Davāzdah Rokh ( fa, دَوازدَه رُخ) (Twelve combats) is a story in

Shahnameh The ''Shahnameh'' or ''Shahnama'' ( fa, شاهنامه, Šāhnāme, lit=The Book of Kings, ) is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Greater Iran. Consisting of some 50 ...

. This relatively long story (almost 2,500 verses) is described as one of the finest stories of Shahnameh in terms of "plot, dramatic description, and insight into human nature". It takes place in the border of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

and

Turan Turan ( ae, Tūiriiānəm, pal, Tūrān; fa, توران, Turân, , "The Land of Tur") is a historical region in Central Asia. The term is of Iranian origin and may refer to a particular prehistoric human settlement, a historic geographical re ...

, where a number of Iranian heroes fight with a number of Turanian heroes. In all cases, Iranian heroes defeat their Turanian competitors.

Goudarz Goudarz ( fa, گودرز) is one of the main Iranian heroes in Shahnameh, the national epic of Greater Iran, and progenitor of one of its most prominent families. He is son of Kashvad, father of Giv and Roham and the grandfather of Bizhan. Hi ...

is the chief of Iranian heroes and Piran Viseh is the chief of Turanian heroes. The battle begins when Piran's brother, Houman, challenges the Iranians and is killed by Bizhan in a

single combat Single combat is a duel between two single warriors which takes place in the context of a battle between two armies. Instances of single combat are known from Classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The champions were often combatants who repre ...

. The two armies then fight together but the war has no winner. Finally they agree on pitched battles ('' mard o mard'') between the heroes of the two army:

Heroes of the two army

Fariburz Fariburz, known in Byzantine sources as Phabrizus ( el, Φάβριζος), was a 6th-century Iranian military officer from the Mihran family, who served under the Sasanian king Khosrau I (r. 531–579). Biography He was the brother of the diplo ...

vs Golbad Viseh # Giv vs Goruye Zereh # Gorazeh vs Siamak the Turanian # Foruhal vs Zangolah #

Rohham Rohām ( fa, رهام) is an Iranian hero, described in the Iranian epic poetry, epic poem Shahnameh. Roham is son of Goudarz, grandson of Keshvad and the father of Farhad. He fought in the Keykhosrow wars and in wars to avenge his father's defeat ...

vs Barman # Bizhan vs Rooyin #

Hojir Hojir ( fa, هُژیر) is an Iranian hero in Shahnameh, the national epic of Iran. Hojir is son of Goudarz and brother of Giv and Rohham. Hojir first appears in the story of Rostam and Sohrab. Hojir in the Shahnameh He is castellan of Dez-e ...

vs Sepahram # Zange-ye Shavaran vs Akhvast # Gorgin vs Andariman # Bartah vs Kohram #

Piran Piran (; it, Pirano ) is a town in southwestern Slovenia on the Gulf of Piran on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the three major towns of Slovenian Istria. The town is known for its medieval architecture, with narrow streets and compact houses. P ...

Gostaham Gostaham ( fa, گُسْتَهَم) is the name of a number of Iranian heroes in Shahnameh. Son of Nowzar The first Gostaham is the son of Nowzar and the younger brother of Tous. His name was first mentioned in the reign of his father. He was in ...

vs Lahhak and Farshad In all battles, the winner is the Iranian hero. At the end,

kills

and the war ends. However,

, who has not been chosen by Kay Khosrow to fight with Turanians, chases Lahhāk and Faršēd, brothers of Piran, and kills them. However he himself was severely injured and Bizhan takes him to Kay Khosrow and the latter saves his life by tying a panacean bead around his arm. The war ends with the death of

Afrasiab Afrasiab ( fa, ''afrāsiyāb''; ae, Fraŋrasyan; Middle-Persian: ''Frāsiyāv, Frāsiyāk'') is the name of the mythical king and hero of Turan. He is the main antagonist of the Persian epic Shahnameh, written by Ferdowsi. The mythical king ...

, Turan's king. In some manuscripts of Shahnameh the story is entitled az Yazdah Rokh (Eleven combats), not counting the last fight between Gostaham and Piran's brothers. The war was ended with the victory of Iran and a festival was held on the honor of king

Kai Khosrow Kay Khosrow ( fa, کیخسرو) is a legendary king of Iran of Kayanian dynasty and a character in the Persian epic book, ''Shahnameh''. He was the son of the Iranian prince Siavash who married princess Farangis of Turan while in exile. Be ...

and

chief army.

Location of Davazdah Rokh

According to

shahnameh The ''Shahnameh'' or ''Shahnama'' ( fa, شاهنامه, Šāhnāme, lit=The Book of Kings, ) is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Greater Iran. Consisting of some 50 ...

the place of war was in the area near Zibad Castle or black mountain of

Gonabad Gonabad ( fa, گناباد , also Romanized as Gonābād; also known as Gūnābād; formerly Janābaz) is a city and capital of Gonabad County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. At the 2011 census, its population was 36,367, in 10,389 familie ...

state of

Greater Khorasan Greater Khorāsān,Dabeersiaghi, Commentary on Safarnâma-e Nâsir Khusraw, 6th Ed. Tehran, Zavvâr: 1375 (Solar Hijri Calendar) 235–236 or Khorāsān ( pal, Xwarāsān; fa, خراسان ), is a historical eastern region in the Iranian Plat ...

Gallery

The Sixth Joust of the RooksBizhan Versus Ruyyin, Painting attributed to 'Abd al-Vahhab- Painting (H. 21.7 x W. 17.1 cm).jpg, Bizhan Versus Ruyyin (Shahnameh), Ruyyin Harvardmagazine.jpg, Kay Khosrow Reviews His Army KayKhosrowMotherandGrandmother.jpg, Kay Khosrow arrival in IranDeparture of Kai Khosrow mother and grandmother toward

. ( Kay Khosrow is seen with the old man in the middle) Davazdah Rokh.jpg, Davazdah Rokh victory The Night Battle of Kai Khusrau and Afrasiyab,Painting attributed to Bashdan Qara (active ca. 1525–35)-Painting ; (H. 30.8 x W. 18.4 cm).jpg, Kay Khosrow and Afrasiyab Gustaham Slays Lahhak and Farshidvard,Painting attributed to Bashdan Qara (active ca. 1525–35)-Painting (H. 17.2 x W. 17.5 cm).jpg, Lahhak and Farshidvard The Tenth Joust of the Rooks Barta versus Kuhram,Painting attributed to Bashdan Qara (active ca. 1525–35)-Painting ; (H. 23 x W. 17.3 cm).jpg, Barta versus Kuhram File:IRAN Miniatur by UNESCO 1957 (8).jpg, BATTLE OF 12 Rokh)

References

Sources

* Ferdowsi university Simorgh Magazine,No 9 August 28, 2018 page 81-89 Location of Davazdah Rokh combat

External links