The area was conquered by the Ottomans in the 16th century during the Ottoman – Safavid War ( 1532 – 1555 ) against their Iranian Safavid arch-rivals . Being passed on from the former to the latter , Ottoman rule over the region became only decisive after the Ottoman – Safavid War of 1623 – 1639 . The area then became known as '' ' Turkish Armenia ' '' or '' ' Ottoman Armenia ' '' . During the 19th century , the Russian Empire conquered all of Eastern Armenia from Iran , and also some parts of Turkish Armenia , such as Kars . The region 's Armenian population was affected during the widespread massacres of Armenians in the 1890s
widespread massacres of Armenians in the 1890s
Hamidian massacres
Western Armenia