Piruz Khosrow

Piruz Khosrow (, Pērōz Khusraw), also known as Piruzan or Firuzan, was a powerful Sasanian nobleman who was the leader of the Parsig (Persian) faction that controlled much of the affairs of the Sasanian Empire during the civil war of 628-632. He was killed at the Battle of Nahāvand in 642.

Early life
Piruz is first mentioned in 628, as one of the conspirators against Khosrau II. During this period Piruz assumed the leadership of the Parsig faction, while the Ispahbudhan Farrukh Hormizd, assumed the leadership of the Pahlav (Parthian) faction. After the overthrow of Khosrau, the latter's son Kavadh II became the new king of the Sasanian Empire. Piruz was then elected as his minister, where he reportedly under the Kavadh's orders, executed all the latter's brothers and half-brothers. Kavadh then made peace with the Byzantine Empire, which restored all their lost territories. However, shortly after these events, the Parsig and Pahlav faction came in conflict, which divided the resources of the country, and later resulted in a devastating plague later spread over western Iran, which killed half of the population along with Kavadh II who was succeeded by Ardashir III. Piruz was then succeeded by Mah-Adhur Gushnasp as the minister of the empire, while Piruz remained as the commander of the Sasanian army.

One year later, Shahrbaraz with a force of 6,000 men, marched towards Ctesiphon and besieged the city. Shahrbaraz, however, was unable to capture the city, and then made an alliance with Piruz. He also made an alliance with Namdar Jushnas, the spahbed of Nimruz. Shahrbaraz, with the aid of these two powerful figures, captured Ctesiphon, and executed Ardashir III, along with his minister Mah-Adhur Gushnasp, including other Sasanian nobles like Ardabīl. Forty days later, Shahrbaraz was murdered by Farrukh Hormizd, who then made Borandukht, the daughter of Khosrau II, ascend the throne. Borandukht, was, however, deposed by Shapur-i Shahrvaraz, the son of Khosrau IIs sister Mirhran, and the Sasanian usurper Shahrbaraz. He was shortly deposed by Piruz and his faction, who did not acknowledge his rule. He crowned Azarmidokht, the sister of Borandukht, as monarch of Persia. In order to make a union with the Parsig faction, and to seize power, Farrukh Hormizd asked Azarmidokht to marry him. Not daring to refuse, Azarmidokht had him killed with the aid of the Mihranid Siyavakhsh, who was grandson of Bahram Chobin, the famous spahbed and briefly shahanshah. She was however, shortly killed by the latter's son Rostam Farrokhzad, who then restored Borandukht to the throne, who later made a meeting with the Pahlav and Parsig faction, where both factions agreed to work together. Piruz, however, later strangled Borandukht himself. Which ended the Parsig-Pahlav collaboration and resumed their hostilities. Rostam and Piruz, were, however, threatened by their own men, and agreed to work together once again, and crowned Yazdegerd III, the grandson of Khosrau II, as the new king of the empire.

Arab conquest
One year later, the Muslim Arabs invaded Persia. Bahman Jaduya, a member of the Parsig faction, along with Andarzaghar, clashed with the Arabs at battle of Walaja, they were, however, defeated. In 634, after several of Sasanian defeats, Bahman managed to defeat the Arabs at the battle of the bridge. Two years later, the Arabs made a counter-attack, invading Al-Qādisiyyah, where Piruz would command the rear guard of the Sasanian army. The Sasanians were, however, defeated, and many notable Iranian figures including Rostam Farrokhzad and Bahman Jaduya, were killed. Ctesiphon was shortly captured, and Piruz fled to Jalula, where he prepared for a counter-attack. He then clashed with the Arabs at the battle of Jalula, where he was once again defeated and the Mihranid Mihran-i Bahram-i Razi killed. After another Sasanian disaster, he fled to Media, where he regrouped with the Sasanian nobles, and fought at the Arabs at battle of Nahavand, where he was killed.