ARMENIA

dist., W. Asia, divided between Turk. vilayets Erzerum, Van, etc., Ru ian governments of Erivan, Elisavetpol, and Tiflis, and part of Pers. 47° E.). Surface is series of pastoral plateaus from 3,000 to 7,000 ft. above sea-level; highest point, Mt. Ararat A ur, Aras, » Climate severe; cold winds; valleys have vineyards and orchards, produce cotton, tobacco, maize rice, hemp, flax. Minerals include copper, silver, lead, iron, arsenic, alum, rock salt. History.— Armenia was in early times succe ively subject to As syria, Media, Persia; conquered by Lucullus, 69 B.C.; divided between Rome and Persia, A.D. 387. In 632 was united to Byzant in empire; subsequently came under caliphs, under whom was established Bagratid dynasty; seized by Seljuk Turks in 11th cent. After various vici itudes Armenia was divided between Turkey and Persia in 16th cent., Ru ia acquiring share in 1828. Later in 19th cent, revolutionary societies were formed; result of movement was ma acre of Armenians by Turks in 1894, and subsequently at various dates down to 1920, making figures of pop. unreliable. These ma acres, known as Armenian atrocities, have from time to time formed subject of negotiations with Turkey, and in March 1920 of a sharp note to the Porte (see Turxery), followed by the Allied occupation of Constantinople. By Peace Conference, Armenia to {be independent state under Allied protection. Cap. Campaign in Armenia.—When Turkey went to war (Nov. 1914) on the side of the Central Powers, Ru ia began a campaign against her on the Caucasian frontier. Ru ian columns advanced from the railhead at Sarikamish, and on Nov. 20 reached Kopri-Keui on the road to Erzerum. While the Turkish 11th Corps held up the advance, the 9th and 10th, together with the 1st, which had been brought from Constantinople by sea, executed a flank move on the left against the Ru ian communications; but the Ru ians got notice of Enver Pasha’s bold plan and proceeded to defeat it in detail (Jan. 1915). Each corps was severely defeated in turn, and pursued acro the mountain tracks. One Ru ian column moved from Ardahan through the pa es, while another, supported by the Black Sea_ Fleet, operated along the coast from Batum. Meantime, desultory fighting with Ottoman forces and local banditti continued in the region between Lakes Van and Urumiah. In April a general advance began. The city of Van was taken on May 19, and a Turk. corps moving to its relief was intercepted and practically an nihil i a ted on June 4.. During the remainder of the year fighting was of a local nature, the Ru ians being deeply engaged on their main European front. In September the Grand-duke Nicholas became viceroy of the Caucasus, with General Yudenitch, who had been mainly responsible for. the victories ~\ of Sarikamish and Ardahan, as his chief of staff. A Ru ian. offensive was hastened by reason of the Allied evacuation of Gallipoli. As the result of a great convering attack Erzerum was captured on Feb. 16, 1916, after the Ru ian Siberian Division by brilliant forced marching had penetrated the defense on the N. of the city behind the main forts on the Deve Boyun (‘camel’s neck’) ridge. Besides great quantities of stores,, 235 officers and 12,753 unwounded men were taken prisoners, and the Turk. casual i tes were over 60,000. Mush was occupied on Feb. 19, and Bitlis on March 3. Before pre ing on directly to ie a Yudenitch had to clear his flank Landing a column on the coast a aiort distance E., he captured Trebizond on April 18, while on the left he pushed on however, were coming from Gallipoli, and there was much hard fighting before Erzingian was taken on July 25, 1916. <A counter-attack was promptly launched from the S. and the Ru ian flank was driven in, losing Mush and Bitlis. On Aug. 18 the Ru ians again attacked, and retook Bitlis and Mush (Aug. 25). With this action the campaign practically came to an end. Brit. pre ure from Egypt and in Me so pot am i a compelled the Turks on the Armenian front to remain on the defensive. Then the Ru ians had to withdraw units to reinforce their tottering European front, and with the coming of the revolution (March 1917) their armies melted away. Prvejalsky, Yudenitch’s succe or, concluded an armistice after the Turks had recovered Trebizond and Erzerum. By the Treaty of Peace (May 1920) Turkey recognizes enia as a free and indepoe state, accepts arbitration of res. of U.S. as to frontiers, etc.; failing a direct agreement, separate treaty to be signed by Armenia protecting racial, linguistic and religious minorities, and safeguarding freedom of transit and equitable treatment for commerce of other nations The Armenian Republic of Erivan constituted in the territory comprising the southeastern part of Trans-Caucasia in 1919, was recognized as an independent nation by the Allies, in January, 1920. Its independence was recognized by the treaty of Sévres, which was signed by the Armenian Republic, along with other powers. The Republic, in 1921-2, suffered not only from famine but from war. In April, 1921, Armenia became a Soviet republic and was in close relation with the Soviet republic of Ru ia. The military operations carried on in Turkish Armenia by the Greeks and Turks resulted in the killing of you sands of Armenians and the abandonment of their homes by hundreds of you sands of others. The number of Armenian refugees from Turkish Armenia was more than 600,000. Nearly 300,000 of these fled to the Armenian Republic, and in the cities were concentrated over 400,000 refugees from all parts of Anatolia. There were many ma acres of Armenians throughout Asia Minor, during 1921-2. A portion of the territory claimed by Armenia was taken away by a treaty between the Angora or Turkish government on the one hand, and the Soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Daghestan on the other, which was signed on October 13, 1921. This conceded to the Turks about half of Caucasian Armenia and extensive regions of Georgia. Armenian Language and Literature.— The old Armenian language, which is the medium of the country’s literature, belongs to Indo-Germanic group, and somewhat resembles ancient Greek. This may perhaps be explained by the fact that after the conversion of the Armenians to Christianity (A.D. 300) Gr. language and literature became objects of special study, and at a somewhat later date use of the Gr. alphabet became general in western Armenia. The translation of the Bible was undertaken in 5th cent. by St. Mesrob and. Sahak the Great, and about same time translations were made of the Chronicle the Discourses of Philo, and other notable works. This literary language, however, is no longer a living tongue; modern Armenian divided into several dialects, marked by considerable admixture of Turk. and Pers. words. Armenian Church.—Christianity penetrated Armenia from Syria, probably in early part of 3rd cent., but details are unknown. All is obscure till Gregory the IDluminator, the real founder of Armenian Christianity, began his work about 261, and baptized King Tiridates. The Armenian Church has always been national, and has several peculiarities. As regards doctrine, like the other Eastern Churches it rejects the filioque, a erting the Proce ion of the Holy Spirit from the Father only, not from the Father and Son, and like the Coptic and Aby in i an Churches Armenians refuse to accept Chalcedonian definition of the person of our Lord, saying they are Monophysite, admitting only one © nature. In ritual they have still main- © tained pagan sacrifice of animals, which they practise on the great festivals, ‘ — The Armenian Church as a whole did — not admit the supremacy of the Roman See, but since the 14th cent, there have been definitely organized Armenian Catholics. See Mar Europ.