Tayk in the 16th — 17thCenturies: demographic and religious transformation of the Armenian population
Tayk in the 16th — 17thCenturies: demographic and religious transformation of the Armenian population

Summary/Abstract: This study examines the demographic and religious transformations that occurred among the Armenian population in the historical province of Tayk in the 16th and 17th centuries. Utilizing primary sources and Ottoman tax registers, it provides a detailed analysis of population dynamics, the complex structure of both rural and urban households, and shifts in the ethno-confessional landscape under conditions of sustained political and military pressure. The evidence indicates that Tayk underwent a profound demographic crisis in this period, marked by a sharp decline in total population, the depopulation of numerous villages, and the growing influence of Muslim settlers. These events were accompanied by deep religious change, culminating in the gradual Islamization of part of the Armenian population and the transformation of the Christian majority into a minority. The factors that led to these processes, including wars, resettlements and the tax policy of the Ottoman Empire, have been studied.

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