The Kingship of Khusro I and Imagination of “Anušag-Ruwān Justice” as a Fiction

Year 2020, Volume: 8, 593 - 612, 30.06.2020

Muhammet Yücel

https://doi.org/10.13113/CEDRUS.202030

Abstract

The glory of the Sasanian king Khusro I (531-579 A.D.) is known to the extent it is reflected in the texts of the Islamic period through the eyes of the Zoroastrian clergy. Many stories and narrations about him that have been reproduced around a certain fiction have reached the present day, thus it is difficult to distinguish from these stories or narrations between his real and fictional personalities. Although Zoroastrian and Islamic sources were more concerned with his personality and from personal curiosity, Christian sources were interested in his attitude in wars, especially in those areas where the Christian communities had settled. Based upon this historical reality, this study aims to investigate why the primary sources created personalities different from his own historical identity. In this context, it not only focus on why he became a famous and an ideal king, but also casts a light upon how he was perceived during the conflicts between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sasanians. Moreover, this study discusses that the positive qualities of Khusro such as "fair" and "philosopher", as well as his most famous title, "immortal soul" (anušag-ruwān), are deliberately reproduced in Zoroastrian and Islamic literatures with certain political concerns.

Keywords

Sasanians, Khusro I, Anušag-ruwān, Wars Between Sasanian and Eastern Roman Empires

I. Hüsrev’in Hükümdarlığı ve Bir Kurgu Olarak “Anušag-Ruwān Adaleti”nin İcadı

Abstract

Sasani hükümdarı I. Hüsrev’in (MS 531-579) şöhreti, Zerdüşti din adamlarının gözünden İslami dönem metinlerine yansıdığı biçimiyle bilinir. Onun hakkında belli bir kurgu etrafında yeniden üretilen pek çok hikaye ve rivayet günümüze ulaşmıştır. Bu hikaye veya rivayetler arasında onun gerçek kişiliği ile kurmaca kişiliğini birbirinden ayırd etmek oldukça güçtür. Zerdüşti ve İslami kaynaklar daha çok onun kişiliği ve kişisel merakıyla ilgilenirken Hristiyan ve Doğu Roma kaynakları onun özellikle Hristiyan ahalinin ikamet ettiği mahallerde yaptığı savaşlarda gösterdiği tavırla ilgilenmişlerdi. Bundan hareketle bu çalışma temel kaynakların neden I. Hüsrev’in kendi tarihsel kişiliğinden farklı kişilikler ürettiğini anlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu bağlamda, I. Hüsrev’in neden meşhur ve ideal bir hükümdar olarak kutsandığı ve Doğu Roma ile Sasani imparatorlukları arasındaki çatışmalarda nasıl algılandığı tartışılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada temel olarak, I. Hüsrev’e tahmil edilen “adil” veya “filozof” ve en meşhur unvanı olan “ölümsüz ruh” (anušag-ruwān) gibi olumlu vasıfların, gerek Zerdüşti gerekse İslami tarih yazımı tarafından belli politik kaygılarla bilinçli bir şekilde üretildiği ileri sürülmektedir.

Keywords

Sasaniler, I. Hüsrev, Anušag-ruwān, Doğu Roma - Sasani Savaşları

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