Vard Mamikonian ( Armenian: Վարդ Մամիկոնյան) was an Armenian nobleman from the Mamikonian family. He served as the

marzban Marzbān, or Marzpān (Middle Persian transliteration: mrzwpn, derived from ''marz'' "border, boundary" and the suffix ''-pān'' "guardian"; Modern Persian: ''Marzbān'') were a class of margraves, warden of the marches, and by extension milita ...

Persian Armenia Sasanian Armenia, also known as Persian Armenia and Persarmenia ( hy, Պարսկահայաստան – ''Parskahayastan''), may either refer to the periods in which Armenia ( pal, 𐭠𐭫𐭬𐭭𐭩 – ''Armin'') was under the suzerainty of ...

from 505/510 to 509/514.

Biography

Vard Mamikonian was the third son of Hmayeak Mamikonian and Dzoyk Artsruni. He had an elder brother named

Vahan I Mamikonian Vahan Mamikonian ( hy, Վահան Մամիկոնյան) (440/445503/510) was an Armenian nobleman from the Mamikonian family. In 481 he rebelled against the Sasanian Empire that controlled the eastern part of Armenia known as Persian Armenia. He wa ...

including two other brothers named Vasak and Artaxias. During his youth, he was a hostage in Persia, but was later released. In 505/510, he succeeded his elder brother Vahan I Mamikonian as

Marzban Marzbān, or Marzpān (Middle Persian transliteration: mrzwpn, derived from ''marz'' "border, boundary" and the suffix ''-pān'' "guardian"; Modern Persian: ''Marzbān'') were a class of margraves, warden of the marches, and by extension milita ...

. According to

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 ...

and

Stepanos Asoghik Stepanos Asoghik ( hy, Ստեփանոս Ասողիկ), also known as Stepanos Taronetsi ( hy, Ստեփանոս Տարոնեցի), was an Armenian historian of the 11th century. His dates are unknown but he came from Taron and earned the nickname ...

, Vard carried the Byzantine title of ''

patrikios The patricians (from la, patricius, Greek: πατρίκιος) were originally a group of ruling class families in ancient Rome. The distinction was highly significant in the Roman Kingdom, and the early Republic, but its relevance waned aft ...

'', however, neither the contemporary historian

Ghazar Parpetsi Ghazar Parpetsi ( hy, Ղազար Փարպեցի, translit=Łazar P῾arpec῾i) was a 5th to 6th century Armenian chronicler and historian. He had close ties with the powerful Mamikonian noble family and is most prominent for writing a history of ...

nor other historians mentioned that he carried the title, making it probably a misinterpretation of two historians. Vard was removed from his office four years later and was deported to Persia by order of the Sasanian king Kavadh I, where he died after a short time. Vard's removal from the

office, put an end to the short-lived Armenian autonomy which lasted c. 25 years. King Kavadh I, however, maintained religious freedom in Armenia because of fear of rebellion, and in order to maintain good relations with the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

Sources

* * * * * 450 births 500s deaths Sasanian governors of Armenia Armenian Christians Vard Mamikonian 6th-century Iranian people Patricii 6th-century Armenian people Armenian people from the Sasanian Empire {{Armenia-royal-stub