The Sasanian (or Sassanian or Sasanid) king of
kings were rulers of Iranshahr (realm of the Iranians/Ayrans), called Eran
and An-Eran (i.e. Iran and non-Iran).
The names given below are generally their New
Persian transcriptions with alternative spellings.
Ardashir took the title of šahan šah
(Shahanshah) “King of Kings”. Sassanid princes were often kings (shahs) of
provinces, i.e. Marvshah, king (ruler) of Marv.
The "spahbed" was the generalissimo
of the army, later under Khosrow I (531-579) split into four: North, South,
West,and East.
The date 262 (ca) refers to the famous
inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht giving names of family and ministers of
the empire.
Literature
Dayraee, Touraj: "The Last Ruling Woman
of Ērānšahr: Queen Āzarmīgduxt", in International
Journal of the Society of Iranian Archaeologists vol 1, 2014, p.77-81
Dayraee, Touraj: "When the End is Near:
Barbarized Armies and Barracks Kings of Late Antique Iran", in M.
Macuch, D. Weber, D. Durkin-Meisterernst, eds., Ancient
and Middle Iranian Studies. Proceedings of the
6th European Conference of Iranian Studies, held in Vienna, 18-22 September
2007. Wiesbaden, 2010, p. 43-52.
Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition,
available at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles
Olbrycht, Marek Jan: "Dynastic
Connections in the Arsacid Empire and the Origins of the House of
Sāsān", in The Parthian and early Sasanian Empires: Adaption
and
Expansion, Proceedings of a Conference held in
Vienna, 14–16 June 2012, Oxford 2016, p.23-35
Pashazanous, Hamidreza and Afkande Ehsan:
"The Last sasanians in Eastern Iran and China", inANABASIS. Studia Classica et Orientalia 5,
2014, p.139-154
PIR VII, 2 (2006), letter S, p.72 stemma of
first Sassanids
Pourshariati, Parvaneh:"Decline and Fall of theSasasinian
Empire. The Sasanian–Parthian Confederacy and the Arab Conquest of
Iran", I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd, London, 2008
Rezakhani, Khodadad: "ReOrienting the
Sasanians. East Iran in Late Antiquity", Edinburgh University Press,
2017, chapter 3 The Kushano-Sasanians in East Iran, p.72
This cadet branch of the Sassanian dynasty
ruled the Kushan territories in Bactria/Tokharistan. Scholars no longer
believe that Hormizd, brother of Bahram II,
was the founder. Their dynasty is provided
below the main stemma.
Shahbazi, A. Shapur: “Studies in Sasanian
Prosopography,” Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran 16, 1983, pp. 255-68 (on
king Naseh and his wife Sahpuhrduxtak II,
since they were already married by 262 (she
was titled Queen of the Sakas) , she cannot be the same as the wife of Bahram
II)
Weber, Ursula: "Pābag, der Vater
Ardašīrs I., in der historiographischen Überlieferung“ in Diwan. Studies
in the History and Culture of the Ancient Near East and
the Eastern Mediterranean. Festschrift für
Josef Wiesehöfer zum 65. Geburtstag, Hrsg. von C.Binder, H.Börm, A.Luther
Duisburg (2016) p.517-553
Weber, Ursula: “Prosopographie des
Sāsānidenreiches im 3. Jahrhundert nach Chr.,” on
http://www.dr-ursula-weber.de/Prosopographie/
Weber, Ursula: "Hormezd I., König der
Könige von Ērān und Anērān", in Iranica Antiqua 42,
2007, p.387-418
Weber, Ursula: "Hormezd II., König der
Könige von Ērān und Anērān", in Iranica Antiqua 51,
2016, p.313-360 (ARTICLE NOT AVAILABLE TO ME)
Weber, Ursula: "Narseh, König der Könige
von Ērān und Anērān", in Iranica Antiqua 47, 2012,
p.153-302
Weber, Ursula: "Wahram I, König der
Könige von Ērān und Anērān (273-276 n. Chr.) ", in
Iranistik 5, Heft 1 & 2, 2006-2007, p.171–221
Weber, Ursula: "Wahram II, König der
Könige von Ērān und Anērān", in Iranica Antiqua 44,
2009, p.559-643
Weber, Ursula: "Wahram III, König der
Könige von Ērān und Anērān", in Iranica Antiqua 45,
2010, p.353-394
Changes
2021.08.16 initial version
2021.08.31 added article by Olbrycht
2021.09.10 minor update. Article by Shahbazi
now available to me. See comment under article.
Sasan
high priest at
Istakhr (Fire Temple of Anāhid)
genealogy
disputed,
he could be
father-in-law of Pabag or even the real father of Ardashir I
~ Denag, alive under Ardashir I
Pabag (Papak)
King of Istakhr
(capital of Pars (Persis))
crowned king at
Istakhr (Stakr) 205/206
† c.207/210
~ Rodag, alive
under Ardashir I
son of Rodag
A1166
sister
brother
Shapur (Sabuhr)
Ardashir I
~
Denag
Balash
King of Pars
after Pabag,
King of Pars as Ardashir V 211/212
Queen of Queens
(Walaxs)
probably killed
by Ardashir
Shahanshah Iran 224-242
mention 262
mention 262
in 211 or 212
~ Murrod, mention 262
~ Casmag, mention 262
son of Murrod
S182
Narseh
Shapur I (Sabuhr)
Ardashir
Ardashir
Peroz
Narseh
Mihrshah
Ardashir
Ardashir
mention 262
coregent 240-242
Kermanshah
Marvshah
mention 262
mention 262
Meshanshah
Nodshiraganshah
Sakanshah under Ardashir I
Shahanshah Iran 242-270 (or 272)
under Ardashir I
under Ardashir I
(Mesan =
(= Adiabene)
under
~ Kurdzad (Gurdzad)
mention 262
no longer
Characene)
mention 262
replaced by 262
~ Xwar(r)ānzēm
ruler by 262
eldest son
3rd son, son of Kurdzad
N28 4th son
2nd son
eldest child
Bahram I
(Warahran or Wahram)
Hormizd I (Ohrmazd)
Narseh (Narses)
Shapur
Adur-Anahid
Narseh
Sasan
Gelanshah 262
(as heir Ohrmezd-Ardašir)
King of Sagestan, Hindestan + Turan 262
Meshanshah
Queen of queens
mention 262
royal prince 262
Shahanshah Iran
271-274
King of Armenia 252-270
King of Armenia 271/273-293
mention 262
mention 262
or 273-276
Shahanshah Iran 270-271
Shahanshah Iran 293-302
† before 270
or 272-273
by 262 ~ Šābuhrduxtag, queen, his niece ?
~ Denag
Narseh
~ Staxryad
~ Narsehduxt, mention 262
mention 262
royal prince
supported Narseh 293
PLRE1
Bahram II
(Warahran or Wahram)
Hormizd
Hormozdak
Hormizd II (Ohrmazd)
Hormizddukhtak
Hormizd
Hormizdag
Odabakht
Bahram
Shapur
Peroz
Shapurdukhtak
Shahanshah Iran
274-293 (or 291)
rebelled 280s
(Hormezdag)
Shahanshah Iran 302-309
(Ohrmezd(d)uxtag)
Sakanshah 274
mention 262
(Odabaxt)
(Wahram)
(Sabuhr)
mention 262
(Šābuhrduxtag)
or 276-293 (17
years)
? = his cousin
mention 262
murdered by nobles
mention c.262
revolt c.281-283
mention 262
mention 262
mention 262
supported
Queen of Queens
274 ~ ? cousin
Shapurdukhtak
† executed by Bahram
II
Narseh 293
? ~ Narseh ↖
~ Quandida
(Candida), Christian martyr
? or = brother to Bahram II
? ~ Bahram II ←
3rd son, PLRE2
Bahram III
(Warahran or Wahram)
Adur Narseh
son
Hormizd
Shapur II (Sabuhr)
Ardashir II
Adurfrazgird
Zamasp
Shapur
Narseh
Hormizddukht
Sakanshah under
his father in 280s
Shahanshah Iran 309
blinded 309
imprisoned 309
* 309
king of Adiabene 344-376
king of
king of
Sakanshah
king of
Shahanshah Iran
293 (4 months)
murdered by nobles
escaped to Rome 323
Shahanshah Iran 309-379
Shahanshah Iran 379-383
S. Arbayistan
N. Arbayistan
311
Armenia
~ Mamikonian
deposed by Narseh,
possibly not king
Roman general
deposed by nobles
with Nisibis
360s
330s
prince Vahan
fate unknown
as Hormisdas 362-363
360s
PLRE3
Hormisdas
Shapur III (Sabuhr)
Zurvandukht
Peroz-Gushnasp
proconsul Asia 365/6
Shahanshah Iran 383-388
princess
comes rei militaris c.379
murdered by nobles
~ Khosrov IV of Armenia
?
PLREv2
Hormisdas
Bahram IV (Warahran or Wahram)
Yazdegerd I (Yazdgerd, Yazdgird)
PPO Illyricum 448
Kermanshah under father
Shahanshah Iran 399-420
PPO Oriens 449-450
Shahanshah Iran 388-399
probably killed by nobility
son or grdson of PLRE ?
killed by nobility
~ Shushandukht (Sosanduxt)
?
dt of Jewish exilarch (Huna bar Nathan ?)
Khosrow
Shapur IV (Sabuhr)
Bahram V Gor (Warahran or Wahram)
Narseh
Shahanshah 420
King of Persamenia 415-420
Shahanshah Iran 420-438
king of Abarshahr 420
installed by nobility
Shahanshah Iran 420
(Khorasan)
after death of Shapur
IV
killed by nobility
~ Indian princess
deposed by Bahram V
considered usurper
Yazdegerd II (Yazdgerd, Yazdgird)
Sisan
Shahanshah Iran 438-457
ancestor of the
Buyids
~ Denag, regent 457-459 during civil war
Hormizd III (Ohrmazd)
Peroz I (Firuz)
Balash (Wardakhsh, Walakhsh)
Zarer (Zarir)
daughter
Sakanshah under father
Shahanshah Iran 459-484
Shahanshah Iran 484-488
rebelled 485
or sister to Yazdegerd II
Shahanshah Iran 457-459
† killed in battle vs Hepthalites
deposed by nobles
† 485 executed
~ Aswagen
war with brother Peroz 457-459
King of Albania c.415-c.440
† 459 executed
sister
daughter
Balendukht
Kavadh I
~
Sambice
Zareh
Jamasp (Zamasp)
Perozdukht (Perozduxt)
Vache II
Bawi
sister
or dt of Peroz
I
* 473, aged 15 in 488
Shahanshah Iran
captured 484
King of Albania c.440-462
of the Ispahbudhan family
~ of
Varsken,
~ Vakhtang king
Shahanshah Iran 488/9-496
~ brother
496-498/9
484 ~ Akhshunwar
abdicated no king until 485
(called Aspebedes
~ Kavadh I
Viceroy of
Gugark 470-482
of Iberia
deposed 496
Kavadh I
deposed, pardoned ?
ruler of the Hepthalites
~ sister or niece to Peroz
I
by Procopius)
←
and later
Albania
Shahanshah Iran 499-531
wen't to Armenia,
† 532 exc by Khosrow I
† 482 killed by
Vakhtang I
~ niece
~ also
sister of Bawi →
† 530/540
??
oldest son
mother sister of Bawi
2nd son
Kawuz
Khosrow I Anushirvan (Khosrau, Xusro)
Jamasp (Zamasp)
Xerxes
Narsi
Balas
daughter
Vachagan III
Shapur
* 492 son of
Sambice
* 512/514
† 532 exc after
general 528
last Arsacid king
spahbed of the West
King of
Tabaristan c.520
Shahanshah Iran 531-579
conspiracy
↓
~ uncle Kavad I
King of Albania 485-510
† 586 executed by Hormizd IV
† 533 rebelled
and exc.
rulers of
also called son of Yazdegerd
II
Yemen
or nephew of Vache II
eldest son
son
Shapur
Anoshazad
Hormizd IV (Ohrmazd)
Yazdandad
Kavadh
Piruz
daughter
Vistahm (Bistam)
Vinduyi
hostage
revolted c.550
* c.540
† 541 exc by Khosrow I
ruler of Gilan † 642
spahbed of the West 586
1st minister of Khosrow
II 590
† 579/590
blinded
Shahanshah Iran 579-590
↓
~ Hormizd IV
spahbed of the East 590
† 590 exc. by Khosrow
II
deposed and killed 590
←
rival Shahanshah Iran
PLRE vol3A
by Vistahm
590/1–596 or 594/5–600
Bahram Gushnasp
~ sister to Vistahm →
ruled the Iranian East. Murdered
general,
mention 573
~ Gordiya, ←
PLRE vol3A
Bahram VI Cobin
(Chubin)
Gordiya
Khosrow II Parvez (Khosrau, Xusro)
Kavadh
Mihran
Chahardukht
Tiruyih
Vinduyih
Hormizd V (Ohrmazd)
(Warahran or
Wahram)
Shahanshah Iran 590-628
~ Shahrbaraz
(Shahrvaraz)
general
general
called Farrukh Hormizd
of the house of
Mihran,
~ Vistahm
overthrown and killed by son Kavadh II
of the house of Mihran,
~ Mah-Adhur Gushnasp
635
635
spahbed of the North,
rival
Shahanshah Iran 590-591
→
Parvez = the Victorious
spahbed of the South by 614
(Jushnasmar)
Shahanshah Iran 630-631
general
572-591
~ Maria of Byzans
Shahanshah Iran 630 (6 weeks)
regent for Ardashir
III 628-630
killed by Azarmidokht
† assasinated
591
~ Shirin, Christian, † 628
succeeded Ardashir
III, murdered
† 630 exc. by
Shahrbaraz
↓
and overthrown by Farrukh Hormizd
Khosrow III (Khosrau, Xusro)
Shapur V -i Shahrvaraz (Sabuhr)
Peroz II
Khosrow IV
Rostam (Rustam)
Farrukhzad (Farrukhzadag)
rival Shahanshah Iran 630-(632)
Shahanshah Iran 630 after Boran
(Gushnasp-Bandeh)
Shahanshah Iran
Iranian general 631-636
ruler of Tabaristan 651-665
ruled in Khorosan, killed,
deposed
Shahanshah Iran 630
630-636,
† 635/6 in battle vs muslims
† c.665 murdered
he succeeded Shahrbaraz,
rival king at Susa
↓
coins known up to year 3
coins known up to year 7
Bavand dynasty
son of Maria
dt of Maria
son of Shirin
son of Shirin
Kavadh II
~
Boran (Burandukht)
Azarmidokht
Khosrow V
Mardanshah
Shahriyar
(prince)
Arwandrang
Guranshah
Afrudshah
Khurrah
Pusdil
Juvansher
(Sheroe,
Shiroye)
Queen of Iran 630
(Azarmigdukht)
(Farrukhzad Khosrow)
† 628
† 628 exc
one of the
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
(Javanshir)
* 590 † 628
plague
succeeded Shahrbaraz
Queen of Iran 630-631
escaped 628
designated heir
by Kavadh II
executed
by Kavadh II
by Kavadh II
by Kavadh II
by Kavadh II
by Kavadh II
mention in
Shahanshah Iran
628
deposed by Shapur V 630
succeeded Shapur V
Shahanshah 631
of Khosrow II
brothers
one source,
(for 5½
months)
Queen of Iran 631-32
† 631 killed by
(March-April)
but no coins
killed 18
brothers
† 632 strangulated
Rostam Farrokhzad
overthrown and killed
succeeded Khosrow II
~ Anzoy of
Byzantium
Perozanshah
Sadman
Zarafrudsah
Sadrang
Arwanddast
Pusbeh
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
Ardashir III
Manjanah
Sabryar
Yazdegerd III (Yazdgerd, Yazdgird)
Hormizd VI (Ohrmazd)
* 621, aged 7
when shahhanshah
(Mandane)
in Sirwan
* 624, aged 8 in 632
Shahanshah Iran 630-631
Shahanshah Iran
628-630 (29/4)
last Shahanshah Iran 632-651
succeeded Shapur V
Mardkhurrah
Zadankhurrah
Serzad
Jihanbaxt
(19 months)
~ Yazdegerd III, her cousin
succeeded Boran, † 651 murdered
overthrown
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
† 628 exc
succeeded Kavadh II
→
~ Manjanah his cousin
† 630 exc. by Shahrbaraz
←
Khosrou
Peroz (III)
Bahram (VII)
Izdundad
Shahrbanu
Adrag
Mardawand
Sahen
Narse
Mihrgusnasp
Khamkar
Muxdaj
Adarak
* 636?, titular king 651-c.679
in Chinese Aluohan,
daughter
(Shehr Bano)
daughter
daughter
↓
↓
cripple
fled to Tang China 651
Chinese general
† 658
fled to
fled to China
the Munajjim
king of Sistan (really Tocharistan) 663/6-674
† 710 in exile
~ Bustanai
~ Husayn ibn Ali
China
fled again to China,
in China
ben Haninai
* 626 † 680
Chinese general
grandson of Muhamed
† 678/679
↓
Narsieh
Yazdegerd
Shahafrid
Khosrow
titular king
678/9-c.712
† c.728
in Chinese Juluo,
fought the
Arabs for 20 years
~Al-Walid
attempted to
mention as
Chinese general 708
ibn Abd al-Malik
return to Iran 728/9
caliph 705-715
last mentio 730/1
Pu-Chan-Huo
Mu-Shanuo
(Bo Qiang Huo)
called king of Persia 731
titular king
c.712
= Pusang
mentioned as Persian king 723
THE
KUSHANO-SASANIAN DYNASTY
Chronology and
list of rulers are still disputed, almost all information is based on
coinage, mainly minted at Marv and Balkh.
Dates are from
David Jongeward and Joe Cribb: "Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite
Coins", New York: American Numismatic Society, 2015, p.4
Martin
Schindel in his many writings dates the dynasty beginning to the 290s.
Kushanshah =
king of Kushan
Ardashir I
Kushanshah
c.230-245
could possibly
be Ardashir Marvshah, brother of Sapur I of Iran.