Osmanlı Devlet Salnamelerinde Katolik Ermeniler (1847-1918)
Catholic Armenians in Salnamas of Ottoman State (1847-1918)

Summary/Abstract: The subject of this article is related to conditions of Armenian Catholics between 1847 and 1918 in Ottoman State. I referenced to the Ottoman State Annuals (Salname-i Devlet-i Aliye-i Osmaniye) issued 68 issues. The aim is to present the point of view to Armenian Catholics in Ottoman official publications. Separately, it is facilitate to be understood Armenian Catholics admitted as a different ‘nation (millet)’ and conditions of the other Ottoman Catholics. Ottoman administrated non-muslims in accordance with the principle “keeping the pre-conquest structure”. İn the preconquest, Armenian Catholics in Ottoman territory didn’t have different catholic hierarchy, so they didn’t be admitted as a different nation. Separately, Armenians admitted catholic creed progressively multiplied in Ottoman period. When Pope approved Ottoman Catholic Armenians as a different hierarchy in 1740, they were administrated over Armenian Patriarchate of İstanbul. Ottoman governments didn’t acceptance them as a different ‘nation (millet)’. Because, they endeavored to keep the pre-conquest structure. So, Apostolic Armenians are named as ‘original Armenians’ (asıl Ermeniler) in Ottoman documents. They are admitted as a different hierarchy (nation-millet) by Sultan Mahmut II (1830). Priest Andon Nurican was elected as the first leader of Ottoman Catholic Armenians. Pope approved him as the archbishop of İstanbul. But, Ottoman government didn’t approve because of the fact that he wasn’t a citizen of Ottoman. Hagop Chuqurian was elected in place of him. Ottoman government approved him as the leader of Ottoman Catholics on 5 January 1831. The second leader was entitled patriarch by Ottoman government in 1835. The other Ottoman Catohilic Nations (Syrian Catholics, Chaldeans, Maronites, Melkites, Bulgarian Catholics) were subordinated to Armenian Catholic hieararchy. In the first Ottoman State Annual (1263/1847), Armenian Catholics and Greek Melkites are recorded as different nations. As a result, Armenian Catholics is unrecorded in only one issue from first to last recorded non-muslims. Besides, the sophisticated structure of Ottoman Catholics, such as two leaders and centres of patriarchate at the same time, is appeared in Annuals, too.

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