Rshtuni ( hy, Ռշտունի, also spelled Rashduni, Rshdouni, Reshdouni, Rashdouni, Rachdouni, Rachdoni, and Rushdoony) was an old Armenian noble house which ruled the region of

Rshtuniq Rshtunik ( hy, Ռշտունիք) was a canton (''gavar'') of the province of Vaspurakan of historical Armenia, encompassing the area on the southern coast of Lake Van, which was also referred to as ''Ṛshtuniatsʻ Tsov'' ("Sea of Rshtunik"), as w ...

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, for more information on ancient Armenia and Armenians, please see History of Armenia. For information on the medieval Armenian Kingdom in Cilicia, please see the separate page Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. ...

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 obtained from Arshakunis after the extermination of the family Bznuni. Rshtunis support the Sassanid Persians 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 Theodore Rshtuni, also spelled Theodoros Ṛštuni (, ; AD 590–655 or 656), equated with Pasagnathes (Πασαγνάθης), the "''patrikios'' of the Armenians" from the chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor,marzban 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 Artsrunis and losing their hereditary land of Bznunik to the

Mamikonian Mamikonian or Mamikonean ( Classical hy, Մամիկոնեան; reformed orthography: Մամիկոնյան; Western Armenian pronunciation: ''Mamigonian'') was an aristocratic dynasty which dominated Armenian politics between the 4th and 8th c ...

s in 656. Vart Rshtuni is the last attested member of the family in 705. Notable Rshtuni Raffi Aram Rashduni (born 2004) - Professional Armenian Bodybuilder

References

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