Across the turns of centuries, the truthful sages of ancient Iran preserved the lore of the wondrous Taqdis Throne—a marvel later re-erected in all its glory by King Khosrow Parviz. Its foundational treasures originally belonged to the realm of the tyrannical Zahhak. When the glorious Fereydun vanquished the tyrant and restored righteousness to the world, he sought the legendary craftsman Jahan Barzin, who dwelt high upon Mount Damavand. Jahan Barzin fashioned a divine throne encrusted with rare jewels, for which King Fereydun rewarded him with thirty thousand silver coins, a crown of gold, twin earrings of magnificent value, and the royal charters over the fertile paradises of Sari and Amol.
When the sovereignty of Iran descended upon Prince Iraj, Fereydun linked three eternal heirlooms to the realm: the Taqdis Throne, the famed bull-headed mace, and the luminous gem known as the Seven Fountains. Passing down from Iraj to King Manuchehr, every monarch who ascended the throne added further riches and ornaments to its frame. Through the ages of Kay Khosrow and King Lohrasp down to King Goshtasp, the seat grew in grandeur. Goshtasp bade his visionary vizier Jamasp to unlock the treasures of cosmic wisdom. Jamasp meticulously engraved the movements of the heavens upon the throne—mapping the twelve constellations, the seven planets, and the orbits of the stars from Saturn down to the Moon, so that the passage of time itself was mechanically depicted upon its surface.
For generations, kings added gold, silver, ivory, and ebony to the throne, until the fateful invasion of Alexander the Macedonian. Through arrogance and ignorance, Alexander shattered the grand mechanism to pieces. For centuries, Iranian nobles quietly guarded fragments of the masterpiece in secrecy. King Ardashir sought to rebuild it, but could not trace its design. It was not until King Khosrow Parviz ascended the Sasanian throne that the vision was reborn. Parviz summoned 1,120 master artisans and architects from Rome, China, Makran, Baghdad, and Persia, accompanied by thousands of apprentices. Working tirelessly for two years, they reconstructed the colossal throne to a height of one hundred and fifty royal cubits, reaching toward the clouds.
The finished Taqdis Throne was a cosmic automaton. It turned mechanically with the seasons—facing the gardens in spring, turning its back to the intense sun in summer, facing the orchards in autumn, and enclosed in rich furs with heated golden orbs in winter. Atop its steps lay a silk tapestry of celestial maps, forty-eight historical kings, and the seven realms of the earth, woven over seven years by a master weaver from China. At the New Year feast of Nowruz, the master minstrel Sarkash played heavenly melodies upon the throne as the grandees showered jewels upon the King of Kings.