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THREAD 
1/
Tropes that Armenian churches in Karabakh are 'all' Albanian & that Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh only got there and/or became a majority in the 1800s under the Russians is ahistorical erasure, and not what is needed for communal reconciliation at the moment.
1/
Tropes that Armenian churches in Karabakh are 'all' Albanian & that Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh only got there and/or became a majority in the 1800s under the Russians is ahistorical erasure, and not what is needed for communal reconciliation at the moment.
2/
We have consistent evidence of Armenians in the region from antiquity. Artsakh became one of 15 provinces of the Armenian Kingdom in ~180 BCE, remaining so until the 4th Century. Even after this point, its Armenian influence continued. St. Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor...
We have consistent evidence of Armenians in the region from antiquity. Artsakh became one of 15 provinces of the Armenian Kingdom in ~180 BCE, remaining so until the 4th Century. Even after this point, its Armenian influence continued. St. Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor...
3/
...of the Armenian alphabet, opened the first-ever Armenian school in the modern territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in the 5th century. The area came under the territory conquered by the Arab Muslim invasion in the mid 7th century; however, there were bouts of de facto...
...of the Armenian alphabet, opened the first-ever Armenian school in the modern territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in the 5th century. The area came under the territory conquered by the Arab Muslim invasion in the mid 7th century; however, there were bouts of de facto...
4/
...independence/autonomy during this time. When in the 15th century the area came under the rule of Turkic tribal confederations, Upper Karabakh was ruled by 5 noble family princes known as "meliks," who themselves were descendants of medieval Artsakhi kings.
...independence/autonomy during this time. When in the 15th century the area came under the rule of Turkic tribal confederations, Upper Karabakh was ruled by 5 noble family princes known as "meliks," who themselves were descendants of medieval Artsakhi kings.
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This arrangement also continued under the later Karabakh Khanate -- perhaps the most recent predecessor of Turkic Azerbaijani control of the region -- where the khanate's capital was established in Shusha in the mid-18th century. In 1823, merely one year after the...
This arrangement also continued under the later Karabakh Khanate -- perhaps the most recent predecessor of Turkic Azerbaijani control of the region -- where the khanate's capital was established in Shusha in the mid-18th century. In 1823, merely one year after the...
6/
...Karabakh Khanate was dissolved & nine years after falling under Russian control, demographic data shows the 5 districts roughly corresponding to modern-day Nagorno-Karabakh were nearly 91% Armenian. So, according to those who say that the Russians relocated Armenians...
...Karabakh Khanate was dissolved & nine years after falling under Russian control, demographic data shows the 5 districts roughly corresponding to modern-day Nagorno-Karabakh were nearly 91% Armenian. So, according to those who say that the Russians relocated Armenians...
7/
...there from elsewhere in the Empire/region, this massive demographic change just occurred on a few short years? This is hardly believeable when you consider the long-standing & continuous aforementioned Armenian prescence there, and that in the very same year (1823),...
...there from elsewhere in the Empire/region, this massive demographic change just occurred on a few short years? This is hardly believeable when you consider the long-standing & continuous aforementioned Armenian prescence there, and that in the very same year (1823),...
8/
...Turkic peoples (known by Russians as "Tatars," who were the ancestors of today's Azerbaijanis), were 72.5% of Shusha, where the earlier Khanate capital so happened to be located. These demographics are entirely consistent with the idea that broader Karabakh was mostly...
...Turkic peoples (known by Russians as "Tatars," who were the ancestors of today's Azerbaijanis), were 72.5% of Shusha, where the earlier Khanate capital so happened to be located. These demographics are entirely consistent with the idea that broader Karabakh was mostly...
9/
...Turkic, but that *Upper Karabakh* (the 5 historical principalities, correlating with the Soviet Oblast of Nagorno-Karabakh), was Armenian-majority, save Shusha which was Turkic majority. The Karabakh Khanate included far more land than just the Upper area, hence the...
...Turkic, but that *Upper Karabakh* (the 5 historical principalities, correlating with the Soviet Oblast of Nagorno-Karabakh), was Armenian-majority, save Shusha which was Turkic majority. The Karabakh Khanate included far more land than just the Upper area, hence the...
10/
...notion of Turkic control & hegemony over the khanate is non contradictory, since the Armenian area was minority of the khanate population, with the Armenian families under the Turkic khan's auspices. As mentioned, Armenians were a minority in the capital Shusha, too.
...notion of Turkic control & hegemony over the khanate is non contradictory, since the Armenian area was minority of the khanate population, with the Armenian families under the Turkic khan's auspices. As mentioned, Armenians were a minority in the capital Shusha, too.
11/
Shusha seems to be where a majority of the Turkic population was clustered, with the rest of Upper Karabakh being Armenian & **broader Karabakh** (Highland AND Lowland + Zangezur) being Turkic majority.
Shusha seems to be where a majority of the Turkic population was clustered, with the rest of Upper Karabakh being Armenian & **broader Karabakh** (Highland AND Lowland + Zangezur) being Turkic majority.
12/
Now, the notion of "Russian relocation" isn't completely out of thin air. Indeed, in places like Shusha, Armenians under the Russian Empire gained a majority until they were subsequently expelled by Azerbaijanis in 1920. This was in part due to the Russian conquest, which...
Now, the notion of "Russian relocation" isn't completely out of thin air. Indeed, in places like Shusha, Armenians under the Russian Empire gained a majority until they were subsequently expelled by Azerbaijanis in 1920. This was in part due to the Russian conquest, which...
13/
...pushed many Azerbaijanis to migrate into neighboring Iran (a similarly Shia Muslim peoples), and Armenians to migrate there from other Armenian territories. But I purposely focused on *early* Russian Empire demographics to highlight the demographics at that point in time.
...pushed many Azerbaijanis to migrate into neighboring Iran (a similarly Shia Muslim peoples), and Armenians to migrate there from other Armenian territories. But I purposely focused on *early* Russian Empire demographics to highlight the demographics at that point in time.
14/
But it's important to note that even such demographic relocation under a given hegemomy is normal and occurs all the time. For instance, under Soviet Azerbaijan, the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKOA) dropped from 89.2% in 1926...
But it's important to note that even such demographic relocation under a given hegemomy is normal and occurs all the time. For instance, under Soviet Azerbaijan, the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKOA) dropped from 89.2% in 1926...
15/
...to 76.9% in 1989 due in large part to relocation of ethnic Azeris to the area. In any case, even the subsequent demographic shifts under the Russian Empire are controlled for, there seems to have been a continuous Armenian majority in Upper Karabakh.
...to 76.9% in 1989 due in large part to relocation of ethnic Azeris to the area. In any case, even the subsequent demographic shifts under the Russian Empire are controlled for, there seems to have been a continuous Armenian majority in Upper Karabakh.
16/
Regarding "Caucasian Albanian churches": It's important to acknowledge that Albanians were absolutely a legitimate preexisting population in the region. However, (a) we generally know very little about them; (b) it's questionable to what extent they ethnically/nationally...
Regarding "Caucasian Albanian churches": It's important to acknowledge that Albanians were absolutely a legitimate preexisting population in the region. However, (a) we generally know very little about them; (b) it's questionable to what extent they ethnically/nationally...
17/
...self-identified as such, as the term was used in third party geographic/regional description, and they were believed to be dozens of tribes with distinct languages/dialects, only at some points loosely unified under a centralized king; (d) they mostly inhabited the...
...self-identified as such, as the term was used in third party geographic/regional description, and they were believed to be dozens of tribes with distinct languages/dialects, only at some points loosely unified under a centralized king; (d) they mostly inhabited the...
18/
...regions of Eastern, not Western, Azerbaijan (where the Karabakh churches in question are located); (d) they began being acculturated & losing their identity as far back as the Muslim conquest of Persia in the mid 7th century; (e) ironically, their acculturation, while...
...regions of Eastern, not Western, Azerbaijan (where the Karabakh churches in question are located); (d) they began being acculturated & losing their identity as far back as the Muslim conquest of Persia in the mid 7th century; (e) ironically, their acculturation, while...
19/
...partially at the hands of Armenians (Armenization), was certainly also very much into Turkic & Islamic identity (Turkification), and modern-day Azerbaijanis are essentially a mix of Caucasian, Albanian, Persian, Turkic, etc.; (f) the Caucasian Albanian Church was...
...partially at the hands of Armenians (Armenization), was certainly also very much into Turkic & Islamic identity (Turkification), and modern-day Azerbaijanis are essentially a mix of Caucasian, Albanian, Persian, Turkic, etc.; (f) the Caucasian Albanian Church was...
20/
...incorporated into the Armenian Apostolic Church upon its disintegration, a naturalistic phenomenon which is hardly limited to the Armenian Church; historically, many churches merged into others -- Byzantine into Catholic & vice versa, Byzantine into Serbian Orthodox, etc.;
...incorporated into the Armenian Apostolic Church upon its disintegration, a naturalistic phenomenon which is hardly limited to the Armenian Church; historically, many churches merged into others -- Byzantine into Catholic & vice versa, Byzantine into Serbian Orthodox, etc.;
21/
(g) *even* with this context/history accounted for, there's absolutely zero reason to believe most, let alone all, Armenian churches in Karabakh are originally Caucasian Albanian. Did some Caucasian Albanian churches become Armenian? Sure. But as noted before, most...
(g) *even* with this context/history accounted for, there's absolutely zero reason to believe most, let alone all, Armenian churches in Karabakh are originally Caucasian Albanian. Did some Caucasian Albanian churches become Armenian? Sure. But as noted before, most...
22/
...Caucasian Albanians lived in Eastern Azerbaijan, not the western area. And we know that the Karabakh region was under the Armenian Kingdom when Christianity was first embraced on a state level, and continued being an Armenian-inhabited space after that point.
...Caucasian Albanians lived in Eastern Azerbaijan, not the western area. And we know that the Karabakh region was under the Armenian Kingdom when Christianity was first embraced on a state level, and continued being an Armenian-inhabited space after that point.
23/
We know that Armenians built ancient & medieval era churches all over what is now modern Armenia, we know Armenian architectural designs and that these churches mirror them, etc. In contrast, again, we know little about the Caucasian Albanians & their designs/capabilities.
We know that Armenians built ancient & medieval era churches all over what is now modern Armenia, we know Armenian architectural designs and that these churches mirror them, etc. In contrast, again, we know little about the Caucasian Albanians & their designs/capabilities.
24/
We know there are old Armenian inscriptions on a number of these churches that can easily be authenticated as not of recent origin. So why do we suddenly assume given all this information that every last one was "originally Caucasian Albanian" that were "Armenianized"?
We know there are old Armenian inscriptions on a number of these churches that can easily be authenticated as not of recent origin. So why do we suddenly assume given all this information that every last one was "originally Caucasian Albanian" that were "Armenianized"?
25/25
I note all this in a dispassionate manner not b/c it has practical ramifications in terms of the conflict, but b/c historical delegitimization is often a first systemic step in further marginalization of a people, & this is the last thing needed at this point in time. /END
I note all this in a dispassionate manner not b/c it has practical ramifications in terms of the conflict, but b/c historical delegitimization is often a first systemic step in further marginalization of a people, & this is the last thing needed at this point in time. /END
