Siege of Van - Background

Background

During the late Ottoman period, Van was an important center of Armenian cultural, social, and economic life. Khrimian Hayrik established a printing press in Van, and thereafter launched Vaspurakan Ardzvi (Eagle of Vaspourakan), which was the first periodical publication in Armenia. In 1885, the Armenakan party was established in the city of Van. Soon after, the Hnchak and Dashnak parties, whose missions were basically the overthrow of the Ottoman rule in Eastern Anatolia (Six vilayets), established branches in the city.

Throughout 1895–96 Armenians in the Ottoman Empire suffered in a wave of violence commonly known as the Hamidian massacres. While Van largely avoided massacres in 1895, the Ottomans sent a military expedition in June 1896. Armenians were initially able to defend themselves in Van, but upon agreeing to disarm in exchange for safety, massacres continued, culminating in the death of over 20,000 Armenians.

The pre-war (World War I) demographic values of the Van Province, Ottoman Empire had different values based on different sources. In 1914, Armenians lived on the shores of the lake Van. The major Armenian inhabited localities were the city of Van (consisted of three sub-sections which were Havasor (Gürpınar), Timar (Gedikbulak) and Archak (Erçek)). Armenians also lived in the district Erciş (Artchesh, Akants) which was in the north of the province, and district Çatak (Shatakh), district Başkale (Bashkaleh) and district Bahçesaray (Moks) in south of the province. In 1890 census, there were 79,998 Armenians. In 1890 census, Armenians were located in the city of Van 35%, Erciş 64%, Çatak 37%, Bashkale 18%, Bahçesaray 48%. The 1912 local Patriarch statistic stated that Armenian population was 110,000. The original 1914 Ottoman census stated that Armenian population was 67,797 and Muslim population was 179,422. The 1914 official census was challenged both on Armenian and Muslim population size. The original 1914 Ottoman statistics claimed to be under-representative for the children. The corrected values for Van province stated as 313,000 Muslim, 130,000 Armenian (25%), and 65,000 or so Syrian, Chaldean, Nestorian and others Population estimate for the city of Van is more difficult. Extensive population movements in and around the city happened with the deterioration of the economic and political situation before World War I. Ottoman population count at the time recorded 79,000 Muslims and 34,000 Armenians in the city of Van including the immediate surrounding areas. The city of Van's Armenian population was about 30,000 people in the fall of 1914.

• Geographic and Demographic maps of the Van Province, Ottoman Empire

• Settlements in Van Vilayet

• 1896, Armenian population ratios in the districts

• 1914, Ottoman Census