Nushirvan Beyond Empire: Literary Afterlives of a Pre-Islamic Monarch in Persian and Urdu Classical Traditions

نوشیروان ماورائے سلطنت فارسی و اردو کلاسیکی روایت میں ایک قبل از اسلام بادشاہ کی ادبی حیاتِ ثانیہ

Abstract

Nushirvan Sasanian was a prominent ruler of the Sasanian Empire who ascended the throne in 531 CE at the height of imperial power, ruling over a vast state spread across four regions. Remembered in history as a just and wise monarch grounded in the Zoroastrian faith, he achieved major military victories in Rome and Yemen, while also forcefully eliminating the Mazdaki movement, reportedly ordering the killing of nearly forty thousand Mazdakites. His lasting importance in Iranian history lies in his preservation and revival of the institution of monarchy, which became the primary reason for his glorification. Despite being a pre-Islamic and non-Muslim ruler, Nushirvan gained exceptional acceptance in post-Islamic Persian and Urdu classical literature, where the monarchical ideal continued to shape literary imagination. From Shahnameh of Ferdowsi and Gulistan of Sa‘di to Urdu works such as Dastan-e-Amir Hamza, Nushirvan occupies a unique position unmatched by any other Iranian king across multiple literary traditions. This study presents a comparative analysis of history and literature to examine why a pre-Islamic figure remained admired after the transformation of the religious system, and to explore the universal human and political values through which historical personalities—regardless of religious affiliation—are elevated to enduring literary models.