Bahram V

Lore & Background

Khosrow II was born in c. 570, the son of Hormizd IV and an unnamed noblewoman from the House of Ispahbudhan, one of the Seven Great Houses of Iran. His uncles, Vinduyih and Vistahm, had a profound influence on his early life. Khosrow is first mentioned in the 580s, when he was at Partaw, the capital of Caucasian Albania, serving as its governor. He managed to end the Kingdom of Iberia and turn it into a Sasanian province, and also served as governor of Arbela in Upper Mesopotamia. In 590, after his father Hormizd IV was overthrown and blinded by Vinduyih and Vistahm, Khosrow II was put on the throne. The two brothers then had Hormizd killed, with at least the implicit approval of Khosrow II. However, the rebel general Bahram Chobin continued his march to Ctesiphon. Khosrow wrote to Bahram, stressing his rightful claim: "Khosrow, kings of kings, ruler over the ruling, lord of the peoples, prince of peace, salvation of men... We have also taken over the royal throne in a lawful manner and have upset no Iranian customs." Bahram ignored the warning, defeated Khosrow's forces at the Nahrawan Canal, and took Ctesiphon, declaring himself king of kings in the summer of 590. Khosrow, with his two uncles, his wives, and a retinue of 30 nobles, fled to Byzantine territory.

Reader's Guide

To regain his throne, Khosrow II sought help from the Byzantine emperor Maurice (r. 582–602). In return, the Byzantines would regain sovereignty over Amida, Carrhae, Dara, and Martyropolis, and Iran would stop intervening in Iberia and Armenia, ceding control of Lazistan. In 591, Khosrow moved to Constantia and prepared to invade Bahram's territories. Vistahm and Vinduyih raised an army in Adurbadagan under Byzantine observation, while Khosrow and the Byzantine commander Comentiolus invaded Mesopotamia. Nisibis and Martyropolis quickly defected. Bahram's commander Zatsparham was defeated and killed; another commander, Bryzacius, was captured, had his nose and ears cut off, and was sent to Khosrow, who killed him. Khosrow and the Byzantine general Narses seized Dara and then Mardin in February, where Khosrow was re-proclaimed king. His supporter Mahbodh captured Ctesiphon. Meanwhile, a force of 8,000 Iranians under Vistahm and Vinduyih and 12,000 Armenians under Mushegh II Mamikonian invaded Adurbadagan. Bahram Chobin tried to turn Mushegh by letter, writing: "As for you Armenians who demonstrate an unseasonable loyalty, did not the house of Sasan destroy your land and sovereignty?" Mushegh rejected the offer. Bahram was defeated at the Battle of Blarathon and fled east with 4,000 men, defeating a pursuing army and a Karenid nobleman at Qumis. Khosrow II later began a war against the Eastern Roman Empire in 602, allegedly to avenge Maurice's murder. Persian forces captured much Roman territory, earning him the epithet "the Victorious." The Siege of Constantinople (626) was unsuccessful, and Heraclius, allied with Turks, counterattacked into the Persian heartland. Dissatisfied feudal families supported a coup; Khosrow II was deposed and killed by his son Sheroe (Kavad II), leading to a civil war and reversal of all Sasanian gains.

Did You Know?

• Khosrow II's name in Middle Persian is Husraw, deriving from Avestan Haosrauuah ('he who has good fame').
• He was given the epithet Abarwēz (New Persian Parviz), meaning 'victorious.'
• His paternal grandmother was the daughter of the khagan of the Khazars.
• He lost his throne to Bahram Chobin, who declared himself king of kings in the summer of 590, claiming to restore Arsacid rule.
• Khosrow II was killed by his estranged son Sheroe, who took power as Kavad II.