Mzhezh or Mjej

Gnuni Gnuni (; c. 300–800.) was a princely family in Armenia, who ruled the region of Aliovit, including the cities of Archesh, Arberani and Berkri on the northern shore of Lake Van Lake Van ( tr, Van Gölü; hy, Վանա լիճ, translit=Va ...

( hy, Մժեժ Գնունի, ''Mžēž Gnuni''), was an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

sparapet of

Byzantine Armenia Byzantine Armenia, sometimes known as Western Armenia, is the name given to the parts of Kingdom of Armenia that became part of the Byzantine Empire. The size of the territory varied over time, depending on the degree of control the Byzantine ...

. Initially serving under

Heraclius Heraclius ( grc-gre, Ἡράκλειος, Hērákleios; c. 575 – 11 February 641), was List of Byzantine emperors, Eastern Roman emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the Exa ...

, the contingent of Armenian troops under his command were instrumental in the Byzantine success against the

Sassanids The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the History of Iran, last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th cen ...

during the Byzantine-Persian Wars that culminated in the overthrow of

Khosrau II Khosrow II (spelled Chosroes II in classical sources; pal, 𐭧𐭥𐭮𐭫𐭥𐭣𐭩, Husrō), also known as Khosrow Parviz (New Persian: , "Khosrow the Victorious"), is considered to be the last great Sasanian king (shah) of Iran, ruling fr ...

in 628. He also served as the

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 ...

(commander in chief) of Byzantine Armenia from about 630 to 638, and during this time may have been responsible for the founding of the

Cathedral of Mren The Cathedral of Mren is a 7th-century Armenian church in an abandoned medieval town site called Mren. It is located in the Kars region of Turkey, near the border with Armenia, about 1.5 km west of the Akhurian River. The church of Mren is a ...

. He was succeeded in this position by

David Saharuni David Saharuni ( hy, Դաւիթ Սահառունի, ''Dawit' 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 ...

, from the middle-ranking Armenian nobility, after being accused of plotting against the life of Heraclius. While being sent into exile he escaped and made his way back to Armenia. There he raised an army, but David Saharuni defeated and then slew Mjej Gnuni and, by uniting various local princes, declared himself ruler of Armenia. Faced with such a fait acompli, and recognizing Armenia's strategic importance, in 638 Heraclius confirmed David in his position and awarded him the titles of curopalate, sparapet, and prince of Armenia and Syria. He is also known to have approached the Armenian Catholicos Ezra for a union of the Armenian and Greek Churches, who initially refused, but later yielded to the menaces of the general.Ararat By Armenian General Benevolent Union (1962)
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mjej 02 Gnuni Byzantine people of Armenian descent Byzantine generals Medieval Armenian generals 7th-century Byzantine people 7th-century rulers in Asia Byzantine governors 7th-century Armenian people Gnuni family People of the Roman–Sasanian Wars