The Formation And Evolution Of Ottoman Armenian Identity (1453-1914)

Ottoman Armenians were an important part of the multi-ethnic groups in the Ottoman Empire,holding different identities in different eras.Armenians in the pre-Ottoman era had a historical heritage closely combined with their Christian beliefs,which lasted after the foundation of the Ottoman Empire.Based on the principle of religious autonomy,the Ottoman Empire established the Millet system.Ottoman Armenians,because of their distinctive religious belief,were classified as the Armenian Millet.Armenians have their unique language and letters.Through contact with the West during hundreds of years,in order to defend their religious belief,the Ottoman Armenian cultural elites set off an upsurge of studying Armenian classical culture.Ottoman Armenians lived under the framework of the Millet system,forming a denominational identity.Since the end of the 18 th century,the Ottoman Empire had started a series of reforms.Local separatist forces were gradually eliminated by the Ottoman Empire,which made Ottoman Armenians begin to accept the command of the central government.Under the background which the authority advocated Ottomanism,the Armenian Millet was reconstructed by secularization,helped Ottoman Armenians form a political identity linked by ‘Ottomans’.The vigorous development of Ottoman Armenian secular culture promoted the formation of Armenian nation,which made Ottoman Armenians build the national identity linked by their unified language,the exterior factor,and unique Christian faith,the interior factor.Interconnected,both features helped retain the national individuality under the common characteristics of‘Ottomans’.After the tenth Russo-Turkish War,however,the connotation of Ottomanism changed,and Ottoman Armenians became excluded by the official ideology.The continuous interference of Western powers in Ottoman Armenian affairs resulted in the Armenian illusion of striving for their rights and interests by attracting Western attentions.The de-Ottomanization thought of Ottoman Armenians began to take root in the Ottoman Empire,moving from theory to practice.Ottoman Armenians abandoned their political identity of ‘Ottomans’ by degrees,pursuing for autonomy and even independence under the call of national identity.