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Armenian Medieval Historians in Print Three Centuries of Scholarship Across Three Continents1

Armenian Medieval Historians in Print Three Centuries of Scholarship Across Three Continents1

Armenian Medieval Historians in Print Three Centuries of Scholarship across Three Continents1

BY DR. ARA SANJIAN, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-DEARBORN

written overwhelmingly in Classical Armenian (grabar), and their more recent into both the Eastern and Western branches of the modern Armenian literary (ashkharhabar).2 It thus provides one important indicator to how akob Meghapart’s pioneering the locus of Armenian Studies research effort exactly five centuries ago activities shifted across a number of cities this year has made it inconceiv- and institutions situated on three conti- able ever since to analyze and nents over the last 300 years. At the same Hevaluate the worldwide dissemination of time, it will be this author’s humble tribute Armenian culture bypassing the medium to all the prominent scholars whose efforts of printing—both books and periodicals. made medieval Armenian histories acces- For a people with a long diasporic tradition sible to their peers and lay readers inter- and, until 1918, without a state of their own, ested in the Armenian past. printing technology made it easier for This article covers the works of those Armenian authors and their readers to Prof. Manuk Abeghian 37 Armenian authors, who were treated establish and maintain their own worldwide in a separate chapter each in Levon network of printing, distribution, reading and exchanging ideas. Hovhannes Babayan’s trilogy on Armenian , arguably This study focuses on one particular facet of the history of the most comprehensive study in this domain to date.3 To make : the editing and publication of the works of it easier both for the reader to follow the chronological structure Armenian medieval historians who lived in the 5th–18th centuries. of this article and for the author to make comparisons and gen- It analyzes the patterns of publication of both their original texts, eralizations, a number of ground rules were followed during the

September 1, 2012 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | 13 presentation of the compiled data. First, Cover page of the 1669 the works of Tovma Artzruni and edition of Arakel Davizhetsi's History (digitized Matteos Urhayetsi are considered as a by the National Library of single unit each; their continuators ) are not accorded individualized treat- ment. Secondly, if the same work has been published at different times contains numerous gram- under the name of different authors, matical errors. Moreover, he all of its editions are listed here under omitted certain sections, the author, who is now accorded the combined or rephrased oth- widest acceptance.4 Thirdly, only the ers, and made stylistic works of history of these 37 authors changes to bring Davrizhetsi’s are covered.5 Finally, if an author has style into conformity with produced more than one work of grabar. All these would neces- historical nature, only his major sitate the preparation of a crit- work is considered.6 Thus all but ical edition of Davrizhetsi three one of the 37 authors covered do centuries later. appear in this article with only The choice of the next one work, that which is generally Armenian medieval historian considered as their magnum to go into print appears more opus in history.7 logical. For centuries, had been consid- ‘GRABAR’ EDITIONS ered as the Father of Armenian History. The Geography attrib- edieval Armenian uted to him had already had two historiography editions when the editio prin- flourished not long after the ceps 9 of his History was printed creation of the in the 5th cen- in 1695, again in Amster dam, but Mtury. In contrast, publishing works of history was not foremost by Bishop Tovmas Nurijanian, a member of the Vanandetsi family in the minds of the first Armenian printers after 1512. It took of printers, who published over 20 Armenian-language books in exactly 157 years—until 1669—to see the first work of history the Dutch capital in 1685–1717. Khorenatsi’s first edition was printed in Armenian. By then, 70 titles in Armenian had already based only on a single manuscript, which was full of errors. seen the light. Nevertheless, it helped bring the work to the attention of western The first printed Armenian history was that of Arakel scholars and was reprinted in in 1752. Davrizhetsi, published by Archbishop Voskan Yerevantsi in After a couple of short-lived attempts in 1567–69 and 1677–78, Amsterdam. Most of the earliest printing had Armenian printing was established in on a more been carried out in . However, from 1660, Armenian printers regular footing at the end of the 17th century. For the next 100 had become attracted to the Dutch capital, considered then to years or so, the Ottoman capital consistently remained the city be the world’s wealthiest city. Printing standards had dropped in where the largest number of Armenian books was published. Italy during the 17th century and, perhaps more importantly, the Among these Constantinople publications were the next four largely Protestant Dutch Republic was renowned for its relative editiones principes of medieval Armenian historians: Grigor religious tolerance. Roman Catholic censors could not hamper Marzvantesi printed Agatangeghos (1709–10) and Hovhannes the work of Armenian printers there. Voskan, often considered (1719); Martiros Sargsian, Pavstos Buzand (1730); as the second most important early Armenian printer after and Hovhannes Astvatzatrian, Yeghishe (1764). This was an era Meghapart, arrived in Amsterdam in 1664 and printed 15 where the tasks of choosing the manuscript and editing it for Armenian-language books during his five-year stay. Foremost publication were not yet separate from the technical process of among his Amsterdam publications was, of course, the first full printing. Therefore, the owners of the printing presses are also edition of the Armenian in 1666–68. acknowledged as the publishers of the respective works, although Davrizhetsi’s History printed by Voskan is significant because they usually had a number of associates, from those who provided it was published during the author’s lifetime.8 The circumstances the manuscript and/or supervised the process of copy-editing that pushed Voskan to print Davrizhetsi’s work remain unclear. and proofreading to those who covered the printing expenses. The author had completed his manuscript in 1662 and had already When the Mkhitarist Father Mikayel Chamchian compiled in ordered a number of hand-copies to be made, probably to guar- the 1780’s his monumental, three-volume History of the , antee the work’s preservation in the future. Voskan’s print version the most ambitious such project since Khorenatsi and the first

14 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | September 1, 2012 comprehensive Armenian history in the 18th century, it was still in the modern times, only five medieval process of acquiring manuscripts to Armenian histories were in print. build up the rich library of over 4,000 Chamchian mentions twelve other Armenian manuscripts it now has on authors included in this survey, the isle of San Lazzaro. Indeed, the whose works he probably consulted compilation of Chamchian’s History in manuscript form. Indeed, he con- provided an important catalyst to tinued to receive new manuscripts as that process. The History of Ghazar writing was in progress. He also indi- Parpetsi, which had been discovered cates awareness of the existence of in a monastery in in 1782 and other medieval historians, whose immediately sent to Venice, was works he did not have at his disposal. eventually published in 1793. Among them, Ukhtanes, , However, it was only after 1826 that Ghevond, and the Mkhitarists began publishing would be discovered and published in medieval , includ- course of the next century. ing histories, in a consistent manner. The works of eleven historians ndeed, by 1915, all but three of included in this survey eventually the authors surveyed for this arti- came out in two parallel and long- cle were already in print, and lasting series: Entir matenagirk many of them had had multi- (Outstanding Medieval Authors) and Iple—a few, even critical—editions. Matenagrutiunk nakhniats (Ancient These new editions came out in over Writings). Among them, Khorenatsi a dozen different cities across the and Yeghishe were printed in both Ottoman and the Russian empires, but series. However, there were only two also in Western Europe and even the editiones principes: and British colony of India. These cities . Instead, the were either centers of Armenian Mkhitarists of Venice played a pivotal monastic communities, both Apostolic role in disseminating on a wider scale and Roman Catholic (Venice, , works, which had been published ear- , and ), or lier, but mostly as poor editions and towns hosting vibrant Armenian com- with limited printruns. Altogether, munities (Constantinople, Smyrna, between 1827 and 1914, they printed , St. Petersburg, Feodosiya, Yeghishe nine times; Khorenatsi, six; Shushi, Tiflis, and Calcutta). , Cover page of the first edition of Khorenatsi (Amsterdam, Pavstos and Koriun, three each; meanwhile, appears on this list solely 1695)—source: Hay girke 1512–1800 tvakannerin, p. 116 Agatangeghos, Parpetsi, Hovhannes because of the single-handed efforts Mamikonian, and Lastivertsi, twice of Father Karapet Shahnazariants (1814–65), who set up a printing each; and, finally, and , once press in the French capital in the second half of the 1850’s and each. These editions enjoyed the advantage of having been based published the series Shar hay patmagrats (Armenian Historians’ on comparing larger number of manuscripts than the earlier edi- Series), including the editiones principes of Ghevond, Stepanos tions of the same authors. Taronetsi Asoghik, Stepanos Orbelian, Kaghankatvatsi, and Tovma In 1773, some Mkhitarist monks broke away from the con- Metzopetsi. The 19th century is also the period when the publi- gregation in San Lazzaro and eventually settled in Vienna in 1810. cation of new editions of medieval histories gradually became However, the Vienna Mkhitarists—unlike their peers in Venice— associated with their editors, who were otherwise famous as aca- published only one medieval Armenian history before 1914: demics or scholars, rather than with the entrepreneurs who owned Constantinople-based Vahram Torgomian edited and published and ran the printing presses, as had been the case previously. Yeremia Chelepi Keomiurchian’s History of in serialized The first ever Armenian-language book printed in Calcutta form in the journal Handes Amsorya in 1909-13. Thereafter, the was the editio princeps of Kretatsi (1796). Thereafter, first volume of this work appeared under a separate cover in 1913. the printing press of Jentlum Avetian issued reprints of Hovhannes Most Mkhitarist monks were from Armenian communities Mamikonian (1814) and Yeghishe (1816), both based on the 18th- in the , and primarily from Constantinople. century editiones principes published in Constantinople. Nevertheless, various printing presses in Constantinople also The Mkhitarist Congrega tion, founded in 1700, joined the continued the legacy of printing medieval Armenian histories in efforts to print medieval histories relatively late. By the end of the 19th century, including the editiones principes of Sebeos

September 1, 2012 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | 15 (1851) and Artzruni (1852). In Smyrna Cover page of the 1709 reprints were issued of both Koriun Constantinople edition of Agatangeghos (digitized by and Yeghishe. the National Library of The Sts. James Armenian Convent Armenia) in Jerusalem was the third and only other location on Ottoman territory Petersburg Univesity. He where medieval Armenian histories published the editiones were printed in the 19th century, principes of Aknertsi including the editiones principes of (1870) and Mkhitar Anetsi Hovhannes Draskhanakerttsi (1843), (1879). Moreover, his new Urhayetsi (1869), and Grigor Aknertsi editions of Ayrivanetsi (1870).10 Medieval Armenian histo- (1867), Sebeos (1879), ries were never printed in Western Pavstos (1883), and (Ottoman) Armenia and Cilicia, Artzruni (1887) surpassed although limited Armenian-lan- in quality earlier editions of guage printing activity occurred these works. Also in the there after 1860. Russian capital, Stepan Finally, the uncovering of the Malkhasiants published a full range of reasons that put an new edition of Asoghik; and end to the printing of medieval Karapet Yeziants, of Ghevond. Armenian histories in Ottoman Armenian Apostolic cler- lands from the last quarter of the gymen and monastic institu- 19th century necessitates an in- tions played a pivotal role in depth study in the future. The the publication of medieval steady suppression of various Armenian histories in Eastern forms of Armenian nationalist (Russian) Armenia, beginning expression under Sultan with the editio princeps of Abdülhamid II was probably among these causes. The restora- Yesayi Hasan- tion of the Ottoman Constitution in 1908 did not alter this trend; Jalaliants in Shushi in 1839. The the only medieval Armenian history published in grabar in the Holy See of Ejmiatzin, in Vagharshapat, became prominent in Young Turk era was the editio princeps of Grigor Daranaghtsi in this field beginning in 1870. Its printing press released the edi- Jerusalem in 1915. tiones principes of Zakaria Kanakertsi (1870), Ukhtanes (1871), In the Russian Empire, Armenian printing developed later Ghukas Sebastatsi (1871), Simeon Yerevantsi (1873), Samuel Anetsi than under the Ottomans. Nevertheless, medieval Armenian his- (1893), and Khachatur Jughayetsi (1905). tories were printed in the second half of the 19th and early 20th In the last quarter of the 19th century, Tiflis, the administra- century not only in the Russian Empire’s large cities with vibrant tive capital of Russian Transcaucasia, challenged and eventually Armenian communities, like Moscow, St Petersburg, Feodosiya surpassed Constantinople as the city where the largest number (), and Tiflis, but also in two other important Armenian of Armenian-language books was being printed. Among the his- cultural centers in Eastern Armenia, Vaghar shapat (Ejmiatzin) tories released in Tiflis were reprints of Yeghishe, Khorenatsi, and Shushi. Agatangeghos, and Pavstos, published mostly for popular con- In Moscow, almost all the scholarly work in this domain is sumption. More prominent among these popular reprints were tied to the name of Mkrtich Emin, a professor of Armenian Studies the 16 volumes of the series Ghukasian (Ghukasian at the Lazarev Institute. He published the editiones principes of Library), published in 1904–17 with money bequeathed by Avetis Kaghankatvatsi (1860),11 Mkhitar Ayrivanetsi (1860), and Areveltsi Ghuakasian, an Armenian oil entrepreneur from . Never - (1861), as well as new and better editions of Draskhanakerttsi theless, the most important, at least from an academic viewpoint, and Orbelian. The editiones principes of Smbat Sparapet (1856) was the launching in 1903 of the series Patmagirk hayots and Gandzaketsi (1858) also appeared in Moscow, but they are (Historians of Armenia). It aimed at the preparation of critical not endowed with the scholarly qualities of Emin’s works. editions of the most important medieval histories, based on all The first medieval Armenian history printed in St. Petersburg earlier printed editions and all the extant manuscripts accessible and in the Russian Empire in general was Yeghishe’s second edi- to the specialists involved in this project. Galust Ter-Mkrtchian tion (1787). The printing of medieval Armenian histories resumed and Malkhasians published the critical edition of Parpetsi (1904); in the Russian capital exactly eight decades later and, for the next Ter-Mkrtchian and Stepan Kanayants, of Agatha ne gelos (1909); 20 years, it was largely associated with the academic career of and Manuk Abeghian and Set Harutiunian, of Khorenatsi (1913). Kerovbe Patkanian, Professor of Armenian Studies at the St. The outbreak of the First World War brought this project to a

16 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | September 1, 2012 halt. However, both Malkhasiants and Abeghian Cover page of the 1879 St Petersburg edition of Sebeos continued to study and publish medieval Armenian histories in subsequent decades. The period between 1914 and 1923 would and published by the Scientific Institute bring dramatic changes to Armenians living in of Ejmiatzin in June 1921, just a few the Ottoman and Russian empires. Prior to the months after the Communist takeover of Sovietization of Armenia in 1920, however, 34 Armenia, Soviet Armenian scholars did of the medieval Armenian historians surveyed not devote themselves to publishing new in this article were already in print. Of these, editions of medieval histories until the many, especially 5th-century authors, had appearance of the editiones principes of had numerous editions and reprints. Yeghishe Zakaria Aguletsi and Abraham Yerevantsi was the most popular; by 1914, his grabar in 1938. Thereafter, Malkhasiants published text had been printed on 27 occasions. a new edition of Sebeos (1939); and Khorenatsi had had twelve printings; and Abeghian, a critical edition of Koriun (1941). Agatangeghos, seven. There was less interest That same year, Ashot Garegin Abrahamian, in post-10th century historians, who only a relatively young scholar, issued what he had between one and three printings each. described as the critical edition of The genocide, followed by the Turkish Hovhannes Mamikonian, based on all pre- Nationalist takeover of Cilicia and Smyrna, vious editions and 23 manuscripts housed destroyed almost all of the Armenian communities across the in the Matenadaran. However, this edition former Ottoman world. Survivors would end up constituting the was heavily criticized soon after its publication and did not win . An important Armenian community per- acceptance from respected scholars. sisted in Constan tinople (now, Istanbul), but its cultural freedoms, After a hiatus of nearly two decades, Yervand Ter-Minasian especially overt expressions of Armenian nationalist sentiment, published a critical edition of Yeghishe (1957); Karapet Melik- were severely curtailed. Ohanjanian, of Gandzaketsi (1961); and Karen Yuzbashian, of At the same time, a new Communist order replaced Tsarist Lastivertsi (1963). Separately, the Soviet Georgian Academy of rule in Eastern Armenia, and an Armenian republic emerged Sciences published the critical text and parallel Georgian trans- within the new Soviet federal structure. The Soviet nationalities lation of chapters XXIV–LXVII of Draskhanakerttsi by E. V. policy accorded this new entity and other constituent republics Tsagareishvili. During the next decade, Margarita (Margo) of the federation wide cultural privileges, and hundreds of Darbinian-Melikian reissued in 1971 the original text of Ananun Armenian-language titles were thereafter published in Soviet Zrutsagir, alongside its Russian . Two years later Narpey Armenia every year. However, their content was carefully censored Ghorghanian published a critical text of Kretatsi and its Russian to make sure that the guidelines of Communist ideology and translation. A critical edition of Sebeos by Gevorg Abgarian was Soviet foreign policy were followed. At the same time, other printed in 1979. Finally, the last decade of Soviet rule witnessed Armenian cultural hubs across former Russian Tsarist territory, the publication by Joseph Avetisian of the editio princeps of especially Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Tiflis, gradually became Keomiurchian’s Concise Four Hundred-Year History of the Ottoman extinguished. thus became the undisputed center of Kings (1982). The next year, Varag Arakelian published the critical Armenian Studies scholarship throughout the Soviet Union and text of Kaghankatvatsi, while Hayrapet Margarian issued the first even the world. edition of Mkhitar Anetsi under a separate cover. In 1990, Lena Moreover, it was also around this period when grabar, having Khanlarian published a critical edition of Davrizhetsi, while the been gradually pushed out of Armenian school curricula, ceased 1913 critical edition of Khorenatsi was reprinted in 1991, with to be a language enjoying a wide readership. With it the tradition Ashot Sargsian adding collations of manuscripts in the of commercial publishers printing affordable grabar reprints of Matenadaran, Venice, and Vienna in an appendix. Armenian medieval histories faded away. All new grabar printings In the period of independence in the last 20 years, other rep- of these histories would now target a small readership of scholars utable publishing houses from the Soviet era, plus newly estab- and college students in the humanities and social sciences. In lished private firms, have joined the market of releasing the Yerevan, the publishers were usually the Soviet Armenian original grabar texts of medieval histories. However, the schol- Academy of Sciences and the Matenadaran, the repository of arship leading to these new editions is still carried largely by Armenian manuscripts. The only exceptions were those few edi- philologists working in the Matenadaran and trained in the late tions by the State Publishing House (Haypethrat) and Yerevan Soviet era. In 1994, the volume of Koriun in the newly established University Press, where the grabar texts were reprinted alongside Hayots matenagirner (Medieval Writers of the Armenians) series, the ashkharhabar translations of these histories. published by the Hayastan publishing house (the former Aside from the History of Ananun Zrutsagir, which was com- Haypethrat), included a new critical text compiled by Artashes piled by Galust Ter-Mkrtchian and Bishop Mesrop Ter-Movsisian Matevosian. In 1999, Magaghat Publishers posthumously released

September 1, 2012 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | 17 Levon Khachikian’s critical text of circle of scholars. A new edition of Metzopetsi. In 2005, the Zangak-97 Smbat, edited by Father Serobe Publishing House issued a reprint of Agelian, appeared in 1956. In 1977, the 1979 critical text of Sebeos, Father Sahak Chemchemian pub- together with a new ashkharhabar lished a new edition of Abraham translation. The next year, Yerevantsi, and, the next year, Father Darbinian-Melikian published the Samuel Aramian released a new edi- critical text of Artzruni, again tion of Sebastatsi.12 Finally, Father through Magaghat Publishers. Poghos Ananian prepared a new crit- Finally, Publishers (the former ical text of Koriun, which was pub- Sovetakan Grogh) published in 2011 lished alongside its Italian translation the critical text of Samuel Anetsi, in 1998. compiled by Hayrapetian. The contributions of the That same year, the new Mkhitarists of Vienna to this domain askharhabar translation of Aknertsi remained modest even after 1915. also reprinted the 1974 critical text Volumes II and III of Keomiurchian’s by Archbishop Norayr Pogharian, History of Istanbul, prepared by upon which it was based. Torgomian, were published in 1932 Within this context of reprints, and 1938, respectively. Later, Father mention should also be made of the Nerses Akinian prepared a new crit- 2007 edition of Hasan-Jalaliants, ical text of Koriun (1950). which was compiled by Arto Three medieval histories sur- Martirosian and published by Dizak veyed in this article have been pub- Plus in Stepanakert, and included lished in Jerusalem since the end of a reprint of the grabar text of the the First World War. Garnik Fntglian Cover page of the 1946 ashkharhabar translation of Yeghishe 1868 Jerusalem edition. released a new version of Koriun in The contribution of Yerevan 1930, while Archbishop (later University Press to the publication of the grabar texts of medieval Patriarch) Mesrop Nshanian compiled the editio princeps of Armenian histories has been extremely limited in both the Soviet Keomiurchian’s Diary. Finally, the critical edition of Aknertsi was and post-Soviet periods. This press has concentrated on the pub- published by Archbishop Norayr Pogharian in 1974. lication of the ashkharabar translations of these works, initially Outside monastic institutions, medieval Armenian histories through a series called Usanoghi gradaran (the Student’s Library). in the post-genocide diaspora have been printed the most in the For example, the ashkharhabar translations of Khorenatsi, United States. Outside North America, we can only point to two Parpetsi, Agatangeghos, Artzruni, Pavstos, Yeghishe, Urhayetsi, cases where the grabar texts of medieval Armenian histories were and Draskhanakertts were printed in this series next to the printed outside a monastic context. Of these, the more important reprints of earlier grabar editions. The new ashkharhabar trans- is the editio princeps of Keomiurchian’s History of the Burning of lations of both Sebastatsi (1992) and Areveltsi (2001), published Istanbul by Gevorg Bampukchian (1991). The other is the grabar by Yerevan University Press as well, but outside this series, also text of Koriun, which appeared in the 1954 reprint of include the grabar texts. Finally, the 1941 grabar critical text of Abeghian’s 1941 critical edition. Koriun is included in the Yerevan University Press’s multi-lingual Among the numerous grabar texts of medieval Armenian his- editions of 1981 and 2005. tories printed in the United States, two were original works of In the post-genocide Armenian Diaspora, the publication of scholarship. In 1951, Stepan H. Banian published in a the original texts of medieval Armenian histories also decreased, new critical text of Koriun. The second was Levon Khacherian’s again because of the inability of the younger generations to read critical edition of Sebastatsi. The editor had compiled the text grabar. Here, too, the realm of reading the grabar texts became when he still lived in Yerevan, but the book was published in Los restricted among a small community of scholars. Angeles in 1988, after he had emigrated from Soviet Armenia. After 1915, the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic monastic All other printings of medieval Armenian histories in the institutions went on for some time playing an important role in United States have been reprints of earlier editions, sometimes the domain of publishing and disseminating medieval Armenian in facsimile format. In 1949, the English translation of Aknertsi histories. Until 1955, the Mkhitarists of Venice periodically re- by Robert Blake and Richard Frye appeared in the Harvard issued reprints of their 19th-century editions of Agatangeghos, Journal of Asiatic Studies, and the grabar text was printed along- Parpetsi, Pavstos, Yeghishe, Koriun, and Khoren atsi. However, since side the translation. The same work was re-published under a then, the Mkhitarist editions of the grabar texts of medieval separate cover in 1954. Ten years later, Abeghian’s critical text Armenian histories have all been critical editions targeting a narrow of Koriun was printed alongside its new English translation by

18 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | September 1, 2012 Petros Norhat (Bedros Norehad). Robert W. Thomson’s 1976 Ayrivanetsi, and Orbelian, particularly if the author’s original English translation of The Teaching of St. Gregory (which con- manuscript has not survived and all that we have are a number stitutes an important segment of the History by Agatangeghos) of copied manuscripts independent of one another. included a reprint of the 1914 grabar text of Ghukasian Matenadaran. In 1980–93, Caravan Press, in Delmar, N.Y., printed ‘ASHKHARHABAR’ EDITIONS the Classical Armenian Texts Reprint Series, as many grabar edi- tions from the 19th and early 20th centuries had become difficult The imperative of having ashkharhabar translations of to find for scholars engaged in research in the United States. the important works written originally in grabar arose Agatangeghos, Draskhanakerttsi, Khorenatsi, Pavstos, Parpetsi, in the second half of the 19th century when Armenian Koriun, Artzruni, Areveltsi, and Yeghishe were reprinted in this school curricula shifted toward a wider use of the mod- series. Finally, a facsimile reprint of the 1868 Jerusalem text of Tern vernacular as the language of instruction, and the reading Hasan-Jalaliants was included alongside George A. Bournoutian’s public in good command of grabar narrowed. From then on, crit- 2009 English translation. ical editions and reprints of the grabar texts targeted mainly the The last serious effort to reprint medieval Armenian histories— community of scholars, while the ashkharhabar translations are as part of the Classical Armenian Literature of the 5th–18th still primarily for the wider lay public. centuries—is the series Matenagirk Hayots (Medieval Writers of The first efforts to render the medieval Armenian histories the Armenians), a collaborative effort among the Digital Library into ashkharhabar go back to the 1860’s, and most of these trans- of Armenian Classical Literature, based at the American lations were into the Eastern branch of the modern Armenian University of Armenia (Yerevan), the Catholicosate of Cilicia language. The first historian translated in full and published as (Antelias), and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Lisbon). a separate book was Yeghishe. Martiros Simeoniants’s Eastern Fifteen volumes were published in 2003–12, but all the scholar- Armenian translation was printed in 1863. Thereafter, three other ship behind this series emanates from post-Soviet Armenia. The ashkharhabar translations of Yeghishe appeared until 1914, mak- diasporan contribution is confined to providing the money and ing him a leader not only in the total number of grabar but also the printing facilities to publish these volumes. The works of of askharhabar editions for the pre-World War I period. Among Koriun, Pavstos, Yeghishe, Agatangeghos, Khorenatsi, Sebeos, these, Hakob Varzhapetian’s translation (Constantinople, 1911) Hovhannes Mamikonian, Ghevond, Ananun Zrutsagir, Artzruni, was the only rendering of a medieval Armenian Draskhanak erttsi, Kaghankatvatsi, Ukhtanes and Asoghik—i.e. history before 1914, as well as the first medieval Armenian his- authors, who lived until the 11th century—have already been torian to be printed in the Ottoman Empire since the beginning printed. Most of these texts are reprints of earlier critical—or of the Hamidian Era. The only other medieval historians trans- what are still considered as the best—editions of these histories. lated into prior to 1914 were Khorenatsi, However, in five cases, new critical texts were published. Gevorg Parpetsi, and Lastivertsi. Khorenatsi had two separate Ter-Vardanian prepared the new critical texts of Ghevond, ashkharhabar editions, both by Father Khoren Stepane, while Artzruni, and Draskhanakerttsi; Aleksan Hakobian, of Hovhannes the translations of Lastivertsi and Parpetsi were both accom- Mamikonian; and Gurgen Manukian, of Asoghik. Moreover, plished by Rev. Minas Ter-Petrosian and published in Petros Hovhannisian and Gevorg Matoyan, the editors of the Alexandropol. text of the History by Ukhtanes in this series, have attempted to correct the errors which had crept through the 1871 editio hereafter we observe a lull of nearly three decades during princeps of this work. The works of later historians will probably which no new ashkharhabar translations were pub- appear in the forthcoming volumes. lished, nor earlier pre-war editions reprinted. The sit- In the post-genocide era, Yeghishe has lost the top spot as uation changed drastically in the 1940’s, and since then the most frequently published medieval historian in his original, Tmany medieval Armenian histories have been translated to the grabar text to Koriun. The latter’s grabar text has had nine editions modern Armenian literary language—mostly to Eastern, but in printed since 1920. Among these, no less than six are new critical a few cases also to Western Armenian. texts. We can surmise that not only does the importance of In Soviet and post-Soviet Armenia, all translations have been Koriun’s topic—the life of , the inventor of the made in Eastern Armenian. In 1940, Haypethrat launched a series Armenian alphabet—make the work attractive for new critical entitled Hay patmagirneri matenashar ashkharhabar targmanu- editions, but its relatively concise nature does not demand per- tiamb (the Armenian Historians Series in Ashkharhabar severance extending over a number of years, as would be the Translation). The translations of four medieval histories appeared case with longer works. in this series. The first was Malkhasiants’s translation of As of now, most of the opera magna of medieval Armenian Khorenatsi. The second, published the following year, was historians living in the 5th-10th centuries have had their critical Abeghian’s critical grabar text of Koriun and the accompanying grabar texts prepared. Pavstos is the only notable exception. ashkharhabar translation. Ter-Miniasian’s translation of Yeghishe However, more effort is needed to prepare critical editions of a came out in 1946, and, finally, Malkhasiants issued a translation number of later historians, including Urhayetsi, Arevelsti, of Pavstos in 1947. In 1958, Ter-Minasian revised his translation

September 1, 2012 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | 19 of Yeghishe based on the new critical grabar text, which he had series to just four. The ashkharhabar translations of Yeghishe and published the previous year. These four ashkharahabar editions Khorenatsi were reprints, but Koriun’s new translation by Artashes have since reappeared (with small editorial changes) on a number Matevosian (1994) was based on significant amendments the lat- of occasions in Armenia and the diaspora. ter had proposed to Abeghian’s 1941 critical text. Varag Arakelian’s Following its publication of the revised ashkharhabar trans- 2006 ashkharhabar translation of Ukhtanes was also entirely new. lation of Yeghishe, Haypethrat also reprinted in the early 1960’s In addition to publishing a new trilingual edition of Koriun the 1940’s translations of Khorenatsi and Koriun. In 1964, this (2005), Yerevan University Press printed in the independence publishing house was renamed Hayastan and in 1968 launched period new ashkharhabar translations of Sebastatsi (by Arshak the Hay matenagirner (Armenian Medieval Writers) series to make Madoyan), Asoghik (Vardan Hakob Vardanian), Areveltsi (Gevorg the famous works of medieval Armenian authors available in Tosunian), and Metzopetsi (Arshak Madoyan). Eastern Armenian. When the Sovetakan Grogh (Soviet Author) The other new ashkharhabar translations released by various publishing house was separated from Hayastan in 1976, the task private publishing firms in Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh of continuing the Hay matenagirner series passed on to the new in the 21st century are Mkhitar Anetsi (by Vano Yeghiazarian, Van entity. Thirteen of the 16 volumes, published in this series between Arian Publishers, 2001), Simeon Yerevantsi’s Jambr (by Vazgen 1968 and 1989, are the works of medieval Armenian histories cov- Hambardzumian, Mughni Publishers, 2003), Sebeos (by Gurgen ered in this article: the reprints of Khorenatsi, Pavstos and Yeghishe, Khachatrian and Vano Yeghiazarian, Zangak-97 Publishers, 2005), plus new translations of Kaghankatvatsi (by Varag Arakelian), Hasan-Jalaliants (by Eduard Mkrtchian, Dizak Plus Publishers, Lastivertsi (Vazgen Gevorgian), Urhayetsi (Hrach Bartikian), 2007), Ananun Zrutsagir (by Varag Arakelian, Viamir Publishers, (Aram Ter-Ghevondian), Artzruni (Vrezh Vardanian), 2011), and Aknertsi (by Gurgen Khachatrian and Vano Ghevond (Aram Ter-Ghevondian), Gandzaketsi (Varag Arakelian), Yeghiazarian, Voskan Yerevantsi Publishers, 2011). Finally, a new Orbelian (Ashot Arsen Abrahamian), Davrizhetsi (Varag Arakelian), translation of Khorenatsi by Bagrat Ulubabian was published and Hovhannes Mamikonian (Vardan Hakob Vardanian). posthumously by “Gasprint” Publishers in 2003. Ashkharabar translations of medieval Armenian histories In the domain of ashkharhabar translations, too, the over- also appeared as part of the Yerevan University Press’s Usanoghi whelming majority of the work published in Armenia, even in gradaran series, launched in 1981. Khorenatsi, Pavstos, Yeghishe, the independence period, is the output of scholars trained in the and Urhayetsi were reprints, but the translations of Parpetsi (by Soviet era. Among them, Varag Arakelian tops the list, with the Bagrat Ulubabian) and Draskhanakerttsi (Gevorg Tosunian) translation of five medieval histories to his credit. However, at were new. The Usanoghi gradaran edition of Agatangeghos the other end of the age spectrum is Vano Yeghiazaryan, who was (1983) also included the ashkharhabar translation of the section still in college when the Soviet Union disintegrated. He has since known as The Teaching of St. Gregory, which had been omitted been involved in the translation of three medieval histories. in the 1977 Sovetakan Grogh edition. Moreover, Vrezh Vardanian New ashkharhabar translations have been much rarer in reportedly introduced important improvements in the 1985 the diaspora and mostly in Western Armenian. In 1949, Karo Usanoghi gradaran edition of Artzruni to the ashkharahabar Sasuni translated a large excerpt from Hovhannes Mamikonian translation, which he had first published in 1978. Finally, it and published it as a book in . Two years later, Stepan H. should be added that two separate editions of Khorenatsi were Banian included a parallel Western Armenian translation of his released in 1981 as part of Usanoghi gradaran. One was simply critical text of Koriun. Another Western Armenian translation another reprint of the 1940 Malkhasiants translation; the other, of Koriun by Zulal Gazanchian was published in the periodical however, printed in parallel both the 1913 grabar critical text Bazmavep in 2005. The celebrations marking the 1500th anniver- and Malkhasiants’s ashkharhabar translation. This last approach sary of the were the main motive behind the was later followed for the Usanoghi gradaran editions of publication of a new edition of Yeghishe in New York in 1952. Parpetsi, Agatangeghos, Artzruni, Pavstos, Yeghishe, Urhayetsi, It included a Western Armenian translation by Hovhannes and Draskhanakerttsi. Tsovikian (Zovickian) and an English translation by Dickran H. Efforts toward producing new ashkharhabar translations of Boyajian. Both were independent of the 1946 Eastern Armenian medieval Armenian histories have continued in the independence translation printed in Yerevan. This 1952 edition of Yeghishe period. Yerevan University Press and Hayastan continue to remain was reprinted in two separate volumes—Western Armenian and the most consistent publishers in this domain, although they have English—in 1975. More important is Very Rev. Arshavir been joined by a few newly established private publishing firms. Gabuchian’s Western Armenian translation of Sebeos, printed Almost two decades after yielding the privilege of publishing in Antelias in 1990. It marked the first occasion when the the ashkharhabar translations of medieval Armenian authors to Western Armenian translation of a medieval Armenian historian Sovetakan Grogh, the Hayastan publishers returned to this predated its Eastern Armenian version. Finally, a new Eastern domain in the early 1990’s with an ambitious new series, Hayots Armenian translation of Sebastatsi was published by Khacherian matenagirner (Medieval Writers of the Armenians). However, in Los Angeles in 1988, alongside his critical text. Khacherian’s economic difficulties after the disintegration of the Soviet system Eastern Armenian translation predated Arshak Madoyan’s trans- limited the total number of volumes eventually published in this lation of the same work, which would appear in Yerevan in 1992,

20 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | September 1, 2012 but, as mentioned above, Khacherian had completed most of in Armenian, to connect with these texts through the of this work prior to his emigration from Soviet Armenia. their adopted countries. Finally, two other separate projects of ashkharhabar trans- 3. See Drvagner Hayastani vagh feodalizmi darashrjani patmagrutian lation in the diaspora should also be mentioned. The first was (V–VIII darer) (1977); Drvagner Hayastani zargatsats feodalizmi the reprinting by the Husaber Press in Cairo in 1950–54 of earlier darashrjani patmagrutian (IX-XIII darer) (1981); and Drvagner Hayastani XIV-XVIII dareri patmagrutian (1984). All three volumes Eastern Armenian translations of Yeghishe, Khorenatsi, Koriun, were published by the Soviet Armenian Academy of Sciences in and Pavstos, which had appeared in Yerevan in the 1940’s. The Yerevan. The only medieval historian analyzed by Babayan in detail, only change was the adoption of Classical Armenian orthography, but excluded from this article, is Hetum Korikostsi (13th century), instead of the reformed Soviet orthography used in the original as his magnum opus, La flor des estoires de la terre d’Orient, was writ- Yerevan editions. Four decades later, the works of Agatangeghos, ten in medieval French and not in Armenian. Consistent with the Khorenatsi, Yeghishe, and Koriun were printed again in Western approach adopted toward the other historians covered in this article Armenian translation in Beirut in 1995–96 as part of the Hayogi (see note 6), the author did not take into consideration Hetum’s lesser (Armenian spirit) series. These translations are not made directly known chronologies, written in Armenian. from the grabar texts, as is the case with all other ashkharhabar 4. For example, all editions of the History of Taron are listed under translations, but from earlier Eastern Armenian translations. Hovhan Mamikonian (and not under ) and those of the Yeghishe’s History again leads the pack in the number of History of Aghvank, under Movses Kaghankatvatsi (and not separate ashkharhabar translations it has had.13 It has been Daskhurantsi). The same principle is followed in relation to the translated on six separate occasions—four times to Eastern and Histories of Ananun Zrutsagir, Vardan Areveltsi, Grigor Aknertsi, and Ghukas Sebastatsi, which were initially attributed, respectively, to twice to Western Armenian. Altogether, different ashkharahabar Shapuh Bagratuni, Vardan Bardzrberdtsi, Maghakia Abegha or Vardan translations of Yeghishe have been printed on 12 occasions— Patmich, and Stepannos Vrdanisian Shahumian. four of them prior to 1914 and the rest, since 1946. Ter- 5. For example, all other works attributed to Movses Khorenatsi and Minasian’s 1946 Eastern Armenian translation (amended in Yeghishe, and those authored by Areveltsi and Simeon Yerevantsi, 1958) has had six different printings. Koriun has had four sep- which do not fall into the medieval genre of history, are excluded. arate translations—two of them into Eastern Armenian—and 6. Thus, ’s Letter to Vahan Mamikonian, the List of nine editions overall, all since 1941. Of these, Abeghian’s Eastern Catholicoi by Hovhannes Draskhankerttsi, the Chronology attributed Armenian version has been published six times. Khorenatsi has to Stepanos Orbelian, Tovma Metzopetsi’s Colophon, and the Journal had three separate translations—all into Eastern Armenian— by Simeon Yerevantsi are excluded if they were published under a and its ashkharhabar versions have been printed twelve times separate cover. overall, sharing the top spot in this category with Yeghishe. 7. The only exception is Yeremia Chelepi Keomiurchian, of whom four Malkhasiants’s translation has had nine editions, the most for works of history have been published, each of them having a single edition to date. It would have been overambitious to go ahead and any ashkharhabar translation. Yet, there are still no single-handedly accord to any of these works the status of ashkharhabar translations for 10 out of the 37 medieval Keomiurchian’s magnus opus, without an already established con- Armenian historians surveyed in this article. All of these yet- sensus among the community of scholars. a to-be-translated authors lived in the 12th century or later. 8. Among the 37 medieval historians surveyed, only two others had their works printed during their own lifetime: Keomiurchian, a con- temporary of Davrizhetsi, and Simeon Yerevantsi, who lived over a ENDNOTES century later. However their historical works, covered here, were not 1. The author wishes to thank Artzvi Bakhchinian, George A. among these publications; they were printed posthumously. Bournoutian, the Rev. Father Serob Chamurlian, Zhirayr Danielian, Khachatur Jughayetsi’s History of the Persians was published in install- Karen Matevosian, and the Rev. Father Vahan Ohanian for providing ments in the first-ever Armenian-language periodical Azdarar (but some of the data used in this study. The article follows The Armenian not as a separate book) in 1795, the year, it is thought, the author Review Transliteration Key, based on the phonetic values of Classical died. and Eastern Armenian, and omits the use of diacritics. For the sake 9. In classical scholarship, editio princeps (plural: editiones principes) of consistency, even the names of Western Armenian scholars are means the first printed edition of a work that previously had existed transliterated according to Eastern Armenian pronunciation. A more only in manuscripts. detailed version of this study will be submitted to the journal 10. Indeed, two separate editions of Aknertsi were printed in 1870. Bazmavep (Venice). Because the efforts toward these two editions were carried independ- 2. In order to keep it within a manageable size, the article does not ently, this article considers both to be editiones principes. cover the translations of these works into foreign languages, despite 11. In the case of Kaghankatvatsi, too, there were two editiones principes the undeniable fact that many of these translations, together with in 1860, the other by Shahnazariants. the accompanying introductory chapters and annotations penned 12. Aramian’s edition of Sebastatsi was earlier published in installments by their scholar-translators, have made these works accessible to the in Bazmavep from 1972. international scholarly community, clarified many of the difficult 13. The Western Armenian translations, made from Eastern Armenian, terms and passages in these texts, and, more recently, provided a in the Hayogi series have not been considered as separate translations gateway to ethnic Armenians in the diaspora who can no longer read when compiling the data used in this paragraph.

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