Azadeh (Shahnameh)

Āzādeh (Persian: آزاده‎) is a Roman girl in Shahnameh and other works in Persian literature. When Bahram-e Gur (Bahram V) was in al-Hirah, she was offered to him as a slave-girl. Azadeh was a harpist. Her story with Bahram is mentioned in other works such as Nezami Ganjavi's Bahramnameh (also known as Haft Paykar) and Tha'alibi's Ḡorar. She always accompanies Bahram in hunting. One day she expresses sympathy for the gazelles, instead of praising Bahram's hunting skills. The young and ignorant Bahram become angry of this and let his camel trample her. Tha'alibi mentions that Al-Mundhir I ibn al-Nu'man had the event painted in the palace of Khawarnaq. This story is also narrated by Nezami Ganjavi, but with a happy ending. In Nezami's version, her name is mentioned as Fetneh (فتنه).

Bahram V hunting with Azada in the back seat, Sasanian metalwork
In the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp

Bahram and Azadeh hunting was a popular subject in Persian miniature,[1] and other media, such as mina'i ware paintings. The moment usually shown is when Azadeh challenges the king to pin a gazelle's foot to its shoulder with an arrow (when raising the foot to scratch itself); Bahram achieves this.

References
  1. Khaleghi-Motlagh, Dj. "ĀZĀDA". ENCYCLOPÆDIA IRANICA. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
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