Cyrus I facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cyrus I |
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|---|---|
| King of Persia | |
Cyrus I on horseback from a seal
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| King of Persia | |
| Reign | 600–580 BC |
| Predecessor | Teispes |
| Successor | Cambyses I |
| Died | 580 BC Anshan (Persia) |
| Burial | 580 BC Gur-e-Dokhtar |
| Spouse | Parsumaš |
| Issue | Cambyses I Arukku? |
| House | Achamenids |
| Dynasty | Achaemenid |
| Father | Teispes |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
Cyrus I was an ancient king of Anshan, a part of Persia. He ruled from around 600 to 580 BC. You might know his famous grandson, Cyrus the Great, who built a huge empire! Cyrus I's name in ancient Persian was Kuruš.
Contents
Who Was Cyrus I?
Cyrus I belonged to the Achaemenid dynasty, a powerful family of rulers. His grandfather was Achaemenes, who started this royal family. Cyrus's father, Teispes, was also a king. After Teispes passed away, his sons, including Cyrus, shared the kingdom. Cyrus became king of Anshan, while his brother Ariaramnes ruled another area called Parsa.
Life and Times
Historians believe Cyrus I might be the same person as a ruler named "Kuras of Parsumas." This Kuras is first mentioned around 652 BC. At that time, Shamash-shum-ukin, the king of Babylon, was fighting against his brother Ashurbanipal, the king of Assyria. Kuras was part of a group that helped the king of Babylon.
Later, in 639 BC, King Ashurbanipal of Assyria defeated the Elamite kingdom and took control of many of its allies. Kuras was likely one of them. His older son, "Arukku," was sent to Assyria to give gifts to the Assyrian king. After this, Kuras seems to disappear from historical records. If Kuras was indeed Cyrus I, it helps us understand how the Achaemenid family was involved in the big events of the 7th century BC.
End of the Assyrian Empire
Ashurbanipal, the Assyrian king, died in 627 BC. Cyrus I probably continued to pay tribute to Ashurbanipal's sons, who became the next Assyrian kings. However, these new kings faced strong enemies: Cyaxares of Media and Nabopolassar of Babylon.
In 612 BC, Media and Babylon joined forces and captured Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria. This was pretty much the end of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Even though some Assyrian soldiers tried to keep fighting, their empire was gone.
A New Era
After the fall of Assyria, Media and Babylon divided the lands that Assyria used to control. Anshan, where Cyrus I ruled, likely came under the control of Media. Cyrus I probably lived out his days under the rule of either Cyaxares or his son Astyages.
Cyrus I was followed by his son, Cambyses I, as king. His grandson, Cyrus the Great, would later become very famous for founding the huge Persian Empire.
A Historical Mystery
Some historians have noted that if Cyrus I was indeed Kuras, it would mean he lived a very long time and had his son, Cambyses, quite late in life. Because of this, some experts think that Kuras and Cyrus I might have been two different people. If they were different, then Cyrus I would have ruled in the early 6th century BC, and his reign would have been less eventful. Since there aren't many records from this time, it's still a bit of a mystery which theory is correct!
Images for kids
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Possible tomb of Cyrus I, known by locals as the Gur-e-Dokhtar.
See also
In Spanish: Ciro I para niños
