Redacted...for now...
The Fall of the Sassanid and Heraclian Dynasties
by Wolfgang Fried
When historians look back on the Shahanshah Jamasphi depending on who is doing the long winded talking or book writing idolize or demonize the Daliamite nobleman who became Emperor of Persia. Often enough compare him to Philip of Macedon in that much like Philip, he was not a conqueror other then his exploits of uniting western Persia which in many cases he left in the hands of Tapuriani generals. He is far more known for organization, much as Philip created the military and political force that would aid his son, it was Jamasphi would reforged Persia under Tapuriani rule and created the series of political intrigues that would see his son bring the fight to the Byzantines. He was not a man of action, but a planner and as such he is fortunate to have realized several key factors about the Sassanids. Namely, that the confrontational and extremist policies of the Sassanids and the Byzantines kept each power interlocked in a constant struggle over the region. He is said to have commented "The Long War [ Either he is commenting on the confrontation between the West and East or the spiritual war of Light and Darkness so very common in Zoroastrianism and related religions] is a fire that consumes blood, flesh, gold, and steel. I did not start the fire. Long after I am gone it will keep going on and on [1]. All that I may do is dampen the blaze for my son and his son, and perhaps even his son."
Unlike, Philip it would be Jamasphi's grandson that would bring the fight to the Byzantines. Though, Jamasphi just laid down the foundations of Tapuriani rule, he, his son, and his grandson would spend the better part of their lives raising Persia to the greatness prior to the last war of the Sassanid Dynasty. From 634 to 650 Jamaphi and then his son, Vergsu (r. 641-669) would spend the period invading, pacifying, rebuilding, and defending the satrapies Assuristan, Abarshahr, Atropatene, Albania [2], Arabistan, Persian Armenia, Balasagan, and Susiana (essentially everything west of Fars and and the Kavir desert). The religious and diplomatic policies of Jamasphi would lay the groundwork for the expansion of Persian influence in Arabia, East Africa, and the Levant. These overtures mostly were encouragement and reorganization of the Arab tribes to form useful buffer states and to take care of Satraps that broken with the Sassanids. The Maka satrapy for example was given to the Lakhmids, it would eventually form the basis of modern Bahrain. With the Byzantines equally as exhausted as they were the only real threat that came to the Tapurianis during this period other then rival satraps was the Turkic Khazars who continues to raid from the Caucasus. The death of Jamasphi is attributed to a wound received fighting the Khazars in Albania. Jamasphi ended policies of persecution of the Church of the East, Manichean, and the Jews as a political policy to prevent religious revolts and to influence neighboring states, again the Lakhmids for example, but mostly the Byzantines. The exception to this rule was the Imperial Chaldecons and the Zurvians (heretical Zoroastrian faction), and the Magi who disagreed with his Mithrasism.
The Byzantines to the west meanwhile had their own hands full of issues the most worrisome being increasingly violent and frequent revolts in the East and Egypt Diocese. Pressure by the Avars and Slavs ontop of reinforcing the Exarchate of Ravenna against the Lombards who had pushed Byzantine control to the coastline occupied the time of Constans II. The most troublesome of all being that after the death of his Regent, Patriarch Paul II, and was increasingly overshadowed by the clique of Armenian descended generals, the Heraclian dynasty having been of Armenian descent. This trend persisted unto his reign where one could draw similarities with the young Yazdergerd III. Before he could conceive a heir he was assassinated by an unknown faction in 650. Historians point at numerous suspects, the Miaphysites, one of the Armenian generals, one of the generals opposing the Armenian faction, the Tapurianis hoping to destabilize the Byzantines, and so forth. The death of Constans ended the Heraclian Dynasty and plunged the Empire into civil war from 650-660, known as the Ten Years of Anarchy when a rapid succession of would-be-Emperors came to the throne before stabilizing.
Shahanshah Vergsu used this opportunity to finally turn his attention eastward and reclaim the vast and buffering territory that stretched to the Oxus river. Marching eastward from Tapuria into Mashhad he put down a conspiracy to overthrow him and continued to wrap up Fars. His advance to the Oxus river was stalled by the Turkics who since overrun the territory following the Sassanid collapse. Here he used the influence of the Church of the East and the Mani Leader to establish an allied Turkic state in region. He made no attempts to expand his influence across the Oxus, but did attempt to enter Baluchestan. but his advance was stalled and abandoned. The cause due to him falling ill. In the last few years of his reign he likewise orchestrated an official alliance with the Ghassanids and helped the Arab Jewish tribes to kick out the last Sassanid hold out in Arabia Felix.
Vergsu died of natural causes in 669 CE and was succeeded by his second son, Vergsu II. Vergsu II spent his early years of reign once more fighting the Khazars and helping aid the Lakhmid King against a usurper. Finally in 688, Vergsu felt that Persia had once more become strong enough to take on the Byzantines. From Ctesiphon he pulled John's grandson, also named John, to challenge Emperor Simonides as a Heraclian. Simonides had come to power from Thessalonika, having beaten back the Armenians and other challengers he returned to the policies of his predecessor Consantine III which greatly angered the populace of the east.
The 'public' pretext of his invasion being to seat John on the Imperial Throne, but his true motives would only be revealed much later.
While Persian forces gathered in Assuristan to march across the flat expanse of the region, Vergsu tapped the Arab kingdoms of the Lakhmids and the Ghassanids [The former having been a long time ally of the Persians, while the latter had turned to the Tapurianis during Constantine's Anti-Miaphysite reign] who invaded ahead of the main Persian force by invading Palestine and Syria. John's supporters in the Byzantine land rose up in revolt in the Diocese of the East, the Diocese of Egypt, and Armenia. Theodore's forces already in the region were soon swamped in the interior and consolidated their forces along the coastline-primarily in Alexandria, Antioch, Tyre, and Tripoli.
Vergsu lead his forces to the capture of the city of Nisbis after moving his army up the length of the Tigris and Euphrates and then marched south-eastward to Edessa where his forces were joined by Armenians loyal to John. By the time his forces marched on Antioch, Theodore's generals had landed in the region focusing on clearing a swath of territory from Tripoli to Antioch. During this period it was just like the War of Three Sons as the countryside descended into civil war as supporters of Theodore and of John fought, but given the unpopularity of his father and his age the supporters of John soon came on top flocking to John's banner or spieing on Theodores' forces.
As the main opposing armies marched toward a confrontation east of Antioch news arrived that the Arab allies had managed to siege Damascus and Homs-opening a corridor to attack Theodore's flank. In a last second decision, Theodores' commander split a portion of his army to confront the Arabs where they were defeated! The confusion of the defeat, local saboteurs gave conflicting reports of victory, retreat, and army movements, lead to a important defeat for Theodores as Vergsu won the Battle of Antioch and seized the Diocese of the East for John!
The news of the defeat river bated in nearby Egypt where the Augustal Prefect fled the Diocese leading to forces loyal to John to take over. As John called on a march to Constantinople, Vergsu's forces promptly halted. Confused at the events John went to Vergsu who answered that his forces would not march on Constantinople. No army had managed to take the city and he believed that his army would be wasted bringing the fight to Consantinople. Taking John aside Vergsu 'advised' that John should consolidate his new found gains before seeking to topple Theodore. Which may be more of a long term goal then he had expected. The Tapuriani motives for the conflict were at last revealed! Rather then waste their own forces marching on Constantinople and enforcing the region, Jamasphi before his death had decided that a Miaphysite Client Buffer state would be much more beneficial as it would allow the Tapurianis to dominate the region in more subtle methods.
With Lakhmid and Ghassanid armies marching through the underbelly of the Diocese of the East, the government installed in Alexandria already making 'less then utterly loyal' thoughts heard, and a large Persian force at the gates of Antioch, John had little choice.
He became Emperor John I, the Emperor in the East. The Byzantine Empire had become split between a Constantinople half and a Antioch half, a Chaldecon half, and a Non-Chaldecon half.
[1] -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g
[2]- Caucasus Satrapy
