Along with expert of Sayat-Nova Studies Ishkhan Stepanyan we have singled out some of the disputable facts, legends and stories connected with the great poet.
There have always been hot debates, controversies and discussions around Sayat-Nova’s personality and activity. Every fact connected with him, date of birth or death, his personal life, the works, have been always variously commented throughout centuries. Along with expert of Sayat-Nova Studies Ishkhan Stepanyan we have singled out some of the disputable facts, legends and stories connected with the great poet.
1. When was he born?
According to the calculations of Georgy Akhverdyan, the man who has first examined Sayat-Nova’s heritage, he must have been born in 1712. A seperate study has been carried out by Hovhannes Tumanyan, according to who Sayat-Nova’s birthdate is 1713. The version of 1722 is also widespread. But as Ishkhan Stepanyan considers, this is an invented date to combine the dates of birth of Sayat-Nova and Georgian Princess Anna Batonashvili. This way soviet philologists wanted to put forth the version of the romance between Sayat-Nova and Anna.
2. Who was his lover?
In school and university programs a priority is given to the version of love story between Sayat-Nova and sister of Georgian King Heraclius II, Anna. Georgy Akhverdyan has not heard such a name from old men while interviewing in the old districts of Tiflis. The version emerged during the soviet years. “The poor loved the princess” story can be met in the works of those years for dozens of times. Some have heard from the old men of the village that there was a girl Dalita by name, whom Sayat-Nova donated plays. In one of his Greek writings the poet writes, “A beautiful Greek fair-haired girl drove me mad.”
3. Why and how was Sayat Nova expelled from the palace?
There is an opinion that the poet was expelled from the palace of King Heraclius II because of his love for Anna. But according to expert of Sayat-Nova Studies Ishkhan Stepanyan, the statement is not true. Sayat-Nova has a series of satirical and critical songs dedicated to Catholicos Anton, Prince Vakhtang and others. The poet probably went too far with his jokes and was expelled. The bard (ashugh), who occupied the honorable office of sazandar (entertaining musician) and a joker, in one of his plays writes, “Whom can I blame? Why all this happened? It is all my guilt.”
Besides that, his younger son, Ohan, prepares the collection of his father’s songs in 1823 in Petersburg by the order of Georgian Prince Teimuraz. Hardly could anyone from the royal family give such an order taking into account the alleged “dishonor” to the palace.
4. Is Sayat-Nova Haghpat’s Ter-Stepanos?
There is a widespread false opinion that Sayat-Nova was forced to become a clergyman because of his love story with Anna Batonashvili. Meanwhile he was always connected with the Armenian Apostolic Church. At a young age he sang in church choirs, afterward served in the church with different degrees. The last period of his life he lived in Haghpat Monastery.
5. What was the musician singing about?
In his songs Sayat-Nova praises the beauty of a woman, her outer charm and different traits of character. But nobody has proved yet who has been the musician’s muse. It is only known that he was a follower of the Persian Sufism. The poet’s rhymes and literary language make this apparent. The main idea of Sufism is the mystical cognition of God. Hence, by praising woman Sayat-Nova probably praised God.
6. Which was Sayat-Nova’s second profession?
Nearly the 4 dozens of almost 170 plays by Sayat Nova are dated. Judging by the chronology of creation of the songs, Sayat-Nova created from March until October or November. The feasts in Tiflis and the royal amusements started that very period. To keep his family in winter, he was probably engaged in weaving. In one of Armenian poems he writes, “No matter that I am a craftsman, an idle weaver, how you behave is not fair, my sweetheart.”
7. Which are the versions of the poet’s death?
According to Sayat-Nova’s biographer Georgy Akhverdyan, the ashugh was killed during the invasion of Agha Mohammad Khan in 1795. That time Sayat-Nova was 80-82-year-old man and would hardly hold weapon and fight against the Persian troops. There is a document in Georgian sources, according to which old Sayat-Nova hosted in Haghpat Monastery a monk named Ione Khelashvili when he was returning to Tiflis from Etchmiadzin. The event is attributed to 1800. Therefore, also the version of his being killed under the walls of Tiflis is susceptible.
