The article deals with traditional Armenian diaspora and attributs determining its identity. The text is concentrated on the crucial role of Armenian mechants as sponsors of Armenian Apostolic Church amd initiators of the national renaissance idea.
These merchants (called khodjas or amiras) tended on the one hand to cosmopolitism and integration to majority society, on the another hand the phenomenon of inner exile should be mentioned. The notion of exile contributed to the maintenance of Armenian identity in worldwide diaspora through centuries.