Jamshid is the mythological Persian king associated with the legendary founding of Nowruz.
In Persian mythology, Jamshid is a legendary king whose reign is described as an age of prosperity and innovation. The Shahnameh, the Persian national epic by Ferdowsi, links the origin of Nowruz with a royal celebration held by Jamshid. In the story, the king’s splendid arrival and achievements are commemorated as the beginning of the New Year festival.
This is a mythological origin story rather than a contemporary historical record. Jamshid is a legendary figure in Iranian tradition, while Cyrus the Great, Darius I, and Ardashir I were historical Persian rulers. The distinction helps explain why different sources describe Nowruz using both legendary narratives and archaeological evidence.
Jamshid’s name also appears in the Indian Parsi expression Jamshedi Navroz. That name reflects the continuing influence of Iranian epic and Zoroastrian cultural traditions on communities beyond modern Iran.