Melikov

Prince of Lori, Count Loris-Melikov by I. AIVAZOVSKY

Coat of Arms - Loris-Melikovs

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. 1524–1576).^[1] Under the Safavids, the family continued to rise to prominence, and they were known as the Mirimanidze clan/family.

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 (Princes 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-Melikov branch[]

Prince of Lori, Count 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.^{[citation needed]}

Continuer of the family from Oksen and Annett:^{[citation needed]}

* 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:^{[citation needed]}

**Stepan Sarkis Badalyan (1945) – Doctor of Mathematics, Emergency Management Minister of the Republic of Armenia.^{[citation needed]}

**Lilia Sarkis Badalyan (1946) – Teacher of Music in the State Conservatory of Armenia.^{[citation needed]}

**Yuri Sarkis Badalyan (1950) – Candidate of Economic Sciences, Vice Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia.^{[citation needed]}

**Lyusi Sarkis Badalyan (1955) – Lecturer of Russian Language and Literature in Yerevan, Armenia.^{[citation needed]}

* Tsolak Oksen Badalyan (1921–1991) – Captain, 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:^{[citation needed]}

**Anahit Tsolak Badalyan (1946) – Professor of the English Language at Yerevan State Linguistic University. Lives in Yerevan, Armenia. Children:^{[citation needed]}

***Armen Eduard Rostomyan (1970) – Doctor of History and Global organization (Brusov State University of Social Sciences/Kent State University/Columbia University). Lived in London (UK). Has two sons, Eduard and Alain^{[citation needed]}

***Ara Eduard Rostomyan (1974) – Doctor of Philosophy in Education (University of Hartford, US), lives in Las Vegas (US).^{[citation needed]}

** Ashot Tsolak Badalyan (1950) – a businessman, lives in Moscow. Daughter:^{[citation needed]}

***Arpi Ashot Badalyan (1988) – expert on the Arab countries, who lives in Los Angeles, US. She has two sons: Tigran Ashot Zargaryan and Emil Zargaryan.^{[citation needed]}

**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).^{[citation needed]}

Notable people with the surname[]

• Isa Melikov (born 1980), Azerbaijani composer and producer
• Genia Melikova (1924–2004), ballet dancer of Russian origin
• Grigori Melikov (born 1976), Russian footballer
• Mikhail Loris-Melikov (1826–1888), Russian-Armenian statesman
• Yuri Melikov, Armenian-Cypriot singer-songwriter

References[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Melikishvili.