Papken Siuni

Papken Siuni
Birth name Bedros Parian
Born 1873
Akn, Harput Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
Died 26 August 1896 (aged 22–23)
Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Allegiance Dashnaktsutyun
Years of service ?—1896
Battles/wars Armenian National Liberation Movement
1896 Ottoman Bank takeover

Bedros Parian (Պետրոս Փարեան; 1873-26 August 1896) better known by his nom de guerre Papken Siuni, was an important figure in the Armenian national movement, an Armenian Revolutionary Federation member and the leader, alongside Karekin Pastermadjian (Armen Garo), of the 1896 Ottoman Bank takeover.

Early life

Bedros Parian was born in 1873 in the village of Akn (Armenian: Ակն), the same village Siamanto was from. Early in his life, he moved to Constantinople where he continued his studies. In Constantinople, he became interested in revolutionary ideologies. He joined a Naval institute where he found other sympathetic youth and formed with them "Syunik", a nationalist group. They eventually merged with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

Armenian national movement

Upon merging with the ARF, he became known for his ability to gather intelligence without being suspected and going unnoticed. On his intelligence missions, he would wear a fez and peasant clothes to remain unnoticed from the Ottoman secret police and paid nationals. He became a fundamental aspect of the national movement.

Ottoman Bank takeover and Death

During the Hamidian massacres, Bedros Parian lost his parents which would make him pursue the national movement even more staunchly. The Ottoman Bank takeover was his brainchild, which he came up with after the murder of his parents. The ARF made Papken Siuni the leader and mastermind of the operation. He would secure pistols, grenades and other weapons which he would personally give to his comrades who were to be involved in the operation. The night before the takeover, he gave his men a passionate speech stating in Armenian about the Armenian cause and how their blood would not go in vain.

On 26 August 1896, Papken Siuni, alongside Karekin Pastermadjian and other fedayees attacked the Ottoman Bank. Papken Siuni was part of the first wave of attackers. But before he could even go into the bank, a bullet pierced through one of the grenades attached to his chest, causing an explosion which killed him instantly. Despite his short tenure in the takeover, he is often credited as playing a big part in the takeover and the Armenian national movement.

References