Between the Shah, the Tsar, and the Sultan: The Turbulent Years of Armenian Holy See of Etchmiadzin (1700-1725)
The focus of this study is Holy See (Catholicosate) of Etchmiadzin, which is the highest spiritual authority of Armenian community and society. Etcmiadzin was called Üçkilise by the Ottomans. The heads of the clergy (catholicos and patriarchs) led the Armenian community during the times when the Arm...
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Istanbul University Press
2024-06-01
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| Series: | Türkiyat Mecmuası |
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| Online Access: | https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/D7B3FD4DEDEA413D977B65A3BB450F97 |
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| author | Ensar Köse |
| author_facet | Ensar Köse |
| author_sort | Ensar Köse |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The focus of this study is Holy See (Catholicosate) of Etchmiadzin, which is the highest spiritual authority of Armenian community and society. Etcmiadzin was called Üçkilise by the Ottomans. The heads of the clergy (catholicos and patriarchs) led the Armenian community during the times when the Armenians lacked political unity. Therefore, it can be argued that their activities were not limited to religious rituals but also had political implications. Indeed, this study has revealed that the catholicos of Etchmiadzin, whether willingly or not, were involved in political and military events, and even took an active role from time to time. In the timeframe of this research, the political and military events in the Caucasus were relatively notable. The return of the Armenian nationalist Israel Ori from Europe to the Caucasus in 1699 on a –unity– mission excited the Armenian community. The expansionist policy of the Russian Tsar Peter the Great toward the region and the famous Caucasian (Caspian) campaign in 1722 added to this excitement and expectations of the Armenians. At this time, the Safavids were on the verge of collapse due to the Afghan rebellion, and even though Sultan Ahmed III sat on the Ottoman throne, it was his son-in-law, the Grand Vizier İbrahim Pasha of Nevşehir, who ruled the empire. Although their foreign policy was –in principle– peaceful, it was not possible to continue this policy in new conjuncture that emerged in the Caucasus. In the struggle between these great powers neighboring the region, the Armenian community in Revan and the Etchmiadzin clergy were forced by these powers to take sides. This study also considers how and to what extent the rivalry, even hostility, between the Armenian spiritual centers (the Catholicosates of Etchmiyadzin and Gandzasar and the Patriarchate of Constantinople) affected the political and military developments. The main sources of the study are mostly documents and other records in Turkish and Russian archives. In addition, a few chronicles and contemporary research works of that period were used. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8a9425c8254d490e86249c62a20da91d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2651-3188 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Istanbul University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Türkiyat Mecmuası |
| spelling | doaj-art-8a9425c8254d490e86249c62a20da91d2025-08-20T02:31:16ZengIstanbul University PressTürkiyat Mecmuası2651-31882024-06-01341639410.26650/iuturkiyat.1351237123456Between the Shah, the Tsar, and the Sultan: The Turbulent Years of Armenian Holy See of Etchmiadzin (1700-1725)Ensar Köse0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2754-0982İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul, TurkiyeThe focus of this study is Holy See (Catholicosate) of Etchmiadzin, which is the highest spiritual authority of Armenian community and society. Etcmiadzin was called Üçkilise by the Ottomans. The heads of the clergy (catholicos and patriarchs) led the Armenian community during the times when the Armenians lacked political unity. Therefore, it can be argued that their activities were not limited to religious rituals but also had political implications. Indeed, this study has revealed that the catholicos of Etchmiadzin, whether willingly or not, were involved in political and military events, and even took an active role from time to time. In the timeframe of this research, the political and military events in the Caucasus were relatively notable. The return of the Armenian nationalist Israel Ori from Europe to the Caucasus in 1699 on a –unity– mission excited the Armenian community. The expansionist policy of the Russian Tsar Peter the Great toward the region and the famous Caucasian (Caspian) campaign in 1722 added to this excitement and expectations of the Armenians. At this time, the Safavids were on the verge of collapse due to the Afghan rebellion, and even though Sultan Ahmed III sat on the Ottoman throne, it was his son-in-law, the Grand Vizier İbrahim Pasha of Nevşehir, who ruled the empire. Although their foreign policy was –in principle– peaceful, it was not possible to continue this policy in new conjuncture that emerged in the Caucasus. In the struggle between these great powers neighboring the region, the Armenian community in Revan and the Etchmiadzin clergy were forced by these powers to take sides. This study also considers how and to what extent the rivalry, even hostility, between the Armenian spiritual centers (the Catholicosates of Etchmiyadzin and Gandzasar and the Patriarchate of Constantinople) affected the political and military developments. The main sources of the study are mostly documents and other records in Turkish and Russian archives. In addition, a few chronicles and contemporary research works of that period were used.https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/D7B3FD4DEDEA413D977B65A3BB450F97yerevancatholicosate of etchmiadzinottoman empirerussian tsardomsafavidscaucasus |
| spellingShingle | Ensar Köse Between the Shah, the Tsar, and the Sultan: The Turbulent Years of Armenian Holy See of Etchmiadzin (1700-1725) Türkiyat Mecmuası yerevan catholicosate of etchmiadzin ottoman empire russian tsardom safavids caucasus |
| title | Between the Shah, the Tsar, and the Sultan: The Turbulent Years of Armenian Holy See of Etchmiadzin (1700-1725) |
| title_full | Between the Shah, the Tsar, and the Sultan: The Turbulent Years of Armenian Holy See of Etchmiadzin (1700-1725) |
| title_fullStr | Between the Shah, the Tsar, and the Sultan: The Turbulent Years of Armenian Holy See of Etchmiadzin (1700-1725) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Between the Shah, the Tsar, and the Sultan: The Turbulent Years of Armenian Holy See of Etchmiadzin (1700-1725) |
| title_short | Between the Shah, the Tsar, and the Sultan: The Turbulent Years of Armenian Holy See of Etchmiadzin (1700-1725) |
| title_sort | between the shah the tsar and the sultan the turbulent years of armenian holy see of etchmiadzin 1700 1725 |
| topic | yerevan catholicosate of etchmiadzin ottoman empire russian tsardom safavids caucasus |
| url | https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/D7B3FD4DEDEA413D977B65A3BB450F97 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ensarkose betweentheshahthetsarandthesultantheturbulentyearsofarmenianholyseeofetchmiadzin17001725 |