Armenians

:This article is about the Armenians as an ethnic group. For information on residents or nationals of Armenia, see demographics of Armenia.

History

Until modern times, the history of the Armenians is the history of Armenia. The name Armenia designated a shifting region, but the Armenians had a continuous presence as a people in the Caucasus and eastern Asia Minor. The predecessors of the first Armenian Kingdom in the 6th century BC were the Kingdom of Urartu, Hittite Empire, Phrygia as well as various small states and confederations such as the Hayasa. The Armenians moved into the area around the 7th century BC, according to Herodotus they were colonists of the Phrygians, possibly in connection with the invasions of the Cimmerians who ravaged Phrygia in 696 BC.

Related Topics:
History of Armenia - Kingdom of Urartu - Hittite Empire - Phrygia - 7th century BC - Herodotus - Cimmerians - 696 BC

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A competing view was suggested by

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Thomas Gamkrelidze and Vyacheslav V. Ivanov in 1984 in the context of their Glottalic theory, placing the Proto-Indo-European urheimat on Lake Urmia, implying that the predecessors of the Armenian language were spoken in the area for much longer. This view has little support in mainstream linguistics.

Related Topics:
Thomas Gamkrelidze - Vyacheslav V. Ivanov - 1984 - Glottalic theory - Proto-Indo-European - Urheimat - Lake Urmia

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While the 2003 U.S. Department of State website states that the first Armenian state was founded in 190 BC (http://www.state.gov/outofdate/bgn/a/29974.htm), the official view traditionally accepted in modern Armenia, based mainly on Herodotus, Xenophon, and 6th century BC Persian records, is that the first Armenian state was established by the early 6th century BC. ("History of the Armenian People," v. 1, 1971). At its zenith (95–65 BC) the state extended from northern Caucasus all the way to what is now central Turkey, Lebanon, and north-western Iran. Later it briefly became part of the Roman Empire (AD 114–116). Historically the name Armenian has come to internationally designate this group of people but interestingly enough Armenians don't call themselves Armenians in the Armenian language, instead they call themselves Hay (pronounced Hye; plural: Hayer), the roots of the word may have links to the popular Armenian name Hayk.

Related Topics:
190 BC - Herodotus - Xenophon - 6th century BC - 95 - 65 BC - Turkey - Lebanon - Iran - Roman Empire - 114 - 116

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In AD 301, Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion (see #Religion). During its later political eclipses, Armenia depended on the church to preserve and protect its unique identity. From around 1080 to 1375, the focus of Armenian nationalism was the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, which had close ties with the Crusader States.

Related Topics:
AD 301 - Christianity - #Religion - 1080 - 1375 - Nationalism - Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia - Crusader States

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As with virtually all other nations of this region, between the 4th and 19th centuries, Armenia was conquered and ruled by, among others, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Mongols, and Ottoman Turks.

Related Topics:
4th - 19th centuries - Persians - Byzantine - Arab - Mongols - Ottoman Turks

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In the 1820s parts of historic Armenia under Persian control centering on Yerevan and Lake Sevan were later incorporated into Russia.

Related Topics:
1820s - Yerevan - Lake Sevan - Russia

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Armenia has a long history of conquering, or being conquered by a vast number of peoples. The ethnic cleansing during the final years of the Ottoman Empire are widely considered as being of genocidal nature, with one wave of persecution in the years 1894 to 1896 culminating in what is commonly referenced as the Armenian Genocide in 1915 and 1916. With World War I in progress, the Turks saw the (Christian) Armenians as liable to ally with Imperial Russia, and chose to deal with the entire Armenian population as an enemy within their empire. The exact numbers of deaths in the latter period is hard to establish. It is estimated by some sources that close to a million perished in camps. This excludes Armenians who may have died in other ways. Turkish governments since that time have consistently rejected charges of genocide, typically arguing either that those Armenians who died were simply in the way of a war or that killings of Armenians were justified by their individual or collective support for the enemies of the Ottoman Empire.

Related Topics:
Ethnic cleansing - Genocidal - 1894 - 1896 - Armenian Genocide - 1915 - 1916 - World War I - Imperial Russia

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Following the breakup of the Russian empire in the aftermath of World War I for a brief period, from 1918 to 1920, Armenia was an independent republic. In late 1920, the communists came to power following an invasion of Armenia by the Red Army, and in 1922, Armenia became part of the USSR, later forming the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (1936–September 21). In 1991 Armenia declared independence from the USSR.

Related Topics:
Aftermath of World War I - 1918 - 1920 - Communist - Red Army - 1922 - USSR - Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic - 1936 - September 21 - 1991 - Armenia - USSR

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