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 RAFFI (Melik-Hakobyan Hakob) was born in the village of Payajouk, in 1835 (Salmas province of Persia) . The Armenian writer, publicist, public figure. He was born in the noble family. In 1847 Raffi studied at the school of Karapet Belakhyants in Tiflis, 1852-56 in the Russian State Gymnasium. 1857-58 he travelled through the Armenian provinces of Iran and Turkey and recorded the everyday life of the people, their customs and traditions. In the verses, poems and novels written in 50-70s of the 19th century (“The hirelings of the Hell”, “Ara in the field of battle", “Sarah” 1874, “Salpi” (published in 1911), “Harem”) he depicted the life of the Persian Armenians having the ideas of Enlightenment as a starting point. In the frame of the Enlightenment ideology, Raffi referred to the social significance of Literature.  

From 1870 he worked at “Mshak” (Tiflis) newspaper, where his short stories “Pretty Vardik” (1872), “Unhappy Hripsime” (1872), “One piece of soil” (1873), “Bibi Sharabani” (1876) were published. 

At the end of 1870s Raffi’s world-view has somewhat changed. Following the social theories of that time he came to the conclusion that the development of the society is subjected to certain laws and they are obligatory for all the people. 

In the journalistic articles  “Cerberus of the Family” (1872), “Letter from Constantinople” (1873), “Commerce among Armenians” (1872), “Letter from Persia” (1876) etc., he touched upon economic, moral, educational and other issues. In the novel “The Memoir of A Cross-Stealer” (1869-70, published in 1882-83) he put forward the idea of the civic duty of the individual. In the novels “Zahroumar” (1871, published in 1895), “Golden Cock” (1870, published in 1882), “One like this, the other like that” (1890) he depicted the lifestyle of bourgeoisie. 

Considering the European diplomacy concerning the Armenian Issue ineffective Raffi put forward the idea of national-liberation struggle (“The Fool” 1881, “Sparks”, volumes 1,2, 1883, 1887). In the novel “Davit Bek”  (1882) he depicted the events during the national-liberation movements at the end of the 17th century, the chronology “The Melikdoms of Khamsa” represents the struggle of Artsakh meliks for independence. The events taken place in Armenia in the half of the 4th century are depicted the historical novel “Samvel” (1886). The idea of the national unity is the core of Raffi’s philosophy. The literary-critical articles are the essential part of Raffi’s literary heritage. Raffi raised the Armenian prose to the new level merging it with the criteria of the world literature. 

Raffi died on April 4, 1888 in Tiflis and is buried in the Khojivanq Cemetery. Raffi’s family moved to London after his death.

Streets, schools in Yerevan and other cities of RA are named after Raffi. 

Source - "Who is Who. The Armenians" Encyclopedia, Volume 2, chief-editor  Hovh. Ayvazyan, Yerevan, 2007.