The Kayanians (Persian: دودمان کیانیان; also Kays, Kayanids, Kaianids, Kayani, or Kiani) are a legendary dynasty of Persian/Iranian tradition and folklore which supposedly ruled after the Pishdadians. Considered collectively, the Kayanian kings are the heroes of the Avesta, the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, and of the Shahnameh; the national epic of Greater Iran.
As an epithet of kings and the reason the dynasty is so called, Middle 𐭪𐭣 and New Persiankay(an) originates from Avestan𐬐𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬌kavi (or kauui) "king" and also "poet-sacrificer" or "poet-priest". Kavi may have originally signified an insightful fashioner in Proto-Indo-Iranian, which later acquired a poetic aspect in Indic and warrior and royal connotation in Iranian. The word is also etymologically related to the Avestan notion of kavaēm kharēno, the "divine royal glory" that the Kayanian kings were said to hold. The Kiani Crown is a physical manifestation of that belief.
The earliest known foreshadowing of the major legends of the Kayanian kings appears in the Yashts of the Avesta, where the dynasts offer sacrifices to the god -Ahura Mazda in order to earn their support and to gain strength in the perpetual struggle against their enemies, the Anaryas (non-Aryans, sometimes identified as the Turanians).
In Yasht 5, 9.25, 17.45-46, Haosravah, a Kayanian king later known as Kay Khosrow, together with Zoroaster and Jamasp (a premier of Zoroaster's patron Vishtaspa, another Kayanian king) worship in Airyanem Vaejah. The account tells that King Haosravah united the various Aryan (Iranian) tribes into one nation (Yasht 5.49, 9.21, 15.32, 17.41).
Towards the end of the Sassanid period, Khosrow I (named after the Kay Khosrow of legend) ordered a compilation of the legends surrounding the Kayanians. The result was the Khwaday-Namag or "Book of Lords," a long historiography of the Iranian nation from the primordial Gayomart to the reign of Khosrow II, with events arranged according to the perceived sequence of kings and queens, fifty in number.
The compilation may have been prompted by concern over deteriorating national spirit. There were disastrous global climate changes of 535-536 and the Plague of Justinian to contend with and the Iranians would have found much-needed solace in the collected legends of their past.
Following the collapse of the Sassanid Empire and the subsequent rise of Islam in the region, the Kayanian legends fell out of favour until the first revival of Iranian culture under the Samanids. Together with the folklore preserved in the Avesta, the Khwaday-Namag served as the foundation of other epic collections in prose, such as those commissioned by Abu Mansur Abd al-Razzaq, the texts of which have since been lost. The Samanid-sponsored revival also led to the resurgence of Zoroastrian literature, such as the Denkard, book 7.1 of which is also a historiography of Kayanians. The best known work of the genre is however Firdowsi's Shahnameh "Book of Kings", which - though drawing on earlier works - is entirely in verse.
^Shapira, Dan D.Y. (2010). "On kings and on the last days in seventh century Iraq: a Mandaean text and its parallels". ARAM. 22: 133–170. doi:10.2143/ARAM.22.0.2131035.
^Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN9780958034630.
Dhalla, Maneckji N. (1922), Zoroastrian Civilization, New York: OUP
Gershevitch, Ilya (1959), The Avestan Hymn to Mithra, Cambridge: University Press, pp. 185–186
Irannejad, A. Mani (2020), Kavis in the ancient national Iranian tradition, Iranica Antiqua 55: 241-277: Peeters{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
January 19, 2023
kayanian, dynasty, other, uses, kayani, kayanis, kayanians, persian, دودمان, کیانیان, also, kays, kayanids, kaianids, kayani, kiani, legendary, dynasty, persian, iranian, tradition, folklore, which, supposedly, ruled, after, pishdadians, considered, collective. For other uses of Kayani see Kayanis The Kayanians Persian دودمان کیانیان also Kays Kayanids Kaianids Kayani or Kiani are a legendary dynasty of Persian Iranian tradition and folklore which supposedly ruled after the Pishdadians Considered collectively the Kayanian kings are the heroes of the Avesta the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism and of the Shahnameh the national epic of Greater Iran As an epithet of kings and the reason the dynasty is so called Middle 𐭪𐭣 and New Persian kay an originates from Avestan 𐬐𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬌 kavi or kauui king and also poet sacrificer or poet priest Kavi may have originally signified an insightful fashioner in Proto Indo Iranian which later acquired a poetic aspect in Indic and warrior and royal connotation in Iranian The word is also etymologically related to the Avestan notion of kavaem khareno the divine royal glory that the Kayanian kings were said to hold The Kiani Crown is a physical manifestation of that belief Contents 1 In scripture 2 In tradition and folklore 3 Kayanian dynasts 4 ReferencesIn scripture EditThe earliest known foreshadowing of the major legends of the Kayanian kings appears in the Yashts of the Avesta where the dynasts offer sacrifices to the god Ahura Mazda in order to earn their support and to gain strength in the perpetual struggle against their enemies the Anaryas non Aryans sometimes identified as the Turanians In Yasht 5 9 25 17 45 46 Haosravah a Kayanian king later known as Kay Khosrow together with Zoroaster and Jamasp a premier of Zoroaster s patron Vishtaspa another Kayanian king worship in Airyanem Vaejah The account tells that King Haosravah united the various Aryan Iranian tribes into one nation Yasht 5 49 9 21 15 32 17 41 In Mandaeism Book 18 of the Right Ginza lists several Kayanian kings namely Kay Kawad Kay Kavus Uzava Kay Khosrow Kay Lohrasp and Vishtaspa 1 2 In tradition and folklore EditTowards the end of the Sassanid period Khosrow I named after the Kay Khosrow of legend ordered a compilation of the legends surrounding the Kayanians The result was the Khwaday Namag or Book of Lords a long historiography of the Iranian nation from the primordial Gayomart to the reign of Khosrow II with events arranged according to the perceived sequence of kings and queens fifty in number The compilation may have been prompted by concern over deteriorating national spirit There were disastrous global climate changes of 535 536 and the Plague of Justinian to contend with and the Iranians would have found much needed solace in the collected legends of their past Following the collapse of the Sassanid Empire and the subsequent rise of Islam in the region the Kayanian legends fell out of favour until the first revival of Iranian culture under the Samanids Together with the folklore preserved in the Avesta the Khwaday Namag served as the foundation of other epic collections in prose such as those commissioned by Abu Mansur Abd al Razzaq the texts of which have since been lost The Samanid sponsored revival also led to the resurgence of Zoroastrian literature such as the Denkard book 7 1 of which is also a historiography of Kayanians The best known work of the genre is however Firdowsi s Shahnameh Book of Kings which though drawing on earlier works is entirely in verse Kayanian dynasts EditKay Kawad Kay Kavus Kay Khosrow Kay Lohrasp Vishtaspa Kay Bahman Humay Chehrzad Kay Darab Dara IIReferences Edit Shapira Dan D Y 2010 On kings and on the last days in seventh century Iraq a Mandaean text and its parallels ARAM 22 133 170 doi 10 2143 ARAM 22 0 2131035 Gelbert Carlos 2011 Ginza Rba Sydney Living Water Books ISBN 9780958034630 Dhalla Maneckji N 1922 Zoroastrian Civilization New York OUP Gershevitch Ilya 1959 The Avestan Hymn to Mithra Cambridge University Press pp 185 186 Prods Oktor Skjaervo Kayanian Encyclopaedia Iranica Irannejad A Mani 2020 Kavis in the ancient national Iranian tradition Iranica Antiqua 55 241 277 Peeters a href Template Citation html title Template Citation citation a CS1 maint location link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kayanian dynasty amp oldid 1131053071, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
