The Armenians in Egypt, a community with long presence in Egypt, yet diminishing in numbers. Egypt, along with Syria, Lebanon, Europe, Australia, Russia and the Americas make up today's Armenian diaspora.
History
In the recent history, the Armenian migration to Egypt started in the beginning of the 19th century. Historians trace the migration of Armenians to Egypt to antiquity, with a notable increase under Byzantine rule.
Migration to Egypt
Before the Armenian Genocide: Voluntary Migration
Their presence in Egypt is well documented, particularly during and after the Arab conquest, in which Armenian converts to Islam participated. Wardan (Vartan) El-Roumi (the Roum were the Christians of Anatolia) established a market in Fustat known as the Vartan Market. During the Abbasid era, the courage of the Armenian Amir Ali Ibn Yehia, "[who was] versed in the science of war," is praised by the mediaeval Islamic historian Ibn Taghribirdi.
THE FATIMID PERIOD
This was a prosperous one for the Armenians, whose community in Egypt enjoyed commercial, cultural and religious freedom. Their numbers increased considerably as more migrants arrived from Syria and Palestine, fleeing the advance of the Seljuks westward during the second half of the 11th century.
DURING THE MAMELUKE PERIOD
Thousands of young Armenians, captured during invasions of the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia, which took place between 1266 and 1375, were brought to Egypt as slaves. They were employed in agriculture and as craftsmen. The youngest were educated in army camps following the Mameluke system, and later employed in the army and the palace.
At the beginning of the 14th century, a schism occurred in the Armenian church, which caused Patriarch Sargis of Jerusalem to request and obtain a firman from the Sultan Al-Malik Al-Nasir. This "brought the Armenians residing within the Mameluke realm under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem," writes Armin Kredian. The schismatic Armenians who came to Egypt were given permission to practice their religion freely. Their patriarch's authority over the Armenian community's private and public affairs was decisive. The churches and those who served them were supported by the generosity of the faithful and the revenues deriving from charitable foundations.
THE REIGN OF MOHAMED ALI
The reign of Mohamed Ali (1805 – 1849) witnessed strong migration streams of Armenians to Egypt. Mohamed Ali hired a lot of Armenians to help his government since they were more knowledgeable and better educated than Egyptians at that time. The era of Mohamed Ali witnessed building Armenian churches in Egypt; one for the Armenian Orthodox and another one for the Armenian Catholics. Boghos Youssufian (1768-1844) was an Armenian banker and businessman who in 1819 was in charge of the Diwan Al-Tijara (bureau of commerce) besides overseeing other financial affairs for Mohamed Ali. In 1876 the Armenian Nubar Nubarian (1825-1899) the first Prime Minister in modern Egypt. The total number of Armenians in Egypt the 1917 was 12,854 inhabitants.
After the Armenian Genocide: Forced Migration
A landmark of the Armenian migration is the “Armenian Genocide” which started in 24 April 1915. The Armenian communities in Egypt received a large percentage of the refugees and survivors of the massacres and genocide. They increased the 3 numbers of the Armenians in Egypt to reach its peak in 1927 census data where their total number was 17,188 inhabitants most of them were concentrated in Cairo and Alexandria (Al-Imam, 1999 and 2003). However, Armenians in Egypt managed to cope with their new lives in Egypt to the extent that Egypt, with its strong Armenian community, was the guiding head of the Armenians in the Arab world until the midtwentieth century. After the 1952 Nasser’s revolution and the socialist tendency of this revolution and given the fact that most of the Egyptian Armenians at that time were working in the private sector as self-employers in most cases, a reverse migration stream was observed among them where they started to migrate to the West, mainly to Europe, the United States, and Australia.
After the 1952 Revolution
A reverse migration, not to the origin but to the West was observed among Armenian Egyptians starting from 1956 after the introduction of “what is called the “Socialist Laws” and the nationalization of many basic economic firms under the Nasser regime. Since Armenian Egyptian at that time were working in the private sector and monopolizing basic professions and trade markets, the socialist laws affected them more than those who work in the governmental sector or in Agriculture. Many migrants realized – mistakenly or correctly – that they are threatened by these new tendency and many left the country and migrated to the West. Since 1956 the total number of Armenian Egyptians is decreasing. Accurate figures of leavers and slayers are not available since questions on ethnicity were not included in the censuses after the 1952 revolution.
Geography of Armenian population
Around 1950, more than 50 percent of Armenians were concentrated in the crowded zones in the hart of the capital nearby their churches, schools, clubs, and markets. The zones of Bein El-sourain and Darb El-Guenena were considered Armenian zones in the first half of the twenties century. In the second half of the twentieth century, Armenians started to move to reside in Cairo suburbs such as Heleopolis, Nozha, Maadi, and Helwan. Nowadays, Heliopolis is considered the recent base of Armenians in Cairo.
Armenians Today
Most of current Armenian Egyptians who are permanent residents of Egypt were born in Egypt. Armenia to them are folkloric stories and cultural practices that they each generation hands them to the successor generation. Armenian Egyptians are full Egyptians with an extra cultural layer. A small community numbered around 8,000(before 1952 there around 60,000 Armenians in Egypt), living in Cairo and Alexandria.
Today structures like clubs, schools, and sports facilities to reinforce communications among Armenian Egyptians and revive the heritage of their forefathers. In spite of these efforts, many Armenian Egyptians of the youngest generation (and who are mostly the result of marriages between the armenian community Egyptians - whether christians or muslims) don't speak the Armenian Language, or go to the armenian schools and are not in touch with their heritage or community. The Armenian Church and the apolitical structure of the Armenian community have a very important role in unifying Armenians in Egypt. Unlike Armenian minorities in Syria and Lebanon, Armenian Egyptians stay out of local politics.
The Prelacy of the Armenian Church in Egypt, which is under the jurisdiction of Holy Etchmiadzin, is the primary guardian of community assets such as endowments, real estate in the form of agricultural land and other property bequeathed by generations of philanthropists.
Labor Market
In Egypt, Armenian Egyptians work in the private sector, as successful business men, skilled handicraftsmen (especially as jewelers), and dentists (in the past). Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, Armenians came/fled to Egypt with a range of skills in the field of business, commerce, and finance. In addition they came to Egypt mastering foreign languages. Nowadays, Armenians who master foreign languages work in offices and branches of international organizations as well as foreign embassies in Cairo.
Culture
The Armenian community operates two benevolent and one cultural associations, the Armenian Red Cross Association, the Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Houssaper Cultural Association. The community has four social clubs in Cairo and two in Alexandria, in addition to three sporting clubs in the capital and two in Alexandria. There is one home for the elderly, and many activities for young people, including a dance troupe, Zankezour, a choir, Zevartnots, and a children's choir, Dzaghgasdan.
Politics
Egyptian-Armenians are very rarely involved in present-day politics, unlike the armenian minorities in Lebanon and Syria. However, many are employed in different political and apolitical egyptian institutions. The Armenian Church and the apolitical structure of the institutions in the Egyptian Armenian community have a very important role in unifying the Armenians in Egypt.
Journalism
Today, in Egypt, there are two daily papers and one weekly publication, all affiliated to Armenian political parties. Houssaper, a daily belonging to the Tashnag Party, was founded in 1913; Arev, also a daily, put out by the Ramgavar Party, was founded in 1915, while the weekly Tchahagir, founded in 1948 belongs to the Hentchag Party.
Schools and Institutions
The first Armenian school in Egypt, the Yeghiazarian Religious School, was established in 1828 at Bein Al-Sourein. In 1854, the school was moved to Darb Al-Geneina and the name was changed to Khorenian, after the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi. In 1904, Boghos Nubar, an Armenian Legend, moved the Khorenian School to Boulaq. In 1907, he founded the Kalousdian Varjaran Armenian School and kindergarten. Today, only one building and a playground remain on Galaa Street (downtown Cairo). The second Armenian school in Egypt was founded in 1890 by Boghos Youssefian in Alexandria. The newest Armenian school is Nubarian in Heliopolis. This school was founded in 1925 with a donation from Boghos Nubar. The three Armenian schools in Egypt eventually integrate a K-12 program. Armenian 6 schools in Egypt are partially supported by the Prelacy of the Armenian Church in Egypt. Armenian education is very important in maintaining Armenian language among the Armenian community in Egypt. In Addition, Armenian language is the only language that Armenians use within their families and communities. The three Armenian schools in Egypt eventually integrated a secondary education programme; students who have graduated can immediately enter the Egyptian university system, after passing the official Thanawiya 'Amma exams.
The Armenian Church
Armenian Egyptians are divided into Orthodox (Gregorians) and Catholics. Catholics comprise the majority of Armenian Egyptians. There are five Armenian churches in Egypt, one in Alexandria and four in Cairo:
- Armenian Catholic Patriarchate (Alexandria)
- St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church (Cairo)
- Armenian Catholic Patriarchate and the Church of the Assumption (Cairo)
- Sourp Krikor Lousavoritch Armenian Apostolic Church (Cairo)
- St. Therese Armenian Catholic Church (Heliopolis, Cairo)
The Prelacy of the Armenian Church in Egypt, which is under the jurisdiction of Holy Etchmiadzin, is the primary guardian of community assets such as endowments, real estate in the form of agricultural land and other property bequeathed by generations of philanthropists.
List of famous Armenians in Egypt
See also
