Aghbiur Serob
Aghbiur Serob, born Serob Vardanian in 1864, was a famous Armenian military leader who organized a guerrilla group to defend Armenians in Sasun against Ottoman and Kurdish attacks. He was also known as Serob Pasha and Aghbiur Serob, a name that means “lion-hearted.”
He married Sose Mayrig in 1891, and they had two sons. After a clash with Kurdish fighters, he fled to Constantinople and later moved to Romania, where he opened a coffee shop to meet other revolutionaries. He joined the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and returned to Ottoman Armenia to defend his people.
In 1898, Kurdish forces attacked him in Babshen, but Serob and his fedayi escaped after a fierce battle. He earned the title Pasha and the nickname Aghbiur for his brave leadership. He led famed fighters such as Andranik Ozanian and Kevork Chavoush.
On a November day in 1899, during a meeting at his home, Serob was poisoned by a fellow Armenian bribed by Kurdish brigands. Kurdish attackers surrounded the house, and Serob, his son Hagop, twelve guards, his wife Sose, and others were killed. His head was cut off and displayed on a pike as a warning. Andranik later pursued the men responsible. Serob’s efforts helped Sasun gain near independence, and he is remembered as one of Armenia’s greatest revolutionaries. Leon Trotsky called him one of the most outstanding Armenian revolutionaries.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 19:37 (CET).