Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
The North Carolinian
Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
In Constantinople on August 23, 1843, an Armenian man was decapitated for apostatizing from Islam back to Christianity. He had converted to Islam while drunk, fled to Greece, returned in European dress, resisted threats and torture, and was executed publicly as an insult to Christian nations.
Clipping
OCR Quality
Full Text
Constantinople, Aug. 23, 1843.
A short distance from where I am now writing lies the headless trunk of a man who has just been decapitated for no other crime than that of professing the faith of nearly the whole of Europe. He was an Armenian by birth, and after arriving at the age of manhood, in an evil hour, under the influence of too much strong drink, as it is said, he renounced his religion and became a Musselman.
He had no sooner recovered possession of his mind than he saw the madness of the step he had taken, and embracing the first opportunity he fled to Greece. How long he remained there I do not know; but, assuming the European dress he returned to this city, where he was soon recognized, and thrown into prison. Every effort was made by threats and promises to induce him to return to the faith of the false prophet, but in vain. He was on several different occasions, led out in chains to different parts of the city, for execution, and with the sword of the executioner drawn over his head, he was required to renounce forever the Christian religion and believe in Mahommed: but he resolutely persisted in declaring that he was ready to die rather than deny Christ. Torture was then, and some say that torture was there used to effect what the threat of instant death could not. On each occasion he was remanded to prison. To-day, however, the victim of Mahomedan fanaticism received the crown of martyrdom, in the midst of one of the most frequented streets of the city. And, as if with the express intention of throwing all possible indignity upon the name of Christian, and on the Christian governments of the world, he was executed in his European dress, and after decapitation, the head, with a Frank cap upon it, was placed between the legs.
It is a public and most outrageous insult upon all Christian nations. Every European here feels the indignity, but yet no one seems to know what is the proper remedy.
The Statesman of the 23d ult. published at New Harmony, says that at a recent sitting of the Grand Jury in that county, a bill of indictment was found against Governor Bigger for pardoning (on the solicitation of the people of Clay county) an individual named Reed before he was tried.
What sub-type of article is it?
What keywords are associated?
Where did it happen?
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Constantinople
Event Date
Aug. 23, 1843
Outcome
the armenian man was decapitated in a public street, his head placed between his legs while wearing european dress, as an indignity to christians.
Event Details
An Armenian man converted to Islam while drunk, then reverted to Christianity, fled to Greece, returned to Constantinople in European dress, was imprisoned, resisted threats, promises, mock executions, and possible torture to reconvert, and was finally executed by decapitation for apostasy.