Vistahm

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Vistahm
Ispahbudhan
FatherShapur
ReligionZoroastrianism

Vistahm or Bistam (also transliterated Wistaxm,

king of kings of Iran, Khosrow II (r. 590–628). Vistahm helped Khosrow regain his throne after the rebellion of another Parthian noble Bahram Chobin, of House of Mihran, but later led a revolt himself, and ruled independently over a region which encompassed the entire Iranian East
until he was defeated by Khosrow and his allies.

Early life

Vistahm and his brother

seven Parthian clans that formed the elite aristocracy of the Sasanian Empire. The Ispahbudhan in particular enjoyed such a high status that they were acknowledged as "kin and partners of the Sasanians". The family also held the important position of spahbed of the West, i.e. the Sasanian Empire's southwestern regions (the Sawad). A sister of Vistahm had even married the Sasanian shah Hormizd IV (r. 579–590), and was the mother of Hormizd's heir, Khosrow II.[2][3]

Nevertheless, the family suffered, along with the other aristocratic clans, during the persecutions launched by Hormizd IV in his later years: Shapur was murdered, and Vistahm succeeded his father as spahbed of the West. Finally, Hormizd's persecutions led to the revolt of the general

Battle of Blarathon, Bahram's army suffered a crushing defeat, and Khosrow II reclaimed Ctesiphon and his throne.[3][6][7]

The modern historian

Stephen H. Rapp notes that Vistahm is possibly identical to the Ustam mentioned in the Georgian sources, the Sasanian commandant (c‛ixist‛avi in Georgian) of Mtskheta in Sasanian Iberia.[8] Rapp adds that if the two indeed happen to be the same person, it shows that the marzban and c‛ixist‛avi of Iberia were Sasanian agents representing different and rival Parthian houses. This, in turn, may have been a manoeuvre devised on purpose by the Sasanian rulers to "exploit intra-Parthian tensions so as to thwart the possibility of a united front in Caucasia against the empire".[9]

Later life and rebellion

Coin of Khosrow II.

After his victory, Khosrow rewarded his uncles with high positions: Vinduyih became treasurer and first minister and Vistahm received the post of spahbed of the East, encompassing Tabaristan and Khorasan, which according to Sebeos was also the traditional homeland of the Ispahbudhan.[3][10] Soon, however, Khosrow changed his intentions: trying to disassociate himself from his father's murder, the shah decided to execute his uncles. The Sasanian monarchs' traditional mistrust of over-powerful magnates and Khosrow's personal resentment of Vinduyih's patronising manner certainly contributed to this decision. Vinduyih was soon put to death, according to a Syriac source captured while trying to flee to his brother in the East.[3][11]

At the news of his brother's murder, Vistahm rose in open revolt. According to

Hephthalite princes of Transoxiana, Shaug and Pariowk.[3][12] The date of Vistahm's uprising is uncertain. From his coinage, it is known that his rebellion lasted for seven years. The commonly accepted dates are ca. 590–596, but some scholars like J.D. Howard–Johnston and P. Pourshariati push its outbreak later, in 594/5, to coincide with the Armenian Vahewuni rebellion.[13]

As Vistahm began to threaten

Gilan, while several Armenian contingents of the royal army rebelled and defected to Vistahm. Finally, Khosrow called upon the services of the Armenian Smbat Bagratuni, who engaged Vistahm near Qumis. During the battle, Vistahm was murdered by Pariowk at Khosrow's urging (or, according to an alternative account, by his wife Gordiya). Nevertheless, Vistahm's troops managed to repel the royal army at Qumis, and it required another expedition by Smbat in the next year to finally end the rebellion.[3][14]

Legacy

Despite Vistahm's rebellion and death, the power of the Ispahbudhan family was too great to be broken. Indeed, one of Vinduyih's sons was instrumental in the trial of Khosrow II after his deposition in 628, and two of the sons of Vistahm, Vinduyih and Tiruyih, along with their cousin Narsi, were commanders in the Iranian army that confronted the Muslim Arabs in 634.[3][15]

The town of Bastam in Iran as well as the monumental site of Taq-e Bostan may have been named after Vistahm.[3]

Family tree

Legend
Orange
 King of Kings
Yellow
 King
Bawi
Shapur
VinduyihVistahm
Farrukh HormizdTiruyihVinduyih
Rostam FarrokhzadFarrukhzad
ShahramSurkhab IIsfandyadhBahramFarrukhan

References

  1. doi:10.3406/crai.2001.16274
    .
  2. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 106–108.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Shapur Shahbazi 1989, pp. 180–182.
  4. ^ Pourshariati 2008, p. 122.
  5. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 127–128, 131–132.
  6. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 127–128.
  7. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, p. 232.
  8. ISBN 978-1-4724-2552-2
    .
  9. ISBN 978-1-4724-2552-2
    .
  10. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 131–132.
  11. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 132–134.
  12. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 132–133, 135.
  13. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 133–134.
  14. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 136–137.
  15. ^ Pourshariati 2008, pp. 163, 189, 212.

Sources

Vistahm
House of Ispahbudhan
Preceded by
King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran

590/1–596 or 594/5–600 		Succeeded by
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