The Sassanid king Khosrow I was known by the title Anushirvan, meaning “immortal soul.” The epithet comes from the Middle Persian anōšag-ruwān and became his most famous distinguishing title.
Khosrow I ruled the Sassanid Empire from 531 to 579 CE. He strengthened the army, reorganized taxation and administration, promoted learning, and expanded the empire’s territory. Later Persian and Islamic writers remembered him as an exceptionally just and capable ruler, often calling him Anushirvan the Just.
The title was applied posthumously, helping distinguish Khosrow I from his grandson and successor, Khosrow II. It was not his personal name: Khosrow was the king’s name, while Anushirvan was an epithet. Other spellings include Anoshirvan, Anushiravan, and Nowshīrvān.
A related title readers may encounter is Dādgar, meaning “dispenser of justice.” Khosrow I’s reputation for wise government became so strong that later traditions treated him as an ideal model of kingship, even beyond the history of the Sassanid dynasty.