The Activities of the Berlin Delegation of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul in Europe

Abstract

The Treaty of Berlin had extremely negative consequences for the Ottoman State that was actually the starting point of the course leading to the collapse of the state. The Turkish-Russian War of 1877-78, recorded as 93 Harbi (Battle of 93) and which the Russians were the architecture due to their Balkan policy, had considerable consequences in terms of World history. Especially after the battle, the Great Powers made radical changes in their policies against the Ottomans. Specifically Britain abandoned its historical policy of saving the integrity of Ottoman State. Britain provided the amendment of the Treaty of San Stefano in Berlin, since Russians gained advantages on the Ottoman geography following the Battle. With San Stefano, Armenians became the subject of an article of an agreement signed by two powers. When it was heard that a congress would be held in Berlin, the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul decided to send a delegation to Berlin. The delegation travelled around the European capitals and asked for support from the relevant states' authorities at the Berlin Congress. In the delegation, there were well-known ex-patriarch Mkrtich Khrimian, Minas Tcheraz, Stefan Papazian and Khoren Narbey whom the Armenian community knew closely. The delegation went to Berlin after negotiating in Rome, Paris and London. Carrying out serious lobbying activities both in the European capitals with the important parties such as the foreign ministers of the relevant states and their representatives attending the congress, the delegation continued its activities in Berlin until the end of the congress. In this context, this study aims to discuss the activities of the Armenian delegation in European capitals and Berlin and to evaluate the impact of this process on the Armenian Question through the archival documents, local and foreign sources.