Harutiun Svadjian (1831 in

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

Ottoman Turkey The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

– 1874 in Constantinople, Ottoman Turkey), was an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

writer, political activist, teacher, and considered one of the founders of

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

n political humorist literature.

Biography

Svadjian was born in

in 1831. He lost both his parents at a very young age. After completing his local education, he was sponsored by Khatchadur Bardizbanian to study abroad. Eventually, Svadjian managed to study in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

at the St. Barbe College. After returning to

in 1852, he participated in

Nahapet Rusinian Nahabed Rusinian ( hy, Նահապետ Ռուսինեան, tr, Nahabet Rusinyan, french: Roussignan, 1819–1876) was a prominent Ottoman Armenian poet, publicist, physician, orator, writer, political activist, translator, and contributor to the A ...

's intellectual circle. He then became of teacher in the local

Beşiktaş Beşiktaş () is a district and municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, located on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and Şişli, on the west by Kağıthane and Şişli, on the south by Beyoğlu, and ...

n school. Svadjian was also instrumental in the preparation of the

Armenian National Constitution The Armenian National Constitution ( hy, Հայ ազգային սահմանադրութիւն ''Hay azkayin sahmanatroutioun''; french: Constitution nationale arménienne) or Regulation of the Armenian Nation ( ota, Nizâmnâme-i Millet-i Ermeniy ...

(1859) which was ultimately introduced in 1862. He was very active in supporting, encouraging, and liberating

Western Armenia Western Armenia (Western Armenian: Արեւմտեան Հայաստան, ''Arevmdian Hayasdan'') is a term to refer to the eastern parts of Turkey (formerly the Ottoman Empire) that are part of the historical homeland of the Armenians. Weste ...

from

Ottoman Sultanate The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

oppression.

Literary career

Harutiun Svadjian was one of the prominent writers of the 19th century that preferred to change the classical

'' Krapar'' writing standard to a vernacular ''

Ashkharhabar Armenian ( classical: , reformed: , , ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is the official language of Armenia. Historically spoken in the Armenian Highlands, today Armenian is widely spoken t ...

''. He started the bimonthly literary journal called ''Meghu'' (Bee; published 1856–65, 1879–74) which he used to openly write about oppression, communal regression, Armenian church leaders, and the Ottoman government. It was in Meghu where Svadjian began his political humorist writings. He published the works ''Aptakk'' (Slaps) and ''Ansge Ange'' (About here and there) which criticized the European involvement in Armenian affairs in a humorous way. Svadjian also a narrative poem entitled ''Arik Haykazunk'' which was set into music and became the foundation of the

. Among the writings that increased his fame were ''Katina'', a

novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...

, ''Matnutiun'' (Betrayel) a political pamphlet, and ''Arandzar Amatuni'' a historical tragedy. In 1981,

Soviet Armenia The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic,; russian: Армянская Советская Социалистическая Республика, translit=Armyanskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika) also commonly referred to as Soviet A ...

commemorated the 150th anniversary of his birth.

References

1831 births 1874 deaths Armenian male novelists Armenian educators Armenians from the Ottoman Empire 19th-century writers from the Ottoman Empire Writers from Istanbul Armenian satirists 19th-century Armenian novelists 19th-century male writers {{Armenia-writer-stub