David Saharuni
Encyclopedia
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 against Heraclius organized by his illegitimate son Atalarichos. David was also part of this plot. The attempt ultimately failed and Varaz-Tirots was deported to an island near the coast of North Africa. David Saharuni was attacked by general and ruler of Byzantine Armenia, Mzhezh Gnuni but David managed to evade capture and killed Mzhezh Gnuni, with the help of Gnuni's own troops, many of whom were Armenians sympathetic to Saharuni. David quickly obtained support from the local feudal lords, as a result Heraclius was forced to nominate David as kouropalates. The historian John Katholikos adds that the Armenians nobles also gave him the title of Ishkhan of Armenia. Three years later the nobility overthrew Saharuni and Theodoros Rshtuni
took his place as ruler of Armenia. The most detailed source covering the events of these years is historian Sebeos
in his History of Heraclius.
Sparapet
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...
, curopalates
Curopalates
Kouropalatēs, Latinized as curopalates or curopalata and Anglicized as curopalate, was a Byzantine court title, one of the highest from the time of Emperor Justinian I to that of the Komnenoi in the 12th century...
, ishkhan, and presiding prince of Byzantine controlled Armenia from 635
635
Year 635 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 635 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Religion :* Saint Aidan founds Lindisfarne in...
to 638
638
Year 638 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 638 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Muslims capture Jerusalem and Akko.* In...
.
David was a 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...
from the princely noble House of Saharuni
Saharuni
Saharuni was a region and family of the old Kingdom of Armenia c. 400–800.The first know ruler is Bat Saharuni c. 380.The ruler about 451 was Karen Saharuni; in 482 was Qadchadch Saharuni; c. 630 the ruler was David Saharuni....
. When the marzpan
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 Persarmania Varaz-Tirots Bagratuni was in the imperial court in Osroene
Osroene
Osroene, also spelled Osrohene and Osrhoene and sometimes known by the name of its capital city, Edessa , was a historic Syriac kingdom located in Mesopotamia, which enjoyed semi-autonomy to complete independence from the years of 132 BC to AD 244.It was a Syriac-speaking kingdom.Osroene, or...
, he entered in a plot against Heraclius organized by his illegitimate son Atalarichos. David was also part of this plot. The attempt ultimately failed and Varaz-Tirots was deported to an island near the coast of North Africa. David Saharuni was attacked by general and ruler of Byzantine Armenia, Mzhezh Gnuni but David managed to evade capture and killed Mzhezh Gnuni, with the help of Gnuni's own troops, many of whom were Armenians sympathetic to Saharuni. David quickly obtained support from the local feudal lords, as a result Heraclius was forced to nominate David as kouropalates. The historian John Katholikos adds that the Armenians nobles also gave him the title of Ishkhan of Armenia. Three years later the nobility overthrew Saharuni and Theodoros Rshtuni
Theodoros Rshtuni
Theodore Rshtuni , equated with the patrikios Pasagnathes of Theophanes the Confessor, was an Armenian nakharar, famous for resisting the first Arab invasions of Armenia...
took his place as ruler of Armenia. The most detailed source covering the events of these years is historian Sebeos
Sebeos
Sebeos was a 7th century Armenian bishop and historian who participated in the first Council of Dvin in 645.The history of Sebeos contains detailed descriptions from the period of Sassanid supremacy in Armenia up to the Islamic conquest in 661...
in his History of Heraclius.