
Kushanshah (
Bactrian: KΟÞANΟ ÞAΟ, ''Koshano Shao'',
Pahlavi: Kwšan MLK ''Kushan Malik'') was the title of the rulers of the
Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom, the parts of the former
Kushan Empire
The Kushan Empire (– CE) was a Syncretism, syncretic empire formed by the Yuezhi in the Bactrian territories in the early 1st century. It spread to encompass much of what is now Afghanistan, Eastern Iran, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbe ...
in the areas of
Sogdiana,
Bactria
Bactria (; Bactrian language, Bactrian: , ), or Bactriana, was an ancient Iranian peoples, Iranian civilization in Central Asia based in the area south of the Oxus River (modern Amu Darya) and north of the mountains of the Hindu Kush, an area ...
and
Gandhara
Gandhara () was an ancient Indo-Aryan people, Indo-Aryan civilization in present-day northwest Pakistan and northeast Afghanistan. The core of the region of Gandhara was the Peshawar valley, Peshawar (Pushkalawati) and Swat valleys extending ...
, named
Kushanshahr and held by the
Sasanian Empire
The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
, during the 3rd and 4th centuries CE.
[The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 3, E. Yarshate]
p.209 sq
/ref> They are collectively known as Kushano-Sasanians, or Indo-Sasanians.
The Kushanshahs minted their own coinage, and took the title of Kushanshas, ie "Kings of the Kushans". This administration continued until 360 CE. The Kushanshas are mainly known through their coins.
A rebellion of Hormizd I Kushanshah (277-286 CE), who issued coins with the title ''Kushanshahanshah'' (KΟÞANΟ ÞAΟNΟNΟ ÞAΟ "King of kings of the Kushans"), seems to have occurred against contemporary emperor Bahram II (276-293 CE) of the Sasanian Empire, but failed.
The title is first attested in the Paikuli inscription of the Sasanian
The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...
shah
Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the leaders of numerous Per ...
Narseh in ca. 293, where it functioned as a title for the Sasanian governors of the eastern portion of the empire. The title was also used by the Kidarite dynasty, which was the last kingdom to make use of it.
Main Kushanshahs
The following Kushanshahs were:
* Ardashir I Kushanshah (230–245)
* Peroz I Kushanshah (245–275)
* Hormizd I Kushanshah (275–300)
* Hormizd II Kushanshah (300–303)
* Peroz II Kushanshah (303–330)
* Varahran I Kushanshah (330-365)
References
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* {{cite encyclopedia , article = Ardašīr I i. History , last = Wiesehöfer , first = Joseph , url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ardasir-i , encyclopedia = Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. II, Fasc. 4 , pages = 371–376 , year = 1986
Iranian words and phrases
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Royal titles