Sevkaretsi Sako | |
---|---|
Native name | Սևքարեցի Սաքո |
Born | Sevkar, Russian Empire | 14 January 1870
Died | 13 November 1908 Persia | (aged 38)
Allegiance | Dashnaktsutyun |
Years of service | ?—1908 |
Battles/wars |
Armenian National Liberation Movement Khanasor Expedition (1897) Persian Constitutional Revolution (1906) |
Sevkaretsi Sako ( Armenian: Սևքարեցի Սաքո; January 14, 1870 – November 13, 1908) was an Armenian revolutionary and member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. [1] [2] [3]
Sevkaretsi Sako was born as Sarkis Tsovanyan in the Sevkar village of the Russian Empire, currently located at the northeastern part of Armenia. [2] He establish relations with such prominent Armenian revolutionaries as Sarkis Gugunian, Kristapor Mikaelian, and Rosdom. [4]
In 1892 Sevkaretsi Sako resided in the monastery of Derik, near the Iranian-Turkish border in order to facilitate the transfer of Armenian volunteer soldiers, equipment, and weapons into Western Armenia. [1] [4]
In 1897 he took part in the Khanasor Expedition as commander of the cavalry group where an offensive from Armenian revolutionary fighters against the Kurdish Mazrik tribe resulted in a victory. [1] [4] After the campaign was finished, Sevkaretsi Sako settled in Echmiatsin but soon returned to Western Armenia where he was arrested by Turkish police in Van, and was given a 101-year prison sentence. [1] [4] In 1901 he was however given opportunity to be prosecuted through a Russian court which allowed him to be released. [1] [4]
During the Armenian-Tatar clashes in 1905, Sevkaretsi Sako organized the self-defense of Gazakh-Shamshadin. [1] [4] After the clashes, he eventually took part in the Persian Constitutional Revolution as a commander of cavalry. [4]
In 1908 he died of cholera at the age of 38. [4]
A street is named after Sevkaretsi Sako in Armenia. [5]
In the village of his birthplace Sevkar, a bust of Sevkaretsi Sako has been inaugurated in his honor. [6]
A 194-page book was written by V. Valatian in 1959 which describes in detail about Sevkaretsi Sako's life and achievements. [3]