The Armenian origin of the most famous of these, Rustam, the Mameluke solider of the emperor, was recorded in his own memoirs. His real name was Rostom Kovian 44, born in Tbilisi, and his father was an Armenian from Karabakh who had came to Tbilisi for business. Rustam spent a significant period of time of his childhood in the city of -Shushi, which at that time was the capital of Karabakh. 45
On the Crimea Peninsula, in the city of Caffa (Thčodosia), an Armenian sentinel served the military merchants who came from Genoa and defended the city on several occasions from external attacks. 46
Another aspect of Armenian military history of this period is the role which Armenian immigrants played in Poland during the great wars These Armenians were repaying the hospitality which their new homeland had offered them. Polish historians have praised the military assistance which these Armenians provided during the war, to such a degree that their patriotism won legendary status.
In Hungary also the Armenians participated in the wars of their new country against the Turks; although as early as the battle of Varna in 1444, some Armenians were seen amongst their forces. 47 More recently, during the national revolt of 1849 in Hungary, we find the names of two Armenian soldiers amongst the fallen soldiers at the battle of Arad. These two were Erni Kis and Wilmos Lazar, who sacrificed their lives for their new country.
The Armenian nobilities, moreover, played their part within the Hungarian army. After the fall of Ani and the disappearance of the Armenian kingdom of Bagratouni, these noblemen had moved to Georgia.
There are many other recorded instances of Armenians in the service of various countries where they played a significant role within the weapon industry in producing canons, guns, and gunpowder. As the French historian, Bertrand Bareilles writes: "the Armenians were one of the factors behind the formation of the Ottoman rule. The Armenian blacksmith, having forged the first sword for the Janissaries, continued to mould canons and manufacture gunpowder and produce weapons which the Turks used to tear down the walls of Belgrade and set Rhodes in flames. If the Armenian craftsmen had not existed, the Ottoman Turks, most possibly, would have met the same fate as their other, the Tartars and the Kyrgyz, sweeping over the country like a devastating river and disappearing into empty nothingness." 51
In Venice there was a military engineer by the name of Antonio Sourian, who was famous for his creations and inventions which could stop the warships of the enemy and contain them – a tactic which the republic of Venice used on several occasions in marine battles.
Accordingly, the Armenians with and without the use of weapons have shown that they are a skilled warrior people and that the old warfare customs and courage still burn inside them.
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