User:HistoryofIran/Kingdom of Persis

Zurvandad (also spelled Zurwandad) was an Iranian nobleman from the House of Suren who served as the leader of the Zoroastrian priesthood under Bahram V ((r. 420 – 438)) and Yazdegerd II ((r. 438 – 457)).

Background
Zurvandad belonged to a branch of the House of Suren centered in Pars. The family, of Parthian origin, was one of the Seven Great Houses of Iran, and had been active in Iranian politics since the Arsacid Empire, and held parts of Sakastan as their personal fiefdom. It was thus unusual for a Surenid to be a native of Pars, which illustrates their extensive authority and influence during this period, which made them able to spread their influence to Pars, the homeland of the ruling Persian Sasanian family. It is unknown if the Suren branch of Pars adopted the title of Parsig (Persian).

Zurvandad was the eldest son of the powerful minister Mihr Narseh, and had two brothers named Kardar and Mahgushnasp. His name means "given by Zurvan". Bearing that name does not automatically imply that a person was an adherant of Zurvanism. However, Zurvandad's father was a Zurvanist, meaning that Zurwandad himself was also probably a Zurvanist.

Career
During the reign of king Peroz I, Zurvanism was declared illegal and was shunned from the Zoroastrian society. Zurvandad may be the same person mentioned in the Vendidad who had disputed Ahura Mazda as the supreme god of Zoroastrianism. Nothing more is known about Zurvandad.