Humay-ē Chehrzad (

Middle Persian Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle ...

: ''Humag'', Avestan: ''Humāiiā-'') was a legendary Kayanian dynasty queen of Iran for around 32 years. She was daughter and perhaps also wife (sources vary) of

Kay Bahman Kay Bahman or -Wahman (from Middle Persian: 𐭥𐭤𐭥𐭬𐭭 ''Wahman'' "good mind") is a mythological figure of Greater Iranian legend and lore. The stock epithet ''Kai'' identifies Bahman as one of the Kayanian kings of Iranian oral traditio ...

Rule

Bahman becomes ill when Humay is 6 months pregnant, and upon realizing that his death is imminent, appoints Humay as vice-regent until the birth of her child. She ascended to the throne and ruled Iran after the death of Bahman. After her ascension, she gives birth to a son,

Kai Darab Dara I or Darab I was the penultimate king of the mythological Kayanian dynasty, ruling for 12 years. He was the son of Kay Bahman. Most accounts agree that Dara's mother was Humay Chehrzad, who had married her father, Kay Bahman. After Kay Bahman' ...

, whom she keeps hidden for 8 months. Eventually she places Darab in a box and sets it to float down the

Euphrates The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers''). Originating in Turkey, the Eup ...

, where he is found by a dyer, who saves Darab and raises him. During Humay's reign, a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

army assaults the western edges of the Iranian Empire, and Humay sends an army under Rashnwad to fight them. During this conflict, Rashnwad finds Darab, and recognizes him as Humay's child. When they return to the capital after defeating the Romans, Humay retires and hands the throne down to her son after 32 years of rule.

References

Sources

* {{Shahnameh Kayanians Women in Shahnameh