Encyclopedia >> Encyclopedia of Armenian Genocide >> Zeytun Rebellions 1877-78, 1895

 ZEYTUN REBELLION 1877-78, 1895. The self-defense of Zeytun Armenians against the Turkish rule. From the second half of the 19th century the Turkish government took decisive measures  to eliminate the semi-independent existence of Zeytun. Because of those actions there was a huge rebellion in Zeytun in 1862. The rebellion of 1877-78 broke out in response to the tax increases and pressure from the Turkish government.

The rebellion was preceded by disturbances of people of Zeytun: In 1872 and 1875 the Armenians drove Turkish policemen out of the city and declared their independence. The Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78 did not give an opportunity to the Turkish authorities to crush the rebellion of people of Zeytun. Armenians attempted to connect with the Russian troops in Western Armenia for obtaining weapons, but they didn’t get any help from the Russians. After the war, the Turkish government concentrated troops against Zeytun, crushed the rebellion of Turkmen tribe kozanoglu wishing to join the Armenians and  seized Zeytun. 400 rebels led by Papik Yenitunyan (Norashkharhyan) climbed the mountains and continued the struggle there. 

For not giving a new pretext of interference in the internal affairs of Turkey to the European countries, Sublime Porte started negotiations with Papik. The Turkish side recognized Papik as a mayor, reduced the taxes, released the Armenians of Zeytun from the prison of Marash and succeeded in pacifying Zeytun through compromise.  

During the pogroms of the Armenian towns of Western Armenia in 1895-96, Zeytun started a new rebellion in 1895. The self-defense battles started in August, 1895, when under the pressure of the Turkish authorities and Armenian massacres, the national Assembly of Zeytun decided to transfer the residents of the neighboring Armenian villages to city, to drive the Turkish officials out of the city and resist the Turkish troops. The part of the population of the province (around 10 thousand) concentrated in village of Frunz.  

In October, 1895, after the massacres of the Armenians in Marash, the Turkish troops (50-60 thousand soldiers) moved towards Zeytun. 6000 fighters of Zeytun headed by Ghazar Shovroian, Aghasi Tursargsian resisted the enemy for two months and repulsed their attacks. So, the Turkish government was forced to send 4 foreign consuls to Zeytun for negotiations. An agreement was concluded. The Turkish troops left the province, the Armenian rebels received amnesty, a Christian governor was appointed and the population was exempted from taxes for five years.

H. Poghosyan

Source- Encyclopedia “The Armenian Question”, Yerevan, 1996. 

 
RA, Yerevan, Alex Manoogian 1, YSU 2nd annex
the 5th floor,
Tel.: + 37460 71 00 92
E-mail: info@armin.am

© Institute for Armenian Studies of YSU
All rights are reserved. In case of full or partial use of the web-site materials or the citation the reference to www.armeniansgenocide.am is compulsory.