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==Melikdoms of Karabakh==
==Melikdoms of Karabakh==
The five Armenian Melikdoms of Karabakh: Gulistan, Jraberd, Varanda, Khachen, and Dizak, originated in the [[Principality of Khachen]], an ancient feudal state that existed between the tenth and sixteenth centuries.<ref name="Agop">{{cite book
Five Armenian Melikdoms existed in Karabakh: Gulistan, Jraberd, Varanda, Khachen, and Dizak.
Of those five [[melik]]s only the rulers of Khachen were natives of Karabakh. They originated in the [[Principality of Khachen]], an ancient feudal state that existed between the tenth and sixteenth centuries.<ref name="Agop">{{cite book
| last =Jack Hacikyan
| last =Jack Hacikyan
| first =Agop
| first =Agop
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| date =1997
| date =1997
| pages =86
| pages =86
| id =ISBN 0-312-10168-6 }}</ref>
| id =ISBN 0-312-10168-6 }}</ref> In 1603 Shah [[Abbas I]] recognized their special semi-independent status. Rivalries among the meliks prevented them from becoming a fomidable and a unified power against the Muslims but unstable conditions in Persia eventually forced them to forgot their squabbles and seek support from Europe and Russia.<ref name="Richard"/> In 1678 [[Catholicos]] Hakob Jughayetsi (Jacob of Jugha, 1655-1680) called for a secret meeting in [[Echmiadzin]] and invited several leading meliks and clergymen. He proposed to head a delegation to Europe. The Catholicos died shorlty and the plan was abandoned. One of the delegates, a young man named [[Israel Ori]], the son of Melik Haikazyan of Zangezur continued on and proceeded to [[Venice]] and from there to [[France]]. Ori died in 1711 without seeing the liberation of Armenian lands.<ref name="Richard"/> In the second half of the eighteenth century melik Shahnazar of Varanda allied himself with [[Panah Khan Javanshir]], the chieftain of a Turkic tribe, against other Armenian meliks which led to the downfall of the autonomous Armenian melikdoms of Karabakh.<ref name="Agop"/> The meliks of Karabakh inspired the historical novels ''The Melikdoms of Khamsa'' (1882) and ''David Bek'' (1882) by [[Raffi (poet)|Raffi]], the [[opera]] ''David Bek'' (1950) by Armen Tigranian and the novel ''Mkhitar Sparapet'' (1961) by Sero Khanzadyan.<ref name="Agop"/>In 1944, ''[[David Bek (film)|David Bek]]'' the movie was filmed and in [[1978]], [[Armenfilm]] in association with [[Mosfilm]] produced another movie about the efforts of David Bek and Mkhitar Sparapet called the ''[[Star of Hope]]''.

The other four meliks were migrants from various regions of South Caucasus. According to the Armenian author [[Raffi (poet)|Raffi]], Melik-Beglaryans of Gulistan were native [[udi|utis]] from the village of Nij in [[Shirvan]]; Melik-Israelyans of [[Jraberd]] were descendants of a melik of [[Siunik]] and hailed from the village of Magavuz in [[Zangezur]]; Melik Shahnazars of Varanda hailed from the region of [[Gokcha]] and received the title of meliks from [[Shah Abbas I]] in reward for their services; Melik-Avanyans of Dizak - were descendants of meliks of [[Lori]].<ref name="meliki">[http://www.armenianhouse.org/raffi/also-ru/ulubabyan.htmlRaffi. Melikdoms of Khamsa]</ref> <ref name="Adigezal">[http://www.vostlit.info/Texts/rus14/Karabag_name/text1.phtml?id=945 Mirza Adigezal bey. Karabakh-name]</ref>

In 1603 Shah [[Abbas I]] recognized their special semi-independent status. Rivalries among the meliks prevented them from becoming a fomidable and a unified power against the Muslims but unstable conditions in Persia eventually forced them to forgot their squabbles and seek support from Europe and Russia.<ref name="Richard"/> In 1678 [[Catholicos]] Hakob Jughayetsi (Jacob of Jugha, 1655-1680) called for a secret meeting in [[Echmiadzin]] and invited several leading meliks and clergymen. He proposed to head a delegation to Europe. The Catholicos died shorlty and the plan was abandoned. One of the delegates, a young man named [[Israel Ori]], the son of Melik Haikazyan of Zangezur continued on and proceeded to [[Venice]] and from there to [[France]]. Ori died in 1711 without seeing the liberation of Armenian lands.<ref name="Richard"/> In the second half of the eighteenth century melik Shahnazar of Varanda allied himself with [[Panah Khan Javanshir]], the chieftain of a Turkic tribe, against other Armenian meliks which led to the downfall of the autonomous Armenian melikdoms of Karabakh.<ref name="Agop"/> The meliks of Karabakh inspired the historical novels ''The Melikdoms of Khamsa'' (1882) and ''David Bek'' (1882) by [[Raffi (poet)|Raffi]], the [[opera]] ''David Bek'' (1950) by Armen Tigranian and the novel ''Mkhitar Sparapet'' (1961) by Sero Khanzadyan.<ref name="Agop"/>In 1944, ''[[David Bek (film)|David Bek]]'' the movie was filmed and in [[1978]], [[Armenfilm]] in association with [[Mosfilm]] produced another movie about the efforts of David Bek and Mkhitar Sparapet called the ''[[Star of Hope]]''.


==Prominent Meliks==
==Prominent Meliks==

Revision as of 05:17, 4 May 2007

Мelik (Armenian: Մելիք, prince, from Arabic malikking) — was a hereditary Armenian noble title, in various Eastern Armenian principalities known as Melikdoms encompassing modern Yerevan, Kars, Nakhichevan, Sevan, Lori, Artsakh, Tabriz and Syunik starting from the Late Middle Ages until the end of the 19th century.

The realm of the meliks was almost always semi-independent and often fully independent, they had their own court known as darpas, army, castles and military fortifications known as skhnakhi, carried out justice in the form of trials and collected tax. The relationship between meliks and their subordinates was that of a military commanding officer and junior officer, and not of feudal lord and a serf. Peasants were not allowed to own land, but otherwise were free and owned property. Meliks preserved their rights and privileges after Eastern Armenia became part of the Russian Empire, many of them, especially meliks from Karabakh became Russian generals.

Melikdoms of Karabakh

Five Armenian Melikdoms existed in Karabakh: Gulistan, Jraberd, Varanda, Khachen, and Dizak.

Of those five meliks only the rulers of Khachen were natives of Karabakh. They originated in the Principality of Khachen, an ancient feudal state that existed between the tenth and sixteenth centuries.[1] These five principalities were ruled by the Beglarian, Israelian, Shahnazarian, Hassan-Jalalian and Avanian families respectively.[2]

The other four meliks were migrants from various regions of South Caucasus. According to the Armenian author Raffi, Melik-Beglaryans of Gulistan were native utis from the village of Nij in Shirvan; Melik-Israelyans of Jraberd were descendants of a melik of Siunik and hailed from the village of Magavuz in Zangezur; Melik Shahnazars of Varanda hailed from the region of Gokcha and received the title of meliks from Shah Abbas I in reward for their services; Melik-Avanyans of Dizak - were descendants of meliks of Lori.[3] [4]

In 1603 Shah Abbas I recognized their special semi-independent status. Rivalries among the meliks prevented them from becoming a fomidable and a unified power against the Muslims but unstable conditions in Persia eventually forced them to forgot their squabbles and seek support from Europe and Russia.[2] In 1678 Catholicos Hakob Jughayetsi (Jacob of Jugha, 1655-1680) called for a secret meeting in Echmiadzin and invited several leading meliks and clergymen. He proposed to head a delegation to Europe. The Catholicos died shorlty and the plan was abandoned. One of the delegates, a young man named Israel Ori, the son of Melik Haikazyan of Zangezur continued on and proceeded to Venice and from there to France. Ori died in 1711 without seeing the liberation of Armenian lands.[2] In the second half of the eighteenth century melik Shahnazar of Varanda allied himself with Panah Khan Javanshir, the chieftain of a Turkic tribe, against other Armenian meliks which led to the downfall of the autonomous Armenian melikdoms of Karabakh.[1] The meliks of Karabakh inspired the historical novels The Melikdoms of Khamsa (1882) and David Bek (1882) by Raffi, the opera David Bek (1950) by Armen Tigranian and the novel Mkhitar Sparapet (1961) by Sero Khanzadyan.[1]In 1944, David Bek the movie was filmed and in 1978, Armenfilm in association with Mosfilm produced another movie about the efforts of David Bek and Mkhitar Sparapet called the Star of Hope.

Prominent Meliks

References

  1. ^ a b c Jack Hacikyan, Agop (2005). The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the Sixth to the Eighteenth Century. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. pp. 5–6. ISBN 0-8143-3221-8. {{cite book}}: line feed character in |publisher= at position 23 (help)
  2. ^ a b c Hovannisian, Richard G. (1997). The Armenian people from ancient to modern times: from antiquity to the fourteenth century. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 86. ISBN 0-312-10168-6.
  3. ^ Melikdoms of Khamsa
  4. ^ Mirza Adigezal bey. Karabakh-name