The Amiras

The Amiras were a powerful class of Armenians who were prominent in the Ottoman capital between the 18th and 19th centuries. They built palaces, mosques and public buildings, ran the treasury, mint and armaments factories, and operated many monopolies. Fabulously rich and powerful, they also played a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, as well as that of Jerusalem. According to Carmont, the period under discussion was a more tolerant Ottoman Empire, where Armenians were "the loyal millet" and had the ear of Ottoman Sultans. In the 19th century, some Amiras even rose to prominence and distinguished themselves in Egypt, a nominal vassal of the Ottoman Empire.