Kevork Chavush
Encyclopedia
Kevork Aroyi Ghazarian (1865 - May 27, 1907) commonly known as Kevork Chavush
or Gevorg Chaush , was an Armenian
fedayee in the Ottoman Empire
.
Kevork Chavoush was a legendary fedayee whose main goal was to ameliorate the plight of the Armenian peasantry in the face of harassment by marauding Turks and Kurds. To this end, he advocated armed resistance. Chavoush's extraordinary daring and valor inspired his men as he led the resistance in the region of Daron
-Sasun from 1904 until 1907, when he was killed in battle. Kevork Chavush was known to have good relations
with some Kurdish leaders of the region. He would openly meet and dine with them and at the same time, try to persuade them to not obey orders by the Sultan, who had hired the Kurds as part of his Hamidieh guards. This was in vain as the Kurds ended up not joining the Armenian revolutionaries.
's Arakelots monastery's
school. He left school to join Arabo
, a leading fedayee at the time. After Arabo was arrested, Chavush tracked down Arabo's traitor and assassinated him. From 1885-1888, he travelled to and found residence in Aleppo
. He worked to raise enough money to buy a rifle. He returned to Taron in 1890 to join his friend's, Hampartsoum Boyadjian
's, group of Armenian fighters with the aim to defend Armenian-populated villages from Hamidian persecutions.
against the Hamidian
persecution of Armenians. During the battle, Chavush was captured and sentenced to jail for 15 years. He managed to escape from jail 2 years later and fled to the mountains of Sasun, where he joined the Dashnaktsutyun
political party with friends and pursued revolutionary movement against Turkish officials. In 1896, he met General Zoravar Andranik Ozanyan and participated in various battles, most notable the Second Sasun Resistance in 1904. During his career as a freedom fighter, he was also placed under the command of Serob Aghpyur
. During this time, Kevork Chavush's uncle ran into trouble with the guerrillas when he nabbed a woman from a different Armenian village. The case was brought upon Serob Aghbyur who subsequently turned to Chavush and said "Kevork, your uncle is the guilty one, you decide upon his fate" . Chavush executed his kidnapping uncle but suffered from a severe depression afterwards and isolated himself in order to grieve the loss of his uncle.
Chiaus
Chiaus is an official Turkish messenger, emissary, or sergeant. It was also a title for an officer in the Ottoman court carrying out the duty of an usher, as well as an ambassador to foreign princes and states.-References:* *...
or Gevorg Chaush , was an Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
fedayee in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
Kevork Chavoush was a legendary fedayee whose main goal was to ameliorate the plight of the Armenian peasantry in the face of harassment by marauding Turks and Kurds. To this end, he advocated armed resistance. Chavoush's extraordinary daring and valor inspired his men as he led the resistance in the region of Daron
Taron (historic Armenia)
Taron was a canton of the Turuberan province of Greater Armenia, now in the Muş Province, Turkey. It was divided into four districts: Mamikonian, Palauni, , Artokh Taron was a canton of the Turuberan province of Greater Armenia, now in the Muş Province, Turkey. It was divided into four districts:...
-Sasun from 1904 until 1907, when he was killed in battle. Kevork Chavush was known to have good relations
Kurdish-Armenian relations
Kurdish-Armenian relations covers the historical relations between the Kurds and the Armenians.-Ancient Armenia and Corduene:Ancient Corduene, identified as Kurdistan in some sources was twice incorporated into the Kingdom of Armenia. The first period was in the first century BCE from 90 to 66 BCE...
with some Kurdish leaders of the region. He would openly meet and dine with them and at the same time, try to persuade them to not obey orders by the Sultan, who had hired the Kurds as part of his Hamidieh guards. This was in vain as the Kurds ended up not joining the Armenian revolutionaries.
Early life
Kevork Chavush was born to a family of hunters in Sasun, in the village of Bsanats. He receiving his education in MushMus Province
Muş Province is a province in eastern Turkey. It is 8,196 km² in area, and has a population of 406,886 . The population was 453,654 in 2000. The provincial capital is the city of Muş...
's Arakelots monastery's
Holy Apostles Monastery
The Holy Apostles Monastery was a 6th-10th century Armenian monastery in the Taron province of historic Armenia near the town of Mush...
school. He left school to join Arabo
Arabo
Arabo born Arakel was a famed Armenian military commander of the later 19th century, one of the first fedayees .Arabo studied at Arakelots monastery school in Mush. Since late-1880s he led Armenian fedayee groups of Sasun and Taron...
, a leading fedayee at the time. After Arabo was arrested, Chavush tracked down Arabo's traitor and assassinated him. From 1885-1888, he travelled to and found residence in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
. He worked to raise enough money to buy a rifle. He returned to Taron in 1890 to join his friend's, Hampartsoum Boyadjian
Hampartsoum Boyadjian
Hampartsoum Boyadjian also known by his noms de guerre Medzn Mourad was an Armenian national movement leader and a fedayee and political activist of Hunchakian.He was born in Hajin...
's, group of Armenian fighters with the aim to defend Armenian-populated villages from Hamidian persecutions.
Sasun Resistance
In 1894, he participated in the Sasun ResistanceSasun Resistance (1894)
The Sassoun resistance of 1894 or also known as First Sassoun resistance was the conflict between Ottoman Empire's forces and the Armenian militia belong to Armenian national movement's Hunchak party at the Sassoun region.- Background :...
against the Hamidian
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...
persecution of Armenians. During the battle, Chavush was captured and sentenced to jail for 15 years. He managed to escape from jail 2 years later and fled to the mountains of Sasun, where he joined the Dashnaktsutyun
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
political party with friends and pursued revolutionary movement against Turkish officials. In 1896, he met General Zoravar Andranik Ozanyan and participated in various battles, most notable the Second Sasun Resistance in 1904. During his career as a freedom fighter, he was also placed under the command of Serob Aghpyur
Serob Pasa
Serob Vartanian, more prominently known by his nom de guerre Aghbiur Serob or Serob Pasha born Serob Vardanian was a famed Armenian military commander who organized a guerrilla network that fought against the Ottoman Empire during the latter 19th century.- Life as a...
. During this time, Kevork Chavush's uncle ran into trouble with the guerrillas when he nabbed a woman from a different Armenian village. The case was brought upon Serob Aghbyur who subsequently turned to Chavush and said "Kevork, your uncle is the guilty one, you decide upon his fate" . Chavush executed his kidnapping uncle but suffered from a severe depression afterwards and isolated himself in order to grieve the loss of his uncle.