Balyan family

However, as a result of a denunciation, he was driven away from the court of Sultan Mahmud I (1730–1754) to exile in the eastern Anatolian town of Bayburt.

There, Magar taught his elder son Krikor architecture before being pardoned and returning to Istanbul.

He was the son-in-law of Mason Minas and father-in-law of Ohannes Amira Severyan, both of whom were palace architects.

He was exiled in 1820 to Kayseri in central Anatolia, because of his involvement in a dispute between Gregorian and Catholic Armenians.

He was pardoned and allowed to return to Istanbul shortly after a friend of his in the palace, Amira Bezjian.

Krikor died in 1831 after serving the empire during the reigns of four sultans, Abdul Hamid I (r. 1774–87), Selim III (r. 1789–1807), Mustafa IV (r. 1807–8)), and Mahmud II (r. 1808–39).

Senekerim's works include the Beyazıt Fire Tower (1828) and the Surp Asdvadzazdin Armenian Church in Ortaköy (1824).

Garabet served during the reigns of Mahmud II (1808–1839), Abdul Mecid I (1839–1861), and Abdulaziz (1861–1876), and constructed numerous buildings in Istanbul.

[3] Another notable architectural work of his is Beylerbeyi Palace, which was built in cooperation with his other son Sarkis.

His four sons, Nigoğayos, Sarkis, Hagop, and Simon, succeeded him after he died of a heart attack in 1866 while conversing with friends.

Known as a fast worker, his professional life was interrupted by the death of brother Hagop in 1875 and by Abdülhamid II's accession to the throne (1876–1909).

Due to political accusations, he was forced into exile in Europe for 15 years, but eventually returned to Turkey through the intercession of Hagop Kazazian Pasha on his behalf.

Interested in all branches of the fine arts, Sarkis supported Armenian writers, musicians, and particularly theater actors.