Casa Editrice Persiani Hunara: Journal of Ancient Iranian Arts and History 2975-1608 3 No. 2 2025 12 01 A Most Vicious Game: Memory, Politics, and Religion in the Reign of Xusrō II 25 53 236473 10.22034/hunara.2025.236473 EN Keenan Baca-Winters National Coalition of Independent Scholars 0000-0002-6465-536X Journal Article 2025 09 12 <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Sitka Banner'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">This paper examines the complex relationship between Xusrō II and the Christians of Ērānšahr (the Sāsānian Kingdom). By the time he assumed power, Ērānšahr had a significant population of Christians who belonged to distinct churches. Despite Xusrō II’s efforts to position himself as a patron of Christianity and his engagement with its practices, he faced hostility from certain Christian writers. This tension stemmed from the inherent challenges of balancing the interests and doctrinal differences of various Christian sects within the kingdom. The Church of the East in particular perceived Xusrō II’s decisions, while often pragmatic, as threats to its power and influence. The historical memory of past persecutions and the martyrdom tradition within Ērānšahr further fueled negative portrayals of Xusrō II in Christian texts. Ultimately, the interplay of religious rivalries, political maneuvering, and the weight of historical memory shaped the complicated and often contentious relationship between Xusrō II and the Christians he ruled.</span> Khosrow II Church of the East Sasanian Kingdom historical memory Religious Tensions Martyrdom War of the Seventh Century https://www.hunara.org/article_236473_6a8ce0d9adda3d8d8fad05bec665285e.pdf