General Andranik Ozanyan: biography, activities, life history and awards

Gen. Ozanyan Andranik Torosovich was one of the famous leaders of the Armenian liberation movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is a national Armenian hero. Ozanyan was an implacable enemy of Turkish despotism.

The rank of "general" Andranik Ozanyan earned really sweat and blood. He fought against the oppression of his people, wishing to see him free. Ozanyan was interested in the liberation of the nation from the Turkish yoke as a whole. He linked the fate of his people only with Russia, which will help make the Armenian people free.

A family

Biography of Ozanyan Andranik Torosovich is interesting and significant. Many events and facts of the Armenian struggle against the Turks are connected with his name. Ozanyan was born on February 25, 1865 in the small town of Shapin-Garaisar.

His mother's name was Mariam. But she died when Ozanyan was only a year and a half. He had an older married sister Nazeli. After the death of her mother, she was raised by her father, Toros Ozanyan. He was an artisan and worked part-time, doing small business.

Sometimes, going on business, his father took Andranik with him. Such trips the future general perceived as small trips. My father wanted his son to lead the business after his death.

But it was not possible to become a successful trader to Toros, he had to do carpentry. He wanted to teach this craft and son, but he did not show any inclination to this kind of activity.

Childhood

Ozanyan was more attracted to military games, weapons. He perfectly rode horses, constantly organized noisy games. He liked to play "war". I could break my nose to the enemy. But his peers respected him, obeyed and loved him. Many adults, in spite of Ozanyan's pranks, set him as an example to his children. Andranik Ozanyan was caring for his friends, always shared what he had, did not like cowards, respected his friends and was proud of their courage.

Training

In 1875 Andranik went to a local school. After 7 years, she graduated. He was loved by his classmates and teachers. Ozanyan was in love with the story. Particularly preferred the various exploits of famous commanders. The more he recognized, the stronger his hatred for the oppressor Turks. And he decided that the purpose of his life would be to fight them.

Personal life

Ozanyan married early enough, at the age of seventeen. But soon his beloved wife died, having given birth to a child. A few weeks later the baby died. Ozanyan deeply experienced the loss of the family. Friends still managed to distract him from gloomy thoughts. They brought him to meetings, where questions were discussed, how to get rid of the Turkish yoke, which prevailed over their people at that time.

Protestant Ozanyan

The patience of the ardent Ozanyan was filled with the persecution of Armenians by the Constantinople police chief. He first picked up a sword and killed him. As a result, I had to hide. But after a while Andranik Ozanyan realized that the Armenian people could not be liberated from the Turkish yoke by killing officials. He began to create militia units and gradually arm them.

For this he traveled to many countries where there were Armenian communities. I was able to unite them, inspired by the idea of liberating the homeland from the invaders. He launched a wide activity. I became acquainted with the methods of struggle of other peoples against the invaders. As a result, he led the campaign against the Turkish despotism in his homeland.

Counteraction to the Turks. Guerrilla activity

Returning home, Andranik Ozanyan and his friends gathered a small detachment, which horrified Turkish officials. The authorities hunted for them, wishing to execute. But the detachment of Ozanyan eluded them, as did all the conspiracies against the Armenian partisans.

Andranik always helped the poor and the defenseless and mercilessly punished those who were hanging on someone else's. Ozanyan became a thunderstorm of beys and pashas, which ruined villages of Armenians. In the battle without a serious reason, he preferred not to join. All his actions and battles were aimed at protecting his people.

Opposition to the Turks

Andranik Ozanyan, whose biography is closely connected with the liberation movement, eventually created a large and strong detachment of haidukas. They began to engage in open battles with the Turkish army. Once Ozanyan, being in the monastery of the Holy Apostles, took an unequal battle with superior enemy forces. In a small detachment led by Andranik, there were only 37 fighters. The Turks threw an army of 6,000 against them. But even armed to the teeth of the soldiers could not defeat so few of the insurgent Armenians.

In the detachment of Andranik killed 4 soldiers, but the damage to the enemy was many times more. The Armenians left the monastery only because of a shortage of food and ammunition. They broke through the blockade of the Turks secretly and safely managed to get out. The detachment did not suffer a loss. And this fight itself, and the heroic way out of the blockade became a legend. In the imagination of the Armenian people, Ozanyan's detachment seemed imperceptible and invulnerable.

The beginning of the liberation movement

The Andranik liberation movement brought ever greater results and gained fame. Large popular uprisings began. One of them Andranik Ozanyan headed in Gorny Sasun. But the forces were unequal, and they had to retreat. But the beginning of the liberation movement was already laid.

Victory fights

In 1912, Ozanyan and second lieutenant Garegin assembled a squad of volunteers. Moreover, not only Armenians, but also other nationalities were present in it. They were able to defeat the Turks near the village of Mergamly. Andranik received the highest award from the Bulgarian government - the Golden Cross. Later he was awarded silver crosses of the 3rd and 4th degree. The Bulgarian government Ozanyan was promoted to officers. He received the citizenship of this country and a life pension.

Ozanyan with the Russian troops

The Russians learned about Andranik's activities and highly appreciated his military experience. As a result, he was instructed to form the first Armenian squad, which he himself headed. Subsequently, she played an important role in the battles for the capture of Mush, Van and Bitlis. Ozanyan was awarded many medals and orders of the Russian Empire.

Andranik's protest

After the Armenian Republic was proclaimed, with its leaders Andranik could not find a common language. He was distraught by a mutual truce, which was concluded with the Turks. By agreement, only the Echmiadzin and Erivan districts were left behind the Armenian government. The rest of Armenia remained in the hands of the Turks.

In 1917, Ozanyan stated that he was leaving and interrupting all his relations with the Armenian government, for which he fought. Andranik was disappointed in the policy of Western states and their attitude towards Armenia. He still did not accept the agreement. In 1919 he came to Echmiadzin. There he dissolved his detachment and emigrated abroad.

Andranik Ozanyan will forever remain in the memory of the Armenian people. The film about him can be viewed on "Youtube". The hero was able to break the rule of the invaders and contributed to the liberation of his people from the Turkish yoke.