Armenians in Syria

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The Armenians in Syria are Syrian citizens of Armenian descent.

Syria and the surrounding areas have often served as a refuge for Armenians who fled from wars and persecution. It is estimated that there are more than 200,000 Armenians in Syria, most of whom live in Aleppo.

[edit] History

Armenia under Tigranes the Great subjugated Syria, and chose Antioch as one of the four capitals of the short lived Armenian Empire. During Antiquity, there was some Armenian presence in Northern Syria, however it wasn't a considerable one.

Christianity became the official religion of Armenia in 301 largely thanks to the efforts of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. Armenian merchants and travelers often frequented Antioch, one of the earliest sites of Christian teaching and practice, and had relations with the even closer Christian centers of Edessa and Nisibis, all of which are located in Greater Syria, where Christianity flourished in apostolic times.

When the Seljuk Turks conquered Armenia from its previous Byzantine rulers, waves of Armenians left their homeland in order to find a more stable place to live. Most Armenians established themselves to Cilicia where an Armenian kingdom was founded, but some chose Northern Syria. Armenian quarters were formed in towns or cities such as Antioch, Aleppo, Aintab, etc.

During the Crusades, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia chose to side with the European invadors rather than with the mostly Turkish rulers of Syria. Prior to the Siege of Antioch, most Armenians were expelled from Antioch by Yaghi-Siyan, the Turkish governor of the city, thus the remaining Armenians of Antioch strengthened their support for the Crusaders. Thus, the new rulers of Antioch became the Europeans. Armenian engineers also helped the Crusaders during the Siege of Tyre by manipulating siege engines.

The Armenian population of Syria and its surrounding areas greatly diminished after the Mongols, Tatars, and Mamelukes took over the area by massacring the general population.

During Ottoman rule, there was a much smaller quantity of Armenians in Northern Syria because of previous conflicts. A larger community existed in Urfa, a city often considered part of Greater Syria.

Although the Armenians have a very long history in Syria, most arrived in Syria during the Armenian Genocide. The main killing fields of Armenians were located in the Syrian desert of Deir ez-Zor. 1.5 million Armenians were killed and hundreds of thousands fled historic Armenia. The Arabs didn't hesitate to shelter and support persecuted Armenians, regardless of their Christian faith.

During the rise of Arab nationalism, thousands of Armenians left the country.

Most Armenians of Syria live in Aleppo, while a smaller community exists in the capital city of Damascus.

[edit] Notable Syrian Armenians

• Levon Ter-Petrossian – Previous President of Armenia
• Paul Baghdadlian – Armenian singer
• Karnig Sarkissian - Armenian Revolutionary Singer
• Jack Kachkar - Canadian businessman