Zaharya (c. 1680-1740/50)

Zaharya was a musician with both ecclesiastical and secular compositions, referenced in both Greek and Ottoman-Turkish sources. Although he composed church music, he is primarily remembered as a composer of secular music. Ottoman sources recognize him as the most significant non-Muslim composer of Ottoman music. Zacharias was a fur trader (kürkçü) from a wealthy background and was active during the reigns of Ahmed III (1703–1730) and Mahmud I (1730–1754), particularly during the Tulip Era (Lâle Devri, 1718–1730)—a period of flourishing arts and music. He was likely a hanende (vocalist) in the Ottoman Palace, and some sources suggest he also played the tanbur. His vocal and instrumental compositions are known for their sophistication, intricacy, and grandeur, and they remain central to the classical Turkish music repertoire. His rich body of work survives only in part, preserved through oral tradition, handwritten manuscripts in Byzantine and Hampartsum notation, and 19th-century printed collections. The claim that he converted to Islam in his later years, as well as the suggestion that he served as a church cantor, remain unverified due to lack of conclusive evidence.