Theophobos

Theophobos (Greek: Θεόφοβος) or Theophobus, originally Nasir (Persian: ناصر), Nasr (نصر), or Nusayr (نصیر),[1] was a commander of the Khurramites who converted to Christianity and entered Byzantine service under Emperor Theophilos (r. 829–843).

[2] Raised to high rank and married into the imperial family, Theophobos was given command of his fellow Khurramites and served under Theophilos in his wars against the Abbasid Caliphate in 837–838.

Instead he peacefully submitted to Theophilos in the next year and was apparently pardoned, until he was executed by the dying emperor in 842 to prevent a challenge to the accession of Michael III.

[2][4] There, they converted to Christianity, were given widows from military families as wives, and enrolled into the Byzantine army in the so-called "Persian tourma".

[2] A seal belonging to Theophobos affords him the style of " exousiastes of the Persians", indicating that Theophilos may have intended to install him as a ruler of a Byzantine-allied principality, probably in Azerbaijan and Kurdistan.