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Iranian History

Iranian History

IRANIAN HISTORY

HIGHLIGHTS OF IRANIAN HISTORY The study of the history of Zoroastrian religion can be divided into eight stages, five of which are Mazdayasni/Zarthoshti dynasties which ruled over . The first two are often erroneously considered legendary as no historical or archaeological records of those times survive.

The five main dynasties which ruled over Iran are: • PESHDADIAN (c.10,000-7,500 BCE) • KAYANIAN (c. 7,500-6,500 BCE) • ACHAEMENIAN/HAKHAMANISH (556 - 330 BCE) • PARTHIAN/ARSHKANIAN (247 B. C.- 224 CE) • SASANIAN (224 CE- 651 CE)

1. Peshdadian dynasty (c.10,000-7,500 BCE): The Peshdadian dynasty belongs to pre-historic period. Origin of Mazdayasni belief system and beginnings of religious practices like that of wearing Sadra-Kasti, praying to one God- Mazda and carrying a mace with a cow’s head (Gurz) as an insignia of priestly authority.

The following kings ruled during the PESHDADIAN DYNASTY:

KING GAYOMARD: • • Founder of the dynasty. • First to wear a crown and sit on the throne • First to hear the message of Mazda • Started the Mazdayasni belief system

KING HOSHANG: • Started the practice of revering fire as the symbol of • Started the performance of Jashane Sadeh • Started agricultural practices like irrigation and canal system. • First to teach people to wear woolen clothes.

KING TEHMURASP ‘Divband’: • Learnt skills/trades from Daevayasnis • Defeated two-thirds of the demons of the province Mazana. • Helped people survive a terrible draught by asking them to eat one meal per day. • Taught people to domesticate animals and birds.

KING JAMSHED: • Saved humans and certain species of plants and animals from the Great Deluge. • Established a Vara, an enclosure on the Mountain. • His reign is regarded as a Golden Age. • Celebrated the Jashan of Navruz • Started the practice of wearing Kasti. • Divided the society into four professional groups - Athornan. • Introduced use of metal – made armour for soldiers. • Introduced use of silk, perfume and wine. • Had an observatory built – Jām-e-Jamshed. • Pride and fall – ousted by Zohak. • Killed in exile by step brother Spityur.

ZOHAK: • Thrice instigated by Ablis. • Murdered father Khrutasp. • 2 snakes on the shoulders • Killed able bodied men to feed the snakes. • Revolt of Kāveh – Kāvyāni Zundo. • Dreamt about Faridun’s birth • Orders to kill all children. • Saved by his mother and cow Purmae • Purmae killed by Zohak’s soldiers. Gurz made in her image. • Defeated by Zohak and chained on Mount Demāvand .

KING FARIDUN: • Started the use of Gurz (bull-headed mace) as a weapon. • Ended the reign of the Evil Zohak. • Used Nirangs (short prayers) to fight evil. • Coronated on meher roz of Meher mah. This day is celebrated as Jashne Mihrangan. • Made Kāvyāni Zundo the Royal . • Divided kingdom amongst three sons – Irach ( Iran proper), ( Eastern Iran - Turkmenestan) and Selam (Western Iran-Rome). • Groomed Minocheher - Irach’s grandson - to avenge the death of Irach.

KING MINOCHEHER: • Tur and Selam killed by Minocheher. • Fought wars against Afrasiyab, King of regarding boundary disputes. • Dispute settled by the shooting of arrow by Erekhsha (Arish) • Celebration of Jashane Tirangan. • Gave permission to Zal to marry Rodabeh..

KING NOTAR/NOZAR: • Given to merry-making • Subjects rebelled • Sam pacified the subjects • Turan took advantage and attacked • His sons Toos and Gastaham fled • Killed by Afrasiyab

KING ZAV: • Zal institutes 81 year old Zav as the new king • Short but peaceful reign.

KING KERSASP • Zav’s son • Died after a short reign

END OF THE PESHDADIAN DYNASTY.

2. (c. 7,500-6,000 BCE): Belongs to the prehistoric period. Prophet Zarathushtra was born during this dynasty. The Mazdayasni belief system which prospered during most part of the Peshdadian dynasty was threatened by the evil forces of the Daevasyasnis. Zarathushtra incorporated a few prayers, rituals and practices of the Mazdayasni belief system, and gave a completely new system of doctrines and ethics which came to be known as the Mazdayasni Zarthoshti religion.

Important kings of the KAYANIAN DYNASTY

KING KAE KOBAD: • A descendant of Minocheher. • Brought from the mountains by Zal • War with Afrasiyab

KING KAE KAUS: • Son of Kae Kobad. Loved adventures. • Attempted to fly • War with – Rustom rescues the king – Haftekhan • Marries Sodabeh, princess of . • Imprisoned in Hamavaran • 5 Wars with Afrasiyab • Rustom & ’s duel • His son is prince Siyavakhsh

KING KAE KHUSHRU: • Son of Siyavaksh born in Turan to Firangiz. • Brought from Turan by • Contest with Fariburz son of Kae Kaus over Kingship. • Killed Afrasiyab near lake Chaechist • End unknown – Voluntarily left the palace and went to the forest. Never traced. • Believed to be still immortal.

KING KAE LOHRASP: • Selected by Kae Khushru as his successor. • Known for his piety and prayers • His son Gustasp rebelled against him due to insecurity. • Made Gushtasp the king and retired to lead a life of prayers.

KING KAE GUSHTASP / VISHTASP: • Patron of Prophet Zarathushtra. • attacked. And abducted Princess. • Asfandyar frees the princess. Demands the throne • Asfandyar asked sent to chain and bring Rustom. • Duel of Rustom Asfandyar. Asfandyar gets killed.

KING BAHMAN: • Son of Asfandyar • Avenges father’s death by devastating . • Wife Homai named the Queen.

QUEEN HOMAI: • Abandons her child, which is found and brought up by a washer man. • The child Darab reunites with her mother • The repentant mother abdicates thrown in his favour.

KING DARAB: • War with the Romans. • Marries the Roman princess Nahid as part of the truce. • A pregnant Nahid is sent back due to an illness, Eskandar (Alexander) is born.

KING : • Alexander becomes the Macedonian King • Attacks Iran • Defeats and kills King Dara

END OF THE KAYANIAN DYNASTY.

3. Inter-regnal period the history of which is not very clear, but which was dominated by small Mazda worshipping kingdoms like Elamites(c.4000-742 BCE), Median(c.2458-550 BCE), Hittites (between rivers and ) and Kushites(c.1700 BCE). 4. Achaemenian dynasty (556 - 330 BCE): The kings of this dynasty were Zoroastrians, but religion was not given importance at state level. Their concentration was more on political and administrative welfare of the people. Zoroastrian religion was well established and did not face threat from any other established religion.

Important kings of the ACHAEMENIAN DYNASTY:

KING CYRUS THE GREAT (558-529 BCE) : • Born to Cambyses II and Mandane (daughter of the last Median king Astygis). • Defeated Astygis and founded the Achaemenian dynasty. • Tolerant and humane King. Freed the from their Babylonian captivity after 70 years and helped them rebuild their famous Temple of . • Hailed as ‘Messiah - the anointed one’ in the Old Testament of the Bible. • Last resting place and ruins of his palace at Pasargadae in the province of Fars , south of Iran .

CAMBYSES (529-522 BCE) • Son of Cyrus • Conquered . Was the 27th PHAROAH • Gaumata a Magi usurped the throne while he was in Egypt . • Died by accident while trying to return to his capital in haste.

KING DARAIUS THE GREAT (522-486 BCE): • Belonged to the royal family, was a noblemen in the court of Cambyses. • Regained the throne from the imposter Gaumata with the help of 7 noblemen. • Built a vast empire and divided it into 30 provinces which he called Satrapis, for proper administration • All Greek states except Athens and Sparta paid him tributes. • He started the system of post and coinage. • Made roads inter-connecting his empires. • Built the famous Royal Road , the highway connecting with Sardis , was about 2550 kilometres (1,500 miles) long. • Lost the Battle of MARATHON, one of the fifteen important battles of the world. • Built royal palaces at (administrative center), Susa , Ecbatana , (summer residence), and Babylon (winter residence). • Constructed a canal connecting the Red Sea with the . • The ruins of his palace, popularly known as Takht-i- are situated in Persepolis , south of Iran . • Left a number of inscriptions, in three languages - Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian. The main inscription is at Bisutun in . In one of his inscriptions, Darius proudly records his Parsi ancestry in the following words:

adam darayavaush khshayathiya vazraka khshayathiya khshayathiyanam...... parsa parsahya puthra ariya ariyachithra.

"I, Darius, the great king, the ...... a Parsi, the son of a Parsi, an , of Aryan family".

XERXES I (486-465 BCE) • Son of Darius • Quelled the revolt in Egypt • Conquered and burnt Athens and its famous temple • Defeated in the battle of Salamis by the Greeks in 480 and Hellespont in 479 BCE After Xerxes I, intrigue and deceit prevailed in the royal family during which time the following kings ruled, of which the first three were murdered:

ARTAXERXES I (465-424 BCE), XERXES II (424 BCE), SOGDIANUS (424 BCE) and DARIUS II (424- 404 BCE)

ARTAXERXES II (404-359 BCE) • Brought out an edict which decreed that the Greek city states in Asia Minor and Cyprus belonged to the Parsi Empire. This edict is known as the “King's Peace”. He ruled for forty-six years, and passed away peacefully in 358 B. C. at the ripe old age of ninety-four years.

ARTAXERXES III (359-338 BCE) • Poisoned by his courtier Bagaos. The King's youngest son Ariaspes occupied the throne in 338 BCE, but even he and his children were put to death by Bagaos.

DARIUS III (336-330 BCE) • Alexander was recognised as the supreme ruler of the Hellenic States in place of his father, and became king in Macedonia at the age of 20 years. • Defeated by Alexander in the battles of Isus and Arabela (331 BCE) • Killed by Bessus, the Satrap of in 330 BCE • Alexander burnt the palace and Royal library at Persepolis

SELEUCID ERA (330- 247 BCE)

Seleucus Nicator, a trusted general of Alexander, founded the Seleucid dynasty, and the Seleucid era the countries of the former Achaemenian Empire were now ruled by the Seleucid generals for ABOUT 80 years. It was destroyed by the Parthians in 247 B. C.

5. Arshkanian/ Parthian period (247 BCE- 224 CE) : After 80 years of Macedonian rule of the Seleucids, a new Iranian kingdom was founded by Arsaces or Arshak, a resident of the province of in North-Eastern Iran, and later it grew into an empire.

The Empire is known as Arshkanian after the founder. It is also known as Parthian because Parthia was the home-province of the founder. The Arshkanians ruled for about 476 years from about 250 BCE to 226 CE

This period is marked by the birth of and re-awakening of Zoroastrian religion in the latter part of this period. The Arshkanians and two of its kings Valkhash and Ardavan are referred to in the Pahlavi literature. Firdausi has assigned only “two centuries” to the Arshkanians.

There were long drawn out wars between the Parthians and the Romans with fluctuating fortunes. The Romans waged these wars for Roman supremacy in Asia . Just as the Achaemenians stood against Greek domination, the Parthians prevented the Romans from dominating the countries of Asia .

ARSACES (248-247 BCE) • Founded the Parthian dynasty by defeating Seleucid king Antiochus Theos. • Rule for a very short period, as he was killed in a battle. TIRIDATES or ARSACES II (247 BCE) • Seleucid King Seleucus II attacked to recapture Parthia , but was defeated.

MITHRADATES I or ARSACES IV (174 BCE) • The real founder of the empire, as he greatly extended his empire sovereignty from the Euphrates to the Indus. • Defeated Seleucide king Demetrius II of and took him prisoner.

MITHRADATES II -THE GREAT • In 92 BCE Mithradates sent an ambassador to Rome , formed an alliance, and established friendly relations for the first tine with Rome .

ORODES (55 BCE) • Crossed the Euphrates , and marched into the Parthian territory. The Parthians inflicted crushing defeat to the Roman army in 53 B. C. in the battle of Carrhae. And seized the Roman standards – the Roman Eagles – as trophies.

PHRAATES IV • Roman General Octavianus (later Augustus) was on friendly terms with Parthian Emperor Phraates IV and a rival of Mark Antony. • About 37 BCE, Roman General Mark Antony decided to destroy the power of Parthia . He attacked , but was defeated. This defeat was so disastrous that thereafter there was no large scale active warfare between Parthia and Rome for about a century. • He handed over to Octavianus the Roman Eagles captured as trophies.

VOLOGASES I (51 CE) • Open warfare with the Romans started once again The Roman armies were defeated. • Hostilities were resumed by Emperor Nero. The Roman armies crossed Euphrates, and marched against the forces of Parthia and Armenia .

VOLOGASES III (148 BCE) • Challenged the Roman power in Asia . • A civil war broke out between Vologases IV and Artabanus V – two sons of Vologases III both claiming the throne. The civil war was a source of satisfaction to the Romans. ARTABANUS V • Became the Emperor after Civil war. He scored a victory over Roman Emperor Iacarnus in the battle of Nisibis in 218 CE. He was defeated by Ardashir, the founder of the Sasanian dynasty. 6. Sasanian period (224-651 CE) : For a period of about five centuries, from the downfall of the Seleucide power in Iran upto the foundation of the , the people of lived politically in independent and semi-independent states under suzerainty of the Parthians. They preserved and practiced their national, ancestral religion, namely , without outside influence. The traditions and the religion of were supreme in Persis and hence Hellenism could not take root there. The true form of Zoroastrianism and the sacred books of the were preserved in Pars. Thus it was in Pars that the Zoroastrian renaissance commenced.

This renaissance spread throughout the Iranian empire after the Ardeshir the king of Pars defeated the Median emperor and consolidated his power as the emperor of Iran Re-gathering of the scattered Zoroastrian scriptures started and accomplished during the initial part of this kingdom. The reigns of kings were marked by religious activities like setting up of religious schools and consecrated fires. The birth of prophet Mohammed and the spread of Islam marked the later part of this dynasty.

Important kings of the SASANIAN DYNASTY:

About 35 Kings and Queens ruled during this time. Notable among them are:

KING ARDESHIR BABEKAN (226-241): • Grandson of Babak (ruler of Fars ), son of – a royal refugee. • Defeated the Median king Astygis and founded the Sasanian dynasty. • Captured Kurdistan, Kerman , Rome , Armenia • Had very great high priests like Dastur and Arda Viraf • Had many Atash Behrams built as a mark of thanksgiving.

KING (240-271): • Son of Ardashir, Ascended throne at 14 • Defeated and captured Roman emperor Valerian in the battle of . • Ordered Roman engineers to build a bridge over the river Karun at Shushtar. It was called Band-i- Kaisar and its ruins exist even at present. Several emperors ruled in a short span: Hormazd I (271-272), I (272- 275 CE), Bahram II (275–292 CE), Bahram III (292-293 CE), (293-300 CE), Hormazd II (300-309 CE) and Azar- Narsi (309 CE).

KING SHAPUR II – THE GREAT (309-379): • Was coronated king before birth. Assumed power at 16. • War with Romans for 27 years in which nine battles had been fought and all were won by Shahpur. Defeated Emperors Constantine, Constantius, and Jovius. • Defeated the . • The Manichaean movement started by the heretic during the reign of Shapur I was put down during the reign of Shahpur II. • During his reign Dastur Adarbad Mahraspand re-compiled the 21 Avesta Nasks. Emperors after Shahpur II: Artakhshir II (379-383 CE), brother of Shahpur II, was deposed; Shahpur III (383-388 CE), son of Shahpur II, was killed, and Bahram IV (388-399 CE), son of Shahpur III, was murdered by assassins.

YAZDGARD I (399-420) • Son of Shahpur III. • Was lenient to the faults of the foreign states, and in his religious policy. • Did not take any action against the Romans, though their power was at its ebb. • Very friendly with Roman Emperor Arcadius, who appointed him as the guardian of his son Theodosius. Yazdgard faithfully performed his duty as a guardian.

BAHRAM V (Bahramgur) (420 – 439) • Son of Yazdgard. He was trained in the court of Munzir, the king of Yemen , • Marched towards Iran with the Arabian army to claim the throne but wisely avoided bloodshed and civil war by a sporting offer. • Was a learned man, and patron of arts, languages, music and poetry. • Excelled in archery and hunting. He was fond of hunting gur 'onager', and hence he was popularly known as Bahramgur. • Moved about in disguise to ascertain the state of affairs in his kingdom. • Once visited to the court of King Vasudeva of Kanouj, disguised as an Iranian ambassador. • The Romans and the Tartars attacked, but they had to surrender and pay tribute. • Campaigned against Roman Emperor Theodosius. A treaty was concluded in 422 CE in which religious freedom was guaranteed to Zoroastrians in the and to the Christians in the Iranian Empire. After , four Emperors followed in quick succession. They were: Yazdgard II (439-457 CE), Hormazd III (457-459 CE), Piroj I (459-483CE) and Palash (483-487CE).

KOBAD I (487-531 CE) • Ascended the throne in 487 CE, but was soon deposed and imprisoned on account of his cruelty. • Managed to escape, marched into Iran with the help of the Ephtalites and claimed the throne. In order to avoid bloodshed and civil war abdicated the throne. • The heretic Mazdak emerged during his reign. Kobad was impressed and influenced by his teachings. • Kobad's son, prince Khusro was not in favour of Mazdak, a debate took place between Khusro and Mazdak in which Mazdak was utterly humiliated and was made to pay with his life for his heresy.

KING COSROE I – NOSHIRWAN ADEL (531-579): • Defeated the Abyssinians, Ephtalites and the in the North. • To protect the population from nomadic tribes of , built a strong wall of stone in the North from Darband on the up to the Black Sea . • Divided kingdom into 4 zones for efficient Administration. • Gave refuge to seven Greek philosophers, expelled by Roman Emperor Justinian, • The game of chess was introduced in Iran and the Iranian game of Nard was sent to India . • His court abounded by wise men like Bozorg Meher, a very wise priest as his Minister and Burzo Hakim as the court Physician. • His son Anoshzad, born of his Christian wife, rose in rebellion against his father. • Prophet Mohammed was born in 570 CE during his reign

KING COSROE II – KHUSHRU PURVIZ (590-628): • Defeated the rebel Behram Chobin with the help of Roman emperor Maurice • Married Maurice’s daughter as part of the Truce agreement • Defeated and captured the on which Christ was crucified. • Prophet Mohammad spread Islam during his reign • Murdered by his stepson Shiroy.

Chaos in the royal family: There was tragic chaos in the royal family after the death of Khusro II. Intrigue, deception, lust for power and other dangerous vices were rampant. The princes were instigated by their mothers of foreign faith. This played havoc in the Iranian royal family, as several kings and queens were proclaimed and most of them were deposed or murdered in quick succession:

Kobad II/Shiroy - son of Khushro II (628 CE); Artakhshir III (628-629 CE) - a boy of seven year who was killed by the usurper ; Shahrbaraz (629-680 CE) - an usurper who assumed the name Khusro III, but was assassinated in forty days by three of his own body guards; Queen Purandokht (630-631 CE) - daughter of Khusro II , a good queen but died after a reign of sixteen months; Zurvanshah Gushnaband (631 CE) - a distant cousin of Khushro II who assumed the name Piroj; Queen (681 CE) - another daughter of Khusro II who was slain after a brief reign of six months; Farrokhzad (Khusro IV, 631 CE); Piroj II (631 CE); Khurzad Khusro (631 – 632 CE) and Hormazd V (632 CE).

Thus in the short period of four years (628-632 CE), ten monarchs ruled over Iran , and most of them fell victims to internecine strife. In such deplorable conditions the last Sasanian Emperor Yazdgard III ascended the throne.

KING YAZDEGARD III (632-651) : • Grandson of Cosroe II • Had to contend with Arabs who were fired with the seal of newly founded Islam • Iranian traitors let him down • Defeated due to a sandstorm in Battle of Qadisya – 636 CE • Iranian soldiers were trapped and defeated in the Battle of Nehavand –641 CE. • Roamed around unsuccessfully for 10 years to seek support • Murdered by Khushru the miller.

7. Zoroastrianism in Iran after the downfall of Zoroastrian empires: Zoroastrians within a period of a thousand years were reduced from several million to thirty thousand mainly due to forced conversion to Islam and large scale massacre and partly due to migration out of Iran , principally to India

8. Zoroastrianism after migration to India : After about 100 years in the middle of eighth century, a group of Zoroastrians left Iran from Khorasan through the Port of Hormuzd and reached Diu on the West coast of India . After 18 years they went to Sanjan where they settled and thrived for more than 700 years and later spread over Gujrat and Maharashtra . The traditional date of the arrival of the in India differs and various years have been proposed ranging from the traditional 716 A. C. to 936 A. C.

According to the traditional account as recorded in Kisse Sanjan, after the Arab conquest of Iran, the ancestors of the Paris took refuge in the mountainous districts of Kohistan in Khorasan for about 100 years. Thereafter they went to the city of Hormazd on the southern coast of Iran , and stayed there for 15 years. Then they left Iran and sailed from Hormazd, and by the sea-route came to India and landed on the island of in the south of Saurashtra. They stayed at Div for 19 years, and thereafter, most probably due to growing threat of the Arab invasion in that area, left Div and settled in Gujarat on the west coast of India , near the place later known as Sanjan (about 145 kilometres north of Bombay ).

The Hindu king, who granted asylum to the Parsis in India , is known in Parsi tradition as Jadi Rana. The High Priest of the Parsis appeared before the king, and on behalf of his community and pledged: hame hindustan ra yar bashim "We shall be friends of entire India ".

The king granted the Parsis a vacant plot of land where they settled and established their colony. Tradition states that the Parsis named their new settlement "Sanjan", most probably after the city of Sanjan in the district of Khwaf in Khorasan.

Courtesy : JOLLY. WRITER.

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