Christophor Araratov
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| Christophor Araratov (Armenian: Քրիստոփոր Արարատով |
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| 1876 - 1937 | |
| Place of birth | Tbilisi, Georgia |
| Place of death | Yerevan, Armenia |
| Allegiance | Armenian People |
| Service/branch | Army |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held | Russia: Russian Caucasus Army
Armenian nationals: Artillery brigade of Armed forces of Democratic Republic of Armenia, Military minister of Democratic Republic of Armenia (March 1919 - April 1920) |
| Battles/wars | Russian-Japanese War; First World War: South-West, North-West and Caucasian Fronts, Battle of Sardarapat, Battle of Bash Abaran |
| Awards | St. Georgy award (4th level), St. Stanislav (3rd level), St. Stanislav (2nd level), St. Anna (4th level) entitled - "For bravery", Romanian award of a Crown with swords of commander level, etc. |
Christophor Araratov (Armenian: Քրիստոփոր Արարատով, Russian: Христофор Араратов) (other names: Khachatur Araratyan, Christophor Araratyan) (1876-1937) - a famous Major General of Armenian and Russian armies, participated in the battles of Sardarapat and Karakilisa against Turkish invaders. In 1937 arrested and killed on charges of nationalism. Rehabilitated posthumously.
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[edit] Early years
Christophor Araratov was born in a noble family in 1876 in Tbilisi. His father, Karapet Avetikovich Araratov was a lieutenant colonel of Russian army. At the age of 10 he entered Tbilisi cadet corps and studies there for 7 years, after which entered Mikhaylov artillery school in Petersburg, where he was recognized as one of three best students, and this gave him the rank of a second lieutenant and right to choose the location of service. At the ceremony of finishing the study he was the head of a Cavalry troops. The horses ran into in gallop and sharply stopped in front of the Emperor. For that action Alexandr The Third presented him with a golden sabre, which had the following words on it: "To the General Moses Argutinsky-Dolgoruky from the governor of the Caucasus, count Alexey Yermolov".
[edit] First military experience
He chose Caucasus grenadier artillery brigade to continue service, where he had the position of senior adjutant of the brigade head. Right after Russian-Japanese War burst, he asked to move him to the front, and the knowledge gained at the artillery school made serious impact on his reputation here, very soon for some of his innovations he was awarded his first medal.
[edit] First World War
He was continuing his study at Officer School at Tsarskoe Selo, when the First World War burst. He passed his exams ahead of schedule and left for front. Here he served as a lieutenant colonel at the same brigade. He was awarded numerous medals during the war.
He was in Romania when Bolshevik revolution took place and Russia announced its leaving the war. Realizing that Turks would use the situation and enter Armenia and through it to Caucasus, he moved to Armenia.
[edit] Turkish invasion to Armenia
In 1918 he was the head of artillery brigade of Armenian army. The Sparapet of Armenia Tovmas Nazarbekian appreciated the talent and skills of the colonel. He moved to Kars, where the staff of the brigade was located. But then the fall of Kars made him realize that the government of Transcaucasian Seym was not interested in struggle against the invader: Georgians and Caucasian Turks supported Turkey, aiming at getting the support of the latter in founding their own independent states.
During the Battle of Sardarapat the artillery brigade under the direction of colonel Araratov fought bravely and took prisoners a battery of Turkish soldiers. The victory at Sardarapat made Republic of Armenia independence possible.
After Sardarapat Araratov was moved to the front against Georgian Army, which conquered Lori in 1918 and despite any negotiations, refused leaving Armenia. The fights stopped before the New Year of 1919.
[edit] Republic of Armenia
In the start of 1919 all around Armenia Caucasian Turks excited rebellions. In that unstable situation in March 1919 prime minister Hovhannes Katchaznuni was substituted by Alexandr Khatisov and military minister Ivan Hakhverdov by Christophor Araratov, who was given the rank of Major General. In April 1920 he was moved to Kars as a military governor of the region. But in October 1920, when the city was yielded to Turks, he was taken prisoner by Turkey. Turkish General Kyazym Bekir Pasha used to visit him in imprisonment offering to teach a course of Russian artillery at Turkish military university, but refuses several times.
[edit] Soviet Armenia period
In the end of 1921 he was returned to Soviet Armenia and took up rifle division head assistant position and later the head of military chairs at Yerevan State University and then at National Economy Institute. In 1937 along with numerous other "nationalists" and "anti-soviet activists" Christophor Araratov was arrested. It happened on September 2nd 1937. After about three months, on December 10th together with other heroes of Sardarapat Movses Silikyan, Dmitry Mirimanov, Aghasi Varosyan, Stepan Ohanesyan, Hakob Mkrtchyan, Harutyun Hakobyan, he was taken to Nork gorge and executed.
[edit] Sources
- Source: «Христофор Араратов - “Бог Сардарапата”» Новое время, 21.05.2008
- Source: « Араратов Христофор Герасимович» at http://ru.hayazg.info
