Khosrow I (531-576) was a Persian king and the most illustrious member of the Sassanid dynasty. He is distinguished for both his military achievements and his far-reaching administrative and social reforms.

Under his father, Kavat, Khosrow played a leading role in subduing the followers of Mazdak, a religious leader who preached a communistic creed aiming at the elimination of the causes of hostility among men. The movement gained popularity and for a time enjoyed the support even of the reform-minded Kavat. In the end, however, Kavat gave in to Khosrow's insistence on crushing the movement, a plan which was executed with utter ruthlessness.

Interior Administration

Khosrow, who had been appointed crown prince by kavat, first encountered the opposition of his two older brothers. He ended this opposition effectively by putting his brothers and some of their children to death. He then turned his attention to the Mazdakites, who...