The Persian Book of Kings: An Epitome of the Shahnama of Firdawsi PDF
Preview The Persian Book of Kings: An Epitome of the Shahnama of Firdawsi
This page intentionally left blank 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 This page intentionally left blank 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
The list of books you might like
