The Persian Book of Kings: An Epitome of the Shahnama of Firdawsi

183 Pages·2015·6.195 MB·English

by  Basil William Robinson

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FRONTISPIECE Rustam lassoing the King of Sham (p.30)
(Leipzig, Museum fiir Kunsthandwerk)
T he
P ersian B ook
of K in g s
An Epitome of
The Shahnama of Firdawsi
B.W. ROBINSON
Q Routledge
Taylor & Francis Croup
LONDON AND NEW YORK
First Published in 2002
by RoutledgeCurzon
Published 2013 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon 0X14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10017, USA
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2002 B.W. Robinson
Typeset in Bembo by LaserScript Ltd, Mitcham, Surrey
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book has been requested
ISBN 13: 978-0-700-71618-0 (hbk)
FOR
MY GRANDCHILDREN
HARRIET, EDWARD, KATHARINE & JESSICA
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CONTENTS
List of Illustrations xiii
Preface xvii
Introduction: The Poet & the Poem 1
EPITOME OF THE SHAHNAMA
Prologue 10
I THE PISHDADIAN DYNASTY 11
REIGN OF GAYUMARTH 11
REIGN OF HUSHANG 11
REIGN OF TAHMURATH 12
REIGN OF JAMSHID 13
The Splendour of Jamshid 13
The Tyranny of Zahhak 13
The Coming of Faridun 15
REIGN OF FARIDUN 16
Faridun & his Three Sons 16
REIGN OF MINUCHIHR 18
Zal & Rudaba 18
Birth & Early Exploits of Rustam 20
REIGNS OF NAWDAR, ZAV & GARSHASP 21
War with Turan 21
Vll
viii THE PERSIAN BOOK OF KINGS
II THE KAYANIAN DYNASTY 23
REIGN OF KAY QUBAD 23
Rustam's Quest for Kay Qubad 23
REIGN OF KAY KA’US 24
Disaster in Mazandaran 24
Rustam’s Seven Stages 26
Wars of Kay Ka’us 30
The Flying Machine 31
Rustam’s Raid 32
Rustam & Suhrab 32
The Tragedy of Siyawush 36
Birth of Kay Khusraw 40
Revenge for Siyawush 41
Finding of Kay Khusraw 41
Abdication of Kay Ka’us 43
REIGN OF KAY KHUSRAW 43
Tragedy of Farud 43
Persian Reverses 45
Second Expedition: Continuing Reverses 46
Rustam to the Rescue 47
Rustam’s Overthrow of Kamus, the Khaqan, and Others 48
Successful Termination of the Campaign 50
Rustam & the Demon Akwan 51
Bizhan & Manizha 53
Battle of the Twelve Rukhs 57
Afrasiyab’s Last Campaign 60
Capture & Execution of Afrasiyab 63
The Last Days of Kay Khusraw 65
REIGN OF LUHRASP 65
Gushtasp in Rum 65
REIGN OF GUSHTASP 68
The Prophet Zoroaster 68
Vicissitudes of Isfandiyar 69
Isfandiyar’s Seven Stages 70
Rustam & Isfandiyar 74
Death of Rustam 76
REIGN OF BAHMAN 78
REIGN OF QUEEN HUMAY 78
CONTENTS ix
REIGN OF DARAB 79
Birth of Iskandar 79
REIGN OF DARA 79
REIGN OF ISKANDAR 79
Iskandar in India 79
Iskandar & Queen Qaydafa 81
Further Travels & Death of Iskandar 83
III THE ASHKANIAN DYNASTY 87
REIGN OF ARDAWAN 88
Rise of Ardashir 88
IV THE SASANIAN DYNASTY 91
REIGN OF ARDASHIR I 91
The Worm of Kerman 91
Birth of Shapur 93
Shapur & the Daughter of Mihrak 94
REIGN OF SHAPUR I 94
REIGNS OF HURMUZD I, BAHRAM I,
BAHRAM II, BAHRAM III, NARSI
& HURMUZD II 95
REIGN OF SHAPUR II 96
War with the Arabs 96
Shapur in Rum 96
Mani 97
REIGNS OF ARDASHIR II, SHAPUR III
& BAHRAM IV 97
REIGN OF YAZDAGIRD I 98
Arabian Education of Prince Bahram 98
Mysterious Death of Yazdagird 99
REIGN OF BAHRAM V (BAHRAM GUR) 100
Bahram Wins the Crown 100
Anecdotes of Bahram Gur 100
1 The Water-Carrier & the Jew 100
2 Ban on Wine-Drinking 102
3 The Deserted Village 103
4 The Miller’s Daughters 104
5 The Treasures of Jamshid 104