The Armenakan Party (in Armenian Արմենական Կուսակցութիւն) was established in Van in 1885 by Mekertich Portukalian as an underground organization against the ruling system. It was classified as a party based on the fact that it developed a platform, a central body, and an official publication. These are nine disciples of Portakalian who took the initiative in autumn 1885 to create the Armenakan party. These nine young people were Meguerditch Avetisian, M. Baroudjian, Grigor Terlemezian, Grigor Adjemian, Grigor Adian, Grigor Beozikian, Rouben Chatavarian, Kevork Handjian and Garegin Manoukian.