Bahram & Khosro

We have the year 588 A.D, Iranshahr (Persia) is being ruled by Hormoz IV, not one of the wisest of Sassanid Persian Kings(Shah). Persia being blessed by the times also has a competent Commander in Chief called "Bahram" serving the country, known in history as “Bahram Choobin”. Their personalities collide in history and due to either ones pride or the others extreme stupidity, Persia experiences extra ordinary times and divisions, wars and conflicts that undoubtedly led to, or at least immensely helped the disintegration and collapse of the Persian Empire at the hands of the Arabs, some 50 years later.

It all started in 589 AD, where in Herat (present Western Afghanistan), Bahrams army confronted one of the biggest Turk men armies of the time and defeated them in a legendary manner. The Turk men were the new nation being created of the Altay race, at the foot of a mountain with the shape of a “Helmet”. A helmet was called in the local language “Dorok” and the people living there were called Dorokmen or as times went by “Turk men”.This war was the last of its kind between the Turks and the Persians before Islamization of both. Almost immediately, Bahram was dispatched to the West of Persia to confront the Romans, this battle did not go well and as a result Bahram was officially humiliated by Hormoz IV. Hormoz insulted Bahram by having him openly receive womens clothing. This resulted in Bahram revolting against the Shah and attacking the capital “Tisfoon”. Hormoz IV was killed and his son , a 14 year old tall and good looking boy, better known as a young womanizer took over. Khosro, feeling overpowered by Bahram, fled to Rom (Eastern Empire) and requested asylum.

Bahram set up his monarchy and declared himself Shah, and ruled for a couple of years until 591 AD. Khosro’s uncle in the meantime received help from the Romans in means of a massive army to confront Bahram. The Romans hoped to finally end hostilities between Persians and Romans, furthermore Khosro promised to marry the Roman emperors daughter “Mary” and make her the Queen of Persia . All went as planned, Bahram was defeated and lost the crown, retreated first to the Azerbaijan province and then further away till he was found and assassinated by agents of Khosro, and so ended his legacy. This totally unnecessary conflict, kicked off by Khosro's father, had the inevitable side effect of weakening the Persian Empire. The fact that Khosro II was actually in love with his Armenian Girlfriend Shirin, did not seem to help the spousal harmony needed between Mary and Khosro that should have helped the bilateral relations of Persia and Rom. Nevertheless, the Persian Empire enjoyed its last decades of peace and strength. In 642 AD a massive attack too place and the Persian Empire simply did not have the necessary stamina anymore to withstand the fresh and highly motivated Arabs (Muslims).

Many years later, (170 years after the Arab conquest of Persia), The "Samanian" dynasty was founded, they were the first Persians to organize and establish themselves again , ironically they were of direct bloodline and lineage of Bahram Choobin. Underneath is the Map of Iran under the Sassanid Dynasty and above is the Tomb of Khosro II also known as Khosro-Parviz.