Rshtuni (, also spelled Rashduni, Rshdouni, Reshdouni, Rashdouni, Rachdouni, Rachdoni, Rshduni, and Rushdoony) was an old Armenian noble house which ruled the region of Rshtuniq who were purportedly descendants of Rusas I of Urartu. The first attested member of the house is Manadjihr Rshtuni from about 330, brother of Zora, attested in 335 and 350 both of whom revolted against the

King of Armenia This is a list of the monarchs of Armenia, rulers of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity), Kingdom of Armenia (336 BC – AD 428), the medieval Bagratid Armenia, Kingdom of Armenia (884–1045), various lesser Armenian kingdoms (908–1170) ...

Tiran, along with the prince Vatche Artsruni. The king ordered the extermination of the two families, but Savasp Artsruni and Tadjat Rshtuni survived. The latter is the father of Garegin Rshtuni, attested between 370–80. Artak Rshtuni is attested in 445. The family rules from their region of Rshtuniq, as well as

Bznuniq Bznuniq was one of the 16 cantons of the Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity), Armenian historic region of Turuberan. It was located to the northeast of Lake Van. The canton was later known as Ahlat, Khelat. It was ruled by the Bznuni family. See also * ...

obtained from Arshakunis after the extermination of the family

Bznuni The Bznunis () are an ancient authority, a nakharar () family in Armenia. Genealogy According to ancestral story, which tells us Movses Khorenatsi, the dynasty of Bznunis originates from Baz forefather. Baz was Manavaz Haykazuni's grandson. H ...

. Rshtunis support the

Sassanid Persia The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...

ns for the most part against the Byzantines. The best-known member and the leading figure of the family in the early 7th century is Theodoros Rshtuni,

marzban Marzbān, or Marzpān (Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭫𐭱𐭰𐭠𐭭𐭯 transliteration: mrzwpn, derived from Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭫𐭱 ''marz'' "border, boundary" and the Middle Persian suffix: 𐭡𐭭𐭯 ''-pān'' "guardian"; Modern Persian: ...

then prince of Armenia from 638 to 655, who had the difficult task of ensuring Armenia's survival between Byzantine and Arab ambitions. Following the destruction of the Sassanid empire, the Muslim incursions into Armenia in 642 began. He is eventually exiled by the Caliph to Damascus. The family becomes increasingly irrelevant following Theodoros' exile, becoming vassals of the

Artsruni The House of Artsruni (; also Ardzruni or Artsrunid) was an ancient princely and, later, royal dynasty of Armenia. Name The name ''Artsruni'' contains the ending , which is widespread in old Armenian family names. The early Armenian historian ...

s and losing their hereditary land of Bznunik to the

Mamikonian Mamikonian or Mamikonean () was an Armenian aristocratic dynasty which dominated Armenia between the 4th and 8th centuries—through the late antique kingdom, Sasanian, Byzantine, and Arab dominations. They were the most notable noble house in ...

s in 656. Vart Rshtuni is the last attested member of the family in 705.

References

René Grousset René Grousset (; 5 September 1885 – 12 September 1952) was a French historian who was curator of both the Cernuschi Museum and the Guimet Museum in Paris and a member of the prestigious Académie française. He wrote several major works on ...

, Histoire de l'Arménie des origines à 1071, Paris, 1973, {{ISBN, 2-228-27130-6 Armenian noble families Ancient Armenia Armenian nobility