Bahram V

Lore & Background

Bahram V was the son of shah Yazdegerd I and Shushandukht, a daughter of the Jewish exilarch. During his youth, he was sent to the Lakhmid court in al-Hira, where he was raised under the tutelage of the Lakhmid king al-Nu'man I ibn Imru' al-Qays. After the assassination of his father, Bahram hurried to the Sasanian capital of Ctesiphon with a Lakhmid army, and won the favour of the nobles and priests, according to a long-existing popular legend, after withstanding a trial against two lions. He was the first Sasanian shah to not be crowned by a noble, but by a chief priest.

Reader's Guide

Bahram V's reign was generally peaceful, with two brief wars—first against the Eastern Roman Empire, and then against the Kidarites. The war with the Kidarites began while Bahram was occupied with the Romans; the Kidarites crossed the Oxus river and invaded the Sasanian realm, forcing Bahram to pay tribute. After making peace with Rome, he prepared to deal with the Kidarites. It was also during his reign that the Arsacid line of Armenia was replaced by a marzban, marking the start of the Marzpanate period in Armenian historiography.

Did You Know?

• Bahram V was the first Sasanian shah to be crowned by a chief priest rather than a noble.
• He was raised at the Lakhmid court in al-Hira under the tutelage of king al-Nu'man I ibn Imru' al-Qays.
• His mother Shushandukht was a daughter of the Jewish exilarch.
• During his reign, the Arsacid line of Armenia was replaced by a marzban, starting the Marzpanate period.