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Zav

A Pishdadian king who restored order in Iran after the chaos following Nowzar's death.

Accounts of this vary across texts and traditions. This entry primarily follows Zoroastrian and Persian epic tradition, with other tellings (Avesta (Zoroastrian scripture), Shahnameh (Ferdowsi's epic, c. 1010 CE), Pahlavi (Middle Persian) texts such as the Bundahishn) noted where relevant.

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Relationships

Parents
Nowzar
Children
Garshasp (Pishdadian king)

Introduction

Zav is a Pishdadian king, son of Nowzar, who restored a measure of stability and order to Iran in the difficult period following his father's death at the hands of Afrasiyab of Turan.

Family

Restoring order

Ferdowsi's Shahnameh describes Zav's reign as a period of recovery after the chaos and Turanian aggression that marked his father Nowzar's rule, though he receives comparatively brief treatment in the epic compared to more prominent kings before and after him.

Succession

Zav was succeeded by his son Garshasp, the last king of the Pishdadian dynasty, after whom the throne passed to the new Kayanian line beginning with Kay Kobad.

Sources

  1. Shahnameh (primary text)

This entry is independently written for myVamsam using the sources listed above. Where traditions differ, this entry identifies the relevant tradition rather than presenting one account as universally established fact.