Wednesday, June 19, 2024

The love between Kurdish men and Armenian women in the 12th-century

They say romance has died. Perhaps that is true now. However, this was not true historically for the bond between Kurdish men & Armenian women. In a 12th-century Armenian text, the verdict is pronounced on Armenian women who laughed too much at silly jokes made by Kurdish lads:

CONCERNING A WOMAN WHO DWELLS WITH A KURD.

Concerning a woman who has been with a Kurd, if in life or at death she repents and leaves him and becomes the wife of an Armenian: if previously she has not been the wife of any lawful person, or if she has been such and thereafter dwelt with a Kurd, she is considered to be outside the law, for that is held to be fornication. If thereafter she mends her ways and becomes zealous for purity, it is proper to marry her and not to reject her on account of the previous unclean life she led with infidels.

CONCERNING A WOMAN WHO FORNICATES WITH A KURD.

If a woman fornicates (šnay) with a Kurd [or] with a Sodomite, if it be by her own inclination, she shall doubly repent of her sodomitic fornication; if she is found unprotected and is violated by either of these two evil men, or if a maidservant or a manservant [is violated] by their master, they are innocent. But for the sake of purity they shall repent for 3 years; a man is considered more [culpable] than a woman, for a man has the means of freeing himself.

The author was concerned by what he saw as improper relationships that transcended creeds. Romance that transcended creeds would not be uncommon, especially given that the general population did not value beliefs as much as the author believes they should:

CONCERNING AN ARMENIAN WOMAN WHO LIVES WITH A KURD [AND WILL NOT SEPARATE FROM HIM] FOR THE SAKE OF CHRISTIANITY

If an Armenian woman, being a Christian, lives with a Kurd and will not separate from him for the sake of Christianity, let no priest or layman commune with her, let no priest hear her confession or baptise her children or administer the sacraments at the hour of her death or perform a mass after her death



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