Sykes' History of Persia - Heritage Institute

xLii KHUSRU PARVIZ AND HERACLIUS 521
he was fortunate enough to be able to contrive the
assassination of Bahram, whose return to Persia with an
army of Turks was a contingency that was always possible
and much to be dreaded.
The Outbreak of War with Rome, a.d. 603.—During
the reign of Maurice, the relations between the courts of
Constantinople and Ctesiphon were most amicable, and
when, in a.d. 602, Maurice was murdered, Khusru determined
to avenge his benefactor. His task was lightened
by the fact that Narses, who had commanded the Roman
troops to whom Khusru owed his throne, had refused to
recognize Phocas, and held Edessa against him.^ Everywhere
the Persian armies were victorious, and in a.d. 605
the Great King took Dara after a siege lasting nine
months. This signal success was followed by the capture
of Amida and other fortresses in Eastern Mesopotamia.
In A.D. 607 the Persian army captured Harran, Edessa
and other strongholds in Western Mesopotamia, and
crossing the Euphrates took Hieropolis, Berhoea— the
Aleppo of to-day — and other cities.
Simultaneously a
second Persian force, after invading Armenia, passed into
neighbouring Cappadocia and even ravaged peaceful
Phrygia and Galatia.
The Battle of Zu-Kar, circa a.d. 610.—About this
period, between a.d. 604 and 610 according to Nsldeke,
but in A.D. 611 according to Muir, there occurred a short
campaign which passed almost unnoticed at the time, but
was recognized in later
years
as fraught with consequences
of grave importance. On the eastern edge of the desert
which separates the valley of the Euphrates from Jerusalem,
the Arab state of Hira at this period was ruled by a
chief named Noman.
Owing to a subtle intrigue woven by a deadly enemy,
who knew that the Arabs were unwilling to give their
daughters to the Persians, Khusru Parviz heard of the
beauty of Noman's daughter, and desire was kindled to
add her to his extensive The Arab seraglio. prince
declined the honour, and the Great King, incensed at the
^ He was, however, eventually lured to Constantinople
market-place.
and burned alive in the