Cabinets of the First Republic of Armenia
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The First Republic of Armenia was the first independent Armenian state since the Cilician Kingdom of Armenia, proclaimed on 28 May 1918 in the territory of present Armenia. The republic lasted until 2 December 1920 when it was partitioned by the Russian SFSR and the Turkish Nationalist forces. In the two and a half years of its existence, the republic was composed of 9 mostly Dashnak-dominated cabinets.
First Cabinet[edit]
(30 June 1918 - 4 November 1918)
After weeks of negotiations, the Armenian National Council sent Hovhannes Kachaznuni to Yerevan to form the first Armenian cabinet on an "individual basis":[1]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Premier (Minister-President) | Hovhannes Kachaznuni | Dashnak |
| Foreign Affairs | Alexander Khatisian | |
| Internal Affairs | Aram Manukian | |
| Financial Affairs | Khachatur Karchikyan | |
| Military Affairs | Hovhannes Hakhverdyan | Non-partisan |
Second Cabinet[edit]
(4 November 1918 - Spring 1919)
Populist Kristapor Vermishian replaced Levon Ghulian as Minister of Provisions on 1 March 1919. In March, 1919, Colonel Christophor Araratov was promoted to a major general, becoming the Minister of Military Affairs:[2]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Premier (Minister-President) | Hovhannes Kachaznuni | Dashnak |
| Foreign Affairs | Sirakan Tigranyan | |
| Internal Affairs | Aram Manukian | |
| Welfare (Public Assistance) | Khachatur Karchikyan | |
| Military Affairs | Hovhannes Hakhverdian | Non-partisan |
| Financial Affairs | Artashes Enfiadjian | Populist |
| Judicial Affairs | Samson Harutiunian | |
| Enlightenment (Public Instruction) | Mikayel Atabekian | |
| Provisions | Levon Ghulyan |
Third Cabinet[edit]
(Spring 1919 - 28 May 1919)
The third cabinet was as follows:[3]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Premier (Minister-President) | Hovhannes Kachaznuni | Dashnak |
| Foreign Affairs | Sirakan Tigranyan | |
| Internal Affairs | Alexander Khatisian | |
| Welfare (Public Assistance) | Sahak Torosyan | |
| Justice | Samson Harutiunian | Populist |
| Finance | Artashes Enfiadjian | |
| Enlightenment | Gevorg Melik-Karageozian | |
| Provisions | Kristapor Vermishian | |
| Military Affairs | Christophor Araratov | Non-partisan |
Fourth Cabinet[edit]
(28 May 1919 - 10 August 1919)
Khatisian formed an interim cabinet before the coming election after the Populists boycotted the Dashnaks; Harutiun Chmshkian left the Populists to remain in the cabinet:[4]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Premier-President (Abroad) | Hovhannes Kachaznuni | Dashnak |
| Acting Premier | Alexander Khatisian | |
| Foreign Affairs | ||
| Internal Affairs | Sargis Manasian | |
| Welfare | Sahak Torosian | |
| Public Instruction | Sirakan Tigranian | |
| Justice | Harutiun Chmshkian | Non-partisan |
| Military Affairs | General Christophor Araratov |
Fifth Cabinet[edit]
(10 August 1919 - Spring 1920)
The 1919 Armenian parliamentary election gave the Dashnaks a "sweeping majority in the legislature":[5][6]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Minister-President | Alexander Khatisian | Dashnak |
| Foreign Affairs | ||
| Internal Affairs | Abraham Gyulkhandanyan | |
| Judicial Affairs | ||
| Finance | Sargis Araratyan | |
| Provisions | ||
| Welfare and Labor | Avetik Sahakyan | |
| Agricultural Administration | ||
| Public Enlightenment and Culture | Nikol Aghbalian | |
| Military Affairs | Christophor Araratov | Non-partisan |
Sixth Cabinet[edit]
(February 1920 - 5 April 1920)
Most ministries were reorganised in preparation for a campaign of national reconstruction:[7]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Minister-President | Alexander Khatisian | Dashnak |
| Foreign Affairs | ||
| Internal Affairs | Abraham Gyulkhandanyan | |
| Judicial Affairs | Artashes Chilingarian | |
| Communications | Arshak Jamalyan | |
| Finance | Sargis Araratyan | |
| Welfare and Reconstruction | Artashes Babalian | |
| Rural Economy and State Properties | Simon Vratsian | |
| Labor | ||
| State Controller | Grigor Djaghetian | |
| Military Affairs | Major General Christophor Araratov | Non-partisan |
Seventh Cabinet[edit]
(5 April 1920 - 5 May 1920)
For the first time since the first cabinet, Dashnaks held all the posts:[8]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Minister-President | Alexander Khatisian | Dashnak |
| Foreign Affairs | Hamo Ohanjanyan | |
| Internal Affairs | Abraham Gyulkhandanyan | |
| Finance | Sargis Araratyan | |
| Justice | Artashes Chilingarian | |
| Communiations | Arshak Jamalyan | |
| Welfare and Reconstruction | Artashes Babalian | |
| Labour | Simon Vratsian | |
| Agriculture and State Properties | ||
| Public Education and Culture | Nikol Aghbalian | |
| Military Affairs | Ruben Ter-Minasian |
Eighth Cabinet[edit]
(5 May 1920 - 25 November 1920)
Following the chaos of the May Uprising, Alexander Khatisian resigned from the cabinet, leading to a formation of a new government under Hamo Ohandjanian:[9]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Minister-President | Hamo Ohanjanyan | Dashnak |
| Foreign Affairs | ||
| Internal Affairs | Ruben Ter-Minasian | |
| Military Affairs | ||
| Finance | Abraham Gyulkhandanyan | |
| Justice | ||
| Welfare and Reconstruction | Sargis Araratyan | |
| Labor | Simon Vratsian | |
| Agriculture and State Properties | ||
| Communications | Arshak Jamalyan | |
| Public Enlightenment and Culture | Gevorg Ghazarian |
Ninth Cabinet[edit]
(25 November 1920 - 2 December 1920)
As the Turkish-Armenian War progressed unfavourably for the Republic of Armenia, the government of Hamo Ohandjanian resigned, leading to Simon Vratsian forming the last cabinet of Armenia before its partition:[10]
| Portfolio | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Minister-President | Simon Vratsian | Dashnak |
| Foreign Affairs | ||
| Interim Internal Affairs | ||
| Military Affairs | Drastamat Kanayan | |
| Finance | Hambardzum Terterian | |
| Interim Welfare | ||
| Agriculture and State Properties | Arshak Hovhannisyan | |
| Judicial Affairs | Arsham Khondkarian | Social Revolutionary |
| Interim Commercial Affairs | ||
| Public Enlightenment and Culture | Vahan Minakhorian |
Gallery[edit]
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References[edit]
- ^ Hovannisian 1971, p. 40.
- ^ Hovannisian 1971, p. 64.
- ^ Hovannisian 1971, p. 150.
- ^ Hovannisian 1971, p. 467.
- ^ Hovannisian 1982, p. 18, 294.
- ^ New Republics in the Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaidjan, and Georgia: Their Mutual Relations and Their Present Status, p. 496.
- ^ Hovannisian 1982, p. 315.
- ^ Hovannisian 1996a, p. 155.
- ^ Hovannisian 1996a, pp. 223–224.
- ^ Hovannisian 1996b, pp. 356–357.
Bibliography[edit]
- Hovannisian, Richard G. (1971). The Republic of Armenia: The First Year, 1918–1919. Vol. 1. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520019843.
- Hovannisian, Richard G. (1982). The Republic of Armenia: From Versailles to London, 1919–1920. Vol. 2. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520041868.
- Hovannisian, Richard G. (1996a). The Republic of Armenia: From London to Sèvres, February–August 1920. Vol. 3. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520088030.
- Hovannisian, Richard G. (1996b). The Republic of Armenia: Between Crescent and Sickle: Partition and Sovietization. Vol. 4. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520088047.
- "New Republics in the Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaidjan, and Georgia: Their Mutual Relations and Their Present Status". Current History. 11 (3). University of California Press: 491–498. 1920. JSTOR 45325199 – via JSTOR.