Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
📖

Vazgen Sargsyan

society Maturity 11-13 death dying war conflict politics Next article →

This article covers sensitive topics: death_dying, war_conflict, politics. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

{

"text": "Vazgen Sargsyan was a central figure in the history of modern Armenia.

Stamp of Armenia m175
Stamp of Armenia m175

He served as a military commander and a high-ranking politician during a period of intense transition. Sargsyan held several critical roles, including Armenia's first Defence Minister and later its Prime Minister. He is widely remembered as the founder of the Armenian Army. Many Armenians honor him with the title Sparapet. This title recognizes his significant contributions to the nation's independence and security.

Վազգեն Սարգսյանի կիսանդրի (7)
Վազգեն Սարգսյանի կիսանդրի (7)

\n\nBefore his political rise, Sargsyan lived a life very different from military command. He was born on March 5, 1959, in the village of Ararat.

VazgenSargsyanTunTangaran2
VazgenSargsyanTunTangaran2

After studying physical culture in Yerevan, he worked as a physical education teacher. Sargsyan was also a talented amateur writer and a member of the Writers Union of Armenia. In 1986, he published his first book, titled \"Bread Temptation.\" He even led a literary monthly magazine in Yerevan. These early experiences in education and literature preceded his involvement in the political movements of the late 1980s.\n\nAs the Soviet Union began to change, nationalism grew within the Armenian republic. A major conflict emerged over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Location Nagorno-Karabakh en
Location Nagorno-Karabakh en

Armenians sought to unify this area with Armenia, but the Soviet authorities rejected the request. Tensions escalated into clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani groups. Sargsyan responded by leading Armenian volunteer groups near the border. In September 1990, he helped establish the Special Regiment. This unit consisted of 2,300 men organized into 26 platoons. It served as the first formal military unit independent from Moscow.\n\nFollowing Armenia's independence, Sargsyan became the first Defence Minister in December 1991. He played a vital role during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Armenian soldiers in northern Artsakh 1994
Armenian soldiers in northern Artsakh 1994

In March 1992, he stated that Armenia required a 30,000-strong army to ensure security. Under his leadership, Armenian forces achieved major successes, such as capturing Shushi and Lachin. When Azerbaijani forces advanced in the north, Sargsyan called for a volunteer unit named \"Eagles Sentenced to Death.\" This battalion helped turn the course of the war in favor of the Armenian side. By the time a ceasefire was reached in 1994, Armenian forces controlled most of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts.\n\nAfter the war, Sargsyan transitioned from a military leader to a powerful political figure. He founded Yerkrapah, a union of 5,000 war veterans.

Army Armenia
Army Armenia

This group gave him significant influence over Armenia's domestic politics. Sargsyan was instrumental in several political shifts. He helped remove President Levon Ter-Petrosyan from office in 1998 following disagreements over peace negotiations. He also supported the election of Robert Kocharyan as president. Through these actions, Sargsyan became a \"strongman\" who held effective control over the military and the legislature.\n\nIn May 1999, Sargsyan formed a reform-minded alliance with former leader Karen Demirchyan.

Karen Demirchyan, Vazgen Sargsyan 1999
Karen Demirchyan, Vazgen Sargsyan 1999

This alliance won a large majority in the National Assembly. Consequently, Sargsyan was appointed Prime Minister on June 11, 1999. He became the de facto

493 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (15)
Armenian soldiers in northern Artsakh 1994.tif
File:Location Nagorno-Karabakh en.png
Location Nagorno-Karabakh en.png
File:Army Armenia.jpg
Army Armenia.jpg
File:Levon ter-petrosian.jpg
Levon ter-petrosian.jpg
File:Robert Kocharyan's Interveiw, 2003.jpg
Robert Kocharyan's Interveiw, 2003.jpg
File:Karen Demirchyan, Vazgen Sargsyan 1999.png
Karen Demirchyan, Vazgen Sargsyan 1999.png
File:Armenian National Assembly.jpg
Armenian National Assembly.jpg
File:Serzh Sargsyan 2009.jpg
Serzh Sargsyan 2009.jpg
File:Aram Sargsyan 2010.jpg
Aram Sargsyan 2010.jpg
File:Գերեզման՝ Վազգեն Սարգսյանի.JPG
Գերեզման՝ Վազգեն Սարգսյանի.JPG
File:Վազգեն Սարգսյանի կիսանդրի (7).jpg
Վազգեն Սարգսյանի կիսանդրի (7).jpg
File:VazgenSargsyanTunTangaran2.jpg
VazgenSargsyanTunTangaran2.jpg

+ 3 more

More to explore

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.