Narseh (also spelled Narses or Narseus; Middle Persian: 𐭭𐭥𐭮𐭧𐭩) was the seventh Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from 293 to 303.
The youngest son of Shapur I (r. 240–270), Narseh served as the governor of Sakastan, Hind and Turan under his father. Shapur I was eventually succeeded by his son Hormizd I (r. 270–271), who died after a reign of one year. Shapur I's eldest son Bahram I, who had never been considered as a candidate for succession to the throne by his father, ascended the throne with the aid of the powerful Zoroastrian priest Kartir. He then made a settlement with Narseh to give up his entitlement to the throne in return for the governorship of the important frontier province of Armenia, which was a persistent cause for war between the Roman and Sasanian Empires. Narseh held the title of Vazurg Šāh Arminān ("Great King of Armenia"), which was used by the heir to the throne in the early Sasanian times. Nevertheless, Narseh most likely still viewed Bahram I as a usurper.
The succession of Bahram I's son, Bahram II (r. 274–293) seemingly occurred without any issues. After Bahram II's death in 293, his son Bahram III was unwillingly crowned by a nobleman named Wahnam. The rest of the nobility did not support Bahram III's kingship, and asked Narseh to rule instead. Ultimately, Bahram III abdicated as shah, while Wahnam was executed. Narseh was the first Sasanian shah to not ascend the throne as a crown prince. The circumstances of his rise to power are detailed in the Paikuli inscription, which he made as his own Res Gestae Divi Augusti and to legitimize his rule.[1]
Three years after Narseh's accession, war erupted between the Sasanians and Romans once again. In 296 or 297, Narseh's forces inflicted a defeat on the forces of Galerius at the Battle of Carrhae. The following year, however, Narseh suffered a major defeat at Satala; his wives, children, and many Iranian nobles were taken as prisoners of war. Due to this ignominious defeat, Narseh was forced to accept a peace treaty prescribed by the Romans, ceding them several areas at the Sasanian-Roman border.
Narseh is notable for returning to the religious tolerance policy of his father.[2]
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Adur Narseh was the ninth Sasanian King of Kings of Iran briefly in 309. Following his father's death, the nobles and Zoroastrian clergy saw an opportunity...
and Coptos. In 294, Narseh, a son of Shapur I, who had been passed over for the Sassanid succession, came into power in Persia. Narseh probably moved to...
nobles who supported the rebellion of Narseh, who overthrew Bahram III and ascended the throne. During Narseh's reign, Kartir faded into obscurity. Kartir's...
grand-uncle Narseh. After reigning for a period of only four months, Bahram III was either captured or more likely killed during a campaign by Narseh, who took...
battles, Galerius secured victories over Narseh. During the second encounter, Roman forces seized Narseh's camp, his treasury, his harem, and his wife...
six years and five months, from 303 to 309. He was a son and successor of Narseh (r. 293–303). During his reign, the Kingdom of Armenia had recently declared...
region and a family of the old Armenia c. 400–800. The ruler in c. 420 was Narseh Djidjrakatsi. The family had the hegemony in Armenia 421 to 422. List of...
of the Sasanian Empire. He had three younger brothers: Hormizd-Ardashir, Narseh, and Shapur Meshanshah. Although the oldest of Shapur's sons, Bahram I was...
launches a surprise attack against Narseh's camp in western Armenia. The Romans sack the camp and capture Narseh's wives, sisters and daughters, including...
probably aided by Kartir to ascend the throne instead of Narseh. This most likely frustrated Narseh, who held the title of Vazurg Šāh Arminān ("Great King...
Mesopotamia. In 294, Narseh, a son of Shapur who had been passed over for the Sassanid succession, came to power in Persia. In early 294, Narseh sent Diocletian...
of the old Armenia c. 400–800. The district was in Siunik, region of Balk. The ruler about 451 was Narseh Urdzi. List of regions of old Armenia v t e...
up as a monument to victory, and tells how and why the Sasanian emperor Narseh (also written Narses) ousted his grandnephew from power. In 293 Narses marched...
Constantius sallies forth from the walls and defeats the enemy in a major battle. Narseh, ruler (Shahanshah) of the Sassanid Empire, dies after a 9-year reign. He...
Šahfur. When Hormizd II died in 309, he was succeeded by his son Adur Narseh, who, after a brief reign which lasted few months, was killed by some of...
III ascends to the throne. After four months, Bahram III's great-uncle Narseh, the king of Persarmenia, marches on the Persian capital Ctesiphon with...
3rd and early 4th-centuries, who was the wife of the Sasanian king (shah) Narseh (r. 293–302). She has been suggested to be the daughter of shah Shapur I...
Ardashir I Shapur I Hormizd I Bahram I Bahram II Bahram III Narseh Hormizd II Adur Narseh Shapur II Ardashir II Shapur III Bahram IV Yazdegerd I Shapur...
vassal, took part in Narseh's brief war against the Romans from 297 to 298. The war ended with a crushing Sasanian defeat, forcing Narseh to cede Armenia and...
296 - Narseh raids Armenia, expels Tiridates, and quells the Romans. 297- Roman Emperor Galerius undoes Narseh. The Treaty of Nisibis compels Narseh to abandon...
East and annexed most of the land of the Kushans, and appointing his son Narseh as Sakanshah—king of the Sakas—in Sistan. In 242 CE, Shapur conquered khwarezm...
Shapur II (r. 309–370). Abruwan is notable for being the birthplace of Mihr-Narseh, the minister (wuzurg framadar) of the Sasanian monarchs Yazdegerd I (r...
Ardashir I Shapur I Hormizd I Bahram I Bahram II Bahram III Narseh Hormizd II Adur Narseh Shapur II Ardashir II Shapur III Bahram IV Yazdegerd I Shapur...
became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Persian shahanshah Narseh defeats King Tiridates III of Armenia, and forces him to flee to the Roman...
Ardashir I Shapur I Hormizd I Bahram I Bahram II Bahram III Narseh Hormizd II Adur Narseh Shapur II Ardashir II Shapur III Bahram IV Yazdegerd I Shapur...
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