Armenian Cypriot dress The period of Ottoman Rule (1571-1878) The period of British Rule (1878-1960)
The Armenians in Cyprus
Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra
researcher-scholar
The Armenian presence in Cyprus can be dated back to 578 AD, thus marking them as one of the oldest documented communities in Cyprus. Over the decades they resided in Famagusta, Halevga, Spathariko, Kornokipos and Platani, however the majority of the community settled in Nicosia.
It must be pointed out that the number of Armenians in Cyprus has, over the decades, experienced a constant flux depending on the political situation in and outside Cyprus. Indeed, during the Ottoman conquest of the island (1570-1571), about 40.000 Ottoman-Armenian craftsmen were recruited, mainly as sappers. However, this high number of Armenians soon declined, due to the onerous taxation and the harshness of the Ottoman administration. Thus, even though there were about 20.000 Armenians during the very first years of the Ottoman Era, by 1630 only 2.000 Armenians had remained, out of a total of 56.530 inhabitants. Based on various estimates, the Armenian-Cypriot community of the 19th century numbered between 150-250 persons. In 1877, a year before the arrival of the British, there were 152 Armenians in Cyprus, mostly in Nicosia.
The number of Armenians in Cyprus significantly increased following the deportations, massacres and Genocide committed by the Ottomans and the Young Turks (1894-1896, 1909 & 1915-1923). Cyprus welcomed over 10.000 refugees from Asia Minor, Cilicia and Anatolia, who arrived in Larnaca and all the other harbours, some by chance others by intent; about 1.500 of them made the island their new home. The Armenian-Cypriot community prospered throughout the British Era (1878-1960), as seen in them establishing associations, musical ensembles, sports teams, scout, guide, dance and theatre groups, churches, cemeteries and schools in Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, Famagusta and Amiandos, including the famous Melkonian Educational Institute. In many ways unique across the Armenian Diaspora, it was built just outside Nicosia between 1924-1926, thanks to the generous and benevolent donation of tobacco-trading brothers Krikor and Garabed Melkonian, in order to shelter and educate 500 orphans of the Armenian Genocide and gradually became a world-renowned secondary school. This is also reflected in a steady numerical increase: there were 201 Armenians in 1881, 291 in 1891, 553 in 1901, 611 in 1911, 1.573 in 1921, 3.617 in 1931, and 3.962 in 1946. According to the 1956 registration of population, there were 4.549 Armenians. Following the arrival of some Armenian refugees from Palestine (1947-1949) and Egypt (1956-1957), a number of them remained.
With the Independence of Cyprus, on 16 August 1960, the Armenians, Maronites and Latins were constitutionally recognised as religious groups, which opted to belong to the Greek-Cypriot community by a referendum held on 13 November 1960. Additionally, they were represented at the Greek Communal Chamber, which acted as a lower Parliament, with jurisdiction over religious, educational and cultural affairs. Since 1965, their Representatives continue to represent their respective communities in the House of Representatives. Despite no longer sporting the glorious numbers that the community did under the British rule, the Armenian community’s lasting legacy is deeply interwoven with all aspects of the Cyprus history, be it educational, culinary or fashion.
Hapeth Touloumdjian familly photo