Theodoros Rshtuni
Encyclopedia
Theodore Rshtuni equated with the patrikios Pasagnathes (Πασαγνάθης) of Theophanes the Confessor
, was an Armenian
nakharar
, famous for resisting the first Arab invasions of Armenia. Rshtuni was appointed as ishkhan and kouropalates of Byzantine Armenia by Emperor Heraclius
when the previous ishkan David Saharuni
was overthrown by other nakharars.
(commander-in-chief) of the Armenian forces in the Armenian Marzapante
and was appointed as the marzban
of Armenia in 634. He defended, alongside the Byzantine General Procopius, against the first, unsuccessful, Arab attack into Armenia in 640. He was unable to prevent the Arabs from pillaging the capital of Dvin
in 642. He gained a victory over the Arabs, for which he was recognized as ruler of Armenia by Constans II in 643.
Constans paid special attention to his family's imperiled homeland of Armenia, and he favored Byzantine generals of Armenian extraction to halt Arab advances. Meanwhile, the strength of Arab assaults continued to increase. Theodore eventually concluded a truce with then governor of Syria, Muawiyah I
in 651, and Arabs concentrated their efforts against the remaining pockets of resistance in the Sassanid Empire
. Finally, by 652 Rshtuni, despairing of further resistance, accepted Muawiyah's suzerainty and was appointed ruler of Armenia. Rshtuni was able to negotiate a treaty that left Armenia with a relatively high level of autonomy.
In response, Constans personally marshaled his forces and led them to Armenia despite a growing plot against him in Constantinople
, ironically by the Armenian commander of the Army of Thrace
. Constans secured Armenia and deposed Theodoros, who took refuge on the island of Akhtamar. A Byzantine commander named Maurianus was given the task to defend the Armenian frontier. In 654 Maurianus was driven out of Armenia into the Caucasus
and Theodoros was restored. Deciding that Theodoros was untrustworthy, the Arabs sent him to Damascus
, where he died in captivity the following year. He was replaced as prince by his son-in-law, Hamazasp Mamikonian
. His body was brought to his home district of Rshtunik'
, where he was buried in the tomb of his forefathers.
. The Armenian writer Tserents
also wrote a historical novel called Theodoros Rshtuni.
Theophanes the Confessor
Saint Theophanes Confessor was a member of the Byzantine aristocracy, who became a monk and chronicler. He is venerated on March 12 in the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church .-Biography:Theophanes was born in Constantinople of wealthy and noble iconodule parents: Isaac,...
, was an Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
nakharar
Nakharar
Nakharar was a hereditary title of the highest order given to houses of the ancient and medieval Armenian nobility.-Nakharar system:Medieval Armenia was divided into large estates, which were the property of an enlarged noble family and were ruled by a member of it, to whom the title of Nahapet...
, famous for resisting the first Arab invasions of Armenia. Rshtuni was appointed as ishkhan and kouropalates of Byzantine Armenia by Emperor Heraclius
Heraclius
Heraclius was Byzantine Emperor from 610 to 641.He was responsible for introducing Greek as the empire's official language. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the exarch of Africa, successfully led a revolt against the unpopular usurper Phocas.Heraclius'...
when the previous ishkan David Saharuni
David Saharuni
David Saharuni was sparapet, curopalates, ishkhan, and presiding prince of Byzantine controlled Armenia from 635 to 638.David was a nakharar from the princely noble House of Saharuni. When the marzpan of Persarmania Varaz-Tirots Bagratuni was in the imperial court in Osroene, he entered in a plot...
was overthrown by other nakharars.
Arab invasions
Prior to the Arab invasions, Rshtuni had been appointed the sparapetSparapet
Sparapet was a hereditary military rank that originated in the 2nd century BC, under the reign of King Artashes I, and was used in the Kingdom of Armenia and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , was supreme commander of the armed forces. It was the equivalent of the Parthian Spahbod Sparapet was a...
(commander-in-chief) of the Armenian forces in the Armenian Marzapante
Marzpanate Period
Marzpanate period refers to the period in Armenian history after the fall of the Arshakuni Dynasty of Armenia in 428, when Marzpans , nominated by the Sassanid Persian King, governed the eastern part of Armenia...
and was appointed as the marzban
Marzban
Marzban were a class of margraves or military commanders in charge of border provinces of the Sassanid Empire of Persia between the 3rd and 7th centuries CE....
of Armenia in 634. He defended, alongside the Byzantine General Procopius, against the first, unsuccessful, Arab attack into Armenia in 640. He was unable to prevent the Arabs from pillaging the capital of Dvin
Dvin
Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan...
in 642. He gained a victory over the Arabs, for which he was recognized as ruler of Armenia by Constans II in 643.
Constans paid special attention to his family's imperiled homeland of Armenia, and he favored Byzantine generals of Armenian extraction to halt Arab advances. Meanwhile, the strength of Arab assaults continued to increase. Theodore eventually concluded a truce with then governor of Syria, Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I was the first Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty. After the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims, Muawiyah's family converted to Islam. Muawiyah is brother-in-law to Muhammad who married his sister Ramlah bint Abi-Sufyan in 1AH...
in 651, and Arabs concentrated their efforts against the remaining pockets of resistance in the Sassanid Empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
. Finally, by 652 Rshtuni, despairing of further resistance, accepted Muawiyah's suzerainty and was appointed ruler of Armenia. Rshtuni was able to negotiate a treaty that left Armenia with a relatively high level of autonomy.
In response, Constans personally marshaled his forces and led them to Armenia despite a growing plot against him in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, ironically by the Armenian commander of the Army of Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
. Constans secured Armenia and deposed Theodoros, who took refuge on the island of Akhtamar. A Byzantine commander named Maurianus was given the task to defend the Armenian frontier. In 654 Maurianus was driven out of Armenia into the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and Theodoros was restored. Deciding that Theodoros was untrustworthy, the Arabs sent him to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, where he died in captivity the following year. He was replaced as prince by his son-in-law, Hamazasp Mamikonian
Mamikonian
Mamikonian, Mamikoneans, or Mamigonian was a noble family which dominated Armenian politics between the 4th and 8th century. They ruled the Armenian regions of Taron, Sasun, Bagrevand and others...
. His body was brought to his home district of Rshtunik'
Rshtuniq
Rshtunik was a region of the old Armenia, in Vaspurakan, East of Antzevasiq. It was ruled by the family Rshtuni....
, where he was buried in the tomb of his forefathers.
Legacy
According to Manuk Abeghian and a number of other scholars, the popularity of Rshtuni in Armenia manifested itself in the character of K'eṛi T'oros in the epic poem of David of SasunDavid of Sasun
David of Sasun or David of Sassoun is an Armenian epic hero from the Daredevils of Sassoun who drove Arab invaders out of Armenia.The Sasuntsi Davit is an Armenian national epic poem recounting David's exploits...
. The Armenian writer Tserents
Tserents
Tserents , 1822 - Tiflis, February 1 , 1888) was a prominent Armenian writer.- Biography :Tserents studied at Venice, at the San Lazzaro degli Armeni of the Mekhitarist Order between 1831–1837 and continued his education in Paris . He returned to Constantinople in 1853 and lived for several years...
also wrote a historical novel called Theodoros Rshtuni.