crucial influence of the Mkhitarists on the Armenian way of thinking: "The Mkhitarists, who were under the influence of the classicalism and the Greek and Roman cultures, spread light on all the branches of the Armenian nation and created order within it. Whilst the Venetian Mkhitarists devoted their time to literary work, the Mkhitarists in Vienna, under the influence of German practicalism, strove towards science and spent their time on studies of history, linguistics and archaeology, adopting the discipline and accuracy of work which are the major features of western science." 50

The Mkhitarists were true heralds of the Armenian nation. They affected the awakening of the Georgian clergy from their lethargy. Moreover, through their scientific works, they acquainted the Armenian people with the history of Europe, its literature and language. At the same time they created a firm link between the Armenian nation and the western world.

Their work supported the cultural awakening of the Armenian people from several centuries of a long sleep, a slumber which external forces and circumstances had induced.

The Re-discovery of Armenia by the Western World



The 18th and 19th centuries, a period of curiosity regarding everything and everyone in the world, brought the rediscovery of Armenia by the Europeans. From the 18th century onwards Armenians begin to appear once more in the works of European authors.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was friendly with several Armenians and was seen dressed in Armenian costumes, which he found simple and comfortable. 51 The works of Voltaire refer to the Armenians, albeit not in a very positive manner. The great German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, however, speaks well of the Armenians: "but in another Christian nation, Armenia, I see a special active and laborious spirit which has taken them from China all the way to the shores of Guinea. This intelligent and diligent people have representatives over the entire old continent and the relations which they have established with all other nations of the good relations of the Greeks." 52