Prologue: Persian Past

Since Ahura Mazda created Gayomard, one civilisation after another grew to promniance in the world. From first Sumerian rulers of Ur, through Akkadian, Babylonian and Assyrian Empires Through Median Kingdom, Achaemenids  Seleucid, Parthian and Sassanid dynasties....

What was, is and will be Persia existed as a centre of culture, science and power between Northern Steppes, Western Barbarians and Eastern Mountains.

For over a millenium, Persians of good morals followed the teachings of Zoroaster, who taught about the struggle between asa (truth) and druj (lie) and Ahura Mazda, the one who is asa, the one with 101 names.

Since the rule of Kavadh (473-531), Sassanid Empire engaged Romans in a wars over the once Persian domain. His son, Khrosrow (531-579) and grandson - Hormizd (579-590) fought against Constantinople's rulers.

Khrosrow II (590-628) launched the invasion against Romans, in 602, which lead to a failed siege of the western capital in 626. Both empires, tired by their titanic struggle sued for peace in 628.

Sassanid Empire fell into chaos, with different factions promoting their pretenders to the throne after Khrosrow death. Over the course of 4 years, 10 claimants were dethroned, leaving the shattered colo-sus open for invasion.

Followers of Muhammad, Prophet of Allah, invaded Sassanid Empire in the first year of Yazdegerd's rule - 633.

Asking Arabs, to explain their hostility to his domain, young king heard from one of the emissaries that "Allah commanded us, by the mouth of His Prophet, to extend the dominion of Islam over all nations."

Rashidun Caliphate, crated after Prophet's death in 622, begun conquest of disorganised Persian Empire, dealing great defeats to the Sassanid armies. For his whole reign Yazdegard fought the Muslim threat.

After disastrous defeat in battle of Nahavand however, the empire collapsed and Yazdegard became a fugitive in his own country. Slain in the year 651, last ruler of the Sassanid Persia marked the fall of the once mighty empire, to the young Caliphate.

Muslim armies, with similar ease, defeated Roman forces, invading Levant and Egipt, forming the core of new, Islamic world.

While believers of Zoroaster were considered "People of the Book" their treatment grew worse with each decade by their Muslim overlords. One of them, Emir Homayd (749-804) ruling Taid Emirate, as a vassal of Abbasid Caliphate became interested in teachings of Zoroaster.

Him and his descendants would be the first step to restoration of Zoroastrianism and arrival of the prophesied Saoshyant - The One Who Bring Benefits, to the ancient people of Persia.