Tumanyan Hovhannes

Tumanyan Hovhannes (1869–1923), Armenian writer and public figure. He was born in a small village of Dsegh in the Lori region (presentday Tumanyan Region), Armenia. He received primary education at the village parochial school, then he attended a school in Jalaloghly (present-day Stepanavan). At the age of 14, together with his father, he moved to Tbilisi to continue his studies at the Nersisyan theological seminary; however, owing to the money crunch, he was unable to finish the seminary and he resorted to self-education. At first, he lived on Bebutov street (presentday Lado Asatiani street in Tbilisi), later, as of 1904, on Ascension street (former Davitashvili street). Representatives of Georgian and Armenian intellectuals of Tbilisi used to gather at Tumanyan’s house, which fulfilled the function of a literary salon. Even today, the house is called ‘Tumanyan’s House’.

In his works H. Tumanyan depicted everyday existence and customs of Armenian people, their past and contemporaneous life, friendly links of Georgian and Armenian people. He wrote verses, poems, stories, tales and fables. His best works are: poems - Maro (1887), Anush (1890), Capture of Tmogvi Fortress (1902), Davit Sasunts (1902), tale – A Drop of Honey (1909), story – Giqor (1895), verses – About Georgia (1916), Spirit of Georgia (1919), To the Poets of Georgia (1919) and many more.

H. Tumanyan died in Moscow. He is buried in Tbilisi.