The poet tells of the accession of Núshírwán, his internal administration, his repression of marauding tribes, his first war with Rúm, the revolt and death of his son Núshzád, of the rise to power and wisdom of Búzurjmihr, the fall of Mahbúd, the Sháh's marriage with the daughter of the Khán, Búzurjmihr's discourse on good words and deeds, the introduction into Persia of the game of chess and the Fables of Bidpai, the legend of the invention of the former and that of the game of nard, the fall and the restoration to favour of Búzurjmihr, the wisdom of Núshírwán, his last war with Rúm, his appointment of his successor, and death.

Kisrá, surnamed Núshírwán (Chosroës I, A.D. 531-578), ruled contemporaneously with three Eastern Roman Emperors—Justinian (A.D. 527-565), Justin II (A.D. 565-574), and Tiberius II (A.D. 574-582). Justin resigned the rule to Tiberius, the captain of the guards, in A.D. 574, but did not die till A.D. 578, the year of Núshírwán's death. Núshírwán was perhaps the greatest of the twenty-nine Sásánian Sháhs, at least it is not easy to assign that title to any other unless we reserve it for the founder of the dynasty, Ardshír Pápakán, who has to his credit the overthrow of a long-standing foreign domination, the re-establishment of a national dynasty, and all the toil of political reconstruction that his successful revolt against the last Arsacid involved.

It will be seen that the poet had plenty of material for this portion of his undertaking. The subject-matter falls naturally into certain well-defined divisions; accordingly we have broken up the reign, as in the case of that of Gushtásp,*

into Parts, but there is no such arrangement in the original.

Kisrá will be referred to throughout by his popular title of Núshírwán.

The principal historical events recorded by Firdausí in his account of the reign may be placed in approximate chronological order as follows:—

The fall of Mahbúd.

The reorganisation of the kingdom, finances, and army.

The chastisement of barbarous frontier-tribes.

The fortification of Darband.

The first war with Rúm (A.D. 540-562).

The revolt of Núshzád (A.D. 551).

Núshírwán's marriage with the daughter of the Khán.

The introduction into Persia of the Fables of Bidpai (about A.D. 570).

The birth of Muhammad (about A.D. 571).

The second war with Rúm (A.D. 572).

The first eight of these are included in the present volume.