Pirooz
Encyclopedia
Peroz III was son of Yazdgerd III
, the last Sassanid king of Persia. After the death of his father at the hands of a Christian miller for his purse and jewellery, he retreated to territory under the control of Tang Dynasty
China and served as a Tang general and the head of the Governorate of Persia, an exiled extension of the Sassanid court. Most of what is known of Peroz is written in the Old Book of Tang and the New Book of Tang
.
in what is now Tajikistan
and arrived at Tang China
, which was more supportive of the Sassanids.
According to the Old Book of Tang, Peroz asked for military help from Tang China against the Arabs in 661. The Tang court created the Area Command of Persia (波斯都督府) at what is now Zaranj
, Afghanistan
, with Peroz as Commander-in-chief. Between 670 and 674, Peroz arrived personally at the Tang court and was given the title of Yòuwǔwèi Jīangjūn (右武衛將軍, "Martial General of the Right [Flank] Guards"). The sister of the Sassanian Prince Peroz II was married into the imperial court, which allowed Sassanian refugees fleeing from the Arab conquest to settle in China. The Emperor of China at this time was Emperor Gaozong of Tang
.
In 678, the Deputy State Secretary for Personnel (吏部侍郎) of the Tang Court, Pei Xingjian (裴行儉) was ordered to escort Peroz back to Persia. Pei Xingjian got as far as Suiye (near modern Tokmok
, Kyrgyzstan
) before returning, while Peroz was forced to spend over 20 years in Tuhuoluo (吐火羅; likely Bactra or Tokharistan) with several thousand followers. In 708
Peroz arrived at the Tang court again and was given the title of Zuoweiwei Jiangjun (左威衛將軍 Awe-inspiring General of the Left [Flank] Guards).
, a hostage at the Tang court, was escorted by Pei Xingjian westwards to Persia in 679 (not 678). As with the Old Book of Tang, Pei got as far as Suiye, and Narsieh (not Peroz) then spent 20 years in Tuhuoluo. Finally, it was again Narsieh and not Peroz that received the title of Zuoweiwei Jiangjun.
married a princess of the Tang Imperial Family and his descendants adopted the Tang Imperial Family Name Li. In the 9th century they were made Military Governor of Guangzhou
.
Yazdgerd III
Yazdegerd III or Yazdgerd III was the twenty-ninth and last king of the Sassanid dynasty of Iran and a grandson of Khosrau II . His father was Shahryar, whose mother was Miriam, the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Maurice...
, the last Sassanid king of Persia. After the death of his father at the hands of a Christian miller for his purse and jewellery, he retreated to territory under the control of Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
China and served as a Tang general and the head of the Governorate of Persia, an exiled extension of the Sassanid court. Most of what is known of Peroz is written in the Old Book of Tang and the New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
.
Life
Prince Peroz was very young at the time of the reign of his father Emperor Yazdgerd III and never exercised the imperial power of the Sassanids. After the Arab conquest of Persia, Peroz and much of the imperial family escaped through the Pamir MountainsPamir Mountains
The Pamir Mountains are a mountain range in Central Asia formed by the junction or knot of the Himalayas, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains and since Victorian times they have been known as the "Roof of the World" a probable...
in what is now Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
and arrived at Tang China
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, which was more supportive of the Sassanids.
According to the Old Book of Tang, Peroz asked for military help from Tang China against the Arabs in 661. The Tang court created the Area Command of Persia (波斯都督府) at what is now Zaranj
Zaranj
Zaranj or Zarang is a border town in south-western Afghanistan, with a population of approximately 49,851 people as of 2004. It is the capital of Nimruz province and is situated next to Milak, Iran. It is linked by highways with Lashkar Gah to the east, Farah to the north and Zabol in Iran to the...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, with Peroz as Commander-in-chief. Between 670 and 674, Peroz arrived personally at the Tang court and was given the title of Yòuwǔwèi Jīangjūn (右武衛將軍, "Martial General of the Right [Flank] Guards"). The sister of the Sassanian Prince Peroz II was married into the imperial court, which allowed Sassanian refugees fleeing from the Arab conquest to settle in China. The Emperor of China at this time was Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
.
In 678, the Deputy State Secretary for Personnel (吏部侍郎) of the Tang Court, Pei Xingjian (裴行儉) was ordered to escort Peroz back to Persia. Pei Xingjian got as far as Suiye (near modern Tokmok
Tokmok
Tokmok ; , Tokmak) is a city of about 53,087 in northern Kyrgyzstan, east of the country's capital of Bishkek. Its geographical location is ; its altitude is 816 m above sea level. From 2004 until 19 April 2006 it served as the administrative seat of Chui Province...
, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
) before returning, while Peroz was forced to spend over 20 years in Tuhuoluo (吐火羅; likely Bactra or Tokharistan) with several thousand followers. In 708
708
Year 708 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 708 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* Byzantine Empire: March – The Umayyads...
Peroz arrived at the Tang court again and was given the title of Zuoweiwei Jiangjun (左威衛將軍 Awe-inspiring General of the Left [Flank] Guards).
Death
According to the New Book of Tang, Peroz died after receiving the title Youwuwei Jiangjun. It was then that Peroz's son, NarsiehNarsieh
Narsieh was a Persian-Chinese general stationed in the Tang military garrison. He was son of prince Peroz III and grandson of Yazdgerd III, the last Sassanid king of Persia....
, a hostage at the Tang court, was escorted by Pei Xingjian westwards to Persia in 679 (not 678). As with the Old Book of Tang, Pei got as far as Suiye, and Narsieh (not Peroz) then spent 20 years in Tuhuoluo. Finally, it was again Narsieh and not Peroz that received the title of Zuoweiwei Jiangjun.
Descendants
NarsiehNarsieh
Narsieh was a Persian-Chinese general stationed in the Tang military garrison. He was son of prince Peroz III and grandson of Yazdgerd III, the last Sassanid king of Persia....
married a princess of the Tang Imperial Family and his descendants adopted the Tang Imperial Family Name Li. In the 9th century they were made Military Governor of Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
.