Armenakan

In the 1860-70s, the Armenian socio-political elite was attentive to the political, economic and cultural development of the Armenian people, divided between the three empires ^[5] . The results of the next Russian-Turkish war , which ended with the Berlin Congress, led to the hope of the development of the homeland. Having convinced themselves that the reforms in Armenian vilayets , stipulated by Article 61 of the Berlin Treaty, are not being implemented, the Armenians set about creating secret societies and circles that spread the ideas of the national liberation struggle ^[6] .

Even in 1876 and 1877, Mkrtich Khrimyan wrote in his works that the country should prepare for the struggle. Under the leadership of Mkrtich Khrimyan, Mkrtich Portugalyan and Konstantin Kamsarakan, the Black Cross national liberation organization was established in Van in late 1879. The organization’s activities gradually came to naught when the Ottoman government expelled Portugalyan and Khrimyan, and Kamsarakan was transferred to work in another place ^[7] .

Mkrtich Portugalyan settled in Marseille and from July 20, 1885 began to publish the newspaper “Armenia” ^[8] .

Former members of the Black Cross began to meet again. Initially, these meetings were organized by the brothers Grigoris and Mkrtich Terlemezyany. In the fall of 1885, the first Armenian political party was created. According to the name of the newspaper M. Portugalyan, the party was named “Armenakan” ^[9] .

The core of the party were graduates of the Central Lyceum of Van founded by M. Portugalyan ^[1] .

The party’s constituent assembly was attended by Ghevond Khanjyan, Grigor Adzhemyan, Grigoris and Mkrtich Terlemezyany, Ruben Shatvoryan, Grigor Pozikyan, Gevorg Otyan, Maknos Barutchyan and Garegin Bageshtsyan. Later, Armenak Yekaryan , Panos Terlemezyan , Hayrapet Janikyan, Armen Shitanyan, Artak Darbinyan, Mikael Natanyan and others joined the party ^[7] .

The party program provided for the liberation of Western Armenia from Ottoman despotism.

To achieve this, both armed struggle and bribery or diplomatic means were recognized as acceptable. M. Portugalyan had certain hopes for reforms that could be implemented by the Ottoman government ^[2] .

To revolutionaryly convey to the Armenian people the right to govern themselves freely, only in this way can they have the means to live a normal life, and implement them with the demands of the times.

- chapter from the program of the party Armenakan ^[10]

The party had cells in Vaspurakan (Vilanet Van), Mush , Bitlis , Trabzon and Istanbul . Local party organizations were also created in other regions of Western Armenia, the Caucasus, as well as in Bulgaria, Egypt, the USA, the cities of Persia, Selmas and Tabriz.

The party’s ideas led to the creation of the “Armenian Patriotic Society of Europe” in London, which sought to “win for Armenians the right to rule themselves by revolution” ^[11] .

During the massacres of Armenians in the 1890s, Mkrtich Terlemezyan led the defensive battles of Van ^[12] . He managed to unite around him Dashnaks and Gnchakists . The party also took part in the Van self-defense of 1915.

The Armenakan group that escaped the massacre united with other political forces and created the Ramkavar-Azatakan Armenakan party ^[1] .

• Hnchakyan Social Democratic Party
• Dashnaktsutyun