Levon Larents (Kirisciyan) ( hy, Լեւոն Լարենց (Քիրիշճեան), 1875–1915) was an Armenian writer, translator, journalist, editor, novelist, poet, and teacher. He was an editor of many newspapers around the world and the founder of many others. During the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was ...

, Larents was deported to Ankara and then killed.

Life

Levon Larents was born in 1875 in the

Samatya Samatya ( el, Ψαμάθεια, pr. ''Psamatheia''; hy, Սամաթիա) is a quarter of the Fatih district of Istanbul. It is located along the Marmara Sea, and borders to the west on the neighborhood of Yedikule (the "Castle of the Seven Towers ...

district of

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

Ottoman Empire 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) ...

. He received his education at the local

Robert College The American Robert College of Istanbul ( tr, İstanbul Özel Amerikan Robert Lisesi or ), often shortened to Robert, or RC, is a Selective school, highly selective, Independent school, independent, mixed-sex education, co-educational Secondary ...

where he graduated in 1902. During his time as a student in Robert College, Larents along with classmates Yenovk Armen and Hrand Esayan published the ''Zepur'' Armenian periodical. For a brief period after his graduation, Larents was a contributor to the ''Puzantion'' newspaper. He then moved to

Adapazarı Adapazarı () is a city in northwestern Turkey and the central district of Sakarya Province. The province itself was originally named Adapazarı as well. Adapazarı is a part of the densely populated region of the country known as the Marmara Regi ...

where he taught 'The History of Civilization' at the local Armenian Getronagan School there. In 1905, Larents went to the United States, escaping from societal pressure in the Ottoman Empire, where he became part of the reform movement of the Armenian

Hunchak The Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) ( hy, Սոցիալ Դեմոկրատ Հնչակյան Կուսակցություն; ՍԴՀԿ, translit=Sots’ial Demokrat Hnch’akyan Kusakts’ut’yun), is the oldest continuously-operating Armenian ...

political party. While in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, Larents became the editor of a local Armenian newspaper called ''Tsayn Hayreneats'' or "Voice of the Fatherland" for a period of two years. He eventually moved to

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

when worked in Orosdi Back, a wholesale company. While in Alexandria, he also became a contributor to the ''Azad Pern'' local Armenian newspaper. However, after the death of

Arpiar Arpiarian Arpiar Arpiarian ( hy, Արփիար Արփիարեան) (December 21, 1851 – February 12, 1908) was an influential 19th-century Armenian writer, the pioneer of realism in Armenian literature and a political activist. Early life and educatio ...

, Larents moved to

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

. After the Young Turk revolution in 1908, Larents returned to Constantinople where he became the chief-editor of ''Murj'' and ''Tsayn Hayreneats'' for two years. While in Constantinople, Larents published a book of poems entitled ''Trahkdi Yerker'' or "Songs of Heaven". He also translated numerous works from French and English into Armenian. One such work was a translation of H. F. B. Lynch's "Armenia" which was published in 1913. In 1911, he had also translated the

Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...

into Armenian.

Death

Levon Larents was one of the Armenian leaders deported during the

. He was first deported to Ayaş along with other Armenian intellectuals. Larents was then transferred to

Ankara Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...

where he was killed outside of the city.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Larents, Levon Writers from Istanbul Date of birth missing Date of death missing 1875 births 1915 deaths 19th-century journalists from the Ottoman Empire 20th-century journalists from the Ottoman Empire People who died in the Armenian genocide Armenians from the Ottoman Empire Armenian-language writers Robert College alumni Expatriates from the Ottoman Empire in the United States

Life

Death

See also

References