Armenian reform package
Encyclopedia
The Armenian reform package (1914) was an Ottoman Empire
reform solution by which an inspector general would be appointed to oversee Armenian
issues. The inspector general would be the highest position in vilayets where many Armenians lived. This project was prepared by A. Mandelstam (Dragoman, Russian Embassy in Istanbul), and Armenian representatives of Armenian national assembly
.The reform package was signed into law on February 1914. It was abolished on 16 December 1914.
The Balkan wars
had created an opportunity for the revival of new plans to improve the legal condition of Ottoman Armenians
. The French
, British
and Italians were anxious to limit German
influence in the Ottoman Empire, while the Russian government
encouraged the Catholicos of Armenia
to appeal through the viceroy of the Caucasus to the imperial government for intervention in favor of reforms in Armenian-inhabited vilayets. This project was prepared by A. Mandelstam (Dragoman
, Russian Embassy in Istanbul), and Armenian representatives. It was introduced and discussed in Constantinople
at a meeting of the ambassadors of France, Britain and Italy. The project suggested the formation of a single province from six vilayets (Erzurum
, Van
, Bitlis
, Diyarbakır
, Kharput
and Sivas
) under either an Ottoman Christian or a European governor general. The governor general was to be appointed by the Powers for the ensuing five years. Germany opposed the project and succeeded in obtaining significant modifications. The reform package was signed on February 1914, between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. The package developed two provinces out of these six vilayets and assigned a European inspector general to oversee Armenian affairs.
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...
reform solution by which an inspector general would be appointed to oversee 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....
issues. The inspector general would be the highest position in vilayets where many Armenians lived. This project was prepared by A. Mandelstam (Dragoman, Russian Embassy in Istanbul), and Armenian representatives of Armenian national assembly
Armenian National Assembly (Ottoman Empire)
Armenian National Assembly was the governing body of the Armenian Millet established by Armenian National Constitution of 1863 under Ottoman Empire....
.The reform package was signed into law on February 1914. It was abolished on 16 December 1914.
The Balkan wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
had created an opportunity for the revival of new plans to improve the legal condition of Ottoman Armenians
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire or Ottoman Armenians were ethnic Armenian people of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church or the Armenian Protestant Church who lived in the Ottoman Empire...
. The French
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
, British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and Italians were anxious to limit German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
influence in the Ottoman Empire, while the Russian government
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
encouraged the Catholicos of Armenia
Catholicos of Armenia
The Catholicos of All Armenians is the chief bishop of Armenia's national church, the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches that do not accept the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon. The first Catholicos of All Armenians was Saint Gregory the Illuminator...
to appeal through the viceroy of the Caucasus to the imperial government for intervention in favor of reforms in Armenian-inhabited vilayets. This project was prepared by A. Mandelstam (Dragoman
Dragoman
A dragoman was an interpreter, translator and official guide between Turkish, Arabic, and Persian-speaking countries and polities of the Middle East and European embassies, consulates, vice-consulates and trading posts...
, Russian Embassy in Istanbul), and Armenian representatives. It was introduced and discussed in Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
at a meeting of the ambassadors of France, Britain and Italy. The project suggested the formation of a single province from six vilayets (Erzurum
Erzurum Province
Erzurum Province is a Province of Turkey, in the Eastern Anatolia Region of the country. It is bordered by the provinces of Kars and Ağrı to the east, Muş and Bingöl to the south, Erzincan and Bayburt to the west, Rize and Artvin to the north and Ardahan to the northeast. The provincial capital is...
, Van
Van Province
Van Province is a province in eastern Turkey, between Lake Van and the Iranian border. It is 19,069 km2 in area and had a population of 1,035,418 at the end of 2010....
, Bitlis
Bitlis Province
Bitlis Province is a province of eastern Turkey, located to the west of Lake Van.-History:Bitlis was formed as an administrative district in the 17th Century...
, Diyarbakır
Diyarbakir Province
Diyarbakır Province is a province in eastern Turkey. The province covers an area of 15,355 km² and the population is 1,528,958. The provincial capital is Diyarbakir...
, Kharput
Elazig Province
Elâzığ Province is a province of Turkey with its seat in the city of Elâzığ. The source of the Euphrates river is located in this province.The province has a population of 552,646 as of 2010...
and Sivas
Sivas Province
The Sivas Province is a province of Turkey. It located at the eastern part of the Central Anatolian region of Turkey; it is the second largest province in Turkey. Its adjacent provinces are Yozgat to the west, Kayseri to the southwest, Kahramanmaraş to the south, Malatya to the southeast, Erzincan...
) under either an Ottoman Christian or a European governor general. The governor general was to be appointed by the Powers for the ensuing five years. Germany opposed the project and succeeded in obtaining significant modifications. The reform package was signed on February 1914, between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. The package developed two provinces out of these six vilayets and assigned a European inspector general to oversee Armenian affairs.