Tovmas Nazarbekian

Tovmas Nazarbekian (Foma Nazarbekov)

Governor of Western Armenia:
: In office
Dec 1917 - December 1917
Preceded by: Aram Manougian
Succeeded by: Andranik Toros Ozanian
:
Born: 1855
Tbilisi, Russian Empire
Died: 1931
Tbilisi, Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
Nationality: Armenian
: Military service
Allegiance: Armenian people
Rank: Sparapet of Armenia
Battles/wars: Battle of Dilman - Battle of Mush - Battle of Karakilisa

Tovmas Nazarbekian (Nazarbekov), (b. 1855 Tbilisi - d. 1931 Tbilisi), was an Armenian general in the Russian Caucasus Army that appointed as the governor of the Administration for Western Armenia and later promoted to Commander-in-chief of Democratic Republic of Armenia.

He was born to a wealthy Russianized family of Armenian descent. He attended military academy in Moscow. His early military involvements include the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

Before the break of World War One, he was appointed as a general to fight in the Caucasus, initially at the Persian Campaign. His military achievements include Battle of Dilman over Khalil Pasha. He also commanded the forces that took the Bitlis, in the dead of winter, had taken his army down through the mountains of east Anatolia to the plain of Mush. He engaged with the Ottoman 3rd Army at the Battle of Mush and captured the city Mush. Later he moved toward Bitlis. The success in Battle of Bitlis set the furthermost position into the Anatolia. These military achievements set the wonderment of military critics both in Europe and America. At this position, he supported the British Mesopotamian Army by disturbing the support lines. He established the outposts which made possible the further advance of the British in the Mesopotamian campaign. Undoubtedly the army would now be beyond Bitlis and in close co-operation with the British General Marshal. General Nazarbekoff, for his wonderful feat, had been decorated by the French Government.

In 1917, the chaos caused by the Russian Revolution put a stop to all Russian military operations and the regular Russian regiments deserted the frontline. In this situation, December 1917, the Armenian volunteer units realigned themselves under the command of Nazarbekian, with Dro as a civilian commissioner. Tiflis (Armenian Congress of Eastern Armenians which united the Armenian National Councils) collected 50,000 force under Nazarbekoff. On December 5, 1917, the Special Transcaucasian Committee negotiated with the 3rd Army the "Erzincan Cease-fire Agreement" which froze the conflicts till February 7, 1918. Between December to February 7 the regiments of the Armenian Corps were immediately hustled off to the front. With the help of their Christian neighbors, Armenian forces increased its size until they have 150,000 armed men on the border. By the end of January, 1918, Nazarbekian's divisions occupied the major posts from Yerevan to Van and Erzinjan. In the following conflicts, he was driven back to Dilidjan in May 1918. However, at Battle of Karakilisa he pushed the advancing Ottoman 3rd Army back for a few days, giving the Armenian forces time to prepare for the Battle of Sardarapat..

During Sovietization of the Republic, he was arrested with other Armenian officers in January 1921, but released four months later. He settled in Tbilisi, where he remained till his death in 1931.

Battle of Sardarapat

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia