Introduction
Siyavash is a son of Kay Kavus, celebrated in the Shahnameh for his exceptional purity, honour and tragic fate. His story, from his ordeal by fire to his eventual execution in Turan by the very king who had welcomed him as a son-in-law, is one of the most beloved and sorrowful episodes of Ferdowsi's epic.
This article follows the Zoroastrian and Shahnameh traditions, noting where the older Avestan material and Ferdowsi's later epic differ.
Family
- Father: Kay Kavus
- Wife: Farangis
- Son: Kay Khosrow
The trial by fire
Siyavash's stepmother, Queen Sudabeh, attempted to seduce him; when he refused her, she falsely accused him before Kay Kavus of assaulting her instead. To settle the dispute, Siyavash agreed to undergo a trial by fire, riding his horse through a massive blaze; he emerged completely unharmed, proving his innocence beyond doubt and exposing Sudabeh's deception, though Kay Kavus, weakly, did not fully punish her.
Exile to Turan
Troubled by the corruption at his father's court and seeking to avoid further conflict, Siyavash left Iran and took refuge with King Afrasiyab of Turan, Iran's great rival. Afrasiyab, impressed by Siyavash's character, welcomed him warmly and gave him his own daughter Farangis in marriage.
Betrayal and execution
Afrasiyab's brother Garsiwaz, envious and suspicious of Siyavash's growing popularity and influence in Turan, worked to turn the king against him with false accusations and manipulation. Afrasiyab, persuaded despite the objections of his loyal vizier Piran Viseh, ordered Siyavash's execution, a decision that haunts the rest of the Shahnameh's Turan storyline and becomes a central motivating grievance for Iran's subsequent wars against Turan, especially once Siyavash's son Kay Khosrow comes of age to avenge him.