Meruzhan Artsruni ( hy, Մերուժան Արծրունի ''Meružan Arcruni'', also spelled ''Merujan'', ''Ardzruni'', ''Artzruni'', ''Artsrouni''; died 371 or 380/1) was a 4th-century ''
nakharar
''Nakharar'' ( hy, նախարար ''naxarar'', from Parthian ''naxvadār'' "holder of the primacy""նախարար" in H. Ačaṙean (1926–35), ''Hayerēn Armatakan Baṙaran'' (Yerevan: Yerevan State University), 2nd ed., 1971–79) was a heredi ...
'' (
Armenian feudal lord) from the
Artsruni family.
When the
Persian king
Shapur II invaded Armenia in the 360s, Meruzhan, his brother-in-law Vahan Mamikonian, and several other Armenian lords renounced Christianity for
Zoroastrianism and defected to Persia.
Meruzhan helped Shapur's army capture
Tigranocerta and raid the districts of
Arzanene,
Ingilene
Angeghtun () or Ingilene ( grc, Ἰγγηληνή; ) was a district of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia centered on the city and fortress of Anggh (), which gave its name to the district. Anggh is often identified with the modern city of Eğil in Tu ...
, Mzur in
Upper Armenia,
Sophene and
Acilisene, where they captured
Ani-Kamakh and desecrated the graves of the Armenian
Arsacid kings.
The Armenian king
Arshak II fled west to Asia Minor, while ''
sparapet
' ( hy, սպարապետ) was a military title and office in ancient and medieval Armenia. Under the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia, the ' was the supreme commander of the kingdom's armed forces. During the Arsacid period and for some time afterwards ...
'' (generalissimo)
Vasak Mamikonian was left to defend the central province of
Ayrarat alone.
Arsaces and Vasak would later be captured by Shapur by deception; Vasak was put to death and Arsaces committed suicide or was executed in
Anhush Berd.
Meruzhan is seen as a traitor in the classical Armenian histories. It is said that he was promised riches and governorship by Shapur and was given Shapur's sister as wife.
James R. Russell
James Robert Russell (born October 27, 1953) is a scholar and professor in Ancient Near Eastern, Iranian and Armenian Studies. He has published extensively in journals, and has written several books.
He served as Mashtots Professor of Armeni ...
believes Meruzhan to have been the dynastic ruler of Sophene who saw himself as a ruler exercising his lawful powers to counter the growth of Christianity. According to
Moses of Chorene
Movses Khorenatsi (ca. 410–490s AD; hy, Մովսէս Խորենացի, , also written as ''Movses Xorenac‘i'' and Moses of Khoren, Moses of Chorene, and Moses Chorenensis in Latin sources) was a prominent Armenian historian from the late an ...
, Meruzhan was put to death by Smbat Bagratuni in
Kogovit following the
Battle of Bagavan in 371, where the Roman-Armenian army defeated the Persians.
, however, reports that Meruzhan was killed several years later by
Manuel Mamikonian's men after attacking Armenia with an Iranian army.
[P'awstos Buzandac'i, ''History of the Armenians'', 5.43. https://rbedrosian.com/pb14.htm.]
Notes
External links
A History of Armenia by Vahan M. Kurkjian Chapter 19
Generals of Shapur II
4th-century monarchs in Asia
Artsruni dynasty
Armenian Zoroastrians
4th-century Armenian people
Armenian people from the Sasanian Empire
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