Alishan, Gevond

Alishan, Gevond 

Born July 6 (18), 1820, in Constantinople; died Nov. 9 (22), 1901, in Venice. Armenian poet, philologist, and historian. Member of the Catholic congregation of Mekhitarists.

Alishan emigrated to Venice in 1832. In the 1840’s he began to publish patriotic verses and poems in the new literary language (ashkharhapar). In 1857 and 1858 he published the collection of poetry Pesnopeniia (vols. 1–5). Alishan’s verses are threaded with the idea of the liberation of Armenia from Turkish rule—especially his verses entitled Razdan (1848) and the narrative poem Avarair Nightingale (1847). He left a legacy of works on the history, archaeology, geography, and ethnography of Armenia—including Airar at, Sisakan, and Sisuan—which have been translated into many foreign languages.

WORKS

Hayotz yerk ramgank. Venice, 1852.
Deghegakir hayotz medzatz. Venice, 1855.
Nvak, vols. 1–5. Venice, 1881–88.
Hushik hayreniyatz hayotz, vols. 1–2. Venice, 1869–70.
Shirag. Venice, 1881.
Ayrarat. Venice, 1890.
Sisakan. Venice, 1893.
Sisuan. Venice, 1885.
Nvakner. Yerevan, 1957.
In Russian translation:
In Poeziia Armenii s drevneishikh vremen do nashikh dnei. Edited by V. Ia. Briusov. Moscow, 1916.
In Poeziia Armenii: Narodnaia—srednevekovaia—novaia ν per. rus. poetov. Yerevan, 1966.

REFERENCES

Yeremiyan, S. Kensagrutiun h. Alishani. Venice, 1902.
Derderian, A. Hay klasigner. Yerevan, 1944.
Shtigiyan, A. Ghevond Alishani hayrenasiragan poeziyan. Yerevan, 1959.
Alishani gegharvestagan steghdzagordziutiyune. Yerevan, 1967.