He received his education at institutions run by the Mekhitarist Armenian Catholic order, first in Constantinople, then at the Muradian Gymnasium in Padua, Italy.

[1] The Zeitun Rebellion of 1862 by Armenians in the region of Cilicia inspired Beshiktashlian to write a series of famous patriotic poems and songs dedicated to the rebels.

[1] Beshiktashlian made contact with delegates from Zeitun who came to Constantinople, and conferred with a Polish prince about joint revolutionary activity between Armenians and Poles.

[2] In 1866, Beshiktashlian joined the newly founded "Ser" (Love) Masonic lodge, which mostly consisted of other Constantinople Armenian intellectuals.

Its members wrote on various social, economic, political and philosophical subjects, and advocated for reforms for the Armenians living in the provinces.