Sayat-Nova

Armenian poet From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sayat-Nova

Sayat-Nova (Armenian: Սայեաթ-Նովայ (сlassical), Սայաթ-Նովա (reformed); Georgian: საიათნოვა; Azerbaijani: سایات‌نووا; Persian: سایات‌نووا; born Harutyun Sayatyan; 14 June 1712 – 22 September 1795) was an Armenian poet, musician and ashugh, who had compositions in a number of languages.

Quick Facts Born, Died ...
Sayat-Nova
Սայաթ-Նովա
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Oil on canvas portrait of Sayat-Nova by Eduard Isabekyan (1964).
BornHarutyun Sayatyan
(1712-06-14)14 June 1712
Tiflis, Kingdom of Kartli, Safavid Iran (present-day Georgia)
Died22 September 1795(1795-09-22) (aged 83)
Haghpat, Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, Qajar Iran (present-day Armenia)
OccupationPoet, ashugh
NationalityArmenian
SpouseMarmar Shahverdian
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The tomb of Sayat Nova at the Cathedral of Saint George in Old Tbilisi

Name

The name Sayat-Nova has been given several interpretations.[1] One version reads the name as "Lord of Song" (from Arabic sayyid and Persian nava)[1] or "King of Songs".[2][3] Others read the name as grandson (Persian neve) of Sayad or hunter (sayyad) of song.[1] Charles Dowsett considers all these derivations to be unlikely and proposes the reading New Time (from Arabic sa'at and Russian nova) instead.[1]

Biography

Sayat-Nova's mother, Sara, was born in Tiflis, and his father, Karapet, either in Aleppo or Adana. He was born in Tiflis. Sayat-Nova was skilled in writing poetry, singing, and playing the kamancheh, Chonguri, Tambur.[4] He lost his position at the royal court when he fell in love with Heraclius II's sister Ana; he spent the rest of his life as an itinerant bard.

In 1759 he was ordained as a priest in the Armenian Apostolic Church. His wife, Marmar, died in 1768, leaving behind four children. He served in locations including Tiflis and Haghpat Monastery. In 1795 he was killed in Haghpat Monastery by the invading army of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, the Shah of Iran. Agha Mohammad Khan demanded that Sayat Nova convert from Christianity to Islam[dubious discuss], which he refused to do, and declaring his religion is undeniably Armenian Christian. Hence he was promptly executed by beheading.[5] He is buried at the Armenian Cathedral of Saint George in Tbilisi.

Legacy

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Monument of Sayat Nova in Yerevan

In Armenia, Sayat-Nova is considered a great poet who made a considerable contribution to the Armenian poetry and music of his century. Although he lived his entire life in a deeply religious society, his works are mostly secular and full of romantic expressionism.

About 220 songs have been attributed to Sayat-Nova, although he may have written thousands more. Sayat-Nova also wrote some poems moving between all three.[clarification needed]

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The tombstone of Sayat-Nova

References

Sources

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