Until the promulgation of the
Edict of Gülhane in 1839, the patriarch, within limits, possessed absolute penal authority over the Armenian people. At the capital, the patriarchate had its
own jail and maintained a small police force. Its authority over the clergy and civil administration being absolute, the patriarch could imprison or exile Armenians at will; and while they were compelled to secure the consent of the Sultan to imprison or exile
laymen of their community, the necessary
firman was easily obtained. The patriarchal system of government, in placing civil powers in the hands of high ecclesiastics, was an outcome of the fact that the Sultan made no distinction between church and community, and often lent the weight of its authority to maintain the integrity of the church. In the 18th century, the Armenian community underwent a cultural renaissance known as the
Armenian national awakening. This involved a revival of classical Armenian learning, and the interpretation of new ideas coming from Western Europe, particularly
the Enlightenment and the events of the
French Revolution. With the start of the 19th century there was also the influence of American and English missionaries, which eventually spawned the creation of the small Armenian Protestant millet. During this time, Armenian reformers that became inspired from their studies in time in Paris were known as Loussavorial, where as conservatives were Khavarial. == Constitution ==