Little Kourosh, resting peacefully in his wooden cradle as the familiar scent of his mother, Mandane, wafted over him, cast another glance at her beautiful face. Mandane's beauty lay not only in her captivating appearance but also in the deep tranquility and wisdom inherent in her eyes, as if an ancient and wise soul shone through her gaze. Kourosh's thoughts, journeying from his mother's beauty, traveled to the status of women in ancient Iran and their significant role throughout history. He pondered how, in the ancient beliefs of this land, goddesses like Anahita were symbols of power, life, and fertility; forces that granted women in society, especially in much earlier times, a high and sacred status. This line of thought reminded him of the concept of "matriarchy," a system prevalent in many ancient civilizations, including examples in Mesopotamia and Elam, where power and lineage were passed down not through the father, but through the mother, indicating the deep influence of women in the social structure.
He knew well that in his own time, Iranian society was transitioning from this ancient matriarchy towards patriarchy; a slow but profound change that had transformed the status of women over many centuries. This shift in power had its own complexities and had a deep impact on the structure of the family and government. But Kourosh, with his twenty-first-century perspective, understood perfectly that even in a seemingly patriarchal system, the influence and power of women, especially in royal and noble families, remained undeniable. Sometimes their role in legitimizing power and maintaining the stability of a dynasty surpassed even that of men, and this truth was a constant, flowing undercurrent behind the curtain of history.
Kourosh's mind turned to examples of this hidden or overt influence of women in power. He recalled how Darius the Great, after seizing power and suppressing rebellions, married Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus the Great, to legitimize his rule and solidify his position among the people. This marriage created a vital link to the founding dynasty of the empire and strengthened his claim to the throne. This showed that even at the height of the Achaemenid patriarchal era, female blood and lineage were a key element for stability and the acceptance of power among the people; as if women were the invisible roots holding the tree of power in the soil.
This thought led him to his own case, that of the historical Cyrus the Great. He remembered that after overthrowing Astyages, the king of the Medes, Cyrus the Great, to consolidate his power and legitimize his rule over the Medes and other vassal states, married the daughter of Astyages, who according to Herodotus's account was his own aunt. This marriage not only gave him legitimacy and created a blood tie with the previous dynasty but also quelled signs of rebellion among the Median tribes and vassal states, sending them the message that the new dynasty was linked to the previous one and was continuing its path. This was a strategic move that led to unity instead of bloodshed.
These marriages led Little Kourosh's mind to another phenomenon in ancient history that was often fraught with ethical complexities: incestuous marriages within royal families. He recalled that in many ancient civilizations, including Egypt, Elam, and Assyria, endogamous marriage, especially between siblings, was common in the royal family. In Egypt, pharaohs often married their sisters to preserve the purity of the royal bloodline and to concentrate power within one family, as with Akhenaten and Nefertiti. This practice, at the time, was seen as a way to keep power within a family and prevent its division, although its biological consequences were ignored.
But the example that stood out most in Kourosh's mind and made him ponder was the story of Nahhunte-utu, an Elamite royal woman. Historical records stated that she first married her father. Then, after her father's death, she married her older brother, then her younger brother, and finally her own son! This narrative made Kourosh think about how, in this dynasty, power was transferred through this woman to her husbands, and not the other way around; as if she herself were the source of legitimacy and the continuity of power. He also thought that the reason for the short lifespan of many of these Elamite kings was likely due to these incestuous marriages and the resulting genetic problems; a reality that was hidden from the people of that era.
Little Kourosh, understanding all these historical and cultural dimensions, concluded that while preserving and elevating the status of women in his future empire, he must also combat the practice of incestuous marriages. He knew that this practice was not only morally reprehensible in modern times and led to the moral decay of society, but it was also biologically detrimental, leading to the degeneration of generations and endangering the health of society. He intended to build the foundations of his empire on wisdom, progress, and the health of future generations, not on superstitions and harmful customs that only led to destruction. This decision was a sign of his deep insight into the future of humanity.
He knew that to build a thousand-year empire based on justice and prosperity, one must learn from the mistakes of the past and give importance to the physical and mental health of the people. The status of women in his empire should not only be respected, but opportunities should also be provided for their talents to flourish. This view was based not only on a desire for justice but also on his understanding of the immense potential of the human workforce; a force that could never reach its peak of prosperity if half of it, namely women, were ignored. This was Kourosh's dream for the status of women in his empire.