Theodore Rshtuni


Theodore Rshtuni

 

Year of birth unknown; died A.D. 658 in Damascus. Armenian military commander and statesman.

In the 640’s, in alliance with Byzantium, Theodore waged war against the Arabian Caliphate, which was attempting to subjugate Armenia. Having become supreme ruler of Armenia, Georgia, and Caucasian Albania, Theodore acknowledged dependency on the caliphate in 652. An internecine feudal conflict that flared up in Armenia served as a pretext for the incursion of Arab troops in 654. Theodore was taken captive and sent with 2,000 hostages to Syria, where he died.