Movses Silikyan
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Movses Silikyan or Silikov (Armenian: Մովսես Սիլիկյան, Russian: Мойсей Силиков; 14 September 1862 – 22 November 1937) was an Armenian general who served in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and later in the army of the First Republic of Armenia. He is regarded as a national hero in Armenia for his role in the Armenian victory at the Battle of Sardarabad.
Movses Silikyan Մովսես Սիլիկյան | |
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![]() Movses Silikyan portrait | |
Born | (1862-09-14)14 September 1862 Vartashen, Elisabethpol Governorate, Russian Empire |
Died | 22 November 1937(1937-11-22) (aged 75) Yerevan, Soviet Union |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Service/ | Army |
Years of service | 1884—1920 |
Rank | Major general (Russia) Lieutenant general (Armenia) |
Commands held | 6th Caucasian Infantry Regiment 2nd Armenian Infantry Division Army Corps Yerevan Detachment Separate Armenian Division Kars-Alexandropol front |
Battles/wars | First World War Georgian–Armenian War Turkish–Armenian War |
Awards | see below |
Following Russia's withdrawal from Transcaucasia and conclusion of a separate peace with the Ottoman Empire under the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in March 1918, Silikyan and other Armenian generals organized the defense of Armenia against invading Ottoman forces. After the Armenian victories at the battles of Sardarabad, Karakilisa and Bash Abaran in May 1918, the First Republic of Armenia declared its independence. Silikyan received the rank of lieutenant general of the Armenian army and held various top military positions.
Following the Sovietization of Armenia in 1920, Silikyan was exiled to Ryazan along with other high-ranking Armenian military officers, but was allowed to return to Armenia the next year. During the Great Purge of 1937, Silikyan was arrested and executed. He was rehabilitated in 1987.