David Bek
Encyclopedia
David Bek (?-1728) was an Armenian military commander and one of the most prominent military figures of the Armenian liberation movement of the 18th century against the forces of Safavid Iran and the Ottoman Empire
. In 1722-25 with direct support from Mkhitar Sparapet
and Avan Yuzbashi
, he headed the armed struggle of Syunik
(particularly from Kapan
) and Artsakh
Armenians against Safavid Iran. In 1726-28 Armenians under the leadership of Bek fought with Ottoman forces, that were attempting to conquer Transcaucasia.
king Vakhtang VI. Peter the Great's advance south towards the Caucasus with a massive 30,000 man army had revived hope among the Armenians and Georgians that Russian
arms could help clear the region from Muslim dominion. Muslim misrule in the regions of Kapan and Artsakh (Karabakh) had provoked the Armenian meliks in 1722 to request military aid from Vakhtang. Vakhtang sent a small force under the command of Bek to Syunik and Bek was successful in dislodging the Turkic nomadic tribes there.
Encouraged by his successes and the weakening of Safavid rule, many Armenians rose the banner of revolt against the Muslims and joined Bek's ranks. The meliks of Karabakh soon joined the cause for national liberation, lending Bek men and materiel; Avan Yuzbashi, a military commander from Shusha
who was to become one of Bek's close supporters, contributed 2,000 men to the war effort. As his successes mounted, he awarded them by distributing the lands he seized from the Muslims to his closest supporters. The Persian armies sent to crush the rebellion were repelled, allowing Bek to establish an administrative center at the fortress of Halidzor
near Kapan
in the Syunik Province. The defensive aspects of the fortress gave Bek's soldiers an advantage when fighting the enemy. He died at Halidzor after coming down with an illness in 1728 and is reputedly buried in the cemetery just outside of the fortress.
, David Bek the movie was filmed by director Hamo Beknazarian
with Hrachia Nersisyan
starring as David Bek. In 1978 Armenfilm in association with Mosfilm
produced another movie about the efforts of David Bek and Mkhitar Sparapet called Star of Hope. David Bek was portrayed by Georgian actor Edisher Magalashvili.
Bek was the subject of an opera, David Beg
, composed by Armen Tigranian
.
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...
. In 1722-25 with direct support from Mkhitar Sparapet
Mkhitar Sparapet
Mkhitar Sparapet was an 18th century Armenian national hero and participant in the struggle for preserving the Armenian heritage in the Zangezur region of Transcaucasia. He was instrumental in David Bek's victories over the forces of Safavid Iran and the Ottoman Empire in Armenia's Zangezur region...
and Avan Yuzbashi
Avan Yuzbashi
Avan Yuzbashi was an 18th century commander of Armenian armies in Nagorno Karabakh. He was instrumental in aiding David Bek's forces and gaining victories over the forces of Safavid Iran and the Ottoman Empire in Zangezur region...
, he headed the armed struggle of Syunik
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...
(particularly from Kapan
Kapan
-Notable landmarks:*Vahanavank monastery*Baghaberd and Halidzor Fortresses.*Tatev Monastery - This monastery, situated northwest of Kapan was founded in the ninth century in the place of an ancient tabernacle well-known in ancient times...
) and Artsakh
Artsakh
Artsakh was the tenth province of the Kingdom of Armenia from 189 BC until 387 AD and afterwards a region of Caucasian Albania from 387 to the 7th century. From the 7th to 9th centuries, it fell under Arab control...
Armenians against Safavid Iran. In 1726-28 Armenians under the leadership of Bek fought with Ottoman forces, that were attempting to conquer Transcaucasia.
Biography
Little is known about Bek's early life. He was of noble lineage and prior to the period of armed struggle against the Persians and Turks, Bek served in the royal court of GeorgianGeorgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
king Vakhtang VI. Peter the Great's advance south towards the Caucasus with a massive 30,000 man army had revived hope among the Armenians and Georgians that Russian
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...
arms could help clear the region from Muslim dominion. Muslim misrule in the regions of Kapan and Artsakh (Karabakh) had provoked the Armenian meliks in 1722 to request military aid from Vakhtang. Vakhtang sent a small force under the command of Bek to Syunik and Bek was successful in dislodging the Turkic nomadic tribes there.
Encouraged by his successes and the weakening of Safavid rule, many Armenians rose the banner of revolt against the Muslims and joined Bek's ranks. The meliks of Karabakh soon joined the cause for national liberation, lending Bek men and materiel; Avan Yuzbashi, a military commander from Shusha
Shusha
Shusha , also known as Shushi is a town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic since its capture in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
who was to become one of Bek's close supporters, contributed 2,000 men to the war effort. As his successes mounted, he awarded them by distributing the lands he seized from the Muslims to his closest supporters. The Persian armies sent to crush the rebellion were repelled, allowing Bek to establish an administrative center at the fortress of Halidzor
Halidzor Fortress
The fortress of Halidzor is located along a hill overlooking the Voghji River to the north, near the village of Kapan in the Syunik Province of Armenia.- History :Halidzor was originally built in the 17th century to serve as a nunnery...
near Kapan
Kapan
-Notable landmarks:*Vahanavank monastery*Baghaberd and Halidzor Fortresses.*Tatev Monastery - This monastery, situated northwest of Kapan was founded in the ninth century in the place of an ancient tabernacle well-known in ancient times...
in the Syunik Province. The defensive aspects of the fortress gave Bek's soldiers an advantage when fighting the enemy. He died at Halidzor after coming down with an illness in 1728 and is reputedly buried in the cemetery just outside of the fortress.
Popular culture
In 1944, at the height of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, David Bek the movie was filmed by director Hamo Beknazarian
Hamo Beknazarian
Hamo Beknazarian , also known as Hamo Bek Nazarov or Amo Bek-Nazarian, was an Armenian and Soviet film director.-Biography:...
with Hrachia Nersisyan
Hrachia Nersisyan
Hrachia Nersisyan was a Soviet-Armenian film actor.Nersisyan was born in Nicomedia, Ottoman Empire and studied in Istanbul. He moved to Yerevan, Armenia in 1923, and soon became a film actor....
starring as David Bek. In 1978 Armenfilm in association with Mosfilm
Mosfilm
Mosfilm is a film studio, which is often described as the largest and oldest in Russia and in Europe. Its output includes most of the more widely-acclaimed Soviet films, ranging from works by Tarkovsky and Eisenstein , to Red Westerns, to the Akira Kurosawa co-production and the epic Война и Мир...
produced another movie about the efforts of David Bek and Mkhitar Sparapet called Star of Hope. David Bek was portrayed by Georgian actor Edisher Magalashvili.
Bek was the subject of an opera, David Beg
David Bek (opera)
David Bek is an opera composed by Armen Tigranian based on the Raffi novel David Bek . After the composers death, the opera was completed by Levon Khoja-Eynatov, G. Budaghyan, and the libretto was developed by A...
, composed by Armen Tigranian
Armen Tigranian
Armen Tigranian was an Armenian music composer and conductor. His best-known works were two national operas, Anoush and Davit Bek ; the latter of which premiered only months before his death and was his final composition...
.
Further reading
- "The Armenian Rebellion of the 1720s and the Threat of Genocidal Reprisal", Armen Ayvazyan
- Harutyunyan, P. T. The liberation movement of Armenian people in the first quarter of the XVIIIth century. Moscow, 1954.