Melikov

Tomb of Prince Ivan Aleksandrovich Melikov inside the Holy Virgin church of Akhtala monastery.

Melikov (Russian: Меликов, Armenian: Մելիքով), the Russified version of Armenian last name Melikyan (Armenian: Մելիքյան) was an Armenian noble family in the Kingdom of Georgia and later in the Russian Empire.

The family descended from an Armenian nobleman named Malek Miriman who hailed from Somkhiti, had converted to Islam and was enfeoffed with the melikdom of Lori by the Safavid Iranian king Tahmasp I (r. 1514–1576).^[1] Under the Safavids, the family continued to rise to prominence, and they were known as the Mirimanidzes.^[1]

• Later, the family returned to Christianity (Georgian Orthodox) and were confirmed as Princes Melikishvili (Georgian: მელიქიშვილი) and dukes of Somkhiti.
• A branch of this family became Armenian Apostolic and came to be known as Loris-Melikov (Лорис-Меликов), which means Meliks of Lori. After the Russian annexation of Georgia, the family was received among the princely nobility (knyaz) of the Russian Empire, and was made famous by General Mikhail Tarielovich Loris-Melikov (1825–88) who was bestowed with the dignity of count in 1878.^[2][3][4][5]

Loris-Melokov branch

Mikhail Loris-Melikov and Princess Nina Ivanovna Argutinskaya-Dolgorukova

• Maria (1858-1916), Italy, lady-in-waiting. Husband Sergey Evgeniy Novikov (married in 1859)
• Sofia, born 1862
• Tariel (1863-1941) Paris, Colonel of Life Guard of the Preobrazhenskiy Regiment. Wife Varvara Nikolaevna Argutinskaya-Dolgorukova (1872–1942, Paris),
• Konstantin, died in childhood.
• Zakhariy (1866-1896), Petersburg, single.
• Elizabeth, Wiesbaden, Germany. Husband Baron Konstantin Stanislav von Nolken (1878–1949).

Tariel (Stepan) Loris-Melikov (1863–1941)

Colonel, Count, representative of an old Armenian princely-count family. The eldest son of the General-Lieutenant, the minister of internal Affairs of Russian Empire Count M.T. Loris Melikov. In 1913 reminded in chronics as the Colonel of Life Guard of the Preobrazhenskiy Regiment. Was married on the granddaughter of A.S.Pushkin on a female line – Princess Varvara Nikolay Argutinskaya-Dolgorukova (1872–1942, Paris). In Switzerland live continuers of the female line V. N. Argutinskaya-Dolgorukova – Count Aleksander Mikhail Loris Melikov (1926) and his four children Anna-Elizabeth, (1959), Dominica, (1961), Natalya (1963) and Mikhail (1964).

Oksen Tariel Loris Melikov (1895–1970)

General-Mayor of Russian Empire, the full gentleman of Saint George crosses award. The Commander of Artillery of Dashnak government of Armenia (1916–1918). Being chased by the soviets in 1919 he changed his noble family name into Badalyan (from the Persian word “Bedal” which means repetition). His first wife Annette (Natalya) (1916–1944) is from an Armenian princely family Serebryakovs, her great grandfather is admiral Lazar markovich Serebryakov (1792–1862). In second marriage he married the daughter of baron Konstantin von Nolken (1878–1949) Olga Gilbert (maiden name von Nolken), from the first marriage when he was married with Elizabeth, the daughter of Loris Melikov (1904–1912), who is at the same time the grand daughter of Countess Olga Ada Merenberg.

Continuer of the family from Oksen and Annett:

• Sarkis Oksen Badalyan (1919–1993) – Colonel of aviation, participant in World War II, later worked on a leading post in the field of economy, was decorated with awards and medals. His children:
  • Stepan Sarkis Badalyan (1945) – Doctor of Mathematics, Emergency Management Minister of the Republic of Armenia.
  • Lilia Sarkis Badalyan (1946) – Teacher of Music in the State Conservatory of Armenia.
  • Yuri Sarkis Badalyan (1950) – Candidate of Economic Sciences, Vice Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia.
  • Lyusi Sarkis Badalyan (1955) – Lecturer of Russian Language and Literature in Yerevan, Armenia.
• Tsolak Oksen Badalyan (1921–1991) – Capitan, a tank man, participant in World War II. In the post war period was on a responsible leading work in Armenia as a Mayor of the city of Vanadzor (province Lori), Minister of Trade, President of the Chamber of Trade and Industry, Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Armenia. Was decorated with numerous awards and medals of USSR and also is decorated with prestigious international award “Gold Mercury” (in USSR such an award is given only to The Secretary General of the USSR L.I. Brezhnev). His Children:
  • Ashot Tsolak Badalyan (1950) – a businessman, lives in Moscow. Daughter:
    • Arpi Ashot Badalyan (1988) – expert on the Arab countries, lives in Los Angeles, US. Has two sons
      • Tigran Ashot Zargaryan (2008).
      • Emil Zargaryan (2013).
  • Anahit Tsolak Badalyan (1946) – Professor of the English Language at Yerevan State Linguistic University. Lives in Yerevan, Armenia. Children:
    • Armen Eduard Rostomyan (1970) – Doctor of History and Global organization (Kent State University). Lived in London (UK). Has two sons
      • Eduard (2001) -
        • Alain (2005) -
    • Ara Edward Rostomyan (1974) – Doctor of Philosophy in Education (University of Hartford, US). Lives in Las Vegas (US).
    • Armina Tsolak Badalian (1957) – Candidate of Philological Sciences, Businesswoman. Lives in Las Vegas (US).Daughter:
      • Margaret Vladimir Akopian (1989) – Medical student. Lives in Las Vegas (US).

References

1. Maedia 2003, pp. 253-257.
2. Bagrationi, Ioane (1768-1830). Melikis-shvili. The Brief Description of the Georgian Noble Houses. Retrieved on January 23, 2008.
3. (Russian) Лорис-Меликовы (Loris-Melikov). Russian Biographic Lexicon. Retrieved on January 23, 2008.
4. (Russian) Федорченко В.И. (2003), Дворянские роды, прославившие Отечество. Энциклопедия дворянских родов, c. . Olma Media Group, ISBN 5-7867-0056-9.
5. Долгоруков П.В., кн. (1856) Российская родословная книга, издаваемая князем Петром Долгоруковым Ч.3, c. 474 - СПб. (Google Books).

Sources

• Maeda, Hirotake (2003). "On the Ethno-Social Background of Four Gholām Families from Georgia in Safavid Iran". Studia Iranica (32): 1–278.