Lost Lands of Armenia Nakhichevan
Alistair.Sim
biblical reference to Noah's descent from his Ark on adjacent Mt.
Ararat).
One of the oldest Armenian cities, Nakhichevan made part of the
Ayrarat, Vaspurakan and Sjounik provinces of Armenia. In modern times,
Nakhichevan was part of the Yerevan Guberniya (1849-1918), and the
First Republic of Armenia (1918-1920). Following the Treaty of Moscow
signed by the Bolshevik Russia and Turkey in 1921, Nakhichevan was
forcibly attached to the Soviet Azerbaijan. In 1924, an autonomous
Republic of Nakhichevan was formed within the Azerbaijan Soviet
Republic. During the Soviet-Azeri rule the region was entirely cleansed
of Armenians.
Quote:
According to Movses Khorenatsi, the territory of Nakhichevan region had
been part of the Ancient Armenian Kingdom as early as from the 6th
century B.C. In his description of the deeds of the Armenian King
Tigran Yervandyan the historian notes that the king "settled his wife
and many maidens of his family together with the youths and numerous
captured people in the eastern side of the great mountain which reached
the borders of Goghtn, i.e., in Tambat, Oskiokh, Dajguin and other
settlements. These people were also given three small towns, Khram,
Jhukhu, Khoshakunik, as well as the valley on the opposite bank of the
river from Ajhanakan to the fortress of Nakhichevan" (cf. "History
of Armenia by Moses Khorenatsi", 1858). The boundary stone with the
Aramian inscription of the Armenian King Artashes I (189-160 B.C.)
found on the foothill of Ishkhanasar, as well as other inscriptions
found in the region around the Lake Sevan attributed to the same king
confirm that in the 2nd century B.C. the District of Syunik constituted
part of the Ancient Armenia (cf.: A.G. Perikhanyan, "Aramian
Inscription from Zangezur", Historical-Philological Magazine, 1965,
No 4; A. Ya. Borisov "Inscriptions of Artaxia (Artashes), King of
Armenia, 1946, No 2).
According to Strabon, Syunik was inhabited by the Armenian ethnos.
(Strabon, "Geography in 17 Books", 1964, Vol. XI, XIV). It is
stated in "The History" by Pavstos Byuzand that Nakhichevan was
part of Armenia. Pavstos Byuzand mentioned that some of the people
captured by Tigran II (71-70 B.C.) in Palestine were settled there. In
the 4th century Nakhichevan, including other Armenian towns, was
plundered by Shapuh II Sasanid, and thousands of Armenians and Jews
were forcedly withdrawn from there (cf.: "History of Armenia" by
Pavstos Byuzand, 1953).
During the 6th and 7th centuries Nakhichevan suffered from the
Persian-Byzantine wars, and in the 7th century it was enslaved by the
Arabs. In 705 the Armenian noblemen and princes were invited to
Nakhichevan by Mahmed, the Arab vice-regent and burnt alive ("History
of Caliphs" by Vardapet Ghevond (VIII century), 1862 ) .
In 902 King Smbat I the Bagratid passed the dominion of Nakhichevan
region to Ashot Artsrunid "for the support and contribution to the
victory over the Kaysiks of Manavaz". (History of Artsrunid Family,
Archimandrite Thomas Arstunid, 1917). After the death of Ashot
Artsrunid (904) Nakhichevan was handed over to Smbat, the reigning
prince of Syunik. According to Iiohannes Draskhanakertid, "since
Nakhichevan had been previously granted by the king to Smbat, the
prince of Sisakan... the king did not wish to take away from the prince
the title issued by himself". (Iiohannes Draskhanakertid, "History
of Armenia", 1986).
Stepanos Orbelyan (XIII century) refers to Nakhichevan (former
Nakhchavan) as part of Syunik region: "...with the capital of
Nakhichevan" where the Orbelyan and Proshyan Princes, as well as the
representatives of other Armenian feudal clans ruled.
Wilhelm de Rubruck (XIII century) who visited Nakhichevan wrote,
"Formerly there used to be eighty Armenian churches while now only
two small churches have survived and the rest was destroyed by the
Sarratsins" (cf.: "Journey of Plano Karpini and Rubruck to Eastern
Countries", 1957).
Nakhichevan town continued to be one of the centers of the Armenian
culture in XIV - XVIII centuries. During the aforementioned period the
scriptoria and schools of Nakhichevan played a significant role in the
medieval Armenian manuscript art and pedagogy. Dozens of manuscripts
created in Nakhichevan town have been preserved. (Metanadaran,
Manuscript ## 3822, 3567, 3722, etc.).
Julfa region which historically was the Province of Yernjak, Syunik
Region, is included in Nakhichevan. According to "Ashkharatsuyuts"
by Anania Shirakatsi (VII century), "The ninth province of Syunik
covers the area between the River Yeraskh and Artsakh region eastwards
of Airarat region, and has twelve gavars (districts): Yerbjak, Jauk,
Vayotsdzor, Gelakuni with the sea of the same name, Sodk, Alaejk,
Tsluk-Aband, Balk, Dzork, Arevik, Kosakan with the rivers of the same
name, reaching the town of Nakhkorzean with the crossing of the same
name, and the River Aghavno". ("Ashkharatsuyts", Movses
Khorenatsi).
The fortress Yernjak was the administrative center of the province. In
the late 1100's Yernjak Fortress and town Jauk belonged to Prince
Yelikum Orbelyan. They had been passed to the possession of the latter
as a gift from Atabek Eldkuz (Ildegiz). In the 13th century Yernjak and
Gohgtn represented the second province of Syunik (Stepanos Orbelyan).
Jugha (Julfa) was one of the large towns of the province.
Shahbuz region which historically was Jauk Province of Syunik District,
is part of Nakhichevan. Jauk was the hereditary estate of the reigning
princes of Syunik (St. Orbelyan). Josepho Barbaro, a Venetian traveler
wrote during his visit to Jauk in 1471-1473, "Town Jagri (Jauk) lies
in front of me. Here Armenians live... they have two monasteries...with
fifty monks''. The struggle against the hordes of Tamerlan in 1387 is
one of the heroic episodes of the history of the fortress.
Throughout the period covering the 8th to 14th centuries the region was
under the Tatar-Mongol yoke, and in the course of the 14th to 18th
centuries the territory became the arena of the Turkish-Persian wars.
At the beginning of the 17th century, due to the forceful expulsion
organized by Abbas I Shah the population of many of the Armenian towns
and villages (Goghtn, Nalhichevan, Yernjak, Jugi, Jauk) fled from their
homeland.
The territory of the present Ordubad region is identical to the
historical Armenian Province of Gokhtn. Movses Khorenatsi states that
since long ago Goghtn Armenians lived in Gohgtn which was part of
Sisakan (cf.: "History of Armenia" by Movses Khorenatsi).
Goghtn is indicated in "Ashkharatsuyuts" as the 33rd province of
the Armenian region of Vaspurakan. According to Thomas Artsrunid (X
century), Goghtn continued to be part of Vaspurakan till the year of
737.
Throughout the period from the 16th to the 17th centuries Nakhichevan
was the subject of Chukhur of Saad (Yerevan Province).
After the collapse of the power of Nadir Shah (1747) Nakhichevan
Khanate was established which was connected to Russia after the
Russian-Turkish war in 1826-1828.
Under Turkmenchay Agreement (1828) (Details in: www.genocide.ru)
Yerevan and Nakhichevan Khanates, as well as Ordubad District were
passed to Russia.
According to the order of Nikolay I of March 20, 1828, immediately
after the conclusion of Turkmanchay Agreement Nakhichevan and Yerevan
Khanates which had been connected to Russia were merged into the
Armenian Province. The province constituted Yerevan, Nakhichevan and
Ordubad districts ("Collection of Documents Related to History of
Survey of the Armenian Nation " ) .
>From December 9, 1867 Transcaucasus was divided into five provinces:
Kutayisi, Tbilisi, Yelisavetpol and Baku. In addition to seven other
districts, Nakhichevan district was also included in Yerevan province.
In 1918-1920, as a result of two Turkish invasions, part of the
Armenians populace (25000 persons) of the former Nakhichevan province
(later - a district) was assassinated by the Turkish occupants and
bands of Mousafats, and part of them was forced to leave their
homeland.
On March 16, 1921 the Soviet Russia and Turkey entered into an
agreement in Moscow, which defined that Nakhichevan was passed to the
Soviet Azerbaijan "with the status of an autonomous territory". In
the context of the international law the conclusion of the
aforementioned agreement was apparently an illegitimate action: two
states decided on passing the territory of a third state without the
latter's consent to the fourth state (Details in: Moscow Agreement
www.genocide. ru)
In order to give a legally acceptable form to the agreement, in the
same year it was renewed in Kars (Details in: Kars Agreement
www.genocide.ru) with the participation of the Soviet Transcaucasus
republics: "The Turkish government and the Soviet governments of
Azerbaijan and Armenia agree that Nakhichevan region constitutes an
autonomous region (with its borders as defined in the Annex of this
Agreement) under the protection of Azerbaijan". It should be noted
that the wording read not "the composition", but "under the
protection" of the Soviet Azerbaijan. It was beyond any doubt that
Nakhichevan was an Armenian territory which was passed to the
protection of the Soviet Azerbaijan deriving from the interests of the
world revolution.
Otherwise, how could an Azerbaijani territory be passed to the
protection of Azerbaijan itself?
The fact that province was one of the authentic Armenian regions is
proven by the rich heritage that is preserved in the cultural centers
of Nakhichevan. In the medieval ages dozens of cultural centers with
Armenian schools existed in Goghtn, Jauk, Yernjak, Agulis and other
regions of Nakhichevan province. The masterpieces of the Armenian
miniature art and manuscripts are indicative of the high skills of the
Nakhichevan scribes and painters. Numerous monuments of the Armenian
architecture were erected. Many of them have been preserved and still
exist in the gorges and valleys of Agulis, Ordubad, Vananda, Tskhni,
Gilan and Bist.