Balash
Encyclopedia
Balash the eighteenth Sassanid King of Persia in 484
–488
, was the brother and successor of Peroz I of Persia (457–484), who had died in a battle against the Hephthalites (White Huns) who invaded Persia from the east.
fighting the Hephthalite
Huns. Immediately after ascending the throne, he sought peace with the Hephthalites which cost the Persians a heavy tribute.
Balash also concluded peace with the Armenians
. The conditions of the peace were as follows:
(i) All existing fire-altars in Armenia
should be destroyed and no new ones should be constructed.
(ii) Christians in Armenia should have freedom of worship and conversions to Zoroastrianism
should be stopped.
(iii) Land should not be allotted to people who convert to Zoroastrianism
(iv) The Persian King should, in person, administer Armenia and though the aid of Governors or deputies.
A few months later, Zareh
, son of Peroz rose in rebellion. Balash, with the aid of Armenia, put down the rebellion, captured and killed him.
Soon after this, Kavadh
, another son of Peroz revolted and being unsuccessful sought the assistance of Hephthalites and arrived in Ctesiphon
at the head of a large Hephthalite contingent. As a result, Balash was removed by a group of nobles and priests and Kavadh was installed as emperor.
Balash is praised by Christian historians as a mild and generous monarch, who made concessions to the Christians
. During Balash's reign Nestorian Christianity was established as the sole form of Christianity allowed in the Sassanid Empire.
484
Year 484 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Venantius and Theodoricus...
–488
488
Year 488 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ecclesius and Sividius...
, was the brother and successor of Peroz I of Persia (457–484), who had died in a battle against the Hephthalites (White Huns) who invaded Persia from the east.
Reign of Balash
Balash was made King of Persia following the death of his brother PerozPeroz I
Peroz I Peroz I Peroz I (also Pirooz; Peirozes (Priscus, fr. 33); Perozes (Procopius, De Bello Pers. I. 3 and Agathias iv. 27; the modern form of the name is Perooz, Piruz, or the Arabized Ferooz, Firuz; Persian: پیروز "the Victor"), was the seventeenth Sassanid King of Persia, who ruled from 457...
fighting the Hephthalite
Hephthalite
The Hephthalites or Hephthalite is a pre-Islamic Greek term for local Abdali Afghans, who's famous ruler was Nazak Abdali . Hephthalites were a Central Asian nomadic confederation of the AD 5th-6th centuries whose precise origins and composition remain obscure...
Huns. Immediately after ascending the throne, he sought peace with the Hephthalites which cost the Persians a heavy tribute.
Balash also concluded peace with the Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
. The conditions of the peace were as follows:
(i) All existing fire-altars in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
should be destroyed and no new ones should be constructed.
(ii) Christians in Armenia should have freedom of worship and conversions to Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
should be stopped.
(iii) Land should not be allotted to people who convert to Zoroastrianism
(iv) The Persian King should, in person, administer Armenia and though the aid of Governors or deputies.
A few months later, Zareh
Zareh
Zareh is an Armenian given name, derived from a legendary king mentioned in chapter 1.31 of the History of Armenia....
, son of Peroz rose in rebellion. Balash, with the aid of Armenia, put down the rebellion, captured and killed him.
Soon after this, Kavadh
Kavadh I
Kavad or Kavadh I was the son of Peroz I and the nineteenth Sassanid king of Persia, reigning from 488 to 531...
, another son of Peroz revolted and being unsuccessful sought the assistance of Hephthalites and arrived in Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon, the imperial capital of the Parthian Arsacids and of the Persian Sassanids, was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia.The ruins of the city are located on the east bank of the Tigris, across the river from the Hellenistic city of Seleucia...
at the head of a large Hephthalite contingent. As a result, Balash was removed by a group of nobles and priests and Kavadh was installed as emperor.
Balash is praised by Christian historians as a mild and generous monarch, who made concessions to the Christians
Christianity in Iran
Christianity in Iran has a long history, dating back to the early years of the faith. It has always been a minority religion, with the majority state religions — Zoroastrianism before the Islamic conquest, Sunni Islam in the Middle Ages and Shia Islam in modern times — though it had a much larger...
. During Balash's reign Nestorian Christianity was established as the sole form of Christianity allowed in the Sassanid Empire.