Bamshad

• Name — Bamshad • Born — 6th–7th centuries • Died — c. 628 • Occupation — Musician, Minstrel-Poet • Known for — Noted musician during the reign of Khosrow II • Notable Works — Sasanian music

Many Shahanshahs of the Sasanian Empire were ardent supporters of music, including the founder of the empire Ardashir I and Bahram V. Khosrow II was the most outstanding patron, his reign being regarded as a golden age of Persian music. Musicians in Khosrow's service include Āzādvar-e Changi, the harpist Nagisa (Nakisa), Ramtin, Sarkash (also Sargis or Sarkas) and Barbad, who was by-far the most famous. These musicians were usually active as minstrels, which were performers who worked as both court poets and musicians; in the Sasanian Empire there was little distinction between poetry and music. Essentially nothing is known of Bamshad except that he was a noted musician during the reign of Khosrow II. His name comes from his practice of playing music at dawn every day: "bam" and "shad" translate as "dawn" and "happiness". The Persian lexicons, for example Dehḵodā's Loḡat-nāma, describe him as a well-known musician equal to Barbad. He is also mentioned in a poem by the Persian poet Manūčehrī.