Hazirlayanlar

494

HOŞGÖRÜ TOPLUMUNDA ERMENİLER

there the watermelons were in his view inferior to that of Allahabad and 

Mainpoory). Here he saw that the greater number of inhabitants of this 

city were Jews, Greeks and Armenians – all of whom of a covetous and 

parsimonious disposition”.For Abu Taleb, the place was indeed “disagre-

able”. He laments how one of his English acquaintances took him to an 

Armenian merchant’s house “thinking it would be gratifying for me to 

meet with a person who understood the Persian language and was born 

at Jufl a – a suburb of Isfahan. The Armenian was at dinner and hurriedly 

sent out his son with instructions to say that his father was very unwell and 

had quite forgotten the Persian language”, Even at the coffee house where 

Abu Talib frequently met with another Armenian named Khwajah Raphael 

(who was also born at Julfa, but pretended to be ignorant of the language 

of that city) Mirza remained without an Armenian friend.. Condemning the 

Armenian as “a complete scoundrel who had seen great deal of the world, 

understood a number of languages, called on Isfahani several times, but 

was never of the smallest service and was so over cautious that he would 

not even assist me with his advice respecting the route I should pursue. “To 

compensate the want of frendship in the Armenians,” admits Abu Talib, “ 

I had the pleasure of forming an intimacy with Mr. Darby and an English 

merchant.... I often tried him with my complaints-- despair. ”. (23)

 Undoubtedly, the grandeur of the Ottomans during the middle ages 

must have been quite dazzling for the inhabitants of the world around. 

Writing in 1610 George Sandys records: “Thus great at this day is the Ot-

toman empire; but too great for it are their assumed titles; as God on Earth, 

Shadow of God, sole monarch of the world, King of Kings, commander of 

all that can be commanded, sovereign of the most noble Families of Persia 

and Armenia, Possessor of the Holy cities of Mecca and Jerusalem......”. 

(24).Perhaps this was the attitude of pride which had prompted the Otto-

man Sultans not to write to their global counterparts directly. Instead, their 

wazirs used to write letters on their behalf and in their own (Wazir’s)name. 

The tenor of the letters was also a bit egotist which was not appreciated by 

Shahjahan. In one of his letters, therefore, a visibly irritated Mughal Em-

peror Shahjahan had once offered him to send Indian scribes if there were 

no good munshis available in Turkey.

The Ottoman relations with the European communities could at times 

be variable but with the Armenians, the Ottomans maintained a kind of 

consistency of cordial amicability and apparent confi dence.  There  was 

much lingual affi nity with several other people also but the mutual close-

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495

Prof. Mansure HAİDAR

ness enjoyed by the Ottomans with the Armenians was extraordinary --

- a fact highlighted and discussed in different sources and travelogues. 

Language which is the basis of distinctive feature of a nation had lost its 

exclusive character due to mixing of several words though monopoly of 

a particular nation on its language continued. To quote an example“Greek 

tongue” had a deep impact on “A good part of Anatolia” because “Turk-

ish and other nations are gotten into their language by reason of the great 

Traffi que and commerce”. (25). Nevertheless the importance of the Arme-

nians never dwindled. Even the European sources confi rmed that it was 

ascertained by a Grant Patent and their numerical strength in the Ottoman 

Empire far exceeded others. It is specifi cally recorded in Purchas:

“The Armenians, for Trafi ke to which they are exceedingly addicted, 

are to be found in multitudes, in most Cities of great Trade, specially in 

those of the Turkish Empire, obtaining more favour and priviledge among 

the Turkes, and other Mahmumetans, ‘by a patent granted that nation un-

der Mahumets’ owne hand, than any other sect of Christians. Insomuch 

that no Nation seemeth more given to merchandize, nor is for that cause 

more dispersed abroad, than the Armenians, except the Jewes. But yet the 

native Regions of the Armenians, and where they are still found in the 

greatest multitude, and their Religion is most supported, are Armenia the 

Greater (named since the Turkes fi rst possession of it Turcomonia) beyond 

Euphrates, and Armenia the Lesse on this side. Euphrates, and Cilicia, now 

termed Caramania.----.(26)

The Armenians,however, continued to maintain their exclusive identi-

ty in the socio- religious sphere without bringing any change. Full freedom 

to pursue their own way of life was enjoyed by them. It is recorded “They 

acknowledge obedience, without any further or higher dependence, to two 

patriarckes of their owne: whom they terme Catholikes. Namely one of 

the greater Armenia, the Families under whose jurisdiction exceede the 

number of 150000, beside very many Monasteries. Of the Armenians the 

said Bishop of Sidon testifi eth, that they are subject to two principall Pa-

triarkes, one of Armenia the Greater, the other of Armenia the lesser. The 

former resideth in the Monastery and Church of Ecmeazin, neere the Citie 

Ervan in Persia: the other in the Citie Cis of Cilicia, now called Carama-

nia.” However, other Patriarkes are sometimes by the favour of the Turks 

created amongst them, and are exacters of Tributes which the Armenian 

Families are bound to pay the Turkes. Others also are elected Coadjutors of 

the same Patriarkes with consent of the bishops and people. Further there 

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