Banber Arevelagitut'yan Instituti (Jan 2019)
THE LEADING ROLE OF THE IRANIAN-ARMENIAN TRADE BOURGEOISIE IN THE XVII CENTURY PANARMENIAN ISSUES
Abstract
The XVII century is also characterized in the history of Armenia as the period of formation of the bourgeois relations or the period of initial accumulation of capital. In the Armenian reality, this process as a rule took place primarily in the form of commercial capital. When referring to the origin and formation of the Armenian commercial bourgeoisie, it should be emphasized that due to the unfavorable historical conditions in Armenia at the beginning of the XVII century this class was formed and had to operate not in Armenia, but outside the native land, in the Armenian colonies and first of all in the community of New Julfa which had formed near Isfahan, the capital city of Iran. In the Armenian reality New Julfa became the center of the initial accumulation of capital, giving birth to the formation of the Armenian capitalist class. Therefore, by saying “commercial bourgeoisie” and “commercial capital” of the XVII century, one must first of all refer to the New Julfa or Julfa-Armenian merchants and their capital. Indeed, throughout the XVII century New Julfa became “the largest and most powerful center of colonial Armenian capital”. The Armenian commercial bourgeoisie always tried to support Ejmiatsin and the Armenian Apostolic Church, realizing its pan-Armenian reach and unifying role. Taking into account the fact that since the second decade of the XVII century Ejmiatsin was turning into a center of national liberation ideas, the Armenian merchant class immediately supported its aspirations, at the same time firmly backing the independence of the Armenian National Church, its faith and ancient traditions.
