By the 19th Century, the Armenian community was divided into Christian Apostolic, Catholic, and Protestant millets, meaning that there was no centralized, hierarchical leadership structure. The Ottomans dealt with this Armenian division by having Armenian patriarchs for each millet in Istanbul and Jerusalem. The ottomans had from an early stage of their reign, identified the crucial role that religious clergymen had in not only the collection of taxation within its community but also of influencing the communities feelings and sentiments. The relationship between the Armenian clergy and the Ottoman Empire that existed up until the middle of the 19th century is one that indeed can be described as cordial and one of mutual benefit. The Armenian clergy and a small merchant faction within its elite enjoyed influence and power. At the same time, the Ottoman empire was intrinsically pleased with maintaining their ability while also benefiting from the use of the Armenian merchants. While the vast majority of Armenians were poor peasants, a small minority of Armenians would establish themselves as the financial backbone of the Ottoman Empire itself. The Armenian Amira group bankers would establish themselves as the most influential merchant group of the Ottoman Empire, serving as bankers to the Ottoman central government while also controlling key positions within crucial sectors of industry. Jobs such as the director of Imperial Currency Mint, chief imperial architect, and the superintendent of large Gun-powder factories were filled by the Amira group. When one realizes the extent to which both the Armenian clergy and the Armenian elite were benefiting from the implementation of this millet system (particularly during the 18th/19th Century), it is easy to theorize why Armenia seemingly had made no precise demands for liberation until the Tanzimat reformation.