Mount Ararat with the historic Khor Virap monastery visible at center-left

Armenian Diaspora

The early-modern Armenian merchant network was organized through approximately twenty wealthy Khoja families, who deployed sons and nephews as factors across continents and exchanged information through a courier system that, by some scholars' estimates, transmitted commercial intelligence faster than any contemporary state postal service.

Source

Theย early-modernย Armenianย merchantย networkย wasย organizedย throughย approximatelyย twentyย wealthyย Khojaย families,ย whoย deployedย sonsย andย nephewsย asย factorsย acrossย continentsย andย exchangedย informationย throughย aย courierย systemย that,ย byย someย scholars'ย estimates,ย transmittedย commercialย intelligenceย fasterย thanย anyย contemporaryย stateย postalย service.ย 

2439Armenian Diaspora