Bahram Chobin
Encyclopedia
General Bahrām Chobin (in Persian
بهرام چوبین) was a famous Eran spahbod (military commander) during the late 6th century in Persia, usurping the Sassanid throne for a year as Bahram VI (590-591).
, one of the Seven Parthian clans
, his first great victory came in Herat
in 589
, which is reported in a number of sources. He successfully defeated a large Göktürk
army in great Turkish War. Reportedly, the Turkish forces outnumbered his troops five to one. Relying on the discipline and superior training of his Persian Cataphract
cavalry, Bahram trapped and defeated the Turks, killing the Göktürk Bagha/Yabghu Qaghan
. After suffering a minor defeat in battle against the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire
, Shah Hormizd IV
humiliated him, sending him women's clothing to wear. Thus, he along with the main Persian army, rebelled against the Shah and marched toward Ctesiphon
. Hormizd was killed and his son, Khosrau II
, unable to fight such an army, fled to Byzantine territory and Bahram sat on the throne.
Bindoy, the uncle of Khosrau, who had accompanied him into exile, was sent with a large army granted by the Byzantine Emperor Maurice
. They went to Armenia to outflank Bahram, who was defeated in the lowlands and lost Ctesiphon
. He retreated to Azerbaijan
but was finally defeated at the Battle of Blarathon
and fled to the Turks in Central Asia
and settled in Ferghana. However, after some time he was murdered by the hired assassin sent by Khusrau II.
. The chapters in Volume VIII of Ferdowsi
's 11th-century Shahnameh
on the reigns of "Hurmuzd, Son of Nushirwan," and "Khusrau Parviz," both of which are almost as much about Bahram Chobin as about Hormizd or his son. The sections on Bahram Chobin's sister, Gordiyeh, are of special interest. According to traditions outside the Shāhnāmeh, she was also his wife.
Following the collapse of the Sassanid empire
, the Samanid dynasty, one of the first independent Persian dynasties, were descendants of Bahram Chobin.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
بهرام چوبین) was a famous Eran spahbod (military commander) during the late 6th century in Persia, usurping the Sassanid throne for a year as Bahram VI (590-591).
Life
Descended from the House of MihranHouse of Mihran
The House of Mihrān was a leading Iranian noble family , one of the Seven Great Houses of the Sassanid Persian Empire which claimed descent from the earlier Arsacid dynasty...
, one of the Seven Parthian clans
Seven Parthian clans
The Seven Parthian clans or Seven Houses were seven purportedly "Parthian" feudal aristocracies allied with the Sassanid court.Only two of the seven - the House of Suren and the House of Karen - are actually attested in sources dateable to the Arsacid period...
, his first great victory came in Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
in 589
589
Year 589 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 589 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* October 17 – The Adige River...
, which is reported in a number of sources. He successfully defeated a large Göktürk
Göktürks
The Göktürks or Kök Türks, were a nomadic confederation of peoples in medieval Inner Asia. Known in Chinese sources as 突厥 , the Göktürks under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan The Göktürks or Kök Türks, (Old Turkic: Türük or Kök Türük or Türük; Celestial Turks) were a nomadic confederation of...
army in great Turkish War. Reportedly, the Turkish forces outnumbered his troops five to one. Relying on the discipline and superior training of his Persian Cataphract
Cataphract
A cataphract was a form of armored heavy cavalry utilised in ancient warfare by a number of peoples in Western Eurasia and the Eurasian Steppe....
cavalry, Bahram trapped and defeated the Turks, killing the Göktürk Bagha/Yabghu Qaghan
Bagha Qaghan
Bagha Qaghan ,was the seventh ruler of the Turkic Kaganate slayed with an arrow shot by Bahrām Chobin during First Perso-Turkic War....
. After suffering a minor defeat in battle against the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, Shah Hormizd IV
Hormizd IV
Hormizd IV, son of Khosrau I, reigned as the twenty-first King of Persia from 579 to 590.He seems to have been imperious and violent, but not without some kindness of heart. Some very characteristic stories are told of him by Tabari. His father's sympathies had been with the nobles and the priests...
humiliated him, sending him women's clothing to wear. Thus, he along with the main Persian army, rebelled against the Shah and marched toward Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon, the imperial capital of the Parthian Arsacids and of the Persian Sassanids, was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia.The ruins of the city are located on the east bank of the Tigris, across the river from the Hellenistic city of Seleucia...
. Hormizd was killed and his son, Khosrau II
Khosrau II
250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II (Khosrow II, Chosroes II, or Xosrov II in classical sources, sometimes called Parvez, "the Ever Victorious" – (in Persian: خسرو پرویز), was the twenty-second Sassanid King of Persia, reigning from 590 to 628...
, unable to fight such an army, fled to Byzantine territory and Bahram sat on the throne.
Bindoy, the uncle of Khosrau, who had accompanied him into exile, was sent with a large army granted by the Byzantine Emperor Maurice
Maurice (emperor)
Maurice was Byzantine Emperor from 582 to 602.A prominent general in his youth, Maurice fought with success against the Sassanid Persians...
. They went to Armenia to outflank Bahram, who was defeated in the lowlands and lost Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon, the imperial capital of the Parthian Arsacids and of the Persian Sassanids, was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia.The ruins of the city are located on the east bank of the Tigris, across the river from the Hellenistic city of Seleucia...
. He retreated to Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
but was finally defeated at the Battle of Blarathon
Battle of Blarathon
The Battle of Blarathon was fought in 592 near Ganzak between a combined Eastern Roman -Persian force and a Persian army led by the usurper Bahram Chobin. The combined army was led by John Mystacon, Narses, and the Persian prince Khosrau II. The Roman-Persian force was victorious, ousting Bahram...
and fled to the Turks in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and settled in Ferghana. However, after some time he was murdered by the hired assassin sent by Khusrau II.
Legacy
There are many fables attributed to Bahram VI, as is the norm for many heroes in Persian literaturePersian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
. The chapters in Volume VIII of Ferdowsi
Ferdowsi
Ferdowsi was a highly revered Persian poet. He was the author of the Shahnameh, the national epic of Iran and related societies.The Shahnameh was originally composed by Ferdowsi for the princes of the Samanid dynasty, who were responsible for a revival of Persian cultural traditions after the...
's 11th-century Shahnameh
Shahnameh
The Shahnameh or Shah-nama is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c.977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of Iran and related societies...
on the reigns of "Hurmuzd, Son of Nushirwan," and "Khusrau Parviz," both of which are almost as much about Bahram Chobin as about Hormizd or his son. The sections on Bahram Chobin's sister, Gordiyeh, are of special interest. According to traditions outside the Shāhnāmeh, she was also his wife.
Following the collapse of the Sassanid empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
, the Samanid dynasty, one of the first independent Persian dynasties, were descendants of Bahram Chobin.