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.
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.
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