The Muslim conquest of Persia, also called the Muslim conquest of Iran, the Arab conquest of Persia, or the Arab conquest of Iran, was a major military campaign undertaken by the Rashidun Caliphate between 632 and 654. As part of the early Muslim conquests, which had begun under Muhammad in 622, it led to the fall of the Sasanian Empire and the eventual decline of Zoroastrianism, which had been predominant throughout Persia as the nation's official religion. The persecution of Zoroastrians by the early Muslims during and after this conflict prompted many of them to flee eastward to India, where they were granted refuge by various kings.
The Battle of Sallasil, often referred to as the Battle of Chains, was the first battle fought between the Rashidun Caliphate and the Sasanian Persian Empire in April 633. The battle was fought in Kazima by the forces of Khalid ibn al-Walid and the Persians under Hormozd. It was fought soon after the Ridda Wars were over and the Arabian Peninsula was united under the authority of the Caliph Abu Bakr. Indeed, it was the first battle of the Rashidun Caliphate in which the Muslim army elected to extend its frontiers outside of Arabia, thus initiating the Arab conquests.
Farrukhzad was an Iranian aristocrat from the House of Ispahbudhan and the founder of the Bavand dynasty, ruling from 651 to 665. Originally a powerful servant of the Sasanian king Khosrow II, he, along with several other powerful aristocrats made a conspiracy against the latter and ended his tyrannical rule. They thereafter put Khosrow's son Kavadh II on the throne, whose rule lasted only a few months, before he was killed by a plague, being succeeded by his son Ardashir III, who was only after one year murdered by the rebellious former Sasanian army chief (spahbed) Shahrbaraz, who usurped the throne.
Bahman Jādhūyah/Jādūyah, or Bahman Jādhawayh was an Iranian general of the Sasanians. He is mostly known to have led the Sasanians to victory against the Arabs at the Battle of the Bridge. The Arab Muslims referred to Bahman as Dhul Hājib. He had a reputation for being anti-Arab. He is often confused with Mardanshah, another Sasanian general.
The kanārang was a unique title in the Sasanian military, given to the commander of the Sasanian Empire's northeasternmost frontier province, Abarshahr. In Byzantine sources, it is rendered as chanaranges and often used, for instance by Procopius, in lieu of the holder's actual name.
Spahan, also known as Parthau was a Sasanian province in Late Antiquity, that lay within central Iran, almost corresponding to the present-day Isfahan province in Iran.
Farrukh Hormizd or Farrokh Hormizd, also known as Hormizd V, was an Iranian prince, who was one of the leading figures in Sasanian Iran in the early 7th-century. He served as the military commander (spahbed) of northern Iran. He later came in conflict with the Iranian nobility, "dividing the resources of the country". He was later killed by Siyavakhsh in a palace plot on the orders of Azarmidokht after he proposed to her in an attempt to usurp the Sasanian throne. He had two children, Rostam Farrokhzad and Farrukhzad.
Siyavakhsh was an Iranian aristocrat from the House of Mihran who was descended from Bahram Chobin, the famous spahbed of the Sasanian Empire.
Piruz Khosrow, also known as Piruzan or Firuzan, was a powerful Persian aristocrat who was the leader of the Parsig (Persian) faction that controlled much of the affairs of the Sasanian Empire during the Sasanian civil war of 628-632. He was killed at the Battle of Nahāvand in 642.
Mihran-i Bahram-i Razi, better simply known as Mihran Razi, was an Iranian military officer from the Mihran family. He was killed in 637 at the battle of Jalula.
Shahrvaraz Jadhuyih was a Sasanian military officer from the Mihran family. He was related to Shahrbaraz, the Sasanian spahbed and briefly shahanshah. He participated in the battle of Isfahan along with Fadhusfan and another Persian general against the Islamic Arabs. He was, however, defeated and killed during the battle.
Andarzaghar was a 7th-century Sasanian general who fought against the Muslims during the Islamic invasion of Iran. A native of Asoristan, he belonged to a lower rank of land-owning magnates (dehqan) who were centered around the villages and rural subdistricts of the province. He was originally in charge of protecting the borders of Khorasan, but was ordered by the Sasanian king to protect the western frontiers from the Arabs who were plundering Persia. In 633, Andarzaghar, along with Bahman Jadhuyih, with an army composed of Iranians and Christian Arabs, made a counter-attack against the army of Khalid ibn al-Walid at the Walaja, but were defeated. Andarzaghar then fled, and died of thirst in the desert.
Shapur-i Shahrvaraz, also known as Shapur V, was Sasanian king (shah) of Iran briefly in 630.
Mihran Bahram-i Chubin was an Iranian nobleman from the House of Mihran. He was the son of Bahram Chobin, the famous Sasanian spahbed and briefly shahanshah. Mihran, with the aid of Christian Arab tribes, fought against the Muslim Arabs at Ayn al-Tamir. He was however, defeated. What happened to Mihran afterwards is unknown; however, it is known that he had a son named Siyavakhsh, who fell to the Arabs in 651 at Ray.
The Battle of Spahan was fought between the Rashidun Caliphate and the Sasanian Empire in 642. The Arabs were victorious during the battle, where they reportedly killed the Mihran commander Shahrvaraz Jadhuyih. After the battle, the Arabs made peace with Fadhusfan, the governor of the city. According to Abu No'aym, many people were killed or enslaved after the conquest and the settlement pattern of the region changed. Isfahan capitulated by 644 after a few failed revolts and treaties for paying taxes and tributes in exchange for military protection were drawn up.
The Battle of Waj Rudh was fought in 642/643 between the Rashidun Caliphate under Nu'man, and the Sasanian Empire under the Dailamite Muta, the Parthian Farrukhzad and Isfandiyar, and the Armenian Varaztirots. The battle was fought in Waj Rudh, a village in Hamadan. The location was precisely theorized and occurred on a road junction between Hamadan and Qazvin.
The Battle of Ray was fought between the Sasanians and the Rashidun Caliphate in 651. It was also part of the rivalry between the Ispahbudhan family and the Mihran family.
The Battle of Badghis was fought in 654 between the Karen family and their Hephthalite allies against the Rashidun Caliphate.
Izad Gushnasp, known in Armenian sources as Yezatvshnasp, and in Islamic Iranian sources as Yazdan, was a Sasanian nobleman of Parthian or Daylamite origin, who is mostly known for his wars in Persian Armenia.
Aparviz was an Iranian aristocrat, who served as the marzban of Sakastan in the 7th-century.