Photograph of Mikael Nalbandian

Mikael Nalbandian (Միքայել Նալբանդյան in Armenian, alternate spellings: Mikayel Nalpantian, Miqayel Nalbandyan) (2 (14) November 1829 – 31 March (12 April) 1866) was an Armenian writer who dominated 19th century Armenian literature. Image File history File links MikaelNalbandian. ... Image File history File links MikaelNalbandian. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The existing Armenian literature begins around 400 AD. History The Armenians once had a temple literature of their own, which was destroyed in the 4th and 5th centuries by the Christian clergy, so thoroughly that barely twenty lines of it survive in the history of Moses of Khoren (Chorene). ...

Biography

Largely self-educated, Nalbandian initially pursued priesthood, but left it soon after, studied medicine briefly at Moscow University (1854-58) and finally succeeded in collaborating with Stepanos Nazaryan in founding of an influential periodical, The Northern Lights (Hyusisapayl). He traveled widely throughout Europe: Warsaw, Berlin, Paris, London and Constantinople, as well as to India. His passionate activities led to his arrest and imprisonment in St. Petersburg by the Czarist government in 1862. Having been accused of inciting anti-Czarist sentiments with the distribution of "propagandist" literature, he was eventually exiled (in 1865) to Kamyshin, a remote area over 500 miles southeast of Moscow on the west bank of the Volga in the province of Saratov. He died of tuberculosis in prison a year later. It was forbidden in Russia to possess a picture of Nalbandian; but portraits of him, with his poem, "Liberty," printed in the margins, were circulated secretly. Moscow State University campus M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (Московский Государственный Университет имени М.В.Ломоносова, often abbreviated МГУ, MSU, MGU) is considered the oldest university in Russia, founded in 1755. ... Warsaw (Polish: , (?), in full The Capital City of Warsaw, Polish: Miasto StoÅ‚eczne Warszawa) is the capital of Poland and its largest city. ... For other uses, see Berlin (disambiguation). ... The Eiffel Tower, the international symbol of the city For other uses, see Paris (disambiguation). ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... Constantinople[1] was the name of the modern-day city of Ä°stanbul, Turkey over the centuries that it served as the second capital of the unified Roman Empire, and after its division into East and West, of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire (from the city... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of the river Neva at the east end of the Gulf of Finland... Tsar, (Bulgarian цар�, Russian царь; often spelled Czar or Tzar in English), was the title used for the autocratic rulers of the First and Second Bulgarian Empires since 913, in Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and in Russia from 1547 to 1917. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Kamyshin (Камышин in Russian) is a city in the Volgograd Oblast in Russia, located on the right bank of the Volgogradskoye Reservoir in the estuary of the Kamyshinka River, at 50°4′N 45°24′E Population: 127,891 (2002); 101,000 (1972); 24,000 (1939). ... Moscow (Russian: Москва́, Moskva, IPA: ) is the capital of Russia and the countrys principal political, economic, financial, educational and transportation center, located on the river Moskva. ... For other meanings of the word Volga see Volga (disambiguation) Волга Length 3,690 km Elevation of the source 225 m Average discharge  ? m³/s Area watershed 1. ... Saratov flag Saratov (Russian: ) is a major city in southern European Russia. ... Tuberculosis (commonly shortened to TB) is an infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can also affect the central nervous system (meningitis), lymphatic system, circulatory system (Miliary tuberculosis), genitourinary system, bones and joints. ...

Legacy

Reform and renewal are the pinnacles of Nalbandian's literary legacy. His writing was influenced by the leading journalists that he encountered throughout his extensive travels. Nalbandian was greatly admired for his efforts in the movement towards creating a national literature that would realistically reflect the aspirations of the Armenian people. In A Reference Guide to Modern Armenian Literature, Kevork B. Bardarkjian writes, "Nalbandian attracted attention as an outspoken publicist... whose lively and bold style, at times crude and arrogant, was almost invariably laced with irony ... In both his literary and journalistic pieces, Nalbandian emerges as an unrelenting champion of freedom and equality; a fearless opponent of despotism, imperialism, and serfdom; an interpreter of human life from materialistic positions; a tireless propagandist of enlightenment, science; and scientific approach; a believer in agriculture as the key to prosperity and independence;..." History has labeled him a Revolutionary Democrat. Despotism is a form of government by a single authority, either a single person (ie. ... See also colonialism Imperialism is a policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisition and/or maintenance of empires. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

His poem, "Song of the Italian Girl" brought him lasting fame. It is believed, according to Bardakjian's sources, that it was borrowed and with some changes in wording was adopted as the current national anthem of Armenia (Mer Hayrenik). Nalbandian is buried in the Holy Cross Armenian Monastery (Sourp Khatch) in Nor Nahijevan where he was born. Mer Hayrenik (Our Fatherland) is the national anthem of Armenia. ...

Reference

• Bardarkjian, Kevork B. (ed.) (2000). A Reference Guide to Modern Armenian Literature. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0814327478.