Armenian oblast facts for kids

The Armenian Oblast was a special region, or "province," in eastern Armenia that existed from 1828 to 1840. It was set up by the Russians after they gained control of this area.

This happened after a war between Russia and Persia (modern-day Iran). The Russians won, and in 1828, they signed a peace agreement called the Treaty of Turkmenchay. This treaty gave Eastern Armenia to Russia.

When the Armenian Oblast was created, many Armenians who had moved to Persia over the years decided to return to their homeland. At the same time, about 35,000 Muslims, including groups like Azeris, Kurds, and Lezgins, along with some nomadic tribes, left the area. This changed the population of the region quite a bit.

Setting Up the Oblast

The Armenian Oblast was formed on March 21, 1828. It was created from parts of the former Erivan Khanate and the Nakhichevan Khanate, which were areas that Russia had just taken from Persia. The main city of this new region was Yerevan.

Why an Oblast?

The Russian government decided to make this area an "oblast" instead of a regular province. This was a special type of administrative region. It meant that the area had a slightly different way of being governed, often to deal with specific local conditions or populations.

Population Changes

The shift in population was a big part of the Armenian Oblast's early history.

• After the war, many Armenians who had been living in Persia were encouraged to move back to the newly Russian-controlled Eastern Armenia. This was a chance for them to live under Christian rule.
• At the same time, a significant number of Muslim residents, who had been living in the khanates, chose to leave the area and move to Persia. This was often due to changes in leadership and a desire to remain under Muslim rule.

End of the Oblast

The Armenian Oblast did not last very long. In 1840, the Russian government decided to change how it managed its territories in the Caucasus.

New Administrative System

On April 10, 1840, the Armenian Oblast was officially ended. Its territory was then combined with other areas to form a new, larger administrative region called the Georgia-Imeretia Governorate. This new system aimed to simplify the administration of the Russian Empire's southern lands.

Legacy of the Oblast

Even though the Armenian Oblast existed for only 12 years, it was an important period for Eastern Armenia. It marked the beginning of Russian rule in the region, which would last for many decades. The population changes that happened during this time also had a lasting impact on the demographics of the area.

Images for kids

• 

  This image shows a special mirror case from 1854. It celebrates a meeting in 1838 between Naser al-Din Mirza, who was a young prince from Iran, and Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. They met in Erivan, which was in the Armenian Oblast. The picture shows the seven-year-old prince sitting on the Tsar's lap.

• 

  This painting shows Ivan Paskevich, a Russian general, and Abbas Mirza, a Persian prince, at the signing of the Treaty of Turkmenchay. This treaty gave Eastern Armenia to Russia.

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  This is a map from 1833 showing the Caucasus region as part of the Russian Empire. You can see where the Armenian Oblast would have been located.

See also

In Spanish: Óblast de Armenia para niños