Special Transcaucasian Committee
Encyclopedia
Special Transcaucasian Committee (Ozakom : Osobyi Zakavkazskii Komitet, Особый Закавказский Комитет) was established on March 9, 1917, with Member of the State Duma V. A. Kharlamov as Chairman, to replace the Imperial Viceroy Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich and with special instruction to establish civil administrations in areas occupied in the course of the war on the Caucasian front by the Russian Provisional Government
in the Transcaucasia as the highest organ of civil administrative body. Commissars were appointed for the Terek and Kuban oblasts, and these as well as the Committee were to carry on relations with central government institutions through a Commissar for Caucasian Affairs in Petrograd attached to the Provisional Government.
Soviets also sprang up throughout the area and, in time, organized an influential Regional Center at Tiflis using the loyalty of the Russian Armenians. Hakob Zavriev
was instrumental in having Ozakom issue a decree about the administration of the occupied territories. This region was officially identified as "the land of Turkish Armenia
" and transferred to a civilian rule under Zavriev, who oversaw districts Trebizon, Erzurum, Bitlis, and Van. Each of the districts under Administration for Western Armenia
had their own Armenian governor, with Armenian civil officials. The position of the Caucasian Muslems was different though membership was drown from ethnically representatives of Duma deputies.
In November 1917, the first government of the independent Transcaucasia was created in Tbilisi as the "Transcaucasian Commissariat
(Sejm)" replaced "Transcaucasian Committee" following the Bolshevik seizure of power in St. Petersburg. It was headed by a Georgian Menshevik Nikolay Chkheidze
. On December 5, 1917, this new "Transcaucasian Committee" given the endorsment to Armistice of Erzincan
that was signed with the Ottoman command of Third Army
. This was followed with what is known as Trabzon peace nogetions. On February 10, 1918, the Sejm gathered and made the decision to establish independence. On February 24, 1918, The Sejm proclaimed the transcaucasus an independent under Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
. Headed by the Georgian Social Democrat Evgeni Gegechkori, the Transcaucasian Commissariat was anti-Bolshevik in its political goals and sought the separation of Transcaucasia from Bolshevik Russia.
The committee ignored the Social Democratic hegemony in the region and provoked the Soviet to demand its abolition.
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
in the Transcaucasia as the highest organ of civil administrative body. Commissars were appointed for the Terek and Kuban oblasts, and these as well as the Committee were to carry on relations with central government institutions through a Commissar for Caucasian Affairs in Petrograd attached to the Provisional Government.
Soviets also sprang up throughout the area and, in time, organized an influential Regional Center at Tiflis using the loyalty of the Russian Armenians. Hakob Zavriev
Hakob Zavriev
Hakob Zavriev was an Armenian politician.Zavriev was a graduate of the St. Petersburg Army Medical Academy. He later joined the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. The viceroy of the Caucasus consulted him over the formation of the Armenian volunteer units in 1914...
was instrumental in having Ozakom issue a decree about the administration of the occupied territories. This region was officially identified as "the land of Turkish Armenia
Western Armenia
Western Armenia is a term, primarily used by Armenians, to refer to Armenian-inhabited areas of the Armenian Highland that were part of the Ottoman Empire and now are part of the Republic of Turkey....
" and transferred to a civilian rule under Zavriev, who oversaw districts Trebizon, Erzurum, Bitlis, and Van. Each of the districts under Administration for Western Armenia
Administration for Western Armenia
The Administration for Western Armenia was an temporary Armenian provisional government between 1915 and 1918, with the autonomous region initially set up around Lake Van after the Siege of Van of the Caucasus Campaign, with the leadership of Aram Manukian of Armenian Revolutionary Federation. It...
had their own Armenian governor, with Armenian civil officials. The position of the Caucasian Muslems was different though membership was drown from ethnically representatives of Duma deputies.
In November 1917, the first government of the independent Transcaucasia was created in Tbilisi as the "Transcaucasian Commissariat
Transcaucasian Commissariat
The Transcaucasian Commissariat was established at Tbilisi on November 11, 1917, as the first government of the independent Transcaucasia and following the Bolshevik seizure of power in St...
(Sejm)" replaced "Transcaucasian Committee" following the Bolshevik seizure of power in St. Petersburg. It was headed by a Georgian Menshevik Nikolay Chkheidze
Nikolay Chkheidze
Nikoloz Chkheidze was a Georgian Menshevik politician who helped to introduce Marxism to Georgia in the 1890s and played a prominent role in the Russian and Georgian revolutions of 1917 and 1918....
. On December 5, 1917, this new "Transcaucasian Committee" given the endorsment to Armistice of Erzincan
Armistice of Erzincan
The Armistice of Erzincan or Erzincan Armistice ended the armed conflicts between Russia and Ottoman Empire in the Persian Campaign and Caucasus Campaign of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. It was signed by the Russians and Ottoman Third Army in Erzincan on December 5, 1917...
that was signed with the Ottoman command of Third Army
Third Army (Ottoman Empire)
The Ottoman Third Army was originally established in the Balkans and later defended the northern and eastern parts of the Ottoman Empire. Its initial headquarters was at Salonica. With the onset of World War I, it moved to Erzurum Fortress. The headquarters was moved to Susehir after the Battle...
. This was followed with what is known as Trabzon peace nogetions. On February 10, 1918, the Sejm gathered and made the decision to establish independence. On February 24, 1918, The Sejm proclaimed the transcaucasus an independent under Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic
The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic , was a short-lived state composed of the modern-day countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in the South Caucasus.-...
. Headed by the Georgian Social Democrat Evgeni Gegechkori, the Transcaucasian Commissariat was anti-Bolshevik in its political goals and sought the separation of Transcaucasia from Bolshevik Russia.
The committee ignored the Social Democratic hegemony in the region and provoked the Soviet to demand its abolition.
Members
The Ozakom composed of five members:- Vasily KharlamovVasily KharlamovVasily Akimovich Kharlamov was a Russian politician involved in the revolution and civil war.Kharlamov, of the Don Cossacks, was a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party and was elected to all four State Dumas of the Russian Empire...
, Russian chairman; - Kita AbashidzeKita AbashidzePrince Kita Abashidze was a Georgian literary critic, journalist, and politician.Abashidze was born into a noble family in the province of Guria. Having graduated from Kutaisi Classic Gymnasium , he attended the lectures in philosophy and art theory in Paris and studied law at the Odessa...
, Georgian Social-Federalist, replaced by Akaki ChkhenkeliAkaki ChkhenkeliAkaki Chkhenkeli was a Georgian Marxist politician and publicist who acted as one of the leaders of the Menshevik movement in Russia and Georgia....
of Georgia; - Mammad Yusif JafarovMammad Yusif Jafarov-Early life:Jafarov was born was born on March 14, in Baku, Azerbaijan. He was the younger brother of a prominent professor and journalist, Ali Isgender Jafarzadeh. After completion of his secondary education, Jafarov studied in at Moscow State University graduating with a cum laude degree in law...
, Azerbaijani - Michael PapadjanianMichael PapadjanianMichael Papadjanian, or Mikayel was a member of Armenian national liberation movement who studied law at Rostov, Odessa and St Petersburg, and had a practice as a barrister at Baku....
, Armenia.
See also
- Transcaucasian Democratic Federative RepublicTranscaucasian Democratic Federative RepublicThe Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic , was a short-lived state composed of the modern-day countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in the South Caucasus.-...
- Viceroyalty of the CaucasusViceroyalty of the CaucasusThe Viceroyalty of the Caucasus is a term used to denote the Imperial Russian administrative and political authority in the Caucasus region exercised through the offices of glavnoupravlyayushchiy and namestnik...
- Administration for Western ArmeniaAdministration for Western ArmeniaThe Administration for Western Armenia was an temporary Armenian provisional government between 1915 and 1918, with the autonomous region initially set up around Lake Van after the Siege of Van of the Caucasus Campaign, with the leadership of Aram Manukian of Armenian Revolutionary Federation. It...