Latest / The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History / Armenian Women of Zeytun: The Siege That Defied Empire
Transcript
- Lucas: If you look at maps of the late nineteenth-century Ottoman Empire, there’s a whole gray area in the southeast that doesn’t quite fit the administrative lines. It’s the Taurus Mountains, a jagged spine of rock and snow, and tucked into its highest valleys was a place called Zeytun. Luna: I’ve heard the name, but I always thought it was just a village. Lucas: It started as one, but over two hundred years, it evolved into something else entirely—a de facto independent republic. While the rest of Anatolia was being carved up by pashas and governors, Zeytun essentially governed itself, collecting its own taxes and raising its own armies. It was less a town and more a fortress-state carved out of sheer stubbornness. Luna: How did they actually manage to stay independent for so long? Lucas: Geography was their first ally, but their second was a deep-rooted warrior culture inherited from the old Nakharar aristocracy. These weren’t peasants waiting for salvation; they were mountain fighters who understood that the only way to survive imperial encroachment was to make the cost of conquest higher than the value of the land. They turned every valley into a choke point and every family into a regiment. Luna: So they were ready for a fight before the Ottomans even arrived. Lucas: Exactly. And when the pressure finally came, they didn’t just resist; they negotiated from strength. The first major test came in 1862, during the reign of Sultan Abdulaziz. The central government sent regular troops down from Aleppo to reassert control, expecting a quick surrender. Instead, they walked into a kill zone. Luna: Did the locals actually win against regular army units? Lucas: They won decisively. The Zeytunli militia used the steep terrain to ambush the Ottoman columns, picking them off from ridges the soldiers couldn’t even climb. It wasn’t just brute force; it was tactical brilliance. They forced the empire to the table, resulting in a treaty that granted Zeytun special autonomous status within the province. For thirty years after that, they were left alone to run their own affairs. Luna: That kind of success must have created a real sense of pride among the people there. Lucas: It created an identity that was distinct from both the Ottoman subject and the European diplomat. They saw themselves as the guardians of Armenian liberty, a term they used very deliberately. But peace in the mountains is never permanent, especially when the center of the empire starts to rot from the inside. By the 1890s, Sultan Abdul Hamid II was pushing hard to crush any remaining pockets of independence. Luna: And that’s when the second siege happened? Lucas: Yes, in 1895. This time, the threat was far greater. The Hamidian massacres were sweeping through the region, and Zeytun found itself surrounded. But what makes this story particularly compelling isn’t just the men with rifles; it’s the role of the women. When the men went to the front lines to hold the passes, the women took over the defense of the town itself. Luna: They stayed behind to protect the homes and families? Lucas: More than that. They managed the logistics of survival under fire. They distributed ammunition, tended to the wounded in makeshift hospitals, and kept morale alive when the odds seemed impossible. In some accounts, they even manned the lower walls when the garrison ran thin. It was a total community mobilization that blurred the lines between civilian and combatant. Luna: It sounds incredibly intense to be holding a line while your home is under attack. Lucas: It was terrifying, but it was also structured. The leadership in Zeytun was a mix of religious elders and secular revolutionary committees, mostly from the Dashnaktsutyun party. They coordinated the defense with a level of discipline that surprised the Ottoman commanders. The fighting lasted for weeks, turning the streets into a maze of barricades and sniper nests. Luna: Did they manage to hold out until reinforcements arrived? Lucas: Not really. There was no cavalry charge coming to save them. Instead, they held out long enough that the international press caught wind of it. European consuls in Constantinople began to complain about the brutality, fearing it would spark further unrest. The siege ended not with a military victory, but with another negotiated settlement that preserved their autonomy, though the window was closing fast. Luna: It’s amazing how much leverage they had just by refusing to fall. Lucas: For a moment, yes. But by 1909, the balance shifted again. During the Adana massacre, Zeytun was isolated once more. This time, the resistance was fragmented. Some leaders wanted to flee into Russia; others wanted to fight to the last man. It was a heartbreaking internal debate that reflected the broader crisis facing Armenians everywhere—survival versus sacrifice. Luna: What was the decision they ultimately made? Lucas: Most of the population evacuated across the border into Russian Armenia, leaving the town largely empty. Those who stayed faced brutal reprisals. It marked the end of the Zeytun Republic as a physical place. The spirit remained, though, carried by the diaspora communities that formed in Beirut, Tehran, and later, Los Angeles. Luna: It feels like their story is often overshadowed by the larger genocide narrative. Lucas: It absolutely is. We tend to think of Armenians solely as victims of 1915, but for centuries, they were active agents shaping their own destiny. Zeytun proves that they weren’t just waiting to be saved; they were building societies, defending borders, and challenging empires on their own terms. It’s a vital part of the Armenian experience that deserves to be remembered. Luna: I’m glad we’re digging into these specific moments of agency. Lucas: Me too. It adds so much depth to the history. Before we move on to the next phase of this story, I want to take a brief moment to talk about how this show stays ad-free and accessible. If today’s conversation felt worth a coffee to you, that’s the link — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Supporting the work directly really helps keep these deep dives possible. Lucas: It does. Thank you for listening. Now, let’s look at how those refugees rebuilt that same spirit in new lands. Luna: Where did they go after leaving the mountains? Lucas: Many headed north to Russian-controlled territories, but a significant number moved south toward the Levant. They brought with them not just their trauma, but their organizational skills and their fierce independence. In places like Beirut and later, Syria, they established schools and newspapers that kept the Zeytun identity alive. Luna: So the republic didn’t die; it just changed shape. Lucas: Precisely. It transformed from a geographic stronghold into a cultural network. The values forged in the Taurus Mountains—the emphasis on education, self-defense, and communal solidarity—became the foundation of the modern Armenian diaspora. You can still see those echoes in how Armenian communities organize today. Luna: It’s fascinating to see how geography influences culture so deeply. Lucas: It is. The mountains shaped their politics, their gender roles, and their relationship with the outside world. Even now, when Armenians speak about resilience, there’s often an unspoken reference to those high valleys. It’s a reminder that history isn’t just written by empires; it’s lived by the people who refuse to be erased. Luna: I’ll never look at a map of the Caucasus the same way again. Lucas: That’s the goal. Look closer at the margins. That’s where the real stories usually hide.