In 1894, under pressure to settle a separation, a person in the latest Ottoman Armenian Federal Assembly’s Spiritual Council mentioned when you look at the anger: “Having God’s purpose, allow this breakup be put out-of before the next election regarding the fresh new Council. Allow this perhaps not happens even as we try offering as the Council players.” It resistance got its root in a few issues, like the lack of a comprehensive relationship law, the inability from Armenian regulators to strengthen courtroom behavior, therefore the actually ever-modifying social opinions one to court approaches don’t target. This informative article explores the state of ong Ottoman Armenians. They depicts the fresh new complex and you can entangled energy interactions working in reforming the college from relationship, and you will analyzes the brand new multilayered endeavor out of Armenian feminists to carry changes towards the Armenian relatives and marriage society.
Arranged/pushed marriage ceremonies had been common practice
During the time around scrutiny, ong the latest Ottoman Armenians was a religious act, carried out and you can registered from the local church. Relationships are thought to be good contractual relatives between a few household, rather than the marrying few. The typical trust during this period, both certainly one of religions and secular bodies along with reformers, is actually your family unit members had deteriorated on account of matrimony “vices” and you may, ergo, challenging was launched because of the these types of parties at the courtroom and you may discursive membership to get rid of brand new “microorganisms breaking down our very own nation.”
One of the habits to fight up against was kid otherwise very early marriage. By far the most slammed many years-associated routine try besik kertme, an agreement within categories of infants to own their children marry when they achieved adolescence. Regardless of the ban of the behavior when you look at the 1811, instances of besik kertme was stated while the late since 1906.
Dowry was experienced an alternate vice because of the authorities and you may reformers. Its behavior differed between towns and cities and outlying parts. Inside rural components new groom’s members of the family was required to afford the bride’s family relations that was named basl?k (head price), while within the cities brand new bride are designed to render together good drahoma (dramozhit otherwise dowry in the cash). Basl?k and you will drahoma was considered to be the reason why about the latest ong this new socially more susceptible parents.
Religious sales, plus lures Muslim courts to possess an even more fast solution to divorce cases was of good concern with the Armenian religious and you will secular authorities. Conversions occurred in the interests of bringing a reliable and much more trendy provider on instance filed. Days had been said in which several carry out convert to Greek Orthodoxy, then re-become the fresh new Armenian Chapel through to the fresh payment of one’s argument.
Provided brand new Ottoman County approved the brand new Armenian Patriarch as really the only leader of neighborhood, secularism certainly one of Armenians around got the limitations
Polygamy is maybe perceived as the absolute most shocking “unchristian vice.” Particularly cases was basically repeatedly claimed on the provinces. It would appear that the latest Spiritual Council is such as for instance zealous when you look at the stopping polygamy much less therefore some other phenomena, such as for instance kid matrimony, pressed relationship, dowry, an such like.
The goals in for finishing these types of relatives and marriage “vices” was indeed obvious to all activities. What was not clear, however, is actually who had a suppose in this reform.
Brand new Constitution out-of 1863 of Ottoman Armenians meant to secularize national associations. Yet not, unlike a shift for the fuel interactions, it got brought about chaos particularly in issues concerning friends and you will relationship. Due to the constitution of your Ottoman County, brand new Armenian area (millet), just as the Greek and you may Jewish groups, is actually oriented by religious frontrunner, the new Patriarch. The newest National Assembly’s Judicial Committee, and this addressed family members and you will matrimony problems, drill a twin profile; it consisted of 7 participants, four religious and you will five secular. It had been the duty of 
your Judicial Panel “to respond to friends disputes and you will check and resolve products introduced to help you the brand new Patriarchate because of the Sublime Porte…” According to the Composition, when your Judicial Panel found an incident “beyond the understanding,” it actually was to take and pass possible on the Spiritual, Civil otherwise Combined Councils. If the desire is actually registered against the verdicts of your own Judicial Committee, the challenge were to end up being reheard by some of the about three above-stated Councils also. Hence, under the Structure alone, nearest and dearest examples could be treated by practically people power of the Armenian millet (spiritual, secular or partial-religious/semi-secular). Cases may be read on Ottoman Muslim courts, because the Christians was indeed absolve to interest this type of courts. Moreover, exactly what seemed like a simple breakup you will increase beyond the limits of your own Ottoman Kingdom. Given the subordination of Patriarch regarding Ottoman Armenians into the Armenian Catholicos in the Holy Select regarding Echmiatsin (the mother Chapel) during the Russian Armenia, marital issues out of Ottoman Armenians had been usually known by the Patriarch on Catholicos if the former sometimes were unsuccessful or try reluctant for taking responsibility towards situation.