Murad of Sebastia
Encyclopedia
Murad of Sebastia was a fedayee during the Armenian national liberation movement in the Ottoman empire
. He was born in the village of Kovtun (Govdun), near Sivas (where he got his nickname, Sebastatsi from) to a poor rural family. During his childhood, he grazed cattle. During his teenage years, he moved to Constantinople
where he worked as a loader and where he also attended Sunday school. He also joined the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
and subsequently, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
.
In 1890, he participated in Armenian demonstrations against the second-class treatment of Armenians within the Ottoman Empire. He also joined fedayee bands and participated in guerrilla activities in response to the Hamidian massacres
. In 1904, he played a visible role during Sasun Uprising. He then started to operate in Van
. During the Armenian-Tatar massacres 1905-1907, he was nominated as the head of defense of the Zangezur
region and, having collected a group of 50 horsemen, he defended the Armenian population of Kapan from massacres. After the Young Turk revolution of 1908 in the Ottoman empire, Murad worked in Van and in Sivas. In particular, he participated in the organization of a network of schools, charitable and female societies, and taught at Armenian schools co-education, physical culture and theatrical art.
With the beginning of the Armenian Genocide
in 1915, Mourat and his comrades were at Sivas. When deportations were ordered, gendarmes were sent to capture Murad. Ottoman authorities had promised the residential Armenians that they would be excluded from deportations if they handed Murad over to the authorities. Many Armenians, particularly the elders not wanting to leave their property and home, began to inform Ottoman authorities about information of his whereabouts. Murad defended himself with his compatriots for a year and a half. In 1916, he moved to Samsun
and with a sail-boat travelled to the Russia
n port of Batum
. He led his volunteers at the Battle of Erzinjan. He died while fighting at the Battle of Baku
on August 4, 1918.
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...
. He was born in the village of Kovtun (Govdun), near Sivas (where he got his nickname, Sebastatsi from) to a poor rural family. During his childhood, he grazed cattle. During his teenage years, he moved to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
where he worked as a loader and where he also attended Sunday school. He also joined the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party , is the oldest of the Armenian political parties and was the first Socialist party in the Ottoman Empire and in Persia...
and subsequently, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
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...
.
In 1890, he participated in Armenian demonstrations against the second-class treatment of Armenians within the Ottoman Empire. He also joined fedayee bands and participated in guerrilla activities in response to the Hamidian massacres
Hamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres , also referred to as the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896, refers to the massacring of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, with estimates of the dead ranging from anywhere between 80,000 to 300,000, and at least 50,000 orphans as a result...
. In 1904, he played a visible role during Sasun Uprising. He then started to operate in Van
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
. During the Armenian-Tatar massacres 1905-1907, he was nominated as the head of defense of the Zangezur
Syunik
Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia. It borders the Vayots Dzor marz to the north, Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave to the west, Karabakh to the east, and Iran to the south. Its capital is Kapan. Other important cities and towns include Goris, Sisian, Meghri, Agarak, and Dastakert...
region and, having collected a group of 50 horsemen, he defended the Armenian population of Kapan from massacres. After the Young Turk revolution of 1908 in the Ottoman empire, Murad worked in Van and in Sivas. In particular, he participated in the organization of a network of schools, charitable and female societies, and taught at Armenian schools co-education, physical culture and theatrical art.
World War One
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
in 1915, Mourat and his comrades were at Sivas. When deportations were ordered, gendarmes were sent to capture Murad. Ottoman authorities had promised the residential Armenians that they would be excluded from deportations if they handed Murad over to the authorities. Many Armenians, particularly the elders not wanting to leave their property and home, began to inform Ottoman authorities about information of his whereabouts. Murad defended himself with his compatriots for a year and a half. In 1916, he moved to Samsun
Samsun
Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
and with a sail-boat travelled to the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n port of Batum
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
. He led his volunteers at the Battle of Erzinjan. He died while fighting at the Battle of Baku
Battle of Baku
The Battle of Baku in June – September 1918 was a clash between coalitions of Ottoman–Azerbaijani forces led by Nuri Pasha and Bolshevik–Dashnak Baku Soviet forces, later succeeded by British–Armenian–White Russian forces led by Lionel Dunsterville as part of the final battle of the Caucasus...
on August 4, 1918.