ARMENIAN - Erevangala500

Mark Sykes, the Zealots of Zeitun and the Reckless Revolutionaries
Marc Sykes and his young friend John Smith with their servants and guides. The child was put in by the muleteers
Mark Sykes, 6th Baronet, 1879-1919. He was a diplomat
who represented Great Britain in the socalled Sykes-Picot
negotiations (1915-1916) concerning the dismemberment
o f the Ottoman Empire after Wworld War I.
Sykes served in the South African Boer-War (1899-1902)
and was personal secretary in Ireland to George
Wyndham, British chief secretary in Ireland. He traveled
in Asiatic Turkey for several years. His books about life
ans style within the Ottoman Empire between Istanbul
and Bghdad, from Jerusalem to Van - he knew also Igdir,
Eriwan ant Tiflis - belong to the best ever written reports
about the Sultan's world. Sykes was a perfect observer,
who described the Turkish realm not only with reason but
also with humor and wit. I personally consider his DAR-
U L-ISLA M (1904) as an impeccable masterpiece.
Mark Sykes describes e. g. a rather harmless incident
between Turkomans and Armenians from Zeitun and the
consequences:
"Some Revolutionary Society, not beeing satisfied with
the general state o f affairs in Turkey and scenting collec­
tions and relief funds in the future, judged in expedient in
the year o f grace 1895 to dispatch o f Zeitun they pinned
their hopes o f raising a semi-successful revolution, and
56
to bring luck. They had!
six o f their boldest agents were accorded to that dis­
trict. What the end o f the revolution would be these des­
perados recked little, so long as the attention o f Europe
was drawn to their cause and their collection-boxes.
These individuals, however, found their people by no
means ripe for insurrection, and their influence was but
small. True, there were certain persons ready to talk sen­
timentally and foolishly, possible treasonably, but in no
way prepared to rise actually in arms. However, an oppor­
tunity o f embroiling their countrymen unexpectedly pre­
sented itself, by taking advantage o f which they succeded
in forcing the hand o f the Government."
Then came an unimportant incident with the Turkomans,
under othercircumstances not worth to be mentioned.
Mark Sykes continues:
" The agents saw in this move a chance o f bringing matters
to a crisis, and either attacked, or persuaded the villagers to
attack, the commission, killing the Bimbashi (captain) and
three o f the guard, and carrying off the the Christian com­
missioner with them. The surrounding Armenians, know­
ing themselves hopelessly compromised, accepted the
inevitable and joined the revolutionaries....