Armenian Women

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Even though the role of an Armenian woman has always been  a homemaker, taking care of their husband and children, they were not afraid to grab the rifle and go fight next to their husbands, children and countrymen for the Fatherland.

	Sultan Simian
	Serpouhi Yanekian-Asdghig
	Mariam Chilingirian
	Yeghisapeth Najarian -  Yotneghperian
	Khanem Ketenjian

They sent their young children to fight and die for their country next to their fathers without a second  thought, knowing that they may never see them again.

Even today, an Armenian woman will not hesitate to sacrifice her own motherly love for her children, as you can see below, and send her son to fight for Fatherland.

An example of the courage and self sacrifice of Armenian woman was Sose Mairig,  born in 1869 in the village of Teghout on the slopes of Mount Nemrut. The daughter of Markar Dro-Avandur belonged to a large family and had many siblings. Sose was illiterate and married young, without any formal schooling.

Sose was familiar with her husband, Serop Aghpiur, because he was a friend of the family. At age 13, she fell in love with Serop and was married to him shortly after that. Together, they had two sons, Hagop and Samson, probably born between 1884 and 1887 respectively. Sose's involvement started the day she married Serop. The couple's involvement with Dashnaksutiun started around 1891, soon after the Federation of Armenian Revolutionaries was founded.

Sose Vartanian, wife of Serop, became a living legend among both Armenians and Turks for her courage as a fedayee. After marrying Serop, her life consisted of a series of adventures, spent mostly in the mountains with Serop and sons, Hagop and Samsom and a group of fedayees. This clan of fedayees were all under Serop's command, with the exception of when Serop was away on special missions. Sose took charge of the men under these circumstances and fought bravely in many battles, thus earning her legend as a heroine.

Sose's role was no different from that of a male fedayee, with the added tasks of a mother and housewife. She was a rare phenomenon, a female fedayee, resolute, fearless, cool and cunning in battle, she was often resented by the men. Her career as a fedayee came to an end in 1899, Gialiguzan village, when Serop, betrayed and treacherously poisoned, was killed in fierce battle with the government troops. Sose was seriously wounded; her life was spared by the commanding officer of the Turkish troops, who admired her courage and heroic and attractive bearing. At government expense, he had her treated at a hospital. After recuperating, she was jailed in Baghesh.

She was loved so much that people called her Sose Mayrig (mother).

The history of those days is best preserved in the lyrics of the songs people sang about brave people and major events. Click below to listen to Karnig Sarkissian singing a dedicated song about her and her husband.
 

Karnig Sarkissian - Seropin Yev Soseyin Yerke.mp3