General Notes

Khosrau I, called Anushirvan ("having an immortal soul") (died 579), Persian
king of the Sassanid dynasty (531-79), the son of Kavadh I (reigned
485-531). Khosrau I is considered one of the greatest kings of the ancient
Persian Empire. In a series of wars with the Byzantine Empire (531-32,
540-45, 571-76), he extended his domain to the Black Sea. Other military
conquests extended the frontier of Persia to the Indus River in the east and
from the Arabian Sea far into Central Asia. He was successful in all his
Byzantine wars until 576, when the forces of Emperor Justin II of Byzantium
(died 578) defeated the Persians at Melitene (now Malatya, Turkey).
Khosrau's military prowess was equaled by his administrative ability. His
reformation of the provincial administration and tax system, advancement of
industrial and commercial development, and encouragement of learning and
literature caused his reign to be known as the Golden Age in ancient Persian
literature. Khosrau himself became the central figure in many Persian
legends.