🇬🇧 The Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was formed. The First Republic of Armenia

The First Republic of Armenia

Map of Transcaucasia in 1918, compiled by the British army. The outlined borders show the successor states of the TDFR, which claimed the same territory.

In the first half of the 19th century, Russia actively annexed Transcaucasia, establishing the Caucasian Viceroyalty in 1801, which led to reduced local autonomy and direct governance from St. Petersburg. By 1914, the South Caucasus remained a predominantly rural region, with Tiflis as the administrative center and Baku becoming an important economic hub due to oil extraction.

World War I intensified the confrontation between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in the Caucasus. After the February Revolution of 1917, the Provisional Government created the Special Transcaucasian Committee (OZAKOM) to govern the region. However, it failed to effectively compete with the Soviets and faced protests from the local population. After the Bolsheviks came to power in October 1917, OZAKOM was transformed into the Transcaucasian Commissariat, which attempted to defend regional interests. However, unified governance was weak: the commissariat depended on national councils and could not stop the advance of Ottoman troops following the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Refusal to recognize Soviet power forced Transcaucasia to seek its own path to survival.

Formation of the TDFR

By spring 1918, the Ottoman army had occupied Batum (April 14) and threatened further advancement into the Caucasus. Negotiations between the Commissariat and Turkey in Brest were fruitless: Turkey refused to recognize its legitimacy and demanded the region's independent status as a condition for continued dialogue.

Under military pressure, on April 22, 1918, the Transcaucasian Sejm declared the formation of an "independent, democratic, and federative republic" — the TDFR. The initiative came from Georgian Mensheviks, supported by some Muslim and Armenian deputies, although the Dashnaks voiced concerns that independence would only strengthen Ottoman control over the region.

Immediately after its declaration, the new republic sent a delegation to negotiate with the Ottoman Empire and expressed willingness to accept the terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The Ottoman government formally recognized the TDFR on April 28, 1918, but continued its offensive toward Erivan and Kars.

Structure and Government

The TDFR had a parliamentary-republican form of government. The highest legislative body was the Transcaucasian Sejm, dominated by Georgian Mensheviks, the Musavat Party, and Dashnaktsutyun. The capital was Tiflis (now Tbilisi). The official languages were Russian, Georgian, Armenian, and Azerbaijani. Recognized religions included Orthodox Christianity, the Armenian Apostolic Church, and Islam.

The head of the Sejm was Nikolay Chkheidze (from February 23 to May 26, 1918), and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Foreign Minister was Akaki Chkhenkeli (from April 26 to May 26, 1918). The TDFR cabinet included ministers from all three major nationalities, reflecting the idea of federation, but the lack of a unified political program weakened the central government.

Conflicts and Dissolution

Despite official recognition by the Ottoman Empire, Turkey’s territorial ambitions and military pressure continued to destabilize the region. At the same time, internal contradictions grew: the Georgian delegation sought peace with Turkey, Armenian representatives emphasized saving the population of Western Armenia, and Azerbaijanis feared a war with fellow Muslims.

On May 26, 1918, Georgian deputies declared the Sejm incapable of continuing its work and proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Georgia. On May 28, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the First Republic of Armenia also declared independence. Thus, the TDFR existed for exactly 34 days before collapsing under the pressure of external aggression and incompatible national interests.