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ARMENIA IN MODERN TIMES 295
prejudices—if not irreligious—it soon became clear that their
aim was to establish a Turkisb supremacy, with as few con
cessions as possible to the non-Turkish population, of whatever
faith—whether they were Arabs, Kurds, Armenians, Greeks,
or other nationals. Turkish was to be the language of the
whole empire. Their gratitude to the Armenians for helping
them in the struggle for liberty may have lasted for a short
time ; besides, they had to win the approval of the Powers
by a show ofhumanity. But their efforts to treat the Christians
justly gave increasing offence to the former ruling classes, who
were in the habit of fleecing especially the Armenians ; while
the Moslem teachers became more and more incensed. The
Young Turks found it necessary to change their tactics.
In April 1909 Abdul Hamid tried to regain power by a
military coup. For a few days fortune favoured him, and this
time it was Young Turkish blood that flowed in rivers ; but
soon the Macedonian army under Mahmud Skefket Pasha
stood at the gates of Constantinople. As the Sultan did not
capitulate within the time allowed him, Stamboul was sur
rounded and a fierce battle began. Armenian women and
children helped the Young Turkish soldiery to drag the guns
into position. The Sultan’s castle was tåken by storm. He
himself was dragged out of a back room behind the women’s
apartments in the harem. Beside himself with terror, he
listened to the Fetvd which deposed him from the throne of
the Khalifs. His first words were : " And what about my
life ? " This was the sole thought of the man who had
deprived tens of thousands of their lives. He was given his
life, but died some years later as a prisoner in Asia Minor.
His submissive brother Reshad succeeded to the throne as
Mehmed V.
Brief as had been the triumph of the Old Turkish anti-
Christians, it had nevertheless been long enough for them to
make an onslaught upon the Armenians in Cilicia. The
latter had been spared in the earlier massacres, but had doubt
less been too much elated over their liberation when the Young
Turks came into power, thereby infuriating the Old Turkish
Muhammedans. When the telegram came reporting the
Sultan’s military coup, they fell upon the Armenians in all the
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