Koshrow II King of Sasanian Empire

Kisra II (also known as Khosrow II or Khosrow Parviz) was the last great king of the Sasanian Empire, reigning from 590 to 628 AD. The Sasanian Empire encompassed territories that today primarily comprise Iran and Iraq. At its greatest extent, it also included parts of present-day Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, and the Arabian Peninsula (e.g., Yemen). Its core was located on the Iranian Plateau, and its capital was Ctesiphon, near present-day Baghdad in Iraq. Khosrow II was the son of Hormizd IV. After his father's overthrow in 590, he fled to the Byzantines. With the help of the Emperor of Mauritius, Khosrow returned to Persia, defeated the usurper Bahram Khubin, and ascended the throne in 591. In 602, a coup took place in Byzantium: Emperor Maurice was assassinated, and Phocas seized power. Khosrow II used this as a pretext for war, seeking revenge for the death of his ally. The Byzantine-Sasanian War began (602–628). The Persian army achieved significant successes, conquering Syria, Palestine, parts of Asia Minor, and Egypt. By 622, Khosrow II controlled vast territories comparable to those of the Achaemenid Empire. However, in the 620s, the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius I launched a counter-offensive. In 627, the Persian forces were defeated at the Battle of Nineveh. Heraclius conquered Syria and penetrated deep into the Persian provinces of Mesopotamia. These protracted wars had serious consequences for the Sasanian Empire. Maintaining the army drained the state treasury, and taxes steadily increased. Many able-bodied men were conscripted, leading to reduced crop yields and the threat of famine. The impoverished population fled their homes, and living standards plummeted. Khosrow II grew suspicious and began repressing military leaders and Christians, suspecting anyone close to him of treason. Roads and irrigation systems were abandoned. Byzantine troops, pursuing the retreating enemy, approached the Persian capital, Ctesiphon. Heraclius dared not attack, but Persia was in ruins. Discontent among the nobility and the populace reached its peak. To save their imprisoned relatives, the courtiers organized a conspiracy against the Shahinshah. At its head was Khosrow II's eldest son, who resented his father's bequest of the throne to his youngest son by another woman. On February 29, 628, Khosrow II was overthrown and killed. His son, Kavad II (who reigned for several months in 628), became the new Shahinshah. After Khosrow II's death, unrest swept through Persia. From 628 to 632, approximately ten rulers came and went. The weakened empire became easy prey for the Arab conquerors. In 633, Arab troops invaded Persia and, between 636 and 637, captured the capital, Ctesiphon. By 651, the Sasanian Empire had ceased to exist. Khosrow II remained as the last powerful ruler of pre-Islamic Iran. Khosrow is known both for expanding the empire to its greatest territorial extent and for its dramatic downfall, which left Persia vulnerable to the impending Muslim conquests. Khosrow made massive conquests; his armies swept through Byzantine territory, conquering Jerusalem in 614 (and carrying off the True Cross) and Egypt in 619. Khosrow is a figure of extremes: - His reign was a golden age for Persian art, including the famous Taq Kasra (Arch of Ctesiphon) and legendary gardens. - He is the hero of Khosrow and Shirin, a classic Persian love story by the poet.