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This section summarizes the life of [[Armenians]] under [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule beginning from 1453 to 1829. When [[Eastern Armenia]] became part of the [[Russia|Russian Empire]] after the [[Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829|Russo-Turkish War]].
Armenians preserved their culture, history and language regardless of Ottoman oppression, largely thanks to their distinct religious identity different from the neighbouring [[Kurds]] and [[Turks]]. After many centuries of Turkish occupation, the centres with a high concentration of Armenians lost their geographic continuity (parts of Van, Bitlis, and Kharput vilayets), because over the years, pockets of Kurds and Turks infiltrated into traditionally Armenian land. Regardless of Ottoman rule and an increasingly strong presence of Muslims, Armenians continued to be the [[majority]] group in Western Armenia well into the 19th century. They kept and defended factual autonomy in certain isolated areas like [[Sason|Sassoun]], [[Çatak|Shatakh]], and parts of [[Dersim]]. An Armenian stronghold and a symbol of factual Armenian autonomy, Zeitoun (Ulnia) was located between the Six Vilayets and [[Cilicia]], which also had a strong Armenian presence ever since the creation of the Pricipality (and then Kingdom) of [[Lesser Armenia]]. However, due to Ottoman interference and genocide, the autonomous areas were disintegrated.
There were also significant communities in parts of [[Trabzon]] and [[Ankara]] vilayets bordering Six Vilayets (like in [[Kayseri]] (Gessaria)). Many Armenians settled in Western Anatolia, in the traditionally [[Greek]] cities of [[Constantinople]] and [[Smyrna]]. The Sultan promoted Armenian migration whithin the borders of the empire in order to reduce the native Armenian population of historic Armenia, and reduce the Greek majority population of Western Anatolia by adding non-Greeks.
Western Armenia had lost its Armenian majority during the [[Armenian Genocide]] of [[WWI]].
Most Western Armenians died during the [[Armenian genocide|genocide of 1915]] (1.5 million out of a [[Ottoman Armenian Population|pre-war population]] of approximately 2 million or more). However, many escaped to the [[Middle East]] and [[Balkans]], and eventually became organized communities with certain degrees of political influence in their host countries. Many also moved to [[Europe]] and [[North America]] to find better living conditions. During these migrations, most Western Armenians preserved their culture due to their life being traditionally revolved around the Armenian church and adjacent community centres. However, some Armenians distanced themselves from the community and became assimilated.
=== Timeline ===
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