Andranik Pasha
(1865-1927)
Andranik Toros Ozanian was born in historic Shabin-Karahisar ("Shabin, the black fortress," 80 miles northeast of Erzurum). He was destined more, perhaps, than any of the other Armenian revolutionaries, to provide leadership, rationality, acumen, prudence, and effectiveness to Armenia's rising up against the brutal Ottoman oppression. Even during his adolescence Andranik recognized the pattern of Ottoman oppression and the sufferings of his people. So it was that at the tender age of 22, having lost his wife and two children, Andranik joined a partisan group formed in his native town. Inspired with the ideals of liberation for his people, Andranik went to Constantinople to meet those who had already been deeply involved in the liberation movement. He readily accepted tasks assigned to him.
When the leader, Serob Aghbiur, of a fighting group which Andranik had joined, was killed, Andranik was named leader. It was in 1901 when his fighting group held out in the Arakelots Vank against an overwhelmingly superior force that Andranik's name became famous for his effectiveness as a revolutionary leader. There were many more similar occurrences to come. Andranik, at first, joined the Hunchak party; it was through party organization that he could be effective in securing men and materiel with which to carry on. But disagreement with party policies led Andranik to leave the Hunchak ranks and join the Dashnak party.
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