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Shahrbaraz, the Great Boar of Persia

Shahrbaraz was a general, with the rank of Spahbodh (field-marshal), in the Persian army under Khosrau II of Persia (590–628). The name Shahrbaraz seems to be his title. Dr. Alfred Joshua Butler, in his book The Arab Conquest of Egypt, suggests that the name of this general was Khuriam, and that "Shahrbaraz" and "Shirawazayh" by which this general has been more generally known are mistranscriptions of the Persian name "Shahr-Wazar," literally "the king's boar" and signifying as a title "great courage." A figurative representation of this title appeared on the seal of ancient Persia as well as of Armenia.

In 602 the Byzantine Emperor Maurice was overthrown in a military and civil rebellion caused by his excessive frugality. Maurice had some years earlier helped Khosru II, who had been forced to flee Persia when his father was overthrown by Persian general named Vahram, return to power in return for some land. Maurice's help to Khosru II had brought peace between Constantinople and Persia, with Khosru II marrying a Christian princess from Constantinople and maintaining good relations with Maurice.

Khosru II had been disturbed by the brutal death of both his friend Maurice and his family, and was either moved to avenge those deaths or to use the murders as a pretext to make gains against the Byzantine Empire. With Khosru's eastern borders secure, in 603 he declared war against Phocas. Shahrbaraz led the Persian army in invading the lands of the Eastern Roman Empire and defeating Phocas' forces. It was the beginning of twenty-six years of renewed warfare between Constantinople and Persia.

He took Damascus and Jerusalem from the Byzantine Empire in 613 and 614, and the Holy Cross was carried away in triumph. The Zoroastrian priesthood was pleased by this, for they saw their king as being responsible for conquering the world in order to spread peace and the Zoroastrian faith.

In 614, Khosru's forces, led by Shahrbaraz, sacked Jerusalem, massacring 90,000 Christians, burning to the ground many Christian churches and carrying Christian relics back to Persia. Two years later, the Persian armies invaded and occupied Egypt with little resistance.

The Byzantine Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople, taking advantage of the fact that Persia had no real navy, sailed into the Black Sea and disembarked behind Persia's armies. Heraclius was able to sail to Issus and rout the Persian army near the Armenian border. In alliance with the Khazar kingdom north of the Caucasus, he invaded Armenia again in 623, gaining victory over the King's army near Canzaca. The town and fire temple were destroyed, together with the temple at Lake Urmia, traditionally associated with Zoroaster. The campaigns of 624 and 625 ranged across northern Syria and Mesopotamia and culminated in a reversal for Shahrbaraz' forces on the river Saras.

In 626, Avars, supported by Slavs, attacked the walls of Constantinople in alliance with the Persians. The Patriarch of Constantinople, Sergius, led a courageous defense of Constantinople and defeated the Avars. The Avars withdrew to Pannonia and never again threatened Constantinople. Unable to penetrate Constantinople's walls and facing Constantinople's superior navy, Khosru withdrew his forces from around the city. This represented the greatest penetration the Sassanids ever reached against Rome.

Heraclius' troops began marching toward the Sassanid capital at Ctesiphon, destroying what they could along the way. The Persians broke dikes to create floods in order to slow Heraclius' progress, including destroying the great canal works in Mesopotamia. These irrigation systems were never to be repaired, causing them to fill with silt and salt up. The Persian defenders were outmaneuvered in 628 by Heraclius' dash to Dastagird, the royal residence 70 miles (113 kilometers) north of Ctesiphon. An important but indecisive battle was fought near Nineveh, but, as the Byzantine army returned to Dastagird, Khosrow fled.

Khosru found a scapegoat for his defeat in the commander of his armies, Shahrbaraz. Unfortunately for Khosru the Emperor Heraclius captured the courier carrying the order for Shahrbaraz' execution and sent that letter to Shahrbaraz. Shahrbaraz and his fellow generals joined with the old rivals of the monarchy, the nobles, and imprisoned Khosru. They fed Khosru bread and water and killed eighteen of his sons before his eyes. Then the generals, encouraged by his remaining son, Sheroye, executed Khosru.

Sheroye was crowned king of Persia as Khavad II. In 630, Khavad signed a peace treaty with Constantinople that returned Egypt, Palestine, Asia Minor and western Mesopotamia to Constantinople. Khavad returned to Jerusalem captured Christian relics including the true cross. Prisoners of war were to be exchanged, and the two sides recognized the boundaries that had existed before the war. The war had gained nothing for either side.

Khavad died after ruling less than a year his seven-year-old son, Ardashir III, succeeded him. Ardashir was overthrown approximately eighteen months later by Shahrbaraz, on On April 27, 630. On June 9, 630 Shahrbaraz himself was slain by members of the Persian nobility. The new ruler was Purandokht, daughter of the King Khosrau II of Persia and one of only two women on the throne of the Sassanid dynasty.

Niketas, son of Shahrbaraz, fled to the Byzantines when his father was killed and was one of the main commanders of the Byzantine army during the Muslim invasions.

Shahrbaraz, the Great Boar of Persia