Hazirlayanlar

498

HOŞGÖRÜ TOPLUMUNDA ERMENİLER

who live mixt with the former in the towns and villages, occupying them-

selves with trade and handicrafts.” It is indeed interesting to note the vari-

ous handicrafts in which the Armenians excelled. Marco polo says, “ they 

weave the fi nest and handsomest carpets in the world, and also a great 

quantity of fi ne and rich silks’ of cremoisy and other colours and plenty of 

other stuffs. their chief cities are Conia, Savast and lasaria besides many 

other towns and bishops sees”.The Greater Armenia is called as “a great 

country – “which” begins at a city called Arzinjan at which they weave 

the best buckrams in the world. the people of the country are Armenians 

and subject to Tartars. there are many towns and villages in the country, 

but the nablest of their critics is Arzinga or Arzinjan which the seer of an 

Archtrishop, and then Arziron and Arzizi. “The country” reiterates Marco 

Polo” is indeed a passing great one, and in the summer it is frequented 

by the whole host of the Tartars of the Levant, because it then furnishes 

them with such excellent pastures for their cattle. It possesses also the best 

baths from natural springs that are anywhere to be found. But in winter the 

cold is fast all bounds, so in that season they quit this country and go to 

a warmer region, where they fi nd other good pastures. At a castle called 

paipurth, that you pass in going from Tribizand to Tauris, there is a very 

good silver miner”. Among other wonders of this region, Marco Polo and 

several Persian chroniclers emphasise that that “it is in this country of Ar-

menia that the Ark of Noah exists on the top of a certain great mountain 

(on the summit of which snow is so constant that no one can ascend; for 

the smod never melts, and is constantly added to by new falls. Below, 

however, the snow does melt, and runs down, producing such rich and 

abundant herbage that in summer cattle are sent to pasture from a long 

way round about and it never fails them”. (29).The Persian sources like 

Ajaibul Buldan,Tuhfatul Gharaib. Habibus Siyar and some others mention 

strange things to confi rm the prosperity of the region. It is recorded in these 

works, that there is one fi replace (atashkada) in Armenia. Whenever there 

are no rains, drought, or dreary weather, the khadims of the Atashkada lit 

the fi re there and its sides and corners are washed by dirty water which is 

later scattered and while this work is still in process, there appear lots of 

clouds on the sky suddenly and torrential rains follow and enrich it with 

pure water. (30). There were, however, certain travelers who noticed pov-

erty among the Armenians also in certain area. In the region of Turis,, the 

entire population including the Armenians were” poor creatures” despite 

fl ourishing trade and handicrafts in the town.. Here stuffs of silk and Gold 

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499

Prof. Mansure HAİDAR

were woven and rich merchandise was brought from India Garmsir and 

other places. But Latin and Genoese merchants were.said to be better off 

in this city. The place had a great market for precious stones. It is a city 

in fact where merchants make large profi ts”.When Ibni Batuta had visited 

Arzanjan – a vast town,where there were Armenians form the greater part 

of the population and Arz i Rum was “mostly in ruins as the result of a civil 

war between two Turkmen tribes”.(31).

Nevertheless the prosperous and populous condition of Armenians in 

the Ottoman Empire is again confi rmed through numerous travelogues. 

Writing in 1603 during his sojourn in Turkey, John cartwright recorded 

likewise that the lesser Armenia too was “subject to the Tartars; with its in-

numerable towns and villages.It had “everything in plenty”. Besides it was 

“a great country for sport in the Chase of all manner of beasts and birds. 

All the spicery and the cloths of silk and gold, and the other valuable wares 

that come from the interior are brought to that city. The merchants of Ven-

ice and Genoa and other countries, come thither to sell their goods, and to 

buy what they lack...It is now called Turcomania, and was the fi rst seate of 

the Turkes, after their fi rst comming out of Scythia, who left their naturall 

seates, and by the Caspian Ports passing through the Georgian Countrey, 

then called Iberia, neere unto the Caspian Sea; fi rst ceased upon this part 

of Armenia, and that with so strong an hand, that it is by their posteritie 

yet holden at this day, and of them called Turcomania. “ (32). Emphasising 

again how fruitfully engaged the Armenians were in the Turkish domain, 

Cartwright reiterated:”---To discourse how populous this nation of Arme-

nians is at this day, is needlesse, since they inhabit both in Armenia the 

greater, and Armenia the lesse; as also in Cilicia, Bithynia, Syria, Mesopo-

tamia and Persia. Besides the Principall Cities of the Turkish Empire, be 

much appopulated with them, as Brusia, Angori, Trabisonda, Alexandria, 

Grand-Caire, Constantinople, Caffa, Aleppo, Orpha, Cara-emit, Van, and 

Julpha: for that they are very laborious in transporting Merchandize from 

the Citie to another, by which means, through the customes which are paid 

in every Citie, the Cofers of the Grand Signior are wonderfully enriched. 

(33)

 The social structure of the Armenians and the joint family system in 

their country is appreciated by the same traveler which perhaps could be 

the basis of their strength: “At our fi rst entrance into this Countrey, we trav-

elled through a goodly, large, and spacious Plaine, compassed about with a 

row of high Mountaines, where were many Villages, wholly inhabited by 

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