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Shahrbaraz

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Shahrbaraz
King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran[a]
Shahanshahof theSasanian Empire
Reign27 April 630 – 9 June 630
PredecessorArdashir III
Successor
Died9 June 630
Ctesiphon
SpouseMirhran
Issue
HouseHouse of Mihran
FatherArdashir
ReligionZoroastrianism

Shahrbaraz(also spelledShahrvarazorShahrwaraz;New Persian:شهربراز), wasshah(king) of theSasanian Empirefrom 27 April 630 to 9 June 630. He usurped the throne fromArdashir III,and was killed by Iranian nobles after forty days. Before usurping the Sasanian throne he was aspahbed(general) underKhosrow II(590–628). He is furthermore noted for his important role during the climacticByzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628,and the events that followed afterwards.

Name[edit]

Shahrbarazis actually a title, literally meaning "the Boar of the Empire",[1]attesting to his dexterity in military command and his warlike personality, as the boar was the animal associated with the ZoroastrianIzadVahram,the epitome of victory.Shahrwarāz(Inscriptional Pahlavi:𐭱𐭲𐭫𐭥𐭫𐭠𐭰štlwlʾc[1]) is aMiddle Persianword, withshahrmeaning "country" andwarāzmeaning "boar". This word is rendered asShahrbarāz(شهربراز) inNew Persianand asSarvaros(Greek:Σαρβάρος;Latin:Sarbarus) in Byzantine sources.[2]Ferdowsihas used the shortened formGurāz(گراز,literally "boar" ), which is from Middle Persianwarāz.[3]

According toal-Tabari,his real name wasFarrukhān(فرخان).[3]The name is corrupted asKhoreaminArmeniansources[4]andFarāyīn(فرایین) inFerdowsi'sShahnama.Ferdowsi has split Shahrbaraz's character into two: Farayin who was the usurper, andShahran-Gurazwho supportedBahram Chobin's rebellion.[3]

Armenian sources also use the titleRazmyozan(also spelledRazmiozan,Erazmiozan,Razmayuzan).[4][5]The title is also mentioned asRasmiozdan,Rasmiozan(Georgian),rsmysa(Arabic:رسميسة,reading uncertain),Rōmēzān,Rūmīzān,Rumbūzān(al-Tabari,Tarikh).[4]

Early life[edit]

Shahrbaraz belonged to theHouse of Mihran,[6]one of theSeven Parthian clans;he was the son of a certain Ardashir. During Shahrbaraz's later life, he joined theSasanian army,where he rose to high offices, and was appointed asspahbedofNēmrōz.He was married to the sister of the Sasanian kingKhosrow II,Mirhran, with whom Shahrbaraz had one boy namedShapur-i Shahrvaraz.[7]Shahrbaraz also had another son namedNiketas the Persian,who may be from the same woman or from another.

War against the Byzantine Empire[edit]

See also:Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628

Shahrbaraz is first mentioned when Khosrow II started the last and most devastating of theByzantine–Sasanian wars,which lasted 26 years. Khosrow II, along with Shahrbaraz and his other best generals, conqueredDaraandEdessain 604, and in the north, the Byzantines were driven back to the old,pre-591 frontierbefore Khosrow II gave them most of Sasanian Armenia, parts of Mesopotamia and western half of theKingdom of Iberia.After reconquering lost territory, Khosrow II withdrew from the battlefield and handed military operations to his best generals. Shahrbaraz was one of them. In 610,Heraclius,anArmenian[8]of probableArsaciddescent,[9]revolted against the Byzantine EmperorPhocasand killed him, crowning himself as Emperor of the Byzantine Empire.[10]After becomingByzantine Emperor,he prepared a major counter-attack against the Sasanians outsideAntiochin 613, but was decisively defeated by Shahrbaraz, whoinflicted heavy losseson the Byzantine army and then captured the city,[11][12]giving the Sasanians naval access to theMediterranean Sea.

Campaign map from 611 to 624 throughSyria,Anatolia,Armenia,andMesopotamia.

After the Byzantine defeat outside Antioch, Heraclius and his brotherTheodore,along withGeneral Nicetas,combined their armies inSyria,but were defeated by Shahrbaraz and his forces who besiegedDamascusand captured it along with a large number of Byzantine troops as prisoners.[13]Furthermore, Shahrbaraz also defeated a Byzantine army nearAdhri'at,which is mentioned in theQuran.[14] One of the most important events during his career was when he led the Sasanian army towardsPalaestina,and after a bloody siege capturedJerusalem,a city sacred to theChristians.After his conquest of Jerusalem theHoly Crosswas carried away in triumph. In 618, Shahrbaraz was ordered by Khosrow II to invadeEgypt,and by 619,Alexandria,the capital ofByzantine Egypt,was in Sasanian hands.[15][16]

After the fall of Alexandria, Shahrbaraz and his forces extended Sasanian rule southwards along theNile.[17]By 621, theprovincewas securely in Sasanian hands, and a certainSahralanyozanwas appointed as its governor.[18]In 622, Heraclius counter-attacked against the Sasanian Empire inAnatolia.Shahrbaraz was sent over there to deal with him, but was eventually defeated by him.[19]

After Heraclius' victory, he marched towardsCaucasian Albaniaand wintered there.[20]Shahrbaraz, along withShahinandShahraplakanwere later sent by the orders of Khosrow II to trap the forces of Heraclius.[21]Shahin managed to rout the Byzantine army. Due to jealousy between the Sasanian commanders, Shahrbaraz hurried with his army to take part in the glory of the victory. Heraclius met them atTigranakertand routed the forces of Shahraplakan and Shahin one after the other. After this victory, Heraclius crossed the Araxes and camped in the plains on the other side. Shahin, with the remnants of both his and Shahraplakan's armies joined Shahrbaraz in the pursuit of Heraclius, but marshes slowed them down.[22][23]AtAliovit,Shahrbaraz split his forces, sending some 6,000 troops to ambush Heraclius while the remainder of the troops stayed at Aliovit. Heraclius launched a surprise night attack on the Sasanian main camp in February 625, destroying it. Shahrbaraz only barely escaped, naked and alone, having lost hisharem,baggage, and men.[22]

Heraclius spent the rest of winter to the north ofLake Van.In 625, his forces attempted to push back towards the Euphrates. In a mere seven days, he bypassedMount Araratand the 200 miles along theArsanias Riverto captureAmidaandMartyropolis,important fortresses on the upperTigris.[24][25]Heraclius then carried on towards the Euphrates, pursued by Shahrbaraz. According to Arab sources, he was stopped at the Satidama or Batman Su River and defeated; Byzantine sources, however, do not mention this incident.[25]Another minor skirmish between Heraclius and Shahrbaraz took place at theSarus rivernearAdana.[26]Shahrbaraz stationed his forces across the river from the Byzantines.[27]A bridge spanned the river, and the Byzantines immediately charged across. Shahrbaraz feigned retreat to lead the Byzantines into an ambush, and the vanguard of Heraclius' army was destroyed within minutes. The Sasanians, however, had neglected to cover the bridge, and Heraclius charged across with the rearguard, unafraid of the arrows that the Sasanians fired, turning the tide of battle against the Sasanians.[28]Shahrbaraz expressed his admiration at Heraclius to a renegade Greek: "See your Emperor! He fears these arrows and spears no more than would an anvil!"[28]TheBattle of Saruswas a successful retreat for the Byzantines thatpanegyristsmagnified.[26]In the aftermath of the battle, the Byzantine army wintered atTrebizond.[28]

Siege of Constantinople[edit]

Main article:Siege of Constantinople (626)

Shahrbaraz, along with a smaller army, later managed to slip through Heraclius' flanks and bee-lined forChalcedon,the Sasanian base across theBosphorusfromConstantinople.Khosrow II coordinated with theKhaganof theAvarsso as to launch a coordinated attack on Constantinople from both European and Asiatic sides.[24]The army of Shahrbaraz stationed themselves at Chalcedon, while the Avars placed themselves on the European side of Constantinople and destroyed theAqueduct of Valens.[29]Because of theByzantine navy's control of the Bosphorus strait, however, the Sasanians could not send troops to the European side to aid their ally.[30][31]This reduced the effectiveness of the siege, because the Sasanians were experts in siege warfare.[32]Furthermore, theSasaniansand Avars had difficulties communicating across the guarded Bosphorus—though undoubtedly, there was some communication between the two forces.[24][31][33]

Map of the environs of Constantinople in Byzantine times.

On 7 August, a fleet of Sasanian rafts ferrying troops across the Bosphorus was surrounded and destroyed by Byzantine ships. TheSlavsunder the Avars attempted to attack the sea walls from across theGolden Horn,while the main Avar host attacked the land walls. Patrician Bonus' galleys rammed and destroyed the Slavic boats; the Avar land assault from 6 to 7 August also failed.[34]With the news that Theodore had decisively triumphed over Shahin (supposedly leading Shahin to die from depression), the Avars retreated to theBalkanhinterland within two days, never to threaten Constantinople seriously again. Even though the army of Shahrbaraz was still encamped at Chalcedon, the threat to Constantinople was over.[35][36]

Disappointed by Shahrbaraz's failure, Khosrow II sent a messenger bearing a letter toKardarigan,who was the second-in-command of the Sasanian army. The letter said that Kardarigan should kill Shahrbaraz and take his army back toCtesiphon,but the bearers of the letter were intercepted inGalatiaby Byzantine soldiers, who gave the letter to the future emperorConstantine IIIwho in turn gave it to Heraclius. After reading the letter, he offered to show the letter to Shahrbaraz in a meeting at Constantinople. Shahrbaraz accepted his proposal and met Heraclius at Constantinople, where he read the letter and switched over to Heraclius' side.[37]Shahrbaraz then changed the contents of the letter, making it state that Khosrow II wanted 400 officers killed, ensuring that Kardarigan and the rest of the army remained loyal to him.[38]

Shahrbaraz then moved his army to northern Syria, where he could easily decide to support either Khosrow or Heraclius at a moment's notice. Still, with the neutralization of Khosrow's most skilled general, Heraclius deprived his enemy of some of his best and most experienced troops, while securing his flanks prior to his invasion ofIran.[39]

Overthrow of Khosrow II[edit]

See also:Sasanian civil war of 628–632

In 627, Khosrow sent Shahrbaraz a letter, which said that he should send his army to Ctesiphon. Shahrbaraz, however, disobeyed, and moved toAsuristan,where he set up a camp inArdashir Khurrah.Khosrow then sentFarrukhzadto negotiate with him. However, Farrukhzad made a secret conspiracy against Khosrow and joined Shahrbaraz.[40]

One year later, the feudal families of the Sasanian Empire, who were tired of war against the Byzantines and Khosrow's oppressive policies, freed Khosrow's son Sheroe, who had been imprisoned by his own father. The feudal families included: Shahrbaraz himself, who represented the Mihran family; theHouse of Ispahbudhanrepresented byspahbedFarrukh Hormizdand his two sonsRostam Farrokhzadand Farrukhzad; the Armenian faction represented byVaraztirots II Bagratuni;and finally thekanarangKanadbak.[41]In February, Sheroe, along withAspad Gushnasp,captured Ctesiphon and imprisoned Khosrow II. Sheroe then proclaimed himself as king of the Sasanian Empire on 25 February, assuming the regnal name ofKavadh II.With the aid ofPiruz Khosrow,he executed all his brothers and half-brothers, including Khosrow II's favorite sonMardanshah.Three days later, he orderedMihr Hormozdto execute his father. With the agreement of the nobles of the Sasanian empire, Kavad II then made peace with the Byzantine emperor Heraclius; under the terms of this peace, the Byzantines regained all their lost territories, their captured soldiers, awar indemnity,along with the True Cross and other relics that were lost in Jerusalem in 614.[42][43]

Following the loss of territory required for the peace treaty, the embittered aristocracy started forming independent states within the Sasanian Empire. This divided the resources of the country. Furthermore, dams and canals became derelict, anda devastating plagueerupted in the western provinces of Iran, killing half of the population along with Kavad II, who was succeeded byArdashir III.[9]

Usurping the throne[edit]

Map ofSasanianMesopotamiaand its surroundings

After the death of Kavad II, Heraclius sent Shahrbaraz a letter saying:

Now that the Iranian king is dead, the throne and the kingdom has come to you. I bestow it on you, and on your offspring after you. If an army is necessary, I shall send to your assistance as many [troops] as you may need.[44]

On 27 April 630,[45]Shahrbarazbesieged Ctesiphonwith a force of 6,000 men.[46]He was, however, unable to capture the city, and then made an alliance with Piruz Khosrow, the leader of theParsig(Persian) faction, and the previous minister of the Empire during the reign of Ardashir's father, Kavad II. He also made an alliance with Namdar Gushnasp, who had succeeded him as thespahbedof Nēmrōz in 626.[46]Shahrbaraz, with the aid of these two powerful figures, captured Ctesiphon, and executed Ardashir III along with many Sasanian nobles, including Ardashir's ministerMah-Adhur Gushnasp.Shahrbaraz then became the newshah(king) of the Sasanian Empire,[47]and killed Kardarigan, who opposed Shahrbaraz after his usurpation of the Sasanian throne.[48]

Heraclius also acknowledged Shahrbaraz's Christian sonNiketas,as his heir. An Iranian Christian as the heir of the Sasanian Empire opened the chances of the Christianization of Iran.[49]After some time, Shahrbaraz had Shamta, the son of the former financial ministerYazdin,crucified on a church inMargha.[50]The reason of this execution was reportedly because the latter had insulted Shahrbaraz during the reign of Khosrow II.[51]Forty days later, 9 June 630, during a ceremony, Shahrbaraz was killed by a javelin thrown byFarrukh Hormizd,who then helpedBoran,the daughter of Khosrow II, to ascend the throne.[52][53]

Legacy[edit]

Shahrbaraz had played an important role in theByzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628,and the events that occurred after the war; his mutiny against Khosrow II caused the Sasanian Empire to fall into a civil war. After the death of Shahrbaraz, his sonShapur-i Shahrvarazdeposed Boran and became king of the Sasanian Empire. His reign, however, did not last long, and he was shortly deposed by the Sasanian nobles.[54]During the same period, Niketas entered in the service of the Byzantines, and would later appear as one of the Byzantine generals at theBattle of Yarmoukduring theArab–Byzantine wars.[55]

A detailed saga of heroism and romance evolved around Shahrbaraz later. In the Islamic period, it was transferred into the legend of Umar ibn al-Numan and his sons which became included in theOne Thousand and One Nights,itself influencing the late Byzantine epic ofDigenes Akritas.[56]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^Also spelled "King of Kings of Iranians and non-Iranians".

Citations[edit]

  1. ^abGyselen, Rika (2001). "Lorsque l'archéologie rencontre la tradition littéraire. Les titres des chefs d'armée de l'Iran sassanide".Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.145(1): 447–459.doi:10.3406/crai.2001.16274.
  2. ^I. (Constantinopolitanus), Nicephorus (1990).Short History.Dumbarton Oaks. p. 65.ISBN9780884021841.
  3. ^abcThe Shahnama Of Firdausi VI.London: Kegan Paul Trench Trubner And Co.Ltd. 1912. p. 50.Retrieved16 August2019.
  4. ^abcDocuments and the History of the Early Islamic World.BRILL. 2014. p. 30, footnote 18.ISBN9789004284340.
  5. ^Iwona, Maksymiuk Katarzyna (26 April 2017)."Destruction of the ādur gušnasp temple in ādurbādagān as a revenge for abduction of the Holy Cross from Jerusalem in the context of the letters of Heraclius".Метаморфозы истории(9): 109–125 – via cyberleninka.ru.
  6. ^Pourshariati 2008,p. 181
  7. ^Pourshariati 2008,p. 205
  8. ^Treadgold 1997,p. 287
  9. ^abShapur Shahbazi 2005,"Sasanian Dynasty"
  10. ^Olster 1993,p. 133.
  11. ^Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992,p. 1278
  12. ^Kaegi 2003,pp. 70–71.
  13. ^Kaegi 2003,pp. 75–77.
  14. ^Crawford 2013,p. 43
  15. ^Dodgeon, Greatrex & Lieu 2002a,pp. 196, 235
  16. ^Howard-Johnston 2006,pp. 10, 90
  17. ^Dodgeon, Greatrex & Lieu 2002a,p. 196
  18. ^Jalalipour 2014.
  19. ^Kaegi 2003,p.114
  20. ^Kaegi 2003,p. 128
  21. ^Kaegi 2003,p. 129
  22. ^abKaegi 2003,p. 130
  23. ^Dodgeon, Greatrex & Lieu 2002b,p. 204
  24. ^abcOman 1893,p.210
  25. ^abKaegi 2003,p. 131
  26. ^abKaegi 2003,p. 132
  27. ^Norwich 1997,p. 91
  28. ^abcNorwich 1997,p. 92
  29. ^Treadgold 1997,p.297
  30. ^Kaegi 2003,p. 133
  31. ^abKaegi 2003,p. 140
  32. ^Dodgeon, Greatrex & Lieu 2002b,pp. 179–181
  33. ^Kaegi 2003,p. 134
  34. ^Kaegi 2003,p. 137
  35. ^Oman 1893,p.211
  36. ^Norwich 1997,p. 93
  37. ^Kaegi 2003,p. 148
  38. ^Dodgeon, Greatrex & Lieu 2002b,p. 205
  39. ^Kaegi 2003,p. 151
  40. ^Pourshariati 2008,p. 147
  41. ^Pourshariati 2008,p. 173
  42. ^Oman 1893,p.212
  43. ^Kaegi 2003,pp.178,189–190
  44. ^Pourshariati 2008,p. 177
  45. ^Pourshariati 2008,p. 182
  46. ^abPourshariati 2008,p. 180
  47. ^Pourshariati 2008,pp. 181, 183
  48. ^Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992,p. 271
  49. ^Kaegi 2003,pp. 188–189, 206
  50. ^Morony 2005,p. 188.
  51. ^Kaegi 2003,p. 176.
  52. ^Pourshariati 2008,p. 184
  53. ^Morony 2005,p. 92.
  54. ^Pourshariati 2008,pp. 204, 205
  55. ^Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992,p. 943
  56. ^Shahbazi 1990,pp. 588–599.

General and cited sources[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Shahrbaraz
Died:June 630
Preceded by King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran
27 April 630 – 9 June 630 		Succeeded by
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