Ardeshir

When King Ardashir issued the grim decree condemning his pregnant wife—the daughter of the slain King Ardavan—to immediate execution, the wise and virtuous Mobad was plunged into profound reflection. Deep in his heart, he lamented the cruel turn of Fate that drove the monarch to order the destruction of his own bloodline. The Mobad meditated upon mortality: all humans, whether youth or elder, must eventually succumb to death, yet Ardashir possessed no son or heir to inherit the crown. Should the King pass away without issue, the ancient throne of Iran would inevitably fall into the hands of ruthless foes. Determined to act with valor and foresight rather than blind obedience, the Mobad resolved to secretly spare the moon-faced lady and shelter her within a guarded sanctuary of his palace until her child was safely born. Yet he knew that courtly intrigue was rampant and evil tongues would surely accuse him of dishonor or treason for harboring the King's wife. To forever shield his sacred reputation from the poison of slanderers, the Mobad performed an act of immense self-sacrifice: he returned to his home, castrated himself, applied hot iron and soothing balms to heal the wound, sprinkled salt upon his severed testicles, and sealed them tightly within a small casket. Having affixed his official seal and inscribed the exact date upon the vessel, he dragged his pained, pale body back to the high court. Presenting the mystery-laden, sealed casket before Ardashir’s throne, he requested that the King deposit this inviolable pledge unopened into the royal treasury, securing his honor for the days to come.