Shahrbarāz

Persian general

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July 13, 2026

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Shahrbaraz was a Persian general and the acting king of the Sasanian Empire from 630 to 632 CE. He was a prominent military figure during a tumultuous period for the empire, which was facing internal strife and external threats, particularly from the Byzantine Empire and the rising Arab caliphates.12

Shahrbaraz's rise to power involved military campaigns and political maneuvering. He played a significant role in the Sasanian wars against the Byzantine Empire, even capturing Jerusalem and taking the True Cross in 614 CE. His reign as king was brief and marked by instability, ultimately leading to the end of the Sasanian dynasty and the rise of the Rashidun Caliphate.23

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Khosrow II
Expansion of the empire
…Mesopotamia, by Khosrow’s ablest general, Shahrbarāz, took place in 613. Damascus was taken in that year, and in 614 Jerusalem fell. The Holy Sepulchre was destroyed and the True Cross carried to Ctesiphon. Although Khosrow himself was generally tolerant of Christianity, Shahrbarāz permitted thousands of Christian prisoners to be tortured…
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…Mesopotamia, by Khosrow’s ablest general, Shahrbarāz, took place in 613. Damascus was taken in that year, and in 614 Jerusalem fell. The Holy Sepulchre was destroyed and the True Cross carried to Ctesiphon. Although Khosrow himself was generally tolerant of Christianity, Shahrbarāz permitted thousands of Christian prisoners to be tortured…
Read More