 David Saharuni was attacked by general and ruler of Byzantine Armenia, Mzhezh Gnuni but managed to evade capture and killed Mzhezh Gnuni, with the help of Gnuni's own troops, many of whom were Armenians sympathetic to Saharuni.David quickly obtained support from the local feudal lords, as a result Heraclius was forced to nominate David as "curopalates".The historian John Katholikos adds that the Armenians nobles also gave him the title of "Ishkhan" of Armenia.