Kushano-Hephthalite

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

History of Greater Iran
Empires of Persia · Kings of Persia
Pre-modern
Modern

This box: view  talk  edit

The Kushano-Hephthalites (565 - 670 CE) were the successors of Kushans and Hephthalites. They formed a dynasty in a small territory of Eastern Persia (i.e. Kabulistan) after that Kushans and Hepthalites were defeated by the Sassanids. They are also known as Ratbēl-Shāhān (Persian: رتبیل شاهان‎ ) or Kabul-Shāhān (Persian: کابل شاهان‎ )

They ruled over the Hindu Kush regions (Badakhshan), Bamian, Kapisa, Kabul and Peshawar, conserving the same Buddhist culture of their ancestors.

Their rule was in two periods:

  • From 565 to 644 CE with their capital in Kapisa
  • In 644, the Sassanids re-conquered most of their territories, but Kabul-Shahan managed to re-establish their kingdom from 650 till 670 CE. They moved the capital from Kapisa to Kabul.
A view of Kabul city's walls, built between 650 and 670 CE
A view of Kabul city's walls, built between 650 and 670 CE

In 647, the Muslim invasions reached Khorasan. Zanboorak Shah, the last King of Kabul-Shahan, built a defensive wall around the city of Kabul, in order to defend against eventual Arab attacks. These walls have survived until today and are considered as an old historical site. The Muslim armies met the most strict defense in Kabul rather than in any other part of Khorasan.

The last Ratbēl-Shāh was overthrown by Ya'qub-i Laith-i Saffari, in the 9th century CE.

[edit] Sources

  • Kohzad, Ahmad Ali. Afghanistan's History, 1946, Kabul, Afghanistan