Kevork Chavush
Kevork Chavush | |
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1904 Sasun Uprising Battle of Sulukh |
Kevork Ghazarian (
Kevork Chavush attained a legendary status during his lifetime for his extraordinary daring and valor in defense of the Armenian peasantry against harassment by marauding
Early life
Kevork Chavush was born Kevork Ghazarian (although his surname is given as Adamian or Melkonian in various sources)
Revolutionary activities
In 1893, Gevorg took part in fighting which had erupted at Talvorik and was quickly noticed as a great soldier. A year later, he participated in the
After Serob's death in 1900, Gevorg and Andranik killed Serob's murderer Khalil Pasha and the Armenians who informed on him.[6]
In 1901, Gevorg fought alongside Andranik at the
Afterwards, he crossed into the region of Vaspurakan (Van) with Andranik and Hampartsoum Boyadjian, but desired to return to Sasun and did so shortly after.[1] He led the Armenian forces in Taron-Sasun from 1904 to 1907, when some of his most famous exploits occurred.
In the fall of 1905, Gevorg married Eghso (Heghine), the daughter of a village chief he had fallen in love with seven years earlier but had not been able to marry because of his revolutionary activities.[8] Gevorg and Eghso had one son together named Vartkes.
Kevork was known to have good relations with some Kurdish leaders of the region. He tried to persuade them not to obey the orders of Sultan Abdul Hamid, who enlisted many Kurds into his Hamidiye regiments. This was in vain as the Kurds ended up not joining the Armenian revolutionaries.[5]
Although his daring actions made him a legend among the local Armenians and Kurds, some of Kevork's men began to oppose his impulsive and reckless behavior.
Death
Kevork and his men came to the village of Sulukh in Mush on 25 May 1907 and were joined by other fedayee the next day.[11] On 27 May, they were attacked by a large Turkish force and a battle ensued.[12][8] Although the badly outnumbered group of 84 fedayee killed more than 120 Turkish soldiers and their commander Keoseh Binbashi,[9] Kevork lost consciousness after being wounded and was carried away by his comrades and the villagers of Sulukh.[11] His comrades left him under a bridge on the shore of the Aratsani River and told some villagers from Sulukh to watch over him. The next morning, on 28 May 1907, Kevork was found by a Kurdish chieftain named Zaynal Bek and died of his wounds shortly after asking for water.[11] His body was later found by Turkish soldiers who transported Kevork's corpse to Mush city, where the Armenian population mourned him for three days and buried him in an Armenian cemetery in the Kogh neighborhood of the town.[11]
Legacy
Like many other fedayee leaders, Kevork entered the Armenian popular consciousness as a national hero and remains revered to this day. A number of novels and popular songs have been written about him. The Kevork Chavoush Museum is located in the village of Ashnak.
Gallery
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Statue of Kevork Chavush near Khor Virap
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A 1910 postcard (front) portraying the widow of Kevork Chavush, Heghine.
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Back of postcard, reading "Deceased hero Kevork Chavush’s Wife, the widow Heghine."
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Taken on the Sulukh bridge on the River Aratsani. Kevork Chavush was critically wounded here on May 27, 1907, during a battle with the Ottoman army and died the next day.
References
- ^ a b c d e f Dasnabedian, Hratch (1990). History of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutiun 1890/1924. Milan: Oemme Edizioni. p. 195.
- ^ a b c d Poghosyan, S. K. (1989). "Գևորգ Չաուշ" [Kevork Chaush (part 1)]. Lraber (in Armenian) (6): 31–38. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ Tumayan, Avo (1972). Kevork Chavoush. Beirut: Sevan Printing House. Archived from the original on 2016-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-10.
- ^ Walker, Christopher (1990). Armenia: The Survival of a Nation. Routledge. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ a b c Kurdoghlian, Mihran (1996). Hayots Badmoutioun (Armenian History) (in Armenian). Hradaragutiun Azkayin Oosoomnagan Khorhoortee, Athens Greece. pp. 70–71.
- ^ Dasnabedian, Hratch (1990). History of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutiun 1890/1924. Milan: Oemme Edizioni. p. 172.
- ^ Zardarian, Ruben (1992). Kevork Chavush (in Armenian). Yerevan: Yerevan State University Press. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ ]
- ^ a b Dasnabedian, Hratch (1990). History of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutiun 1890/1924. Milan: Oemme Edizioni. p. 84.
- OCLC 185032255.
The former [Daron-Vasbouragan Responsible Body] was charged with the responsibility of directing all military and revolutionary activities in the Armenian provinces of the Ottoman Empire.
- ^ a b c d Poghosyan, S. K. (1989). "Գևորգ Չաուշ" [Gevorg Chaush (part 2)] (PDF). Lraber (in Armenian) (7): 24–36. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ Chalabian, Andranik. General Andranik and the Armenian Revolutionary movement. Beirut: 1986. pp. 131-32.