Zav: The Just King of the Troubled Age
- Sherko Sabir
- 5 days ago
- 13 min read
Introduction
Zav is a king of the Pishdadian line in the Shahnameh, the Persian Book of Kings: an aged and just ruler, chosen to the throne in a time of turmoil after the fall of Nowzar, who restored order to the realm and made a peace with the Turanian enemy Afrasiab during a time of war and famine.
When the king Nowzar had been slain by Afrasiab and the realm lay leaderless and in danger, and when Nowzar's own sons were judged unfit to rule for want of the royal glory, the hero Zal and the chiefs of Iran chose the aged Zav, a descendant of the royal line, to take the throne. Though his reign was brief, Zav is remembered as a just and righteous king who brought a renewal of order and prosperity to a troubled land.
Like all the figures of the Book of Kings, Zav belongs to the shared epic and mythological heritage of the Iranian peoples, a tradition the Kurds hold in common with the Persians, the Lurs, and others of the Iranic world. To know Zav is to encounter the just king of a troubled age, the righteous ruler chosen to restore order after disaster, a figure of the bridge between the early dynasty and the great age of the Kayanian kings.
Contents
Who Is Zav?
Zav, also spelled Zaav or Zou, is a king of the Pishdadian line in the Shahnameh, a descendant of the royal house, reckoned a descendant of the line of Faridun through his father Tahmasp. He came to the throne in a time of great turmoil, after the king Nowzar had been slain by the Turanian Afrasiab and the realm lay leaderless and in danger. When Nowzar's own sons were judged unfit to rule for want of the royal glory, the hero Zal and the chiefs of Iran chose the aged Zav, then advanced in years, to take the throne for his wisdom and his royal descent. Though his reign lasted only about five years, Zav is remembered as a just and righteous king who restored order to the troubled realm, made a peace with Afrasiab during a time of war and famine, and led Iran in a brief era of renewed prosperity before his death at a great age. He is a notable figure of the bridge between the early dynasty and the age of the Kayanian kings.
The Troubled Age After Nowzar
The reign of Zav came in a time of great crisis for Iran, following the disaster of the fall of the king Nowzar. Nowzar, the son of the great king Manuchehr, had ruled poorly, and in his reign the Turanian Afrasiab invaded Iran, defeated and captured the king, and at last put him to death, throwing the realm into turmoil.
With Nowzar slain and the Turanian enemy triumphant, Iran was left leaderless and in grave danger, its throne empty and its land threatened by the victorious Afrasiab. This was one of the dark hours of the epic, a time of disaster and disorder when the realm stood in peril of falling wholly to the enemy. In this crisis, the need for a new and worthy king was urgent, a ruler who could restore order, rally the realm, and withstand the Turanian threat. The troubled age after Nowzar is the setting of Zav's reign, the crisis that called for a new king and into which Zav was chosen to bring order and deliverance. The disaster of Nowzar's fall and the peril of the leaderless realm set the stage for the choosing of Zav, the aged and just ruler who would be called to restore the fortunes of Iran in its hour of need. It is against this background of disaster and danger that Zav's brief but righteous reign must be understood, the just king raised up to deliver the realm from the turmoil that followed the fall of Nowzar.
Key Takeaways
Zav is an aged and just king of the Pishdadian line in the Shahnameh.
He was chosen as king after the fall of Nowzar to Afrasiab.
Nowzar's sons were judged unfit to rule for want of the royal glory.
The hero Zal and the chiefs of Iran chose Zav for his wisdom and descent.
He restored justice and made a peace with Afrasiab amid war and famine.
His reign was brief, about five years, but righteous and prosperous.
Quick Facts
Name: Zav (also Zaav, Zou)
Role: King of the Pishdadian line
Father: Tahmasp, of the line of Faridun
Came to the throne: After the fall of Nowzar
Chosen by: Zal and the chiefs of Iran
Reason chosen: His wisdom, age, and royal glory
Famous deed: Restoring order; the peace with Afrasiab
Length of reign: About five years
Manner of death: Died at a great age
Heritage: Shared Iranic epic tradition
Chosen for His Royal Glory
The choosing of Zav to the throne turned on the question of the royal glory, the farr, the divine glory that, in the tradition, marks the legitimate king. When the throne fell empty after the death of Nowzar, the natural heirs were Nowzar's own sons, among them the warrior Tus.
But Nowzar's sons, though brave warriors, were judged by the chiefs of Iran to be unfit for the kingship, for they lacked the royal glory, the farr, that legitimate rule requires; Tus in particular, though a mighty warrior, was held to be too proud and pugnacious to bear the divine glory of kingship. And so, rather than raise an unfit heir to the throne, the hero Zal and the chiefs of Iran looked elsewhere for a worthy king, and chose the aged Zav, a descendant of the royal line through his father Tahmasp, who, despite his great age, possessed the wisdom and the royal glory fit for the throne. The choosing of Zav for his royal glory, in preference to the unfit sons of Nowzar, is a significant moment in the epic, illustrating the principle that the kingship belongs not merely to the nearest heir but to the one who bears the divine glory and is fit to rule. It is for his royal glory, his wisdom, and his fitness, rather than for mere descent, that Zav was chosen, the aged but worthy ruler raised to the throne in preference to the unworthy. This choosing for the royal glory establishes Zav as a legitimate and worthy king, the bearer of the farr raised up to restore the troubled realm.
The Just King
Zav is remembered above all as a just and righteous king, a ruler who brought order, justice, and good governance to a realm that had fallen into turmoil. After the disorder of the fall of Nowzar, the reign of Zav was an era of justice and renewal.
In the tradition, the reign of Zav brought about an era of justice in Iran during a time that had been marked by the disorder and the military crimes attending the war with Turan. As a just king, Zav governed with righteousness and wisdom, restoring order to the realm, curbing the wrongs of the troubled time, and bringing good governance where there had been disorder. The portrayal of Zav as the just king is the heart of his significance, for in a dark and troubled age, he stands as a figure of righteousness and good rule, the worthy king who restored the proper order after disaster. His justice is the more notable for the contrast with the troubled time into which he came, the righteous ruler who brought light after the darkness of Nowzar's fall. As the just king, Zav embodies the ideal of righteous kingship, the wise and just ruler whose governance brings order and prosperity to the realm. This quality of justice, even more than any particular deed, is what Zav is chiefly remembered for, the just king of a troubled age whose righteous rule restored the fortunes of Iran. The portrayal of Zav as a just king places him among the worthy and righteous rulers of the epic, a figure of good kingship in a dark time.
The Peace with Afrasiab
One of the chief events of Zav's reign was the making of a peace with the Turanian king Afrasiab, bringing an end, for a time, to the destructive war between Iran and Turan that had brought disaster in the days of Nowzar.
In the tradition, the war between Iran and Turan, and the conditions it brought, including a widespread famine, made peace desirable to both sides. Afrasiab, too, wished to bring the war to an end, and so an agreement was reached between Zav and the Turanian king. By the terms of this peace, in the tradition, a boundary was set between the two realms, with the lands across the river Oxus given to Turan, in exchange for an end to the fighting. This peace brought a respite from the destructive war, allowing the troubled realm of Iran to recover and to enjoy a renewal of order and prosperity under the just rule of Zav. The making of the peace with Afrasiab is among the chief deeds of Zav's reign, the act by which the just king brought an end, for a time, to the conflict that had brought such disaster, and secured a breathing space for the recovery of the realm. The peace with Afrasiab, setting a boundary between the realms and ending the fighting, is thus a significant achievement of Zav's brief reign, the just king's securing of respite and recovery for his troubled land. It is part of his portrayal as the wise and righteous ruler who restored the fortunes of Iran after the disaster of Nowzar's fall.
A Brief and Righteous Reign
The reign of Zav, though righteous and beneficial, was brief, lasting, in the tradition, only about five years, for Zav was already advanced in years when he came to the throne. He died at a great age, having restored order and prosperity to the realm.
During the years of his reign, after the making of the peace with Afrasiab, Zav led Iran in an era of renewed prosperity, the realm recovering from the disorder and the war that had preceded his rule. His just governance and the peace he secured allowed the land to flourish again after the dark time of Nowzar's fall. Yet because he was already old when chosen, his reign was necessarily short, and he died, in the tradition, at a great age, having ruled some five years. After Zav, the throne passed to his son, who continued the line for a time before the realm passed into the great age of the Kayanian kings, beginning with Kay Qobad, raised up with the help of Zal and the heroes of Sistan. The brief and righteous reign of Zav thus stands as a bridge between the troubled end of the early dynasty and the new age of the Kayanians, a short but worthy interval of just rule and recovery. Though brief, his reign is remembered as a time of justice, peace, and renewed prosperity, the worthy work of a just king in the twilight of the old dynasty. The brevity of his reign, owing to his great age, does not diminish its significance as a time of righteous rule and recovery, the just interval that restored the realm before the dawn of the new age.
Symbolism and Meaning
Zav embodies, above all, the ideal of just and righteous kingship, the wise ruler whose governance brings order and prosperity to the realm. As the just king raised up after the disaster of Nowzar's fall, he represents the restoration of right order and good rule after a time of turmoil, the righteous king who brings light after darkness.
Zav embodies, too, the principle of the royal glory, the farr, as the mark of legitimate kingship, for he was chosen to the throne, in preference to the unfit sons of Nowzar, precisely because he bore the divine glory and the fitness to rule. In this, he illustrates the idea that the kingship belongs to the worthy bearer of the farr rather than merely to the nearest heir. And as a bridge-figure between the early dynasty and the age of the Kayanians, Zav embodies the continuity of righteous kingship across the troubled transition, the just interval that preserved the realm. In all this, Zav is a figure of real significance, embodying just kingship, the principle of the royal glory, and the continuity of right rule across a troubled age. He is the just king of a dark time, the righteous ruler whose brief reign restored order, made peace, and brought prosperity to Iran in the twilight of the old dynasty.
Zav and the Kurds
Zav, like all the figures of the Shahnameh, belongs to the shared epic and mythological heritage of the Iranian peoples, a tradition that the Kurds hold in common with the Persians, the Lurs, and others of the Iranic world. The great epic of Ferdowsi, with its kings and its dynasties, is the common inheritance of these peoples, who share in the ancient Iranian tradition from which it springs.
For the Kurds, as an Iranian people, the figures and tales of the Shahnameh are part of the wider cultural and mythological world to which they belong, and the kings of the epic, including the just Zav, hold a place in the broad Iranic heritage that the Kurds share. The ideal of the just king, which Zav embodies, is a value cherished across the Iranic world and beyond. It is honest and accurate to understand Zav as part of this shared Iranic heritage, rather than as a uniquely Kurdish figure. As an Iranian people, the Kurds share in the broad heritage of the epic, of which the just king Zav is a part, belonging to the common store of Iranian royal and heroic tradition that the Kurds value alongside the other heirs of the tradition. In presenting Zav, then, we present a figure of the shared Iranian heritage to which the Kurds, as an Iranic people, are heirs alongside their neighbours, the just king of a troubled age in the great line of the kings of the epic.
Debates and Misconceptions
Why were Nowzar's sons passed over for Zav? Because they were judged to lack the royal glory, the farr, that legitimate kingship requires. When the throne fell empty after Nowzar's death, his sons, among them the warrior Tus, were the natural heirs; but Tus in particular, though brave, was held to be too proud and pugnacious to bear the divine glory of kingship. And so the chiefs of Iran, with the hero Zal, chose the worthy and aged Zav instead, illustrating the principle that the kingship belongs to the bearer of the farr rather than merely to the nearest heir.
Was Zav's son the same Garshasp as the ancient hero? No; this is a point of possible confusion. The successor of Zav was, in the tradition, his son, who in some accounts bears the name Garshasp, a king of the late Pishdadian line. This royal Garshasp is a distinct figure from the ancient and mighty hero Garshasp of the Avestan and heroic tradition, the dragon-slayer and forefather of the House of Nariman. The two share a name but are different figures, the one a late Pishdadian king, the other an ancient champion. They should not be confused, despite the shared name.
Is Zav a specifically Kurdish figure? No; like all the figures of the Shahnameh, he belongs to the shared epic heritage of the Iranian peoples, a tradition the Kurds hold in common with the Persians, the Lurs, and others of the Iranic world, rather than a uniquely Kurdish figure. As an Iranian people, the Kurds share in the broad heritage of the epic, of which the just king Zav is a part, alongside their neighbours.
Related Topics
Nowzar: the king whose fall preceded Zav's reign
Afrasiab: the Turanian king with whom Zav made peace
Zal: the hero who helped choose Zav as king
Tus: the son of Nowzar, passed over for the throne
Manuchehr: the great king, father of Nowzar
Faridun: the king of whose line Zav was descended
The Farr: the royal glory for which Zav was chosen
The Shahnameh: the Persian Book of Kings, the great epic of Iran
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Zav in the Shahnameh?
Zav, also spelled Zaav or Zou, is a king of the Pishdadian line in the Shahnameh, a descendant of the royal house through his father Tahmasp. He came to the throne in a time of turmoil after the king Nowzar was slain by the Turanian Afrasiab, chosen by the hero Zal and the chiefs of Iran for his wisdom and royal glory when Nowzar's sons were judged unfit. He is remembered as a just king who restored order and made peace with Afrasiab.
Why was Zav chosen as king?
Zav was chosen because the natural heirs, the sons of Nowzar, were judged to lack the royal glory, the farr, that legitimate kingship requires. Nowzar's son Tus, though a brave warrior, was held to be too proud and pugnacious to bear the divine glory of kingship. And so the hero Zal and the chiefs of Iran chose the aged Zav, a descendant of the royal line who possessed the wisdom and royal glory fit for the throne, in preference to the unfit heirs.
What did Zav achieve in his reign?
Though his reign was brief, about five years, Zav restored justice and order to a realm that had fallen into turmoil after the fall of Nowzar. His chief achievement was the making of a peace with the Turanian king Afrasiab, ending, for a time, the destructive war between Iran and Turan during a period of famine. By the peace, a boundary was set at the Oxus, and the respite allowed Iran to recover and enjoy renewed prosperity under his just rule.
How long did Zav reign?
In the tradition, Zav reigned for about five years. Because he was already advanced in years when chosen for the throne, his reign was necessarily short, and he died at a great age. Despite its brevity, his reign is remembered as a time of justice, peace, and renewed prosperity, a worthy interval of righteous rule that bridged the troubled end of the early dynasty and the coming age of the Kayanian kings.
Was Zav's son Garshasp the same as the famous hero?
No; they are distinct figures who share a name. The successor of Zav was, in some accounts, his son named Garshasp, a king of the late Pishdadian line. This royal Garshasp is different from the ancient and mighty hero Garshasp of the Avestan and heroic tradition, the dragon-slayer and forefather of the House of Nariman. The two share a name but are separate figures, the one a late king, the other an ancient champion, and should not be confused.
Is Zav a Kurdish figure?
Zav belongs to the shared epic heritage of the Iranian peoples, a tradition the Kurds hold in common with the Persians, the Lurs, and others of the Iranic world, rather than a uniquely Kurdish figure. As an Iranian people, the Kurds share in the broad heritage of the epic, of which the just king Zav is a part, alongside their neighbours. The ideal of the just king that he embodies is cherished across the Iranic world.
References and Further Reading
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