| Shahrbaraz | |
|---|---|
| King of Kings of Iranians and non-Iranians | |
 | |
| Shahanshah of theSasanian Empire | |
| Reign | 27 April 630 – 9 June 630 |
| Predecessor | Ardashir III |
| Successor |
|
| Died | 9 June 630 Ctesiphon |
| Spouse | Mirhran |
| Issue | |
| House | House of Mihran |
| Father | Ardashir |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
Shahrbaraz (also spelledShahrvaraz orShahrwaraz;New Persian:شهربراز) wasshah (king) of theSasanian Empire from 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.
Shahrbaraz is 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 theZoroastrianIzadVahram, the epitome of victory.Shahrwarāz (Inscriptional Pahlavi:𐭱𐭲𐭫𐭥𐭫𐭠𐭰 štlwlʾc[1]) is aMiddle Persian word, withshahr meaning "country" andwarāz meaning "boar". This word is rendered asShahrbarāz (شهربراز) inNew Persian and asSarvaros (Greek:Σαρβάρος; Latin:Sarbarus) in Byzantine sources.[2]Ferdowsi has 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 asKhoream inArmenian sources[4] andFarāyīn (فرایین) inFerdowsi'sShahnama. Ferdowsi has split Shahrbaraz's character into two: Farayin who was the usurper, andShahran-Guraz who 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]
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 asspahbed ofNēmrōz. 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.
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, conqueredDara and Other cities in 604, and in the north, the Byzantines were driven back to the old,pre-591 frontier before 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 probableArsacid descent,[9] revolted against the Byzantine EmperorPhocas and killed him, crowning himself as Emperor of the Byzantine Empire.[10] After becomingByzantine Emperor, he prepared a major counter-attack against the Sasanians outsideAntioch in 613, but was decisively defeated by Shahrbaraz, whoinflicted heavy losses on the Byzantine army and then captured the city,[11][12] giving the Sasanians naval access to theMediterranean Sea.
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 besiegedDamascus and captured it along with a large number of Byzantine troops as prisoners.[13] Furthermore, Shahrbaraz also defeated a Byzantine army nearAdhri'at. 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 Cross was 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.[14][15]
After the fall of Alexandria, Shahrbaraz and his forces extended Sasanian rule southwards along theNile.[16] By 621, theprovince was securely in Sasanian hands, and a certainSahralanyozan was appointed as its governor.[17] 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.[18]
After Heraclius' victory, he marched towardsCaucasian Albania and wintered there.[19] Shahrbaraz, along withShahin andShahraplakan were later sent by the orders of Khosrow II to trap the forces of Heraclius.[20] 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 atTigranakert and 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.[21][22] 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.[21]
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 Ararat and the 200 miles along theArsanias River to captureAmida andMartyropolis, important fortresses on the upperTigris.[23][24] 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.[24] Another minor skirmish between Heraclius and Shahrbaraz took place at theSarus river nearAdana.[25] Shahrbaraz stationed his forces across the river from the Byzantines.[26] 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 shot, turning the tide of battle against the Sasanians.[27] 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!"[27] TheBattle of Sarus was a successful retreat for the Byzantines thatpanegyrists magnified.[25] In the aftermath of the battle, the Byzantine army wintered atTrebizond.[27]
Shahrbaraz, along with a smaller army, later managed to slip through Heraclius' flanks and bee-lined forChalcedon, the Sasanian base across theBosphorus fromConstantinople. Khosrow II coordinated with theKhagan of theAvars so as to launch a coordinated attack on Constantinople from both European and Asiatic sides.[23] The army of Shahrbaraz stationed themselves at Chalcedon, while the Avars placed themselves on the European side of Constantinople and destroyed theAqueduct of Valens.[28] 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.[29][30] This reduced the effectiveness of the siege, because the Sasanians were experts in siege warfare.[31] Furthermore, theSasanians and Avars had difficulties communicating across the guarded Bosphorus—though undoubtedly, there was some communication between the two forces.[23][30][32]
On 7 August, a fleet of Sasanian rafts ferrying troops across the Bosphorus was surrounded and destroyed by Byzantine ships. TheSlavs under 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.[33] With the news that Theodore had decisively triumphed over Shahin (supposedly leading Shahin to die from depression), the Avars retreated to theBalkan hinterland 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.[34][35]
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 inGalatia by Byzantine soldiers, who gave the letter to the future emperorConstantine III who 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.[36] 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.[37]
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.[38]
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 sentFarrukhzad to negotiate with him. However, Farrukhzad made a secret conspiracy against Khosrow and joined Shahrbaraz.[39]
One year later, the feudal families of the Sasanian Empire, who were tired of war against the Byzantines and Khosrow's 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 Ispahbudhan represented byspahbedFarrukh Hormizd and his two sonsRostam Farrokhzad and Farrukhzad; the Armenian faction represented byVaraztirots II Bagratuni; and finally thekanarangKanadbak.[40] 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 Hormozd to 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.[41][42]
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 plague erupted in the western provinces of Iran, killing half of the population along with Kavad II, who was succeeded byArdashir III.[9]
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.[43]
On 27 April 630,[44] Shahrbarazbesieged Ctesiphon with a force of 6,000 men.[45] 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 thespahbed of Nēmrōz in 626.[45] 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,[46] and killed Kardarigan, who opposed Shahrbaraz after his usurpation of the Sasanian throne.[47]
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.[48] After some time, Shahrbaraz had Shamta, the son of the former financial ministerYazdin, crucified on a church inMargha.[49] The reason of this execution was reportedly because the latter had insulted Shahrbaraz during the reign of Khosrow II.[50] 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.[51][52]
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 Shahrvaraz deposed Boran and became king of the Sasanian Empire. His reign, however, did not last long, and he was shortly deposed by the Sasanian nobles.[53] 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 Yarmouk during theArab–Byzantine wars.[54]
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.[55] In theSyriacLife ofSimeon of the Olives, which takes place at the end of the seventh century, Sharbaraz appears anachronistically as ruler or "king ofSīrwān".[56]
Shahrbaraz Died: June 630 | ||
| Preceded by | King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran 27 April 630 – 9 June 630 | Succeeded by |