Mekertich Portukalian

Mekertich Portukalian (October 21, 1848, Constantinople - 1921, Marseille) was an Armenian teacher, who founded the Armenakan party in Van, in 1885. The son of a banker in Constantinople, Portukalian became and teacher initially taught at Tokat and after a trip to Western Anatolia and the Balkans opened a school in Van in 1878. The school soon fell apart from conflict among members, and closed before the end of the year. He opened another school in 1881. This school was closed by Ottoman authorities in 1885. He was then exiled to Marseille. Having settled in Marseilles in 1885, he began the publication of the first pro-revolutionary newspaper Armenia.