Bedros Parian (; 1873 – 26 August 1896), better known by his
nom de guerre
A ''nom de guerre'' (, 'war name') is a pseudonym chosen by someone to use when they are involved in a particular activity, especially fighting in a war.
In Ancien régime, ''ancien régime'' Kingdom of France, France it would be adopted by each n ...
Papken Siuni (), was an Armenian revolutionary and a leading figure in the late 19th-century
Armenian national movement
The Armenian national movement ( ''Hay azgayin-azatagrakan sharzhum'') included social, cultural, but primarily political and military movements that reached their height during World War I and the following years, initially seeking improved statu ...
. A member of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (, abbr. ARF (ՀՅԴ) or ARF-D), also known as Dashnaktsutyun (Armenians, Armenian: Դաշնակցություն, Literal translation, lit. "Federation"), is an Armenian nationalism, Armenian nationalist a ...
(ARF), he co-led the
1896 Ottoman Bank takeover
The occupation of the Ottoman Bank (, "Raid on the Ottoman Bank"; , ''Bank Otomani k'ravumĕ'' "Ottoman Bank takeover") by members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnak Party) took place in Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman ...
, a seminal event aimed at internationalizing the Armenian Question amid the
Hamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres also called the Armenian massacres, were massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the mid-1890s. Estimated casualties ranged from 100,000 to 300,000, Akçam, Taner (2006) '' A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide a ...
. His death during the operation cemented his status as a martyr in Armenian history.
Early life and education
Bedros Parian was born in 1873 in the village of Pingian (modern-day
Adatepe), near
Akn in the
Harput Vilayet of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. His family belonged to the Armenian peasantry, though they traced their lineage to the medieval Artsakh nobility. The region's Armenian population faced systemic discrimination under Ottoman rule, including heavy taxation and periodic violence.
In 1887, Parian moved to
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
to attend the
Getronagan Armenian High School
Getronagan is an Armenian minority high school in the Karaköy district of Istanbul, Turkey, The school is attached to the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church.
Establishment
With the sponsorship of Archbishop Nerses Varjabetyan, Getronagan H ...
, a hub for Armenian intellectual and nationalist thought. There, he joined clandestine student circles influenced by the Armenian Enlightenment and the writings of
Mkrtich Khrimian
Mkrtich Khrimian ( classical ; 4 April 182029 October 1907) was an Armenian Apostolic Church leader, educator, and publisher who served as Catholicos of All Armenians from 1893 to 1907. During this period he was known as Mkrtich I of Van (Մկր ...
. His teachers included prominent intellectuals like
Reteos Berberian
Reteos Berberian, also known as Reteos Perperian (, 1848, Constantinople, Ottoman Empire – 1907, Üsküdar, Ottoman Empire), was an Ottoman Armenian educator, pedagogue, principal, writer, poet, and founder of the prestigious Armenian '' Ber ...
, who emphasized Armenian cultural revival.
Revolutionary career
Early activism
Parian adopted the pseudonym "Siuni" in homage to
Syunik, a historic Armenian region known for resistance against foreign rule. By 1890, he co-founded the underground group ''Syunik'', which merged with the ARF in 1893. The ARF, founded in 1890, sought to unify Armenian resistance through armed struggle and diplomatic appeals to European powers.
Hamidian massacres and radicalization
The
Hamidian massacres
The Hamidian massacres also called the Armenian massacres, were massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the mid-1890s. Estimated casualties ranged from 100,000 to 300,000, Akçam, Taner (2006) '' A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide a ...
(1894–1896) devastated Armenian communities, claiming over 100,000 lives. Parian's parents were killed during massacres in Harput, a trauma that radicalized him. In 1895, he relocated to Constantinople, where he organized ARF cells and distributed anti-Ottoman literature. Disguised as a porter, he evaded Ottoman authorities while smuggling weapons.
Ottoman Bank takeover
Planning and objectives
In early 1896, ARF leaders, including
Christapor Mikaelian
Christapor Mikaelian (; 18 October 1859 – 17 March 1905) was an Armenians, Armenian revolutionary who played a leading role in the Armenian national liberation movement.
Born in Nakhichevan uezd, Nakhichevan, he became a teacher and worked t ...
, approved Siuni's proposal to seize the Ottoman Bank, a financial hub for European investors. The operation aimed to force European intervention by threatening economic interests. Siuni and
Karekin Pastermadjian
Garegin or Karekin Pastermadjian (), better known by his ''nom de guerre'' Armen Garo or Armen Karo (Արմէն Գարօ; 9 February 1872 – 23 March 1923) was an Armenian activist and politician. Armen Karo was a leading member of the Arme ...
(Armen Garo) recruited 28 militants, including students and artisans, and stockpiled grenades and Mauser pistols.
The attack
On 26 August 1896, the group stormed the bank, taking 150 hostages. Siuni carried explosives under a traditional Armenian vest (arkhalig). During the initial assault, a stray bullet detonated a grenade, killing him instantly. Despite his death, the militants held the bank for 14 hours, demanding European oversight for Armenian reforms.
Aftermath
French and Russian diplomats negotiated the militants' safe passage to Marseille. While the takeover drew global headlines, European powers took no concrete action, emboldening Ottoman reprisals. Over 6,000 Armenians in Constantinople were massacred in retaliation.
Legacy
Papken Siuni became a symbol of Armenian resistance. The ARF eulogized him as a "martyr of the nation," and his portrait circulated widely in Armenian diaspora communities. In 2016, a memorial plaque was installed near the Ottoman Bank building (now the
Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam).
Historians debate the takeover's efficacy. While some argue it raised international awareness, others criticize it for provoking further violence. Nevertheless, Siuni's tactics influenced later ARF operations, including the
1904 Sasun uprising
The Sasun uprising or Sasun rebellion of 1904 (, ''Sasuni yerkrord apstambut'yunĕ'', literally Second Sassoun resistance) was an uprising by Armenian militia against the Ottoman Empire in Turkey's Sason region in 1904. The empire wanted to prev ...
.
See also
*
Armenian resistance during the Armenian genocide
Armenian resistance included military, political, and humanitarian efforts to counter Ottoman forces and mitigate the Armenian genocide during the first World War. Early in World War I, the Ottoman Empire commenced efforts to eradicate Armenian ...
*
Karekin Pastermadjian
Garegin or Karekin Pastermadjian (), better known by his ''nom de guerre'' Armen Garo or Armen Karo (Արմէն Գարօ; 9 February 1872 – 23 March 1923) was an Armenian activist and politician. Armen Karo was a leading member of the Arme ...
*
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (, abbr. ARF (ՀՅԴ) or ARF-D), also known as Dashnaktsutyun (Armenians, Armenian: Դաշնակցություն, Literal translation, lit. "Federation"), is an Armenian nationalism, Armenian nationalist a ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Siuni, Papken
1873 births
1896 deaths
Armenian nationalists
Armenians from the Ottoman Empire
Siuni, Papken
People from Kemaliye