Bahram Chobin

Lore & Background

Bahram was a member of the House of Mihran, of Parthian origin, centered in Ray. His father was general Bahram Gushnasp; his grandfather Gurgin Milad served as marzban of Armenia. He had a sister Gordiya and brothers Gorduya and Mardansina.

He began his career as governor of Ray, then captured the Byzantine stronghold of Dara during the war of 572–591, becoming army chief (spahbed) of the northwestern empire. In 588, after a Hephthalite-Turkic invasion, he was appointed spahbed in Khorasan and won a decisive victory, personally killing the Turkic khagan Bagha Qaghan. Hormizd IV, distrustful of Bahram, stripped him of his commands. Bahram rebelled, aiming to reestablish the Arsacid Empire and identifying himself with the promised Zoroastrian savior.

Before he reached Ctesiphon, Hormizd was assassinated by a faction led by Vistahm and Vinduyih, who supported Khosrow II. Bahram captured Ctesiphon; Khosrow fled to the Byzantine Empire, then launched a campaign with Byzantine aid. Bahram's outnumbered forces were defeated; he fled to the Western Turkic Khaganate, where he was assassinated at the instigation of Khosrow II.

Reader's Guide

Bahram's name is the New Persian form of Middle Persian, derived from Old Iranian, with Avestan equivalent Verethragna. His surname Chobin ('Wooden Shaft', 'Javelin-like') was a nickname due to his tall, slender appearance. Ferdowsi described him as a towering, dark-complexioned warrior with black curly hair. His name appears in Georgian and Armenian forms, and in Latin and Greek.

Did You Know?

• Bahram's epithet Mihrbandak means 'servant of Mithra'.
• He was the first Parthian dynast to challenge Sasanian legitimacy by rebellion.
• After his victory over the Turks, Bahram captured the Turkic treasury and golden throne of the Khagan.
• Bahram's legacy survived the Arab conquest among Iranian nationalists and in Persian literature.