Armenians in Afghanistan
Encyclopedia
There was once a small but important community of Armenians in Afghanistan, centred at Kabul
; however, they were expelled in 1897.
missionary Joseph Tiefenthaler
reported that Sultan Ahmad Shah Bahadur
took several Armenian gunners from Lahore
to Kabul
.
The Perso-Indian diocese
at Julfa sent Armenian priests to the community; however, no Armenian priest came after 1830. Missionary Joseph Wolff
came to Kabul and preached to them in Persian
in 1832; by his account, the community numbered about 23 people. British missionaries were interested in using the Armenian community as a base from which to conduct missionary work in Kabul; however, the community themselves reported that they had only converted one Afghan to Christianity, a robber who fell three times while attempting to break into their church to steal the valuable silver vessels stored therein, and then upon being discovered, begged for mercy and baptism
.
The Armenian church at Bala Hissar
was destroyed during the Second Anglo-Afghan War
by British troops; the community received compensation from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
for their loss, but the church was never rebuilt. By this time, they had seen no Armenian priest for quite some time; however, the Anglican
church at Peshawar sent a priest to them on one occasion in the late 19th century to baptise them.
As late as 1870, British reports showed 18 Armenian Christians remaining in Kabul. One Armenian man named Lucas A. Joseph, also known by the name Serwurdin Khan, managed the gunpowder factories at Jalalabad
. In 1896, Abdur Rahman Khan
, emir of Afghanistan, even sent a letter to the Armenian community at Calcutta, India (now Kolkata
), asking that they send ten or twelve families to Kabul to "relieve the loneliness" of their coethnics, whose numbers had continued to dwindle. However, despite an initial reply of interest, in the end, none of the Armenians of Calcutta accepted the offer. The following year, the final remnants of the Armenians were expelled to Calcutta after a letter from Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II
to the Afghan ruler questioning the loyalty of the Armenians.
Some Armenians came with the Red Army
during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; these veterans were reportedly interested in returning to Afghanistan again when Armenia announced in July 2009 that it would deploy medical specialists and interpreters in aid of the United Nations
' International Security Assistance Force
.
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
; however, they were expelled in 1897.
History
In 1755, JesuitSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
missionary Joseph Tiefenthaler
Joseph Tiefenthaler
Joseph Tiefenthaler was a Jesuit missionary and one of the earliest European geographers to write about India....
reported that Sultan Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Ahmad Shah Bahadur
Ahmad Shah Bahadur was born to Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. He succeeded his father to the throne as the 15th Mughal Emperor in 1748 at the age of 22. His mother was Udhambai, . When Ahmed Shah came to power the rule of the Mughal Empire was collapsing...
took several Armenian gunners from Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
to Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
.
The Perso-Indian diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
at Julfa sent Armenian priests to the community; however, no Armenian priest came after 1830. Missionary Joseph Wolff
Joseph Wolff
Joseph Wolff , Jewish Christian missionary, was born at Weilersbach, near Bamberg, Germany. He travelled widely, and was known as the Eccentric Missionary, according to Fitzroy Maclean's Eastern Approaches...
came to Kabul and preached to them in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
in 1832; by his account, the community numbered about 23 people. British missionaries were interested in using the Armenian community as a base from which to conduct missionary work in Kabul; however, the community themselves reported that they had only converted one Afghan to Christianity, a robber who fell three times while attempting to break into their church to steal the valuable silver vessels stored therein, and then upon being discovered, begged for mercy and baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
.
The Armenian church at Bala Hissar
Bala Hissar
Bala Hissar is an ancient fortress located in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan. The estimated date of construction is around the 5th century A.D. Bala Hissar sits to the south of the modern city centre at the tail end of the Kuh-e-Sherdarwaza Mountain...
was destroyed during the Second Anglo-Afghan War
Second Anglo-Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War was fought between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the nation was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of the Barakzai dynasty, the son of former Emir Dost Mohammad Khan. This was the second time British India invaded Afghanistan. The war ended in a manner...
by British troops; the community received compensation from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
for their loss, but the church was never rebuilt. By this time, they had seen no Armenian priest for quite some time; however, the Anglican
Anglican Church of India
The Anglican Church of India is a union of independent Anglican churches in India. When India became independent in 1947, the Church of South India was formed as a united church of Anglicans, Baptists, Basel Mission, Lutherans and Presbyterians...
church at Peshawar sent a priest to them on one occasion in the late 19th century to baptise them.
As late as 1870, British reports showed 18 Armenian Christians remaining in Kabul. One Armenian man named Lucas A. Joseph, also known by the name Serwurdin Khan, managed the gunpowder factories at Jalalabad
Jalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
. In 1896, Abdur Rahman Khan
Abdur Rahman Khan
Abdur Rahman Khan was Emir of Afghanistan from 1880 to 1901.The third son of Mohammad Afzal Khan, and grandson of Dost Mohammad Khan, Abdur Rahman Khan was considered a strong ruler who re-established the writ of the Afghan government in Kabul after the disarray that followed the second...
, emir of Afghanistan, even sent a letter to the Armenian community at Calcutta, India (now Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
), asking that they send ten or twelve families to Kabul to "relieve the loneliness" of their coethnics, whose numbers had continued to dwindle. However, despite an initial reply of interest, in the end, none of the Armenians of Calcutta accepted the offer. The following year, the final remnants of the Armenians were expelled to Calcutta after a letter from Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II
Abdul Hamid II
His Imperial Majesty, The Sultan Abdülhamid II, Emperor of the Ottomans, Caliph of the Faithful was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
to the Afghan ruler questioning the loyalty of the Armenians.
Some Armenians came with the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; these veterans were reportedly interested in returning to Afghanistan again when Armenia announced in July 2009 that it would deploy medical specialists and interpreters in aid of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' International Security Assistance Force
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
.