The article called “The secret of disappearance of Orbeli`s book is revealed” published in Russian newspaper “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” by Fuad Akhundov, head of section of Azerbaijan`s Presidential Administration Department has become an answer to Anton Yevstratov`s recent material “The Belfries and minarets of Karabakh”.


The Latter submitted historical facts and denied the statements of the Russian political scientist saying that the Albanian monastery Gandzasar located in Nagorno Karabakh was a political and religious center of medieval Armenia.

“The primary sources are the basis in the historical science,” Fuad Akhundov wrote in his material. The article cites well-known Armenian historians who deny Armenia`s official history, writes the Azerbaijani author.

Yevstratov wrote in his article in “Nezavisimaya gazeta” that Gandzasar monastery played an important role in the medieval history of Armenia. The first question is what about Echmiedzin? How did Gandzasar play a significant role in Armenia`s history? From a historical point of view, in the 15th century, the Armenian Church from Byzantium asked Azerbaijani Jahan shah, who had a conflict with Turks, to give “Uch Kilisya” to them as revenge. At that time, Turks attacked Byzantium. There is a document of Armenian scientist, Papazyan about the purchase of Uch kilisya by Echmiedzin. Why Uch kilisya? Because there had already been the ruins of the Albanian churches. Gandzasar really played an important role in the middle ages, because it was the center of the Albanian Church.

In his article, Fuad Akhundov mentions the famous Armenian Soviet scientist, who later became the first president of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR, Iosif Orbeli. At the beginning of the last century, he published a book about the writings from temples of Nagorno Karabakh, including Gandzasar monastery.

The author of the book described it as the center of the Albanian church, not Armenian. Later, the whole circulation of the book was eliminated. That book was considered lost for approximately 100 years. However, employee of Azerbaijan`s Presidential Administration found the book in Petersburg`s archives.

Fuad Akhundov mentions that it proves that Russian political scientist Anton Yevstratov has got engaged in the promotion of the false facts made up by official Yerevan despite the fact that even world scientists of the Armenian origin deny this lie.

Akhundov mentions decrees of medieval rulers, popular encyclopedia dictionary of Brocgauz and Efron, and decrees of Russian emperors Peter 1, Peter 2 and Pavel 1 as primary sources.

You can read the original article HERE

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