The Armenian Genocide: The Overlooked Historical Precedents of a 20th-Century Tragedy - Written by Malkon Malkon

The Armenian Genocide: The Overlooked Historical Precedents of a 20th-Century Tragedy

Written by Malkon Malkon - Sweden 12-04-2025

The Armenian Genocide of 1915 is often perceived as an isolated atrocity. However, historical evidence reveals a far more complex narrative—one rooted in decades of political, social, and religious tensions within the Ottoman Empire. This article examines the critical events and policies that culminated in the systematic extermination of Armenians, beginning with 19th-century reforms and escalating through targeted violence.

April 24, 1915, is widely recognized as the start of the Armenian Genocide. However, historical facts and events reveal a far more complex reality: the genocide was the culmination of a prolonged process that began decades earlier. This systematic campaign of extermination formed part of a broader historical trajectory starting with the 1878 Congress of Berlin and continuing until the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. To fully grasp the events leading to the genocide, one must begin with the Gülhane Edict of 1839, which marked a pivotal shift in the Ottoman Empire’s treatment of its Christian subjects, including Armenians.

The Gülhane Edict (1839)

The Gülhane Edict symbolized the Ottoman leadership’s attempt to reconcile Islamic traditions with the demands of modernization and European diplomatic pressures. Faced with imperial decline, Sultan Abdülmecid I enacted legal and administrative reforms aimed at preserving the empire. These reforms included equality before the law for Christians and Muslims, promises to protect lives, honor, and property regardless of religion, equitable taxation, military conscription reforms, and efforts to curb corruption. However, these measures were largely superficial, designed to suppress rising nationalist sentiments among Christian minorities, particularly in the wake of the French Revolution.

The 1856 Reform Edict

Building on the Gülhane Edict, the 1856 reforms explicitly targeted Ottoman Christians, granting religious freedom, property rights, and access to civil and military positions. These changes, driven by British and French pressure, allowed religious communities to manage their own affairs, including education and places of worship, and established mixed courts for equal legal proceedings. Despite these advancements, the reforms faced fierce resistance from conservative factions, further alienating groups like the Armenian Patriarchate.

The Armenian National Assembly

The post-reform era saw the establishment of the Armenian National Assembly, which sought to centralize demands for Armenian rights. Figures like Krikor Odian played key roles in documenting abuses and advocating for reforms. However, the Ottoman administration viewed these efforts as threats to imperial authority, framing Armenian activism as separatist.

The Cycle of Reform, Massacre, Intervention, and Independence

Christian minorities across the empire—Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians, and Romanians—similarly demanded social and political reforms, often met with state violence and foreign intervention. The Ottoman government perceived such demands as existential threats, leading to a recurring pattern: reforms followed by massacres, European intervention, and eventual independence for minorities. This pattern, evident from the 1804 Serbian uprising to the 1875 Bulgarian revolt, shaped Ottoman suspicion of Armenian reformist demands, which they equated with secessionism.

Armenian Calls for Reform

Armenian regions faced systemic oppression, including kidnappings, forced marriages, conversions to Islam, and sexual violence against women. In 1878, Patriarch Mkrtich Khrimian led an Armenian delegation to the Berlin Congress, urging European powers to implement reforms in Armenian-majority provinces. Despite international attention, Ottoman authorities dismissed these appeals as foreign meddling.

The 1890s: Escalation and Resistance

The abduction and rape of Gulizar, an Armenian girl from Mush, in 1889 sparked protests in Istanbul and drew global condemnation. The subsequent sham trial of Musa Bey, a Kurdish warlord, and his acquittal fueled Armenian outrage, leading to the formation of the Hunchak resistance group. In July 1890, activists like Hampersoum Boyadjian and Mihran Damadian organized protests against Armenian Patriarch Harutiun Vehabedian, demanding protection from Kurdish militias.

The Sassoun Massacres (1894)

Under Governor Hasan Tahsin Pasha, Ottoman forces and Kurdish tribes launched a brutal crackdown in Sassoun, branding Armenian self-defense efforts as “banditry.” Colonel İsmail’s orders to “eliminate all bandits with overwhelming terror” resulted in indiscriminate slaughter. British consular officer Captain Hampden Smith documented atrocities in villages like Gelieguzan, where civilians—including children—were massacred over three weeks.

The Armenian Genocide: Uncovering the Century-Old Conspiracy of Silence

In this gripping episode of History Unveiled, we delve into the dark and often ignored prelude to the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Why did Ottoman reforms like the Gülhane Edict fail to protect Armenians? How did massacres like Sassoun in 1894 foreshadow the genocide? Join historian Malkon Malkon and Rivyona as they expose:

• The Ottoman Empire’s systemic oppression of Christians—from hollow reforms to state-backed violence.

• Shocking eyewitness accounts from the 1894 Sassoun massacres, revealed in British consular reports.

• Europe’s complicity: Why did the Berlin Congress (1878) and Lausanne Treaty (1923) bury Armenian cries for justice?

• The chilling parallels between 19th-century tactics and modern-day genocide denial.

"History isn’t just about dates—it’s about the voices we’ve erased."

Listen now to confront the untold story behind one of history’s darkest chapters.

Conclusion

Viewing the 1915 Armenian Genocide as an isolated event ignores its deep historical roots. The genocide emerged from decades of failed reforms, systemic violence, and Ottoman paranoia over Armenian demands for equality—first articulated at the 1878 Berlin Congress. Understanding this broader context is essential to comprehending the genocide’s origins and its enduring legacy.