Hushang or Hōshang older Persian Hōšang, was the second Shāh

Shah

Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...

 to rule the world according to Ferdowsi

Ferdowsi

Ferdowsi was a highly revered Persian poet. He was the author of the Shahnameh, the national epic of Iran and related societies.The Shahnameh was originally composed by Ferdowsi for the princes of the Samanid dynasty, who were responsible for a revival of Persian cultural traditions after the...

's Shāhnāma

Shahnameh

The Shahnameh or Shah-nama is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c.977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of Iran and related societies...

. Hushang is based upon the legendary figure Haošyaŋha in the ancient Zoroastrian scripture of the Avesta

Avesta

The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...

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Hushang is also called Pishdād (پیشداد), older Pēšdād, corresponding to Avestan

Avestan language

Avestan is an East Iranian language known only from its use as the language of Zoroastrian scripture, i.e. the Avesta, from which it derives its name...

 Paraδāta.

Etymology

Haošyaŋha is the Avestan development of Proto-Iranian *Haušyahah, containing the prefix *Hau-, a derived form of *Hu-, "good, well", and an uncertain root šyah-, possibly to be interpreted as "selecting" or "deciding". ُThe name might then be interpreted "of the good choice".

Haošyaŋha in Zoroastrian literature

Haošyaŋha's original status is uncertain. He may have begun as a demon-defeating hero, or may have been a rival for the title of first man (or first king) with Gayōmart. One trace that may remain of that status is the labelling of the entire early line of kings as "Pishdādi", after Hushang's name Pishdād.

Hushang in the Shāhnāma

In the epic poem of the Shāhnāma, Hushang was the son of Siyāmak and grandson of Keyumars. He led the army against the son of Ahriman that avenged the death of Siyāmak. After the death of Keyumars, Hushang became king of the human race. During Hushang's reign, many new discoveries were made for the comfort of humanity. Hushang discovered iron and the principles of iron-working; the methods of agriculture and irrigation; he learned how to domesticate certain beasts as livestock and for use as draught animals; how to make clothing from the furs of other beasts; and he discovered how to make fire from flint. This happened when Hushang hurled a flint rock to kill a venomous black serpent. Missing the serpent, the rock struck another flint to produce fiery sparks. Hushang learned how to make fire this way, and taught his people; in honor of the discovery, they established the Sadeh

Sadeh

Sadé or Sada Jashn-e Sada/Sadé , also transliterated as Sadeh, is an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated 50 days before Nowruz. Sadeh in Persian means "hundred" and refers to one hundred days and nights past the end of summer...

 festival. After a reign of forty years, he left the kingdom to his son Tahmuras

Tahmuras

Tahmuras or Tahmures , New Persian transliteration ', older Persian Tahmurat or Tahmurath, from Avestan Taxma Urupa, is the third Shāh of the world according to Ferdowsi's Shāhnāma. He is considered as the builder of Merv; we have no proof for his existing as an earlier Aryan chief.-Tahmuras in the...

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