Raffi

Raffi (1835–1888) was the pen name of Hakob Melik-Hakobyan, one of the most influential Armenian novelists of the nineteenth century. He was born in Payajuk, in the Salmas region of present-day Iran, and later became closely associated with Armenian intellectual life in Tiflis.

His travels through Armenian-populated regions gave him direct knowledge of local history, social conditions, and community life. He transformed these observations into historical novels and social fiction concerned with education, dignity, collective responsibility, and national renewal.

Raffi’s major works include The Fool, Samuel, Davit Bek, Sparks, Jalaleddin, and The Diary of a Cross-Stealer. His novels remain widely read for their storytelling, historical imagination, and lasting influence on modern Armenian literature.