THE ISSUE OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT AND EMIGRATION OF THE ARMENIAN POPULATION OF VAN AND BITLIS PROVINCES OF WESTERN ARMENIA AT THE END OF XIX AND BEGINNING OF XX CENTURIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46991/AFA/2025.SI-1.13Keywords:
Western Armenia, Van, Bitlis (Baghesh), demography, emigration, hamidian massacresAbstract
The study of problems related to the demography of Western Armenia is highly topical, because it covers the real goals of the anti-Armenian policy of the Ottoman authorities. The main trends of population movements, which were recorded in the provinces of Van and Bitlis at the end of XIX and beginning of XX centuries are discussed within the framework of the article. Movements, both within the country and to adjacent or more distant areas, were common to the Armenians of almost all provinces of Western Armenia, but Van and Bitlis were characterized by certain commonalities, which were especially related to more insecure and poor condition of the population of these provinces, as well as referred to the main directions of movements: the main destinations of emigration from Van and Bitlis were to Eastern Armenia, other parts of the Russian Empire and Persia. The article also touches on the reasons of emigration and also the labor migration, such as - insecurity, persecution, violence, massacres, forced Islamization, and direct consequences: decrease of the number of the Armenian population, depopulation of Armenian settlements, etc. The study was carried out using a historical-comparative approach, supported by historical-demographic and content analysis methods.
Downloads
References
A-Do. (1912). Vani, Bitlisi yev Erzrumi vilayetnery [Van, Bitlis and Erzrum vilayets]. Yerevan: Kultura publishing. (in Armenian)
Arakelyan, H. (1902, January 5). Mer nerqin kyanqy 1901 towin [Our inner life in 1901]. Mshak, Tiflis. (in Armenian)
Artagaght' [Emigration]. Araks. (1906, July 28). Boston. (in Armenian)
Prilozhenija: Spisok naselennyh punktov byvshej Erzrumskoj oblasti, nahodivshejsja vo vremennom upravlenii Rossii. [Attachments: List of settlements of the former Erzrum region, which was under the temporary administration of Russia. (1884-1885)]. Compiled by A. D. Eritsov, Izvestija Kavkazskago Otdela Imperatorskago Russkago Geografocheskago Obshhestva, vol. VIII, Tiflis. (in Russian).
Badalyan, G. (2015). Arevmtyan Hayastani patmajhoghovrdagrakan nkaragiry' Mets Yegherni naxo'rein. Vani vilayet'i haravayin yev arevmtyan gavarnery' yev Van qaghaqy'. [Historical and demographic description of Western Armenia on the eve of the Mets Yehgern: The southern and western districts of Van vilayet and Van city]. Vem, 3, pp. I- XXXV. (in Armenian)
Badalyan, G. (2016). Arevmtyan Hayastani patmajhoghovrdagrakan nkaragiry' Mets Yegherni naxo'rein. Bit'lisi nahangi harav-arevelyan gavarnery' [Historical and demographic description of Western Armenia on the eve of the Metz Ehgern: South-eastern districts of Bitlis province]. Vem, 4, pp. I-XXXI. (in Armenian)
Badalyan, G. (2016). Arevmtyan Hayastani patmajhoghovrdagrakan nkaragiry' Mets Yegherni naxo'rein. Bit'lisi nahangi hyusisayin, arewelyan yev arewmtyan gavarnery'. [Historical and demographic description of Western Armenia on the eve of the Metz Ehgern: north, east and west districts of Bitlis province]. Vem, 3, pp. I- XXXVI. (in Armenian)
Develay, A., & Pisson, G. (1892). Ughevorut'iun i P'oqr Asia [Trip to Asia Minor]. Vienna: Mekhitarist Publication. (in Armenian)
Gharib. (1898, May 13). Hin yev nor gharibner (gaght'akanneri drut'iuny') [Old and new sojorns (the situation of immigrants)]. Mshak, Tiflis. (in Armenian)
Gutman, D. (2016). The Political Economy of Armenian Migration from the Harput Region to North America in the Ninteenth Century. In Y. T. Cora, D. Derderian, & A. Sipahi (Eds.). The Ottoman East in the Nineteenth Century (pp. 44-58). London, New York: I.B.Tauris & Co. Ltd.
Hepworth, G. H. (1898). Through Armenia on horseback. London: E.P. Dutton.
Kévorkian, R., & Paboudjian, P. (1992). Les Arméniens dans l’Empire ottoman à la veille du génocide. Paris: Arhis.
Kro'nap'oxowt'iwnnery' Vanowm. [Conversions in Van]. (1898, March 6). Mshak, Tiflis. (in Armenian)
Lragir Azgayin. (1878, September 26). Constantinople. (in Armenian).
Lynch, H. (1901). Armenia: Travels1and Studies, vol. II, London, New York and Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co.
Malkhasyan, M. (2015). Patmajhoghovrdagrakan usumnasirut'iunner. Gitakan hodvatsneri jhoghovatsu [Historical and demographic studies. A collection of scientific articles]. Yerevan: YSU publ. (in Armenian)
Mirakhoryan, M. (1884). Nkaragrakan ughevorut'iun i hayabnak gavars Arevelean Tachkastani [Descriptive trip to the Armenian provices of Western Tachkastan]. Vol. I. Constantinople: M. K. Sarean publ. (in Armenian)
Mirakhoryan, M. (1885a). Nkaragrakan ughevorut'iun i hayabnak gavars Arevelean Tachkastani [Descriptive trip to the Armenian provices of Western Tachkastan]. Vol. II. Constantinople: S. Gh. Partizpanean publ. (in Armenian)
Mirakhoryan, M. (1885b). Nkaragrakan ughevorut'iun i hayabnak gavars Arevelean Tachkastani [Descriptive trip to the Armenian provices of Western Tachkastan]. Vol. III. Constantinople: S. Gh. Partizpanean publ. (in Armenian)
Mnjoyan. (1902, September 11). Gaght'akanneri veradardzy' [The return of emigrants]. Mshak. Tiflis. (in Armenian)
Namak Parskastanic. [A letter from Persia]. (1897, September 13). Mshak. (in Armenian)
Norman, C. (1878). Armenia and the campaign of 1877. London, Paris, New York: Cassell Petter & Galpin.
O'lgenini veradardzy'. [The return of Olgenin]. (1913, May 22). Mshak. Tiflis. (in Armenian)
Poghosyan, H. (1985). Sasuni patmut'iun [The history of Sasun]. Yerevan: Hayastan publ. house. (in Armenian)
Shahen, V. (1906, August 4). Artagaght [Emmigration]. Araks, Boston. (in Armenian)
Sirvard. (1910, August 21). Gaght'ayin hosanqe' [The migration flow]. Apaga, Constantinople. (in Armenian).
Tatoyan, R. (2022). Arevmtyan Hayastani Pit'lisi nahangi hay bnakchut'ean t'ivy' Mets Yegherni nakhoreakin [The number of the Armenian population of Bitlis province of Western Armenia on the eve of the Genocide]. Lebanon: Chirak Printing Publishing (in Armenian)
Teghekagir Vaspurakani kotorac'in [Report on the massacres in Vaspurakan]. (1896). Ararat, 12, 578-585. (in Armenian)
Ter Hakobyan, V. (1914). Vichakagrakan tsutsadrumn Tachkahayastani [Statistical display of Turkish Armenia]. Ararat, 9, 808-814 (in Armenian)
Ter Rubinyan, G. (1913, April 5). Nor gaght'akanut'iuny' [The new emigrants]. Mshak. Tiflis. (in Armenian)
The New York Times. (2018). In Rev. V. Ohanian, & A. Ketibian (Eds.). The Armenian Genocide. Prelude and aftermath: As reported in the U. S. press (1890-1914). (Vol. 1). Mekhitarist Publication.
The Missonary Herald. (1898, March). Boston
Tozer, H. (1881). Turkish Armenia and Eastern Asia Minor. London: Longmans, Green, and Co.
Turqahayeri gaghtakanakan nor hosanq. [A new migration wave of Turkish Armenians]. (1913, March 21). Mshak, Tiflis. (in Armenian)
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
