Folio 742v: The Assassination of Khusrau Parviz

Mehran DHN

After many years of honest rule, Khusrau Parviz became unjust and his chiefs plotted to overthrow him. The conspirators placed his eldest son, Shuriya, on the throne and imprisoned Khusrau with his beloved Shirin. However, the power of the deposed shah was still feared and Shuriya’s advisors pressed him to order his father’s assassination. A foulsmelling killer was found and soon he entered Khusrau’s chamber and stabbed him through the heart. This work is one of the few by the young artist Abd al-Samad, who left for India in the 1540s and was instrumental in founding the Mughal school of painting.