Two Khosrovidukhts

Khosrovidukht was a Armenian composer and poet whose origins are a mystery. Some scholars believe she was the sister of King Drtad III. According to legend, she had a vision where she learned that the only cure to her brother’s illness was to free Krikor Bartev (later saint) and to convert to Christianity. Other scholars believe Khosrovidukht lived in the 8th century and was abducted, along with her brother, by Arabs and taken to the fortress of Ani-Kamakh, now known as Kamah, where she lived in isolation for 20 years. She is reputed to have composed sharagan or canonical hymn titled “Zarmanali eh Ints” (“Wondrous it is to me”). According to some sources, the sharagan honors the memory of her brother, who was killed in 737 for reconverting to Christianity. Although the subject of the sharagan is secular, it was sanctioned for use in church services.

Khosrovidukht was a Armenian composer and poet whose origins are a mystery. Some scholars believe she was the sister of King Drtad III. According to legend, she had a vision where she learned that the only cure to her brother’s illness was to free Krikor Bartev (later saint) and to convert to Christianity. Other scholars believe Khosrovidukht lived in the 8th century and was abducted, along with her brother, by Arabs and taken to the fortress of Ani-Kamakh, now known as Kamah, where she lived in isolation for 20 years. She is reputed to have composed sharagan or canonical hymn titled “Zarmanali eh Ints” (“Wondrous it is to me”). According to some sources, the sharagan honors the memory of her brother, who was killed in 737 for reconverting to Christianity. Although the subject of the sharagan is secular, it was sanctioned for use in church services.