Introduction
Sindokht is the queen of Kabul, wife of Mehrab and mother of Rudabeh, remembered in the Shahnameh for the wisdom and diplomatic skill she brought to resolving the difficulties surrounding her daughter's courtship with Zal.
Family
Diplomatic intervention
When the courtship between Rudabeh and Zal threatened to provoke a serious political crisis, given the tensions between Kabul's royal line (descended from Zahhak) and the house of Sistan (closely tied to the Iranian throne), Sindokht took an active and skilful role in easing these tensions, travelling personally to negotiate and reassure both Zal's father Sam and, eventually, the wider Iranian court under King Manuchehr, helping secure approval for the marriage.
A mother's role
Sindokht's intervention is presented in the Shahnameh as a model of wise, capable diplomacy, securing her daughter's happiness while protecting the interests and honour of her own kingdom.