BahrÄm Chobin
Bahram ( Vahram or ) Cobin (Persian بهرام چوبین Bahrām -e Cubin [ bæɦrɔ ː ː bi ː me tʃu n]) was a Persian General ( Eran Spāhbod ) and usurper of the 6th century.
Life
Bahram came from the noble family of Mihran, were among the seven most influential families in the Sassanid Empire, and was probably born in Rhazakene ( Ray ) - when is unknown. His family, based on the previous dynasty of the Sassanids, the Arsacids, attributed traditionally presented generals of the army of the Great King: Many late antique western authors ( such as per capita income ) therefore thought mistakenly, Mihran was not a name but a rank.
Bahram, who had first probably served under Chosroes I. in the Royal Guard, fought very successful as a general against Armenians in the West and in the East Göktürks. But when he 589 suffered a minor defeat against the Eastern Romans in the Caucasus, it took King Hormizd IV, who had been following the success of his general with suspicion, as an opportunity to humiliate him ( he sent him women's clothes ). Bahram responded by inciting his soldiers and rose against the king. Apparently Bahram knew about the loyalty of his troops, and it could also IV with Hormizd with a widespread discontent, which was apparently proceeded for some time against the nobility and priesthood, expected. The High King was in fact overthrown (probably on 6 February 590), before Bahram had reached the capital, but replaced the conspirators Hormizd IV by his son Khosrau II, who was crowned nine days later, and in vain to negotiate with Bahram was looking for. Until then, the latter had given as a fighter for Chosroes, who had been in dispute with his father for some time; but now was becoming apparent that, Bahram rather represented its own interests.
There was no agreement, and as Chosroes had to realize after a first lost battle that his followers defected to Bahram, he fled to the Eastern Roman Empire, with which Persia was at war for years. Bahram took Ctesiphon, and had himself crowned on March 9, 590 as Bahram VI. to the king. Because for over 360 years, only members of the house of Sassan had worn the crown - even usurpers had always originated at least from secondary lines of the royal family - this was a sensational action. In the Oriental tradition, therefore, find evidence that Bahram, who has previously Hormizd projecting itself as a defender of the nobility IV, with this step, lost support and had to be willing to explain to vacate the throne again when Chosraus younger brother was of age. The idea that only a Sassanide have a right to the crown, was apparently in Persia still very powerful in.
Bahrams attempts to move the Eastern Roman Emperor Maurikios delivery of his fugitive rival Khosrau II were unsuccessful. Instead imperial troops fell together with the legitimate rulers in Persia; Roman troops under the command of Narses, which soon also Persian followers joined Chosraus, Bahram could hit in the summer of 591 the river Blarathon (or Blarathos ) and then taking Ctesiphon - incidentally the last time in antiquity. The fate of Bahram nothing certain is known, he probably fled to eastern Persia or the Göktürks and was killed there after a year on the initiative of Chosroes. His family, however, retained their influence and their territory; disempowerment of the house Mihran by the king would have the other great families probably not be tolerated.
The main sources for the collection of Bahram are Theophylaktos Simokates, Evagrius Scholasticus and Tabari.
The later Samanids, the first native rulers in Persia after the Arab conquest, claimed to be the descendants of Bahram Chobins so as to obtain a more legitimacy.