Melik

Melik is a historical Armenian noble title meaning "prince" or "lord." From medieval times, meliks formed the heads of semi-autonomous principalities known as melikdoms in the Armenian highlands, especially in Artsakh (Karabakh), Syunik, and neighboring areas. Under the suzerainty of larger powers—Persian empires, later the Ottoman Empire and, in the 19th century, the Russian Empire—meliks maintained local governance, taxation, and military duties within their territories. Each melik led a hereditary lineage and governed with a degree of autonomy, often overseeing religious endowments, fortifications, and local courts. The melik system gradually declined in the 19th century amid administrative reforms and demographic changes, culminating in its formal dissolution under imperial modernization.

Etymology traces melik to malīk, from Persian malik meaning "king" or "sovereign," with Armenian adoption and adaptation.

In modern use, Melik survives as a surname and given name among Armenians and in the Armenian diaspora. The term also appears in historical and genealogical references to Armenian noble families and is encountered in literature and discussions of regional history.