Mihran Damadian ( hy, Միհրան Տամատեան; 1863 – 1945) was an

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''O ...

n freedom fighter, political activist, writer and teacher. He was educated in the Armenian Catholic Moorat-Raphaelian School at

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

. He then became a teacher in the Sassoun district. With Medzn Mourad, he led the Sassoun Resistance in 1894. He was captured and taken to prison where his captors broke his leg to prevent any possibility of escape. He was sent in chains to

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

, and stayed for some time there in prison. Mihran Damadian was a notable Hunchak (and subsequently a Reformed Hunchak which became known as

Ramgavar The Armenian Democratic Liberal Party ( hy, Ռամկավար Ազատական Կուսակցութիւն), the Ramgavar Party, (known before 1921 as the Armenakan party) ( hy, Արմենական Կուսակցութիւն), also known by its Ar ...

) activist. He was also the chief negotiator with the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

authorities. As negotiator, he proposed that

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

take the mandate of independent

Cilicia Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern co ...

in 1920. On 5 August 1920, Damadian declared the independence of Cilicia as an Armenian autonomous republic under French protectorate. He ran the gauntlet of Turkish guerrillas on the mountain road to

Adana Adana (; ; ) is a major city in southern Turkey. It is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the Mediterranean Sea. The administrative seat of Adana province, it has a population of 2.26 million. Adana lies in the heart of Cilicia, wh ...

.Double Vision: Reflections on My Heritage, Life, and Profession - by Ben Haig Bagdikian, p.83 His grand-grandson is stage and opera director and actor Gerald Papasian.

References

External links

Mihran Damadian at Armeniapedia.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Damadian, Mihran 1863 births 1945 deaths Politicians from Istanbul Armenian fedayi Armenian nationalists Armenian revolutionaries Armenian people of World War I Armenians from the Ottoman Empire San Lazzaro degli Armeni alumni 19th-century Armenian politicians