Sayat-Nova

The possessor of an interesting life, Sayat-Nova (1712-1795) was born as Harutyun Sayatyan in Georgia to a famous family of Armenian carpet weavers. His skill at writing erotic poetry, singing, and playing instruments earned him the nickname Sayat-Nova, which is generally translated as “King of Songs.” He gained new fame as a wandering bard until he was ordained as a priest in the Armenian church in 1759. He served in numerous posts in the church until 1795, when he was executed by invading Persians who demanded that he surrender his monastery. His poetry in various languages is considered seminal in the history of Caucasian literature.