BY ARUNANSH B. GOSWAMI
I recently visited Egypt, where there is a large Armenian diaspora community. As an analyst and author who writes about Armenian geopolitics and history, exploring the history of Armenians in Egypt was indeed important, as Egypt is a civilizational state like India and Armenia. Interestingly, I found that in Egypt, similar to in India, Armenians have contributed significantly in multiple fields of human endeavors for the development of their adoptive country. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, “the relationship between Armenians and Egyptians goes back to the Pharaonic times.” In this article, I will focus on Nubar Pasha Nubarian and his family.
One of the most prominent Armenian-Egyptian families was that of Nubar Pasha, who started his career in Egypt as the secretary of his uncle, Boghos Bey Yusufian. Yusufian was a close, high-ranking officer of Muhammad Ali—the ethic Albanian born in Greece—who was governor of Egypt at the time. I went all the way to Alexandria to visit the mausoleum of Nubar Pasha and other members of his family including, Boghos Joussouff Bey and Arakal Bey Nubarian, a former governor of Sudan. The mausoleum is found inside the compound of the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, which is located in the garden next to the church of St. Poghos-Petros.
Within this complex is an Armenian school, which is now closed due to lack of students, as well as a memorial to the Armenians who were slaughtered by Ottoman Turks during the Armenian Genocide. The flag of Armenia and portraits of popular Armenian-Egyptians can be seen in this complex. I would like to thank Fr. Krikor Mouradian and his son, Arshag, for their amazing hospitality and respect for India. I sincerely appreciated their willingness to explain the history of Armenians in Egypt to me and my father, and for even showing me where in the church Arshag was baptized.
The Nubarian family from Artsakh played an important role, not just in modernization of Egypt but also the strengthening of Armenian national identity in the age of nationalism. Chaventour district in Karabakh was ruled by Boghos Nubar’s great-great-grandfather. It is said that he was a great warrior who successfully protected his district against enemies, until the assassination of Mekhitar Sparapet, the head of the Armenian army, in 1730. After Mekhitar’s death, Nubar was forced to abandon his homeland and settle in Smyrna (Modern day Izmir), in the Ottoman Empire.
Did you know an Armenian was awarded the Nile Medal of Honor, Egypt’s highest award? His name was Nubar Pasha Nubarian, who later became Prime Minister of Egypt. A statue of this Armenian-Egyptian statesman has been placed in-front of the Muhammad Ali Opera in Alexandria. British Controller-General of Egypt and the Suez Canal zone, Evelyn Baring, later Lord Cromer, wrote, “Nubar Pasha is the most interesting amongst modern Egyptian politicians, with intellect he is way up of his rivals.”
The contribution of Nubar to the construction of the Suez Canal cannot be gainsaid, connecting the Red and Mediterranean Seas. The ruler of Egypt, Ismail Pasha, was happy with Nubar Bey’s efforts, and instructed him to take over the completion of work on the Suez Canal. He reached the top of his career in 1878, when appointed as prime minister of Egypt, the first time in the history of the country. He served as Prime Minister three times during his career.
It has been mentioned that the city of Heliopolis could not be constructed in the middle of a desert if he would not have established Cairo’s Water Company, which introduced piped water. His contribution to the welfare of Egyptians was so great that Ismail honored him by naming a new canal in the province of Beheira after him—”Nubariyya”. Also, as a reward for his support in improving various types of cotton, Egypt’s single most profitable and prized product at the time, a type of long-staple cotton was named “Nubari” after him.
Raymond Poincare, former French president, referred to Boghos Nubar as “one of those few people who combines a highest moral with a great intellect.” Boghos Nubar was the great-great-grandson of Nubar from Artsakh, and on November 10, 1912, he was invited by the Catholicos of All Armenians to head the Armenian National Delegation to advocate for the Armenian Cause before European powers who were discussing the Balkan War in London. The Armenians worked on three levels: Boghos Nubar in Paris and London; Dr. Hagop Zavriev in Petrograd; and the Security Council of the Armenian Parliament in Constantinople.
Boghos Nubar’s most significant achievement for the Armenian community is generally considered to be the founding of the Armenian General Benevolent Union in Cairo, Egypt, in 1906. As per Vahram Hovyan Expert, Centre for the Armenian Studies, Noravank Foundation, “Boghos Nubar Pasha established in 1906 the AGBU in Cairo. This organization had made valuable contributions both for solving the national problems in the pre-statehood period (before the First Republic of Armenia was declared on May 28, 1918), and in strengthening the Armenian statehood after it was restored, as well as cooperated with the First, Second and Third Republics.”
During Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent visit to Egypt, Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbuli thanked his Armenian counterpart for naming one of Yerevan’s squares after Egypt, while added that one of the capital’s squares in Egypt will soon be named after Armenia. Pashinyan even met Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, during his visit. Armenia-Egypt relations are close and cordial.
It is advantageous for Armenia that it’s other good friend, India, also has very good diplomatic relations with Egypt. President Sisi was even the Chief Guest of India’s 74th Republic Day. The contributions made by Armenians to the development of Egypt have indeed been a lot. Civilizational states like India, Egypt, and Armenia—each with thousands of years of history—should work together to establish peace in the South Caucasus by cooperating with one another, and working towards greater economic development for the welfare of our peoples.
Arunansh B. Goswami is an author, historian and advocate in the Supreme Court of India. He is a member of the Bar Association of Delhi and the Supreme Court Bar Association in India. Goswami has written on the history, culture and politics of various countries in several national and international publications.
