Armenian History Timeline

B.C.

• 2492 Hayk Nahabed
• 2400 Armens
• 1700 Aram Nahabed
• 1600 Mitanni (Aram Naharin/Nairi)
• 1500 Hayasa
• 1400 Nairi Confederation on Armenian plateau
• 1000 Iron works in Armenia
• 870-590 Urartian/Araratian Kingdom dominates Armenia
• 820 Founding of Van.
• 800 (approx) King Ara the Beautiful, legendary king of Armenia. Might have been Aramu, first king of Urartu.
• 782 Founding of Erebuni Fortress, foundation of Yerevan.
• 520 Armenia mentioned as country in Behestun Stone.
• 402-401 Retreat of Xenophon across Armenia.
• 401 King Yervand I of Armenia is crowned. First Armenian dynasty.
• 330 Alexander the Great in Armenia
• 330-300 Reign of King Yervand II
• 220-201 Reign of King Yervand the Last
• 201 Fall of Yervandian dynasty.
• 189-160 Reign of King Artashes I. Start of Artashesian dynasty.
• 170 Founding of Artashat, capital of Armenia.
• 160-95 Reigns of King Artavasd I, King Tiran I, and King Tigran I.
• 95-55 Armenian Empire reaches greatest size and influence under King Tigran the Great.
• 69 Battle of Tigranakert
• 68 Battle of Aratsani. Tigran the Great defeats Roman troops led by Lucculus
• 66 Treaty of Artashat between Pompei and Tigran the Great.
• 55-34 Reign of King Artavasd II, who wrote plays in Greek.
• 53 Performance of The Bacchae at Artashat.
• 35 Invasion of Armenia by Marc Anthony and capture of King Artavasd II.
• 34 Roman commander Antonius captures Armenian King Artavazd II (?? conflicts with above)
• 30 Romans conquer Armenian Empire.
• 30 - 20 Restoration of Kingdom of Armenia under King Artashes II

A.D.

1 - 499

• 2 Fall of Ardashesian dynasty
• @30 Abkar of Edessa, first Christian convert in Armenia
• @48-49 Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew introduce Christianity to Armenia
• 63-88 Reign of King Trdat I, Arghaguni dynasty established
• 66 Construction of Fortress and Temple of Garni.
• 117-140 Reign of King Vagharsh I. Building of Vagharshapat.
• 144-186 Reign of King Sohimos
• 186-198 Reign of King Vagharsh II
• 198-215 Reign of King Khosrov I
• 253 Sassanids of Persia occupy Armenia
• 293-330 Reign of King Trdat III (aka Tiridates III). The treaty of Nisibin between Rome and Persia and restoration of Armenian Kingdom's independence.
• 301 (or more likely ca. 310) Trdat III accepts Christianity for the Armenian people.
• 303 Construction of Ejmiatsin Cathedral started.
• 325 Council of Nicea, adoption of Nicean Creed. St. Aristakes (who is St. Gregory the Illuminators son) participates as one of the 318 founders of the Christian Church.
• 350-368 Reign of Arshak II, ends with his arrest by Persian King Shapuh II.
• 353-372 Catholicos Nerses the Great
• 374-378 Reign of Varastad, participant in Olympic Games
• 378-397 Reign of Arshag II
• 395-405 Creation of Armenian Alphabet by Mesrob Mashdots
• 5th-7th centuries - First golden age of Armenian culture.
• 400 Birth of historian Agathangelos
• 422-428 Reign of Ardashes III
• 425 Bible translated into Armenian
• 450-451 Armenian revolt against Zoroastrianism
• 451 Battle of Avarayr (Vartanantz) led by Vardan Mamikonian
• 451 Council of Chalcedon
• 482 Movses Khorenatsi, historian
• 484 Treaty of Nuarsag between Armenians and Persians
• 491 Armenian rejection of Chalcedon decisions

500 - 999

• 572 Revolt of Armenians against Persians
• 591 Second partition of Armenia between Byzantium and Persia
• 595 Revolt against Byzantium and Persia
• 610-641 Heraclius, first Armenian Emperor of Byzantium
• 610-685 Anania of Shirak, astronomer and mathematician
• 618-630 Construction of Hripsime Church and Gayane Church begun.
• 637 Armenian Patriarchate established in Jerusalem
• 640 First Arab invasion of Armenia
• 643-652 Construction of Zvartnots Cathedral
• 653 Byzantine Empire cedes Armenia to Arabs
• 774-775 Armenian revolt against Arabs
• 785-809 Harun-al-Rashid, Abassid Caliph
• 9th-10th centuries
• 806 Arabs install Bagratid family to govern Armenia.
• 813 Armenian prince Ashot I begins 1,000 years of rule in Georgia by Bagratid Dynasty.
• 862-977 Second golden age of Armenian culture, under Ashot I and Ashot III.
• 884-890 Reign of Ashot I, Bagratuni dynasty
• 890-914 Reign of Smbat I
• 914-929 Reign of Ashot II
• 916 Cathedral of Aghtamar constructed
• 950-1000 Grigor Narekatsi, mystical poet and theologian
• 961 Founding of Ani, capital of Armenia
• 970-990 Reign of Smbat II

1000 - 1499

• 985-1001 Construction of Ani Cathedral
• 990-1020 Reign of Gagik I
• 11th-14th centuries Byzantine Greeks invade Armenia from west, Seljuk Turks from east.
• 1041-1048 Seljuk invasion of Armenia
• 1042-1080 Armenian migration to Cilicia
• 1045 Fall of Bagratuni dynasty
• 1071 Battle of Manzikert, Seljuk occupation of Armenia
• 1080 Rupenian Principality established in Cilicia
• 1098-1099 Cilician Armenians assists First Crusade.
• 1101-1173 Nerses Shnorhali - poet, clergyman, composer of sharagans.
• 1113 Catholicosate established at Aghtamar
• 1124, 1174 Revolts of the population of Ani against foreign rule
• 1130-1213 Mkhitar Gosh, compiler of Armenian code of laws
• 1149 Catholicosate of Ejmiatsin relocated to Hromgla in Cilicia
• 1153-1198 Nerses Lambronatsi, theologian and diplomat
• 1184 Mkhitar Heratsi, clergyman, author of medical encyclopedia
• 1189-1192 Third Crusade passes through Cilician Armenia
• 1198-1219 Reign of Levon II
• 1206-1207 Liberation of Kars
• 1219-1250 Reign of Zabel, Queen of Armenia
• 1226-1270 Reign of Hetum I
• 1230-1300 Frik, Armenian poet, prisoner of Mongols
• 1250-1288 Toros Roslin, master artist of illuminated manuscripts
• 1253-1256 Hetum I visits Mangu Khan at Karakorum
• 1266 Mameluk invasion of Cilicia
• 1270-1289 Reign of Levon III
• 1271 Marco Polo travels through Armenia
• @1280 Medieval universities of Gladzor and Tatev established.
• 1289-1305 Reign of Hetum II
• 1307 Levon IV killed by Mongols
• 1307-1320 Reign of Oshin
• 1320-1342 Reign of Levon V
• 1345-1363 Reign of Constantine IV
• 1374-1375 Levon VI defeated by Mongols
• 1375 Cilician Armenia conquered by Mamluk Turks.
• 1376-1424 Rule of Prince Constantine in mountainous Cilicia
• 1402-1405 Mass migration of Armenians from Cilicia
• 1402 Last invasion of Armenia by Timur the Lame (Tamerlane)
• 1405-1502 Invasions by Black Sheep and White Sheep Turkomans
• 1441 Reestablishment of Holy See at Ejmiatsin
• 1453 Fall of Constantinople, end of Byzantine Empire
• 1461 Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople established
• 1478 Armneian migration to Bruges, Belgium
• 1489-1588 Sinan, greatest architect of Ottoman Empire (Armenian or no?)
• 15th century - Most of modern Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia become part of Ottoman Empire.

1500 - 1799

• 1501-1722 Ottoman-Safavid conflicts
• 1512 Printing of first Armenian books
• 1519 Decree of King Sigismund I that Armenians in Poland by governed under code of laws by Mkhitar Gosh
• 1547-1575 Secret Church meetings to seek ways to help Armenia
• 1555 Ottoman-Persian partition of Armenia
• 1567 Establishment of Armenian printing press in Constantinople
• 1587-1629 Reign of Shah Abbas in Persia
• 1612 Peace traty between Ottoman Empire and Persia
• 1619 Testimony of Martin the Armenian in Virginia court case
• 1637 Theological seminary established at Ejmiatsin.
• 1637-1695 Eremia Kiumurjian, historian, poet, musician
• 1648 Major earthquake in Van
• 1658-1711 Israel Ori, voyager throughout Europe in search of aid for Armenia
• 1666 First printing of Armenian Bible
• 1667 Commercial treaty between Russia and Isfahan Armenians
• 1676-1749 Mkhitar of Sepastia, founder of Catholic Mkhitarist order
• 1677 Secret meeting called by Catholicos Hagop Jughaetsi
• 1682-1725 Reign of Peter the Great in Russia
• 1695 Printing of Armenian books in Amsterdam
• 1709-1784 Zacharia Shehrimanian, well known Armenian merchant of the Shehrimanian family.
• 1712-1795 Sayat Nova, renowned Armenian poet troubador
• 1722-1730 Exploits of David Beg
• 1723-1797 Shahamir Shahamirian, political philosopher
• 1759 Arrival of Hovsep Emin in Armenia
• 1778 Establishment of Nor Nakhichevan
• 1784- 1788 Publication of Mikael Chamchian's three Volumes work History of the Armenians
• 1794 Publication of Aztarar in Madras India

1800 - 1849

• 1809-1848 Khachatur Abovian, novelist poet, playwright
• 1810,1818 Zeitountsi revolts
• 1811 Mkhitarist order of Vienna founded
• 1813 Treaty of Gulistan
• 1815 Lazarian Institute in Moscow founded
• 1816-1817 Lord Byron at San Lazarro
• 1817-1900 Hovhannes (Ivan) Aivazovsky, seascape painter
• 1820-1901 Ghevond Alishan, Mkhitarist scholar
• 1820-1907 Mkrtich Khrimian Hairik, Pathriarch and Catholicos
• 1821 Establishment of Armenian Academy (Jemaran) in India
• 1824 Founding of Nersessian Academy in Tiflis
• 1826-1858 Nickolas Balian, architect in Constantinople
• 1827 Occupation of Yerevan by Russian forces
• 1828 Treaty of Turkmanchay awards Nakhichevan and area around Erevan to Russia, strengthening Russian control of Transcaucasus and beginning period of modernization and security.
• 1828-1840 Creation of Armenia Oblast in Russian Empire
• 1828-1868 Mkrtich Beshiktashian, poet
• 1829-1866 Mikayel Nalbandian, patriotic poet
• 1830-1892 Kamar Katiba, nationalist poet
• 1835-1888 Raffi, renowned novelist
• 1836 Murad Raphaelian School opened in Venice
• 1836-1898 Tigran Chouhajian, opera composer
• 1840-1892 Karekin Srvantsdian, compiler of David of Sassoun legend
• 1841-1891 Hakob Paronian, palywright, satirist
• 1842-1901 Srpouhi Dussap, feminist writer
• 1842-1918 Abdul Hamid II, the bloody Sultan
• Publication of Pazmaveb begun at San Lazzaro
• 1846-1909 Ashough Jivan, troubador
• 1848 First Armenian Protestant Church in Constantinople
• 1848-1921 Mkrtich Portugalian, journalist, political activist

1850 - 1899

• 1850 First girl school opened in Yerevan
• 1851-1872 Petros Durian, romantic poet
• 1851-1930 Boghos Nubar Pasha, one of the founders of AGBU
• 1856-1946 Henry Morgenthau, US Ambassador to Turkey
• 1859-1937 Diana Abkar, Armenian Ambassador to Japan
• 1860-1932 Loe, historian
• 1861-1915 Krigor Zohrab, essayist
• 1861-1930 Fridtjof Nansen, Norwegian statesman, helped Genocide victims
• 1863 Adoption of Armenian Constitution
• 1863-1934 Sybil, novelist, poet
• 1863-1945 Mihran Damadian, writer, political leader
• 1864-1934 Toros Toromanian, architect
• 1865-1927 Andranik Ozanian, leader of Armenian volunteer forces
• 1866-1948 Avetis Aharonian, author, political leader
• 1869-1923 Hovhannes Tumanyan, poet, author of epics and folk tales
• 1869-1935 Komitas Vardapet, compiler of Armenian folk music
• 1869-1951 Levon Shant, editor, writer
• 1870-1907 Gevorg Chavoush, leader liberation movement
• 1871-1928 Alexander Spendarian, classical composer
• 1874-1945 Alexander Khatisian, Prime Minister of first Republic of Armenia
• 1875-1957 Avetik Isahakian, poet
• 1876-1953 Hrachia Ajarian, linguist
• 1878 Treaty of San Stefano
• 1878 Hagop Serobian, first Armenian in Fresno
• 1878 "Armenian question" emerges at Congress of Berlin; disposition of Armenia becomes ongoing European issue.
• 1878-1915 Siamanto, poet
• 1878-1918 Stepan Shahumian, Bolshevik leader in Baku
• 1878-1936 Alexander Tamanian, architect of Yerevan
• 1878-1943 Zabel Yessaian, novelsit, educator
• 1878-1945 Vahan Tekeyan, poet, political leader
• 1879-1919 Aram Manukian, leader of defense of Van
• 1879-1950 Armen Tigranian, opera composer
• 1880-1972 Martiros Sarian, painter of Armenian life
• 1881 First Armenian Protestant Church in The US
• 1882-1950 Ruben Ter-Minasian, leader of defense of Sassoun
• 1882-1969 Simon Vratsian, Prime Minister of first Republic of Armenia, writer
• 1883-1948 Hagop Oshakan, novelist, literary critic
• 1884-1915 Daniel Varoujan, lyric poet
• 1885 Armenagan party founded
• 1886-1908 Misak Medzarents, lyric poet
• 1887 Hnchakian party founded
• 1890 Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutiun) founded
• 1890-1945 Franz Werfel, author of Forty Days of Musa Dagh
• 1891 First Armenian revolutionary party formed
• 1891 First Armenian Apostolic Church in the US
• 1895 Massacre of 300,000 Armenian subjects by Ottoman Turks
• 1895-1971 Gregory Peter Agajanian, first Armenian Cardinal
• 1896 Occupation of the Ottoman Bank
• 1897 Khanasor expedition
• 1897-1937 Yeghishe Charents, poet
• 1899 Publication of Hairenik begun
• 1899-1987 Rouben Mamoulian, pioneer movie director

1900 - 1917

• 1910-1978 Margaret Mead, anthropologist
• 1903-1978 Aram Khachatourian, composer of classical music
• 1904-1948 Arshile Gorky, abstract painter
• 1906 AGBU founded in Cairo
• 1908 Young Turks take over government of Ottoman Empire with reform agenda, supported by Armenian population.
• 1908-1981 William Saroyan, Armenian-American writer
• 1908-1996 Victor Hambardzumian, astrophysicist
• 1909 Massacres in Cilicia
• 1910 Armenian Relief Society established
• 1911 Alan Hovhannes, composer of classical music
• 1914-1980 Hovhannes Shiraz, nationalistic poet
• 1915 Defense of Musa Dagh
• 1915-1918 Armenian Genocide - 1,500,000 Armenians perish at hands of Turks
• 1917 Tsar Nicholas II abdicates Russian throne; Bolsheviks take power in Russia, withdraw troops from Caucasus.
• 1917 Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia form independent Transcaucasian federation.
• AMAA established

1918 - 1920

• 1918 Independent Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian states emerge from defeat of Ottoman Empire in World War I
• 1918 Turkish forces invade Armenia. Armenian victories at Gharakilise, Bash Aparan and Sardarapat save Armenia.
• 1918 August 10 Armenia adopts red, blue, orange flag
• 1918 October 30 Turkey surrenders unconditionally to Allies and withdraws from Kars.
• 1919 Woodrow Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference. Avedis Aharonian and Boghos Nubar lead Armenian delagation.
• 1919 April: Intervention by Allied Commander Thomson results in Gharabagh and Zangezur being placed under Azerbaijani control.
• 1919 May: Nakhijevan "awarded" to Armenia. Turkish/Tartar forces expelled from Kars Province, but Commander Thomson keeps Olti mines under his control.
• 1919 May 28: Eastern and Western Armenia declared to be united Armenia.
• 1920 January 19: De facto recognition of Armenian Independence by Allies.
• 1920 April 18-26 Congress of San Remo asks US President Wilson to designate Armenian-Turkish boundary.
• 1920 May 24: US Senate rejects proposal to make Armenia a US protectorate by a 52-23 vote.
• 1920 August 10: Treaty of Sevres
• 1920 September 23: Turkey invades Armenia from the west.
• 1920 November 29: Soviets invade Armenia from the east.
• 1920 November 29 (or December 2?) - First Sovietization of Armenia

1921 - 1987

• 1921 February 18: Armenian uprising briefly ends Soviet rule.
• 1921 Ramkavar party founded
• 1921 Assassination of Talaat Pasha
• 1922 Burning of Smyrna by Turks
• 1922 Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic combines Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia as single republic within Soviet Union
• 1923 Treaty of Lausanne
• 1924-1971 Paruyr Sevak, Eastern Armenian poet
• 1930 Transfer of Holy See of Cilicia to Antelias
• 1936 Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia become separate republics within Soviet Union.
• 1936-37 Purges under political commissar Lavrenti Beria reach their peak in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia
• 1943 Armenian Academy of Sciences established in Yerevan
• mid 1940s to 1950s A couple of hundred thousand Diasporan Armenians repatriated to Soviet Armenia under Stalins encouragement, especially from the mid-east.
• 1948-51 Stalin orders over 100,000 Azerbaijanis moved from Armenian SSR to Azerbaijan SSR.
• 1964 First Armenian day school in the US
• 1964-1965 Anastas Mikoyan, President of the USSR
• 1967 Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument erected in Montebello
• 196? Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Monument built in Yerevan
• 1974 Moscow installs regime of Karen Demirchian in Armenia to end party corruption; regime later removed for corruption
• 1983-1991 George Deukmejian, Governor of California
• Late 1980s Mikhail Gorbachev initiates policies of glasnost and perestroika throughout Soviet Union

1988 - 1991

• 1988 Armenian nationalist movement revived by Karabakh and corruption concerns.
• 1988 February 20 - Nagorno-Karabakh government votes to unify that autonomous region of Azerbaijan with Armenia.
• 1988 February 27-28 Sumgait Pogram in Azerbaijan targets Armenians.
• 1988 December 7 - Disastrous earthquake in northern Armenia, epicentered in Spitak, levels that town and heavily damages city of Leninakan (now Gyumri).
• 1989 Spring - Mass demonstrations in Armenia achieve release of Karabakh Committee arrested by Soviets to quell nationalist movement.
• 1989 September - Azerbaijan begins blockade of Armenian fuel and supply lines over Karabakh issue.
• 1989 Fall - Azerbaijani opposition parties lead mass protests against Soviet rule; national sovereignty officially proclaimed.
• 1989 November - Nagorno-Karabakh National Council declares unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia.
• 1990 January - Armenians in Baku attacked by mobs. Moscow sends troops to Azerbaijan, nominally to stem violence against Armenians over Karabakh.
• 1990 Spring - Levon Ter Petrosian of Armenian Pannational Movement chosen chairman of Armenian Supreme Soviet.
• 1990 August 23 - Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR adopts Declaration of Independence.
• 1991 January - Georgian forces invade South Ossetia in response to independence movement there; fighting continues all year; Soviet troops invade Azerbaijan, ostensibly to halt anti-Armenian pogroms.
• 1991 September 21 - Armenian voters approve national independence.
• 1991 October - Azerbaijani referendum declares Azerbaijan independent of Soviet Union; Levon Ter Petrosian elected president of Armenia.
• 1991 December 10 - Nagorno-Karabakh independence referendum approved by 99.89% of voters, independence declared as fighting continues
• 1991 Decemeber - Soviet Union officially dissolved.

1992 - 1999

• 1992 May 9 - Armenian forces take control over Shushi
• 1992 Spring - Armenian forces occupy Lachin corridor linking Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.
• 1992 June - Abulfaz Elchibey elected president of Azerbaijan and forms first postcommunist government there.
• 1992 June - Military coup deposes Elchibey in Azerbaijan; Aliyev returns to power.
• 1992 Fall - Multilateral negotiations seek settlement of Karabakh conflict, without result; fighting, blockade, and international negotiation continue into 1994.
• 1992 October - Aliyev elected president of Azerbaijan.
• 1992 Karabakh declaration of Independence
• 1992 Armenia admitted to the United Nations
• 1994 May 12 - Karabakh cease-fire agreement.
• 1998 Feb - Levon Ter Petrosian resigns as president due to unpopular Karabakh conscessions he wanted to make. PM Robert Kocharian takes his place.
• 1999 Fall - Parliament entered by former journalist Nairi Hunanian who shoots and kills Prime Minister Vasgen Sarkissian, saying he has drank the blood of the nation, Karen Demirjian and a 5 others. Asks the people to come to Parliament and take back the country. Instead the people stay home and discuss conspiracy theories.

2000 - present

• 2001 - Largescale celebration of 1700th anniversary of Armenia's adoption of Christianity
• 2001 - Pope John Paul II visit to Armenia.
• 2003 - Robert Kocharian re-elected president.
• 2004 April - Peaceful anti-government protests met with massive violent beatings and arrests of protesters. No apologies made by government, nor arrests of those responsible for the beatings.
• 2005 August - Cilicia Ship reaches London
• 2006 May 3 - Crash of an Armenian airliner off the Russian Black Sea coast. All 113 people on board the Airbus A-320 were killed in what was the worst air disaster in Armenia’s history.
• 2006 May 12 - The ouster of then parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian’s Orinats Yerkir party from the governing coalition.
• 2006 - The official disclosure in June of the international mediators’ most recent plan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
• 2006 July 18- The announcement of Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian’s affiliation with the governing Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). The move was widely construed as a confirmation of Sarkisian’s intention to contest the next presidential election due in 2008.
• 2006 - The emergence and rapid expansion throughout the year of a new political party led by Gagik Tsarukian, the most influential of Armenia’s government-connected tycoons. The Prosperous Armenia party is now tipped to make a strong showing in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
• 2006 - The year saw more street protests by residents of Yerevan that were forcibly evicted from their homes as a result of the ongoing massive redevelopment in the city center. The evictions were declared unconstitutional by Armenia’s Constitutional Court.
• 2006 - A further strengthening of the national currency, the dram, that triggered fresh opposition allegations about exchange rate manipulation. One U.S. dollar is now worth roughly 360 drams. It traded at about 460 drams at the beginning of 2006.
• 2006 - An apparent rise in anti-Russian sentiment fuelled by continued racially motivated killings of Armenians in Russia.
• 2006 - The year saw a number of high-profile cultural events such as Armenia’s first-ever participation in the Eurovision song contest, an open-air concert given by Charles Aznavour and other famous French singers, and the annual Golden Apricot film festival in Yerevan.
• 2006 - The Armenian team’s victory in the 2006 world Chess Olympiad.
• 2007 April - Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan appointed Prime Minister.

Much of this timeline comes from Hagop & Marilyn Arshagouni's "Armenian History Timeline" brochure - also available as a book with details about the events which can be bought by calling the Ararat Home of Los Angeles at 818-365-300.

See also

• Armenian History
• List of historical anniversaries