Bitlis, an ancient Armenian city, is steeped in history that dates back to 330 BC when it was founded by a commander of Alexander the Great named Lys. Named “Bitlis” it means “evil fox,” this city in Historical Armenia became the primary city in the Salmadzor region (Gavar) of the Turuberan province of Greater Armenia.
Its chronology spans various eras of control:
- From 330-200 BC, it was part of the Armenian Ayrarat kingdom under the Yervanduni dynasty.
- From 190 BC to 428 AD, Bitlis belonged to the kingdom of Greater Armenia, first under the Artashesian (190-1 BC) and then the Arshakuni (1-428 AD) dynasties.
- Between 428-650, the city was part of the Armenian marzpanate.
- The Armenian Emirate controlled Bitlis from 650 to the 840s.
- From 840-1045, the city was under the Armenian Aini kingdom.
- The Byzantine Empire ruled from 1045 to the 1070s.
- From 1070-1515, Seljuk Turks, Kurds, Mongols, and Turkmen held control.
- The Ottoman Empire ruled from 1515-1916.
- In 1916-1917, Bitlis came under the control of the Russian Empire.
- Turks captured Bitlis in 1917.
- In 1920, according to the Treaty of Sevres, Bitlis was recognized as part of Armenia, but de facto it remained under Turkish rule.
- Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the indigenous Armenian population of Bitlis and the surrounding villages were ousted and replaced by Kurds migrating from Iran. Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the city remained primarily under the control of Kurdish sheikhs.
In 1849, Turkish troops ravaged Bitlis. Thousands of Armenians were expelled from the city or forced to convert to Islam. The population of Bitlis Vilayet in 1878 was 400,000, of which 250,000 were Armenians (62.5%). By 1893, the population of the Bitlis region had decreased to 180,000 Armenians out of 382,000 (47.1%).
Between 1894-1896, pogroms and robberies occurred in all Armenian settlements in Bitlis. About 1,000 Armenians were slaughtered in the city of Bitlis alone, with many being forcibly converted to Islam.
The entire Armenian population was deported in 1915 during the Armenian Genocide. Most were killed or forcibly converted to Islam, while others sought refuge abroad. The legacy of Bitlis stands as a poignant reminder of the rich Armenian heritage and the tumultuous history of the region.
Vigen Avetisyan
