Varaztirots Bagratuni
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Varaztirots II Bagratuni ( hy, Վարազ-Տիրոց Բ Բագրատունի; c. 590 – 645) was an Armenian ''
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 ...
'' from the Bagratuni family, the son of Smbat IV Bagratuni. He was ''marzpan'' of Armenia c. 628, fled to the Byzantine Empire soon thereafter and was exiled for several years to Africa for his participation in a plot against
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 ...
. On his return c. 645/6, he was named '' curopalates'' and presiding prince of Armenia, but died before being formally invested.


Life

Varaztirots was the eldest son of Smbat IV Bagratuni. Along with his brother Garikhpet, he grew up in the Sassanid Persian court of Khosrau II (r. 591–628). Following the defeat of the
rebellion of Vistahm Vistahm or Bistam (also transliterated Wistaxm, pal, 𐭥𐭮𐭲𐭧𐭬 wsthm), was a Parthian dynast of the Ispahbudhan house, and maternal uncle of the Sasanian king of kings of Iran, Khosrow II (). Vistahm helped Khosrow regain his throne af ...
, in which his father was instrumental, Varaztirots was named a royal cupbearer. At that point, or after Smbat's victory over the Hephthalites in 608, he also received the honorific name ''Javitean Khosrow'' ("Eternal Khosrau").Martindale, Jones & Morris (1992), pp. 1363–1364 In 628, Khosrau II was overthrown after a conspiracy in which several aristocratic houses, including Varaztirots, took part. As a reward, the new Persian '' shah'', Kavadh II, appointed Varaztirots as '' marzpan'' of Armenia, with the rank of '' aspet''.Pourshariati (2008), pp. 153–154, 173–174 He soon quarrelled with the Persian governor of neighbouring Azerbaijan, however, and fled with his family to the Byzantine emperor
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 ...
, who, following the end of the
Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 The Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 was the final and most devastating of the Byzantine–Sasanian wars, series of wars fought between the Byzantine Empire, Byzantine / Roman Empire and the Sasanian Empire of Iran. The Byzantine–Sasani ...
, resided with his court in northern Mesopotamia. According to the Armenian chronicler
Sebeos Sebeos () was a 7th-century Armenian bishop and historian. Little is known about the author, though a signature on the resolution of the Ecclesiastical Council of Dvin in 645 reads 'Bishop Sebeos of Bagratunis.' His writings are valuable as one o ...
, Heraclius welcomed him with great honours, gave him valuable gifts and "exalted him above all the patricians of his kingdom". In 635 or 637, however, Varaztirots became involved in a conspiracy by several Armenian magnates to overthrow and murder Heraclius and replace him with his son,
John Athalarichos John Athalarichos ( el, ; la, Ioannes Athalaricus), also spelled as Atalarichos,#refKaegi2003, Kaegi 2003, p. 120. Athalaric,. and At'alarik, was an Legitimacy (family law), illegitimate son of the 7th century Byzantine Emperor Heraclius. In 637 ...
. The conspiracy was uncovered, and Varaztirots was exiled to Africa; the treatment he received was more merciful than that of his co-conspirators as he had opposed the murder of the emperor. On his death-bed in 641, Heraclius pardoned Varaztrots and made his successor,
Constantine III Constantine III may refer to: * Constantine III (Western Roman Emperor), self-proclaimed western Roman Emperor 407–411 * Heraclius Constantine, Byzantine Emperor in 641 * Constans II, Byzantine emperor 641–668, sometimes referred to under this ...
, swear that he would recall him and his family from exile and restore their honours. In the event, Varaztirots was recalled only in 645/6, by
Constans II Constans II ( grc-gre, Κώνστας, Kōnstas; 7 November 630 – 15 July 668), nicknamed "the Bearded" ( la, Pogonatus; grc-gre, ὁ Πωγωνᾶτος, ho Pōgōnãtos), was the Eastern Roman emperor from 641 to 668. Constans was the last ...
at the urging of Theodore Rshtuni. Varaztirots quickly fled from Constantinople to Armenia, but after assurances of loyalty, Constans then appointed him governor of Armenia with the high rank of '' curopalates''. Before he could be formally invested, however, he fell ill and died. He was buried next to his father at Dariwnk, in Kogovit.


References


Sources

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Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Varaztirots 02 Bagratuni dynasty 7th-century rulers in Asia Year of birth uncertain 590s births 640s deaths Sasanian governors of Armenia Byzantine prisoners and detainees 7th-century Armenian people Kouropalatai Armenian people from the Sasanian Empire