7.3 Armenian Historical Figures (Literary)

Daniel Varuzhan

A victim of the Armenian Genocide, established the "Mehian" literary group and magazine

David of Sassoon

The Armenian national epic, took shape in the 10th century, during one of the peaceful lulls in Armenian history

Khachatur Abovyan

Author of Wounds of Armenia (Verk Hayasdani), mysteriously disappeared in 1848

Raffi

(Hakob Melik-Hakobian,) Armenian author and poet

Yeghishe Charents

Poet, a victim of Stalinist purges in 1937, at the age of 40

St. Mesrob Mashdots

First a soldier, then a priest and scribe in the royal court, the founder of Armenian Alphabet, with Catholicos St. Sahag

Sayat-Nova

Musician, poet, sang and played the kamanche, he performed in the court Heraclius of Georgia

Hagop Baronian

Playwright, satirist. His most famous work is Medzabadiv Mouratsganner ("Honorable Beggars")

Mkhitar Gosh

Armenian legal scholar, fabulist, teacher and political adviser, the compiler of a ground-breaking Law Code

Mkhitar Gosh

Armenian legal scholar, fabulist, teacher and political adviser, the compiler of a ground-breaking Law Code

Krikor Zohrab

Prince of the novella, a member of the Ittihad Party and of the Turkish Parliament, one of the 250 intellectuals of Constantinople to perish on April 24, 1915

St. Movses Khorenatsi

The Father of Armenian History, was a student of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob. His History of Armenia told the story of Armenia from its origins through his day

St. Nerses Shnorhali

Catholicos of the Armenian Church (1102-1173), he revised and recompiled the Armenian Book of Hours and wrote many of the key hymns and chants of our daily prayer services

St. Grigor, the Illuminator or Enlightener

Patron saint of Armenia, The first Catholicos of the Armenian Church, he is the true founder of Armenian Christianity

Hovhannes Toumanian

The Poet of All Armenians, his works are "Kach-Nazar", "David of Sassoon", "Parvana" and "Anoush"

Paruyr Sevag (Ghazaryan)

Churchman, musician, (Soghomon Soghomonian). His polyphonic rendering of the Armenian Divine Liturgy is one of the two basic settings in use in Armenian churches world-wide