The first Armenian historical works are at the same time documents of literature. They have preserved specimens of the pagan Armenian poetry and legends (Haik, Aram, Tork Angegh, Ara Geghetsik and Shamiram, Vahagn Vishapakagh, etc.). Later, parallel with the consolidation of the Christian ideology they gave way to the ecclesiastical literature. The foundation of the Armenian religious poetry is connected with the name of Mesrop Mashtots. A number of his hymns (sharakans) have survived. They include poems, devoted to the Church holidays, saints, historical events, etc.

In the 10^th century a great break took place in the Armenian literature. A new type of poetry was formed. The first representative of this trend was Grigor Narekatsi (951-1003). His delightful hymns and the poem Book of Lamentation, by their supreme mastery of language and expression of the most sensitive human emotions are one of the masterpieces of world literature. For the first time, Narekatsi brings love, female beauty, nature and work to the Armenian poetry. Narekatsi is also a great language - builder. Together with grabar (the ancient Armenian language), he uses spoken words, creates new words with the help of word combinations.

After Narekatsi the medieval Armenian poetry became more secular in the poetry of Hovhannes Sarkavag. The poem A word of wisdom (in 118 lines), devoted to a starling, is a novelty with its form and contents in the medieval art of poetry and its theory. Sarkavag considers poetry to be the imitation of the nature and not a divine gift.

The famous 12^th century poet Nerses Shnorhali (1102 - 1173) uses easy words to create melodious and euphonious poems and works out the prosody of the Armenian. The first Armenian historical creation in verse Vipasanutiun (A book of Epic) is written by Shnorhali, as  well as odes and riddles. One of the most famous poems of Shnorhali, Laments of Edessia consists of 1070 strophes with two lines in each. It is about the occupation of Edessia in 1144, its conquest and slaughter. In the poem he addresses Major Armenia, the towns of Vagharshapat and Ani, glorifying their past and lamenting their present days. Among the 13^th century poets, who express the interests of common people, Frik, Kostandin Erzinkatsi and others tried to protest against the Church:

Secular themes became more popular and the first secular poem, History of Farman the Child (1200 lines) was written.

The poems of many poets from the 13^th to the 18^th centuries, Kostandin Yerzenkatsi, Khachatur Kecharetsi (13^th-14^th centuries ), Arakel Baghishetsi, Arakel Sunetsi, Mekertich Naghash, Hovhannes Telkurantsi (15^th century), Grigor Akhtamartsi (15^th-16^th centuries), Stepanos Tokhatetsi, Martiros Ghrimetsi, Naghash Hovnatan (17^th century), Sayat Nova (1712 - 1795), etc., expressed the complex and contradictory psychology of the medieval man, the eternal struggle of body and soul, the hard life of the people, their protest against foreign invaders and belief in a better tomorrow.

Along with poetry Armenian prose developed considerably in the Middle Ages. At first it was woven with historiography, but later it appeared in the form of lives of saints, religious instructions, fables and discourses. In the 12^th-13^th centuries the fables of Mekhitar Gosh and Vardan Aygektsi, close to the traditions of ancient fabulists, such as Aesop and Olympus, continued the traditions of the ancient Armenian folklore.

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