Theodoros Rshtuni

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Theodoros Rshtuni (Armenian: Թեոդորոս Ռշտունի) (590 - 655) was a nakharar, ishkhan and kouropalates of Armenia, 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.^[1] 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 named sparapet (commander-in-chief) of the Armenian army by Constans II in 643.^[2] Constans paid special attention to his family's imperiled homeland of Armenia, and he favored Byzantine generals of Armenian extraction to halt Arab advances.^[3] 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 became an ostikan.^[3] 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.^[3] 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 ostikan with another prince, Hamazasp Mamikonian. His body was brought to his home district of Rshtuniq, and he was buried in the tomb of his forefathers.