Persian Kings/Rulers/Leaders

Iran is a land of extraordinary diversity, geographically, climatically and ethnically. To many Europeans the word Persia is evocative of beautiful works of art- carpets, tiles, fine ceramics, miniatures and metal-work. Or they might think of Persian poets such as Hafez, Saadi or Omar Khayyam, who are often quoted in translation. Yet these artistic and literary accomplishments all date from the Islamic era. Much less well known, but no less fascinating, are the art and history of ancient Persia, or Iran.

Although the very early history of man in Iran goes back well beyond the Neolithic period, it begins to get more interesting around 6000 BC, when people began to domesticate animals and plant wheat and barley. The number of settled communities increased, particularly in the eastern Zagros mountains, and handmade painted pottery appears. Throughout the prehistoric period, from the middle of the sixth millennium BC to about 3000 BC, painted pottery is a characteristic feature of many sites in Iran.

Around the ninth century BC (800's), people began to invade or enter Iran and caused conflicts among their neighbors. A group called the Medes first appeared on the historical scene in the ninth century BC, and were in conflicts with the Assyrians, their powerful neighbor to the west. Herodotus includes an account of the Medes in his stories. After the period of the Medes, the Achaemenid period followed around 550 BC, when Cyrus the Great deposed the Median king Astyages. Cyrus belonged to the ruling house of Persia but also had Median connections through his mother, whose father was supposedly Astyages. Cyrus established himself as king of the Medes and the Persians. Among his ancestors was the legendary king Achaemenes, the founder of the Achaemenid dynasty. Cyrus later was killed in 530 BC and his son Cambyses became the next ruler of Persia, followed soon after by a new man named Darius. According to Herodotus, Darius was a smart king. He divided his vast empire into twenty provinces, each with its own province and satrap (governor) to collect taxes and pay annual tribute. As an admistrator, Darius was brilliant. He died in 486 BC.

Towards the end of Darius' reign, intense struggle with Greece began which ended the superiority of the Persians. Xerxes, son of Darius, was king of Persia at this time. In the early part of his reign there were revolts in Egypt and Babylonia to deal with, but six years later he was ready to turn his attention toward Greece. Xerxes tried to attack Athens but all he accomplished was destroying the deserted city and burning the temples on the Acropolis, while the Athenians were waiting for him at Salamis. Xerxes believed that in order for him to gain control of the Peloponnese he would have to win this battle. The Greek and Persian fleets fought at Salamis, under Themistocles, in 480 B.C. The Greeks won a convincing victory. Later, the Achaemenid (Persian) attempt to overrun Greece was ended. In 465 BC, Xerxes was killed in his palace and his successor Artaxerxes continued building work at Persepolis. It was completed during the reign of Artaxerxes III, around 338 BC. In 334 BC, Alexander the Great defeated the Persian armies of the third Darius. He marched into Iran and, once there, he turned his attention to Persepolis, and that magnificent complex of buildings was burnt down. This act of destruction for revenge of the Acropolis, was surprising from one who prided himself on being a pupil of Aristotle. This was the end of the Persian Empire.

MEDES

Median names are followed by their Greek transcriptions, as those are generally better recognized.

Deioces

Kshatrita (Phraortes)

728-675

675-653


SCYTHIAN

Madius 653-625


MEDES

Uwakshatra (Cyaxares)

Ishtumegu (Astyages)

625-585

585-550


ACHAEMENID

As with the Medes, I give the much more widely recognized Greek transcriptions of these names in parentheses, where I have them available.

Kurush (Cyrus the Great)

Kambujiya (Cambyses) II

Smerdis the Usurper

Darayavahush (Darius) I the Great

Xshayarsha (Xerxes) I the Great

Artabanes

Artaxshassa (Artaxerxes) I Longhand

Xshayarsha (Xerxes) II

Sogdianos

Darayavahush (Darius) II the Bastard

Artaxshassa (Artaxerxes) II the Mindful

Artaxshassa (Artaxerxes) III

Arsha (Arses)

Darayavahush (Darius) III

550-529

529-522

522

522-486

486-466

466-465

465-425

425-424

424-423

423-404

404-359

359-338

338-336

336-330

 

MACEDON

Alexander

Philip

Antigonus One-eye

330-323

323-316

316-312 d. 301


SELEUCID

Seleucus I

Antiochus I Soter

Antiochus II Theos

312-280

280-261

261-246



PARTHIA

Arsaces

Artabanus I

Priapatius

Phraates I

Mithridates I

Phraates II

Artabanus II

Mithridates II

Gotarzes I

Orodes I

Sanatruces

Phraates III

Mithridates III

Orodes II

Phraates IV

Tiridates II

Phraates IV (restored)

Tiridates II (restored)

Phraates IV (re-restored)

Phraataces

Orodes III

Vonones I

Artabanus III

Gotarzes II

Vardanes

Vonones II

Vologases I

Pacorus II

Artabanus IV

Pacorus II (restored)

Vologases II

Chosroes

Parthamaspates

Chosroes (restored)

Mithridates IV

Vologases III

Vologases IV

vacant

Vologases V

Artabanus V

Artavasdes

246-c. 211

c. 211-c. 191

c. 191-c. 176

c. 176-c. 171

c. 171-138

138-c. 128

c. 128-124/3

124/3-87 opposed by...

c. 91-78

? -78

76/7-70

70-58/7

58/7-57

57-37

37-c. 30 d. 2 BCE

c. 30-c. 29 d. c. 26

c. 29-c. 28 d. 2 BCE

c. 28-c. 26

c. 26-2

2 BCE-4 CE

4-6/7

6/7-11/2

11/2-38

38-51 opposed by...

c. 39-47 ?

51

51-78 d. 80 ?

78-79 d. 115

79-81

81-115 opposed by...

105/6 and then...

109/10 d. 128 ?

116

117-128 ?

128-147 ?

148-192 with...

191

192-207

207- ?

213-226

226-227


SASSANID

Ardashir I

Shapur I

Hormazd I

Bahram I

Bahram II

Bahram III

Narses

Hormazd II

Adarnarseh

Shapur II

Ardashir II

Shapur III

Bahram IV

Yazdegerd I

Khusrau the Usurper

Bahram V the Wild Ass

Yazdegerd II

Hormazd III

Firuz I

Balash

Kobad I

Jamasp

Kobad I (restored)

Khusrau I the Just

Hormazd IV

Khusrau II the Victorious

Bahram VI the Usurper

Khusrau II the Victorious (restored)

Kobad II

Ardashir III

Shahrbaraz the Usurper

Khusrau III

Juvansher

Boran

Gushnasbandeh

Azarmidurht

Hormazd V

Khusrau IV

Firuz II

Khusrau V

Yazdegerd III

To the Caliphate [Arabs] ....

To the Abbasid Caliphs [Arabs] ....

227-241

241-272

272-273

273-276

276-293

293

293-303

303-310

310

310-379

379-383

383-388

388-399

399-420

420

420-438

438-457

457

457-484

484-488

488-497 d. 531

497-499

499-531

531-579

579-590

590

590-591

591-628

628

628-630

630

630

630

630-631

631

631

631-632

632

632

632-633

633-649 d. 651

649-755

755-867



SAFFARID

Yaqub the Coppersmith

Amir I

Tahir

867-879

879-901

901-902 d. 908


An era of disunity follows, as competing local dynasts established spheres of influence from the 10th century onwards. From 900 to 999 the dominant power in the region was Bokhara, under the Samanids. From 1029 to 1194 the Seljuqs were supreme.

SELJUQ

Mahmud II

Toghril

Mas'ud

Malik Shah III

Mohammed II

Sulaiman Shah

Arslan Shah

Toghril III

1118-1131

1131-1134

1134-1152

1152-1153

1153-1160

1160-1161

1161-1176

1176-1194


From 1194 to 1221 the great regional power was Khwarazm.

Most Iranian locals become Mongol vassals

Most of Iran under direct Mongol rule

1221-1253

1253-1295


IL-KHANS (Mongol)

(Local Mongol authority under the Great Horde, followed by independent Khans.

Hulegu Khan

Abaqa

Teguder

Arghun

Gaikhatu

Baidu

Mahmud Ghazan

Oljeitu

Abu Sa'id

Arpa

Musa

Mohammad

Sati Beg (fem.)

Jahan Timur

Suleiman

1256-1265

1265-1282

1282-1284

1284-1291

1291-1295

1295

1295-1304

1304-1316

1316-1335

1335-1336

1336-1337 with...

1336-1338

1338-1339

1339-1340 with...

1339-1343


Another period of disunity, as remnants of the Hordes competed with local dynasts for authority. This era ends with the sweep of conquests by Timur Khan (known in Western Europe as Tamburlane).


TIMURID (Barlas Tribe)

Timur the Lame

Djalal Ud-Din Miran Shah

Khalil Sultan

Ayyal

Ailankar

Shah Rukh

Ulugh Beg

1380-1405

1405-1409

1409-1414

1414

1414-1415

1415-1447

1447-1449

A third period of fragmentation, as Timur's Empire loses cohesion and local rulers strive against each other.

 


QARA QOYUNLU

Jahan Shah

1458-1466

Yet a fourth era of fragmentation, followed by reunification under the Safavid Dynasty.


SAFAVID

Ismail I

Tahmasp I

Ismail II

Mohammed Khodabanda

Shah Abbas I

Safi

Abbas II

Suleiman

Shah Sultan Husein

Tahmasp II

Abbas II

1502-1524

1524-1576

1576-1578

1578-1581

1581-1629

1629-1642

1642-1667

1667-1694

1694-1722

1722-1732

1732-1736

AFSHARID

Nadir Shah

Adil

Shah Rukh

Ibrahim

1736-1747

1747-1748

1748-1749 d. 1755 with...

1748-1749

ZAND

Mohammad Karim Khan Zand

Abul Fath

Ali Murad

Sadiq

Ali Murad (restored)

Jafar

Luftf Ali

1750-1779

1779

1779 d. 1785

1779-1782

1782-1785

1785-1789

1789-1794

QAJAR

Aga Mohammad Shah

Baba Khan

Fath Ali Shah

Mohammed Shah

Nasir Ed-Din Shah

Muzaffar Ed-Din Shah

Mohammed Ali Shah

Ahmed Shah

1779-1797

1797

1797-1834

1834-1848

1848-1896

1896-1907

1907-1909

1909-1925 d. 1929

PAHLAVI

Reza

Anglo-Soviet occupation

Mohammed Reza

Theocratic State

1925-1941 d. 1944

1941-1946

1941-1979 d. 1980

1979

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei

1979-1989

1989-Present