Empire, Exchange, and Court : Armenian Diaspora in the Persianate World, With a Specific Focus on Afghanistan

From 1605 till 1896 there existed a public community of Armenians throughout the Persianate world, a broad region which includes Iran and Afghanistan. For its notably very small size, the Armenian community held important roles in both the governments and economies of the Persianate world. For example, in Kabul, Armenians made up less than one one-thousandth of the population for their documented history. Yet we see Armenians with important positions in court, serving as officers, acting as king’s guard, leading rebellions, and even being appointed provincial governors. While the history of this diaspora tells the story of a very unique community, in Afghanistan specifically, the intersection of their religious identity, trade network, and diaspora origins left Armenians in a special position among the many ethnicities which inhabited the region.