Sayat Nova - Armenica

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Index Persons

Sahak I, Catholicos:

Sait-Pierre:

Saladin:

Salisbury, Lord:

Sanders, Otto Lihman von:

Satenik:

Sayat Nova:

Sazonov, S. D.:

Schlumberger, Gustave:

Sebeos:

Seeckt, Hans von:

Seleukos:

Selim I:

Shapour II:

Shirvanzade, Alexandr:

Siamanto:

Siuni, Vasak:

Smbat I:

Smbat II:

Smbat III:

Sorel, Albert:

Soundoukian, Gabriel:

Spendiarov, Alexandr:

Stalin, Josef:

Stolypin, P. A.:

Strabon:

Strzygowski, J.:

Suleiman II:

Sulla:

Page 204

The translations and publications of western treatises, especially those of Viktor Hugo, were instrumental in the broadening of the Armenian mind..

At this time, several Armenian theatres were opened, most of them in Constantinople and Tbilisi, where Armenian actors staged not those plays drived from Armenian fairytales and stories, but also those based on foreign masterpieces.

The most famous Armenian actor of the time was Adamian, who earned the nickname "the Armenian Salvini", and was one of the greatest Shakespearian artists. Hratchia and Siranoush were the foremost names amongst the actresses.

The Armenian literary movement, as Sarkissian elaborates, followed the awakening of the thoughts of the Armenian nation. He writes: "The romantic literature exerted its influence on sentimental people. Romanticism created patriotism and from patriotism came the modern Armenian nationalism. In around 1885 this nationalism became a spiritual belief for the people." ¹⁴¹

The painter Hovhannes Ayvazovski (Ayvazian), led the art scene, with his world famous marine oil-paintings. His painting "the descent of Noah from Mount Ararat" symbolises the holy place that Mount Ararat has within Armenian culture.

From the 18th century, but with an extensive impact on 19th century Armenian culture, comes the great Armenian troubadour Sayat Nova ("The Holy one of music"). Sayat Nova was born in year 1712, in Sanahin Village in the vicinity of Tbilisi, to an Armenian peasant family. Haroutyoun Sayakian (his actual name) proved to be a competent musician and mastered the Armenian language well. His knowledge of Georgian, Azerbaijani and Persian allowed him to compose and write in these languages as well. Soon he became famous throughout the entire Caucasus and was summoned to the court of the Georgian king (Irakli II), where he was appointed as royal musician and poet. Sayat Nova wrote several hundred pieces in various languages - music and songs which are frequently played today. Sayat Nova was most probably killed in year 1795, during the defence of Tbilisi against the assaulting Persian army.

The Emergence of the Publication of Armenian Scripts

This period also witnessed the emergence of the Armenian scripts vital for communication, and an essential educational tool. ¹⁴²

The first Armenian-language papers of the 19th century were published by Armenian refugees in India. ¹⁴³ Later came the magazine which the Mkhitarists published in Venice, and one by the name of "Ditak Bouzandian" (Byzantine observer), in Constantinople. The latter paper, which was first published in 1812, was the first Armenian newspaper to be printed in Turkey.