Page 361 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

1662 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

the Byzantine empire to come to Persia, where they a local governor who did not want to support the wan-
wrote works on Aristotelian philosophy and other sci- dering king. His sons and daughters fled to China seek-
ences for the Persian king. Khosrow also sent to India ing help. Even his grandson in the eighth century was
for books on astronomy, logic, and wisdom literature. hoping for the recapture of Iran, but by then the world of
Khosrow’s minister,Wuzurgmihr, was renowned for his Iran had changed and a new dominant force, the Mar-
wisdom even in the post-Sasanian (Islamic) period. Such wanids, were in power.
games as chess and backgammon were also introduced
to Iran from India at this time. The game of polo was The Sasanian Legacy
already a kingly sport and played at the time of Khosrow in World History
I. Khosrow’s court was also known for its opulence: His Many Sasanian customs were passed on to the Islamic
crown was so big and heavy that it had to be suspended world, including games such as polo, chess, and back-
from the ceiling. gammon.Wisdom texts from India and Iran and manu-
als on how to rule and manners of conduct were
Iran in the Sixth and translated from Middle Persian into Arabic. Iranian
Seventh Centuries BCE administrative practices became the dominant feature of
Khosrow II (reigned 590–628 CE), a vigorous ruler, the Islamic administrative system, and the Sasanian silver
oversaw the conquest of Egypt and the siege of Con- coinage became the model of Islamic coinage. In the
stantinople, but the Byzantine emperor Heraclius was ninth century, with the breakup of the Islamic Abbasid
able to strike back and defeat the Persians.The riches and power, claims to Sasanian heritage became a main com-
the opulence of Khosrow II’s court and palaces became ponent of the ideologies of the local dynasties that vied
legendary in the later Islamic period. His love for an for power on the Plateau of Iran. This fact suggests the
Armenian wife of his, Shirin, was recorded in romances enduring power and importance of the Sasanians in the
and epics, as was the beauty of his horse, Shabdiz. Dur- memory of the people of Iran and neighboring lands.
ing his rule performers and musicians gained fame, espe-
Touraj Daryaee
cially the composer-performer Barbad and the female
singer Nakisa.The artistic expression of the late Sasanian See also Persian Empire; Silk Roads
period is captured in the monuments at Taq-e Bustan and
also at Bisitun, where there appears to have been a plan
to carve a monumental rock-relief that was never finished. Further Reading
After Khosrow II, his sons, grandson, and daughters Bivar,A. D. H. (1969). Catalogue of the western Asiatic seals in the British
museum:The Sasanian dynasty. London: British Museum Press.
came to the throne. Queen Boran (reigned 630–631 CE)
Frye, R. N. (1984). The history of ancient Iran. Munich, Germany: Beck.
is known to have tried to revive the memory of her father Frye, R. N. (1986). Heritage of Ancient Persian. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda
and to bring order to the chaotic empire after his death. Publishers.
Frye, R. N. (Ed.). (1973). Sasanian remains from Qasr-i Abu Nasr. Cam-
Queen Azarmiduxt, the sister of Boran, ruled for a short bridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
time as well. Their reigns attest to the fact that women Göbl, R. (1971). Sasanian numismatics. Brunswick, Germany:
Klinkhardt and Biermann.
were allowed to rule the Sasanian empire.A series of dis-
Harper, P. O. (1981). Silver vessels of the Sasanian period. New York: Met-
tant relatives then competed for the throne, ending with ropolitan Museum of Art in association with Princeton University
the accession of Yazdegerd III (reigned 632–651 CE), the Press.
Skjaervo, P. O. (1983). The Sasanian inscription of Paikuli. Wiesbaden,
last Sasanian king. By then the Arab Muslim armies Germany: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag.
were on the march; they defeated the Sasanians in three Wiesehöfer, J. (1996). Ancient Persia. London & New York: I. B.Tauris.
Yarshater, E. (1984). The Cambridge history of Iran: The Seleucid,
major battles.Yazdegerd III attempted to gather forces to
Parthian, and Sasanian periods:Vol. 3 (Books 1–2). Cambridge, UK:
fight the invaders, but he was murdered in Khorasan by Cambridge University Press.