TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Map of Historic Armenia and the Ottoman Empire 14

• Map of the Bosphorus and Constantinople circa 1850 52
  
  CHAPTERS

• Preface 7

• Preamble 11

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• 1. Armenia Before the Ottoman Conquest 14

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• 2. The Ascent of the Amiras 23

• The Ancestors 23

• The Patriarchate 26

• Assuming Power 31

• Control and Protection of Armenia 37

• Armenians, Greeks and Jews 40

• The Profession of Faith of the Church of Armenia 42

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• 3. The Arbitrations of the Ambassador of France 45

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• 4. The Universe of the Amiras’ Influence and Decline 53

• Romances, Delights, and Tears 53

• Court Painters and Other Men Skilled in the Arts 57

• The Amiras’ Way of Life 60

• The Fall of the Amiras (1860–1866) 67

• Sovereigns and Cultured women 71

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• 5. The Great Families 76

• The Momdjians 76

• The Karakehias 85

• The Balians 90

• The Dadians 96

• The Duz 105

• The Noradounghians 112

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• 6. Two Portraits at the Junction of a Century 115

• Artin Amira Kazaz (1771–1834) 115

• Megerditch Amira Djezahirli (1805–1861) 117

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• 7. From Empire to Republic or the History of a Genocide 120

• Independence at the price of blood 120

• A Very Promising Evening 120

• The Strange Encounter of the Two Touchy Noses. 122

• An Independent Armenia 133

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• Epilogue 137

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• Decendants of the Amiras who Shared Their Memories with Me. 139

• Bibliography 140