Mikayel Varandian (, born Mikayel Hovhannisian; 1870 – 22 April 1934) was an Armenian revolutionary, historian, and diplomat. He was the main theoretician 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).

Biography

Varandian was born Mikayel Hovhannisian in the village of Kyatuk in the Varanda canton of the region of

Karabakh Karabakh ( ; ) is a geographic region in southwestern Azerbaijan and eastern Armenia, extending from the highlands of the Lesser Caucasus down to the lowlands between the rivers Kura and Aras. It is divided into three regions: Highland Kara ...

. He took the pen-name Varandian in honor of his home province. He received his secondary education in Shushi. He studied at

Geneva University The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by French theologian John Calvin as a theological seminary. It remained focused on theology unti ...

, where he met ARF founders Kristapor Mikaelian and Rostom. From 1892 he was a member of the editorial board of ''

Droshak ''Droshak'' (''Troshag'', , "Flag") is the official organ of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) published in Tiflis (1890), Balkans (1890s), Geneva (1892-1914), Paris (1925–33), Beirut (1969–85), Athens (1986-96), Yerevan (since 1999). ...

'', the ARF's official organ, which published a large number of his articles and editorials. After 1904, he was a member of the ARF's Western Bureau, one of the party's top decision-making bodies. From 1907 he was the ARF's representative at the

Second International The Second International, also called the Socialist International, was a political international of Labour movement, socialist and labour parties and Trade union, trade unions which existed from 1889 to 1916. It included representatives from mo ...

. He also served as the editor of the ARF newspaper Horizon published in

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...

. When the

First Republic of Armenia The First Republic of Armenia, officially known at the time of its existence as the Republic of Armenia, was an independent History of Armenia, Armenian state that existed from May (28th ''de jure'', 30th ''de facto'') 1918 to 2 December 1920 in ...

was established in 1918, Varandian was nominated to serve as the republic's ambassador to Italy. He authored ''The History of the ARF'' (two volumes) and many other books. He died in Marseille on 22 April 1934.

Works

* Վերածնւող հայրենիքը եւ մեր դերը : (Դաշնակցութեան 20-ամեակի առիթով) he reborn homeland and our role: (On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Dashnaktsutiun) Geneva: ARF Press, 1910. * Բողոքը նորագոյն պատմութեան մէջ rotest in recent history Geneva: ARF Press, 1914. * Սիմոն Զաւարեան․ Գծեր իր Կեանքէն imon Zavarean: Sketches from his life Boston: Hayrenik', 1927. * Հ․ Յ․ Դաշնակցութեան պատմութիւն istory of A. R. Federation Paris: Navarre, 1932 (volume 1), 1950 (volume 2).

Notes

References

Sources

*
Mikael Varantian: Profile of a National Hero
in Centro Studi "Hrand Nazariantz", 6 July 2018 (in Italian). 1870 births 1934 deaths Armenian people from the Russian Empire Ethnic Armenian historians Members of the Executive of the Labour and Socialist International Historians from the Russian Empire Russian Constituent Assembly members {{armenia-historian-stub