# Armenakan Party

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Armenian political party in the Ottoman Empire

Not to be confused with the [Armenakan-Democratic Liberal Party](/source/Armenakan-Democratic_Liberal_Party) established in 2009.

For the Artsakh party, see [Armenakan Party (Nagorno-Karabakh)](/source/Armenakan_Party_(Nagorno-Karabakh)).

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Armenakan Party Արմենական Կուսակցութիւն (Armenian) Historical leader Mekertich Portukalian Founded 1885 Dissolved 1921 Merged into Armenian Democratic Liberal Party Headquarters Van, Ottoman Empire Ideology Liberalism (Armenian) Armenian nationalism Political position Centre-right Politics of Armenia Political parties Elections

The **Armenakan Party** ([Armenian](/source/Armenian_language): Արմենական Կուսակցութիւն, [romanized](/source/Romanization_of_Armenian): *Armenakan Kusaktsutyun*) was an [Armenian](/source/Armenians) political party established in [Van](/source/Van_(Turkey)), [Ottoman Empire](/source/Ottoman_Empire) in 1885 by [Mekertich Portukalian](/source/Mekertich_Portukalian) as an underground organization against the ruling system.[1] It is considered the first Armenian political party.

The party was founded in autumn 1885 by journalist and teacher [Mekertich Portukalian](/source/Mekertich_Portukalian) and nine of his disciples: Meguerditch Avetisian, M. Baroudjian, [Panos Terlemezian](/source/Panos_Terlemezian), Grigor Adjemian, Grigor Adian, Grigor Beozikian, Rouben Chatavarian, Kevork Handjian and Garegin Manoukian.

Portukalian, who was based in [Marseille](/source/Marseille), kept in touch with the leaders and published a journal of political and social enlightenment, *Armenia* (1885-1923). Portukalian is also cited as the father of the [Armenian Patriotic Society of Europe](/source/Armenian_Patriotic_Society_of_Europe).

After Mekertich Portukalian, the Armenians of Van continued developing the political principles of [Armenian nationalism](/source/Armenian_nationalism) in secret. The party's aim soon became winning the right of Armenians to rule over themselves through revolutionary armed struggle and thus liberate Armenia from the [Ottoman Empire](/source/Ottoman_Empire). Its concept of [revolution](/source/Revolution) was distinctly limited in comparison with that of succeeding organisations; it viewed terrorism, agitation and militant demonstrations with disfavor, preferring instead to deploy Armenians trained in the use of arms as guerrillas against the [Ottoman Empire](/source/Ottoman_Empire).

The party's main misconception was that enemies of the Ottoman Empire would intervene and rescue the Armenian people throughout the period 1885–1918.

With the turn of the century, Armenakans established cells outside Van, in other towns in the province, as well as in [Trabzon](/source/Trabzon) and [Istanbul](/source/Istanbul). The military structure was developed in [Russian Transcaucasia](/source/Russian_Transcaucasia), in [Persia](/source/Persia) and in the United States.

Activities in the Ottoman Empire:

- [Bashkaleh Resistance](/source/Bashkaleh_Resistance): (May, 1889)

- [Van Rebellion](/source/Defense_of_Van_(1896)) : (June, 1896)

- [Siege of Van](/source/Defense_of_Van_(1915)): (April 19, 1915 - May 6, 1915)

## Merger into the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party

After the [Armenian genocide](/source/Armenian_genocide), the remnants of the Armenakans joined forces with the splinter faction of the [Social Democrat Hunchakian Party](/source/Social_Democrat_Hunchakian_Party) known as Reorganized Hunchakian Party, the Armenian Constitutional Democratic Party, and the Popular Party, and founded the [Armenian Democratic Liberal Party](/source/Armenian_Democratic_Liberal_Party) (Ռամկավար Ազատական Կուսակցութիւն (ՌԱԿ)) or Ramgavar Party) in Constantinople on October 1, 1921. The membership of the Armenakan Party was absorbed into the new party. The party went on to become one of the three traditional [Armenian diaspora](/source/Armenian_diaspora) political groupings alongside the [Armenian Revolutionary Federation](/source/Armenian_Revolutionary_Federation) and the [Social Democrat Hunchakian Party](/source/Social_Democrat_Hunchakian_Party).

## See also

- [Armenian Democratic Liberal Party](/source/Armenian_Democratic_Liberal_Party)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Gleichgewicht, Daniel (2020-03-06). ["Armenia's different legacy"](https://neweasterneurope.eu/2020/03/06/armenias-different-legacy/). *New Eastern Europe*. Retrieved 2026-04-28.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Armenakan Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenakan_Party) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenakan_Party?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.