Aram Manukian

Aram Manukian
Governor of Western Armenia
In office
April 1915 – December 1917
Succeeded by Tovmas Nazarbekian
Chairman of Karabagh
In office
November 1917 – 15 November 1918
Internal affairs minister of Armenia
In office
15 November 1918 – 13 December 1918
Defense minister of Armenia
In office
15 November 1918 – 13 December 1918
Personal details
Born 1879
Died 29 January 1919
Nationality Armenian

Aram Manukian (Armenian: Արամ Մանուկեան) (1879 – Yerevan, 29 January 1919), whose sobriquets included Aram Pasha, Aram of Van and Sarkis Hovanessian, was an Armenian revolutionary, politician and military commander who was one of the leaders of the Van Resistance and instrumented the foundation of the First Republic of Armenia. Manukian joined the Armenian Revolutionary Federation at a very early age. He is credited as a political, military and spiritual leader of the Armenian people during and after the Armenian Genocide.

Early years

Manukian was born in the village of Zeyva (modern-day David Bek) in the province of Elizavetpol, Russian Empire (modern-day Kapan, Armenia). In 1903, he became involved in the defense of Gandzak and Kars, operations led by the ARF. In late 1904, he made his first visit to Van via Iran, where he promoted reform. In 1911, he travelled to Geneva, where he spent a year before returning to Van, where he became the leader of the ARF in the region. In Van, he took an active role in the Armenian community by teaching at schools, communicating with the press, encouraging national establishments and promoting Armenian youth circles. He became a suspect in the murder of Bedros Kapamajian after another Armenian accused Manukian of the crime and was jailed by Ottoman officials. After attaining freedom, he travelled from Erzurum to Ordu as a teacher and activist organizer. With the beginning of World War I and the Armenian Genocide, he headed back to the city of Van.

National Council

After the reoccupation of Van by Ottoman troops, Manukian settled in Tiflis and occupied himself with the works of the ARF party bureau, the National Committee and the issues of the refugees of Van. By the end of 1917, he became the chief of the Armenian Congress of Eastern Armenians.

First Republic of Armenia

The house where Aram Manukian lived in Yerevan between 1917 and 1919

In 1918, the National Committee sent Manukian to the Yerevan area as a fully authorized representative. There he helped found the First Republic of Armenia and was appointed its First Interior Minister. He was appointed as Minister of Labor and Defense Minister from 15 November 1918 to 13 December 1918. His took part in the organizing of the Battle of Sardarapat, which repulsed a Turkish attack on the newly established independent Armenia and stops the advance towards Yerevan.

Death

He fell ill and died on 29 January 1919 around the age of 40. He was interred at the Tokhmakh Central Cemetery in Yerevan.

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