HOVSEP EMIN

[Arpa]

HOVSEP EMIN

 

1726 Hamadan(Abadan)-1809 Calcutta. Activist of the Armenian Liberation Movement, idealist for the enlightenment of the masses.

In 1744, together with his family he has moved and settled in Calcutta. During 1745-50 he studied at the English academy. In 1751 he moved to England where through family ties he was accepted at the Woolwich Military Academy. During 1757-58 he participated in the Seven Year War. Encouraged by his accomplishments he approaches Wm. Pitt, the British Prime Minister to ask for help to realize his long time dream of resurrecting an independent and united Armenia. His pleas go unanswered, and convinced that the British had no special interest in the region, in 1759-60 he travels to Armenia, via Alexandretta and Aleppo while preaching and calling the masses to rise in every village and town. In the spring of 1760 he reechoes Ejmiatsin where he finally realizes that the liberation of the Armenian people would be impossible without the blessing and aid of Russia. He returns to England and the next year he travels to Russia where he presents his plan to Vorontzov and Golitsin. The plan was to create a federated Armeno-Georgian state.

In 1763 he and his relative Movses Baghramian together with 30 volunteers they had met in Astrakhan, they travel to Georgia where they are cordially met King Heracles II. With the King's help he undertakes training of the Georgian forces and teach them the modern military techniques learned in England. He establishes relations with the local Armenians the Meliks of Artsakh and abbot of Sourb Karapet Vank of Moush, Hovnan who had been trying to get the masses to rise and been asking the Georgian King to send forces under Emin's command. Fearing Turkish intervention and fury the king declines. This plan of Emin had already reached the Persian Khan of Erevan and for that reason Catholicos Simeon Erevantsi condemns the plan and shows his unwelcome to Emin. Beside the above detractors the Georgian aristocracy express their disapproval, as they view Emin's teachings as anti feudal. Upon the latters' insistence King Heracle banishes Emin and he moves to the northern Caucasus where he lives among the mountain people for two years where due to his interventions Georgia and Artsakh were spared constant invasions as had been the custom of the mountaineers.

In 1766 in the company of Melik Hovsep of Gulistan he travels to Artsakh to meet with Catholicos Hovhannes Hasah-Jalalyan and the local meliks. Unable to convince them to rise against the oppressors he, once again returns to Georgia. When in Mtskhetia his companion Movses Baghramian decides to abandon and return to India. After a short time the king of Georgia once again declares him persona non-grata Returning to India Emin meets and develops close relationship with Shahamir Shahamirian and his Band of Madras. Not one to give up that easy Hovsep Emin once again convinces the wealthy of India to sponsor yet another trip to Hayastan but the nuncio of the Patriarch of Jerusalem Bishop Hovannes sees that his plans end in failure. During 1777-83 he lives in Nor Jugha while all along still pursuing his fruitless dream of liberating the Motherland when he finally decides to go back to Calcutta.

Hovsep Emin has written several works the most famous being "Life and Adventures of Emin Josep" in English, published in London 1792, in which his aim was besides waking up the Armenian people, also to introduce Armenia, its people and their problems to European circles. This book and others, aside from being

the gist of dreams are also a valuable source about the history, geography and social conditions and customs of not only Armenia but also of Anatolia, the Caucasus and Persia of the time.

Hovsep Emin was not coy in his approach to the problem he openly advocated armed uprising and protecting the land with arms if necassary.