russian: Христофор Араратов , image = Araratov.jpeg , image_size = 200px , caption = , nickname = , birth_date = , birth_place =

Tiflis Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million pe ...

Tiflis Governorate The Tiflis Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire with its administrative center in Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi). In 1897, it constituted 44,607 sq. kilometres in area and had a population ...

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

, death_date = 10 December , death_place =

Yerevan Yerevan ( , , hy, Երևան , sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and i ...

, Armenian SSR,

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

, allegiance = (1890s–1917)

Republic of Armenia A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

(1918–1920)
(1922) , branch = Army , serviceyears = 1896—1922 , rank =

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

, unit = , commands =

Artillery brigade An artillery brigade is a specialised form of military brigade dedicated to providing artillery support. Other brigades might have an artillery component, but an artillery brigade is a brigade dedicated to artillery and relying on other units fo ...

of Armed forces of First Republic of Armenia , battles = Russian-Japanese War

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

* Caucasian Campaign

Armenian National Liberation Movement The Armenian national movement ( hy, Հայ ազգային-ազատագրական շարժում ''Hay azgayin-azatagrakan sharzhum'') included social, cultural, but primarily political and military movements that reached their height during Worl ...

, awards = see below , relations = , laterwork = Christophor Araratov ( hy, Քրիստափոր Արարատեան; ''Kristap'or Araratian'', russian: link=no, Христофор Араратян (Араратов)) (18 June 1876 – 10 December 1937), also known as Khachatur Araratian and Kristapor Araratian, was a career officer of the Russian Imperial Army. He was promoted to the rank of

of the

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

army during its fight for independence during and after World War I. Araratov participated in the 1918 battles of Sardarapat and Karakilisa against Turkish invaders.

Armenian-American Armenian Americans ( hy, ամերիկահայեր, ''amerikahayer'') are citizens or residents of the United States who have total or partial Armenians, Armenian ancestry. They form the second largest community of the Armenian diaspora after A ...

historian Richard G. Hovannisian describes Christophor Araratov in The Republic of Armenia, Vol. II:

Minister of Military Affairs Kristapor Araratian was a relative latecomer to Armenian national affairs. As was not uncommon in the officer corps, he had been reared in a Russian milieu and had first served in the
Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...
during the
world war A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...
. Distinguishing himself at the
battle of Sardarabad The Battle of Sardarabad ( hy, Սարդարապատի ճակատամարտ, translit=Sardarapati chakatamart; tr, Serdarabad Muharebesi) was a battle of the Caucasus campaign of World War I that took place near Sardarabad, Armenia, from 21 to ...
as commander of the 2nd Artillery Brigade of the Armenian Corps, Colonel Araratian quickly advanced to the rank of major general. In March 1919 he was selected to replace Major General Hakhverdian as the nonpartisan military minister, a post he retained in the coalition, the interim, and
ater Ater (Hebrew אֲתַר) is an Old Testament male name. #A descendant of Hezekiah, who returned from Babylon ; #An Israelite, who subscribed to Nehemiah Nehemiah is the central figure of the Book of Nehemiah, which describes his work in r ...
the regular cabinet of Alexandre Khatisian.

For having fought to establish the independence of the First Republic of Armenia, in 1937 during the

Great Purge The Great Purge or the Great Terror (russian: Большой террор), also known as the Year of '37 (russian: 37-й год, translit=Tridtsat sedmoi god, label=none) and the Yezhovshchina ('period of Yezhov'), was Soviet General Secret ...

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretar ...

, Araratov was arrested and executed on charges of nationalism. Following Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet government began a period of rehabilitation, which was extended posthumously to many of the tens of thousands of Stalin's victims. Araratov was rehabilitated and his awards were officially restored to him (via his survivors). His achievements were again acknowledged in history books. Araratov during the short-lived Republic of Armenia was described to be a "jolly and honest" soldier.

Early years

Christophor Araratov was born in a noble family on 18 June 1876 in

(present day capital of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

). His father, Karapet Avetikovich Araratov, was a lieutenant colonel of the Russian Imperial Army. At the age of 10, the young Araratov entered the Tbilisi cadet corps. He studied there for seven years and graduated in 1893. Thereafter, he entered Mikhaylov artillery school in Petersburg. Graduating from the academy in 1895, he won recognition as one of the three best students, which earned him the rank of a second lieutenant and right to choose the location of service. At the graduation ceremony, he was the head of Cavalry troops.

First military experience

Araratov chose Caucasus grenadier artillery brigade to continue service, where he had the position of senior adjutant of the brigade head. Right after the outbreak of the Russian-Japanese War, he asked to be assigned to the front. His knowledge gained at the artillery school helped him gain a high reputation, and he was soon awarded his first medal for his innovations.

First World War

Araratov was in post-graduate studies at Officer School at

Tsarskoye Selo Tsarskoye Selo ( rus, Ца́рское Село́, p=ˈtsarskəɪ sʲɪˈlo, a=Ru_Tsarskoye_Selo.ogg, "Tsar's Village") was the town containing a former residence of the Russian imperial family and visiting nobility, located south from the c ...

, when

began. He aced his exams ahead of schedule and was assigned to the front. He served as a lieutenant colonel of his previous brigade. He was awarded numerous medals during the war. He was in Romania when the

Bolshevik revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...

took place in Russia and the new government announced its leaving the war. He realized that the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

would likely use the situation to enter

Russian Armenia Russian Armenia is the period of Armenian history under Russian rule from 1828, when Eastern Armenia became part of the Russian Empire following Qajar Iran's loss in the Russo-Persian War (1826–1828) and the subsequent ceding of its territorie ...

and the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...

. On 5 December 1917, the armistice of Erzincan was signed between the Russians and Ottomans which ended the armed conflicts between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in the Caucasus Campaign. After the Bolshevik seizure of power, a multinational congress of Transcaucasian representatives met to create a provisional regional executive body known as Transcaucasian Seim. While Armenians sending representatives to Transcaucasian Seim, at the same time, the Eastern Armenian leaders at the Erivan tried to established an Armenian Army Corps. With the efforts of Armenian National Council of Tiflis it was set up to fight against the Ottoman Empire in late 1917 and early 1918. Units of this corps were the basis of the army First Republic of Armenia. Armenians had planned to keep their existence based on a political strategy in the way of being supporting the Allies and Russia and to establish their national army with Russian support.W. E. D. Allen- P. Muratoff, ''Caucasian Battlefields: A History of the Wars on the Turco-Caucasian Border 1828–1921'' (Cambridge, 1953), p. 458. General

Tovmas Nazarbekian Tovmas Nazarbekian ( Armenian: Թովմաս Նազարբէկեան; 4 April 1855 – 19 February 1931), also known as Foma Nazarbekov (russian: Фома Назарбеков), was an Armenian general in the Russian Caucasus Army and later promote ...

was selected as the Commanding Officer (Sparapet of Armenia). The Sparapet of Armenia

appreciated the talent and skills of the colonel. Yerevan assigned 1st Division with 1st Erzurum/Erzincan regiment, 2nd Khnus Regiment, 3rd Yerevan Regiment, and 4th Erzinjan/Yerevan Regiments under General Christophor Araratov. In 1918 he was the head of artillery brigade of

Armenian army The Armed Forces of Armenia ( hy, Հայաստանի զինված ուժեր, Hayastani zinvats uzher), sometimes referred to as the Armenian Army ( hy, Հայկական Բանակ, Haykakan Banak), is the national military of Armenia. It consist ...

. Following the Russian Revolution, Araratov who had previously been serving in the

Romanian front The Romanian Front ( ro, Frontul Românesc, FR) was a moderate fascist party created in Romania in 1935. Led by former Prime Minister Alexandru Vaida-Voevod, it originated as a right-wing splinter group from the mainstream National Peasants' Part ...

moved to Kars where the staff of the brigade was located. On 3 March 1918, the Grand Vizier Talaat Pasha signed the

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (also known as the Treaty of Brest in Russia) was a separate peace treaty signed on 3 March 1918 between Russia and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire), that ended Russia's ...

with the

Russian SFSR The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...

. It stipulated that Bolshevik Russia cede

Batum Batumi (; ka, ბათუმი ) is the second largest city of Georgia and the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, located on the coast of the Black Sea in Georgia's southwest. It is situated in a subtropical zone at the foot of t ...

, Kars, and

Ardahan Ardahan (, ka, არტაანი, tr, hy, Արդահան, translit=Ardahan Russian: Ардаган) is a city in northeastern Turkey, near the Georgian border. It is the capital of Ardahan Province. History Ancient and medieval Ardaha ...

. Between 14 March – April 1918, the

Trabzon peace conference The Trebizond Peace Conference was a conference held between 14 March and 13 April 1918 in Trebizond between the Ottoman Empire and a delegation of the Transcaucasian Diet (Transcaucasian Seim) and government. The opening session was on 14 March ...

was held between the Ottoman Empire and the delegation of the

Transcaucasian Sejm The Transcaucasian Commissariat was established at Tbilisi on 11 November 1917, as the first government of the independent Transcaucasia following the Great October Socialist Revolution, October Revolution in Petrograd. The Commissariat decided to ...

. The representatives in Tiflis acknowledged the existence of a state of war between themselves and the Ottoman Empire.Richard Hovannisian, ''The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times'', pp. 292–293 With the fall of Kars, Araratov realized that the government of Transcaucasian Seym was not interested in struggle against the invader: Caucasian Turks supported Turkey to gain an alliance in founding their own independent state. On 11 May 1918, a new peace conference opened at Batum.Ezel Kural Shaw, ''History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey'', p. 326 At this conference the Ottomans extended their demands to include Tiflis as well as Alexandropol and Echmiadzin; they intended to build a railroad to connect Kars and Julfa with Baku. The Armenian and Georgian members of the Republic's delegation began to stall. Beginning on 21 May, the Ottoman army moved ahead again. The conflict led to the

Battle of Sardarapat The Battle of Sardarabad ( hy, Սարդարապատի ճակատամարտ, translit=Sardarapati chakatamart; tr, Serdarabad Muharebesi) was a battle of the Caucasus campaign of World War I that took place near Sardarabad, Armenia, from 21 to ...

(21–29 May), the

Battle of Kara Killisse (1918) The Battle of Karakilisa ( hy, Ղարաքիլիսայի ճակատամարտ ''Gharakilisayi chakatamart'', tr, Karakilise Muharebesi or ) was a battle of Caucasus Campaign of World War I that took place in the vicinity of Karakilisa (now Vanadz ...

(24–28 May), and the

Battle of Bash Abaran The Battle of Bash Abaran ( hy, Բաշ Աբարանի ճակատամարտ ''Bash Abarani chakatamart'', tr, Baş-Abaran Muharebesi) was a battle of Caucasus Campaign of World War I that took place in the vicinity of Bash Abaran, in 1918. The ...

(23–29 May). Kemal Asad, commander of 9th Infantry Division of Turkish army, sent a message to Kemal Esad, commander of Attacking Group of Forces, about Armenian artillery during Sardarapat Battle, commanded by Kristapor Araratov: During the Battle of Sardarapat, Araratov's artillery brigade fought bravely and took prisoners of a

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

of Turkish soldiers. The victory at Sardarapat made

independence possible. After Sardarapat, Araratov was reassigned to the front against the

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

Army, which occupied Lori in 1918. On 30 October, the

Armistice of Mudros Concluded on 30 October 1918 and taking effect at noon the next day, the Armistice of Mudros ( tr, Mondros Mütarekesi) ended hostilities in the Middle Eastern theatre between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I. It was signed by th ...

was signed, and the Caucasus Campaign ended. The fights stopped before the New Year of 1919.

First Republic of Armenia

In the start of 1919, all around

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 ' ...

Azerbaijanis excited rebellions. In that unstable situation on 16 April 1919, Prime Minister

Hovhannes Kajaznuni Hovhannes Kajaznuni or Katchaznouni (; 14 February 1868 – 15 January 1938) was an Armenian architect and politician who served as the first Prime Minister of the First Republic of Armenia from June 6, 1918 to August 7, 1919. He was a member of ...

left for Tiflis to conduct negotiations there and

Alexander Khatisian Alexander Khatisian (; 17 February 1874 – 10 March 1945) was an Armenian politician, doctor and journalist. Khatisian was born in Tiflis in the Tiflis Governorate of the Russian Empire (Tbilisi, Georgia) to a prominent Armenian family of nobl ...

became Acting Premier, with Araratov as Minister of War from March 27. The latter had replaced Hovhannes Hakhverdyan on this post and was promoted to the rank of

. In April 1920 he was assigned to Kars as a military governor of the region. In October 1920, when the city yielded to Turks, he was taken prisoner by

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

. Turkish General Kâzım Karabekir Pasha used to visit him in prison and offered him a chance to teach a course of Russian artillery at the Turkish military university. Araratov refused it several times. In 24 years of military service from 1896 to 1920, Araratov only went on vacation for a total of about 3 months.

Soviet Armenia period

At the end of 1921, Araratov was returned at the request of Aleksandr Myasnikyan to what was then

Soviet Armenia The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic,; russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика, translit=Armyanskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) also commonly referred to as Soviet A ...

. He took a position as head assistant of a rifle division. Later he was appointed as head of military chairs at

Yerevan State University Yerevan State University (YSU; hy, Երևանի Պետական Համալսարան, ԵՊՀ, ''Yerevani Petakan Hamalsaran''), also simply University of Yerevan, is the oldest continuously operating public university in Armenia. Founded in 1919 ...

and then at National Economy Institute. On 2 September 1937, during the

, Araratov was arrested along with many other high-ranking military officers, who were accused of being "nationalists" and "anti-soviet activists" for their support of Armenian independence. After about three months, together with other heroes of Sardarapat:

Movses Silikyan Movses Silikyan or Silikov (, ; 14 September 1862 – 22 November 1937) was an Armenian general who served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and later in the army of the First Republic of Armenia. He is regarded as a national hero i ...

, Dmitry Mirimanov, Aghasi Varosyan, Stepan Ohanesyan,

Hakob Mkrtchyan Hakob Mkrtchyan ( hy, Հակոբ Մկրտչյան; born 8 March 1997) is an Armenian male weightlifter, World Champion and European Champion competing in the 77 kg and 85 kg categories until 2018 and 89 kg starting in 2018 after the ...

, and Harutyun Hakobyan, Araratov was taken on 10 December to Nork gorge and executed by a firing squad of the

NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (russian: Наро́дный комиссариа́т вну́тренних дел, Naródnyy komissariát vnútrennikh del, ), abbreviated NKVD ( ), was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union. ...

. Within Soviet territories, many more military and other suspected political enemies were executed. The officers' awards were stripped from their names, their families were sometimes sent to labor camps in the

gulag The Gulag, an acronym for , , "chief administration of the camps". The original name given to the system of camps controlled by the GPU was the Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps (, )., name=, group= was the government agency in ...

as enemies of the state, and the men's names were removed from history books.

Rehabilitation

Following Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet Union began rehabilitation of his victims of political repression. They first offered amnesty to prisoners held for non-political offenses, then began to release political prisoners as well. The government later rehabilitated numerous people posthumously, as they did for Araratov and Silikyan: restoring their medals and their places in history.

Personal life

Araratov was married to a woman named Nina Ejubova and they had two children, Constantine and Elena. Elena was a very talented dancer whose career was greatly undermined on the basis that her father was executed as an enemy of the Soviet Union. Through her, he has a grandson, Yuriy Araratyan. He was fluent in Armenian, Russian and French. His last name was banned under Soviet rule, due to

Mount Ararat Mount Ararat or , ''Ararat''; or is a snow-capped and dormant compound volcano in the extreme east of Turkey. It consists of two major volcanic cones: Greater Ararat and Little Ararat. Greater Ararat is the highest peak in Turkey and th ...

being associated with

Armenian nationalism Armenian nationalism in the modern period has its roots in the romantic nationalism of Mikayel Chamchian (1738–1823) and generally defined as the creation of a free, independent and united Armenia formulated as the Armenian Cause ( hy, Հայ ...

. Famous Armenian writer and poet

Khachik Dashtents Khachik Dashtents ( hy, Խաչիկ Դաշտենց; ''Khachik Tonoyi Tonoyan'', May 25, 1910 – March 9, 1974) was an ethnic Armenian Soviet writer, poet and translator.classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA Wo ...

wrote a poem about his teachers, among whom was Kristapor Araratov:

Legacy and honors

Cross of St. George The Cross of Saint George (russian: Георгиевский крест, Georgiyevskiy krest) is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was initially established by Imperial Russia where it was officially known as the Decoration of ...

, 4th class (24 September 1914) * Order of Saint Stanislaus, 4th class with Swords and Bow (26 February 1915) * Order of Saint Stanislaus, 3rd class with Swords and Bow (March 1903) * Order of Saint Stanislaus, 2nd class with Swords (December 1910) *

Order of St. Vladimir The Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir (russian: орден Святого Владимира) was an Imperial Russian order established on by Empress Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptize ...

, 3rd class with Swords *

Order of St. Anna The Imperial Order of Saint Anna (russian: Орден Святой Анны; also "Order of Saint Anne" or "Order of Saint Ann") was a Holstein ducal and then Russian imperial order of chivalry. It was established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holst ...

, 4th class, "For Courage" (6 January 1916) *

, 3rd class with Swords and Bow (twice) (17 October 1905 and 27 April 1916) *

, 2nd class with Swords (twice) (14 May 1914 and 5 June 1915) *

Order of St. George The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...

, 4th class (26 August 1916) * Medal "In memory of Russian-Japanese War", Dark Bronze * Order of the Crown, Commander class with Swords (20 September 1917) * Turkish medal in memory of Armenian Government visiting of Turkish Commandership of Halil Pasha

References

* Source: «Христофор Араратов – "Бог Сардарапата"» Новое время, May 21, 2008 * Source: « Араратов Христофор Герасимович» at http://ru.hayazg.info

External links

Orientica.netHayazg.info
{{DEFAULTSORT:Araratov, Christophor 1876 births 1937 deaths Military personnel from Tbilisi Russian military personnel of the Russo-Japanese War Russian military personnel of World War I Armenian people of World War I Armenian generals Recipients of the Cross of St. George Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class People of the First Republic of Armenia Defence ministers of Armenia Armenian military personnel of the Turkish–Armenian War Armenian prisoners of war Armenian people from the Russian Empire Great Purge victims from Armenia Soviet rehabilitations Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 2nd class Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian), 2nd class Armenian independence activists