least
one other son of Kobad were set aside; and, in accordance with his
father's will, Chosroes was proclaimed lawful monarch of Persia.

But a party among the nobles were dissatisfied with the decision to
which the majority had come. They dreaded the restlessness, and probably
feared the cruelty, of Chosroes. It might have been expected that they
would have espoused the cause of the disappointed Kaoses, which had
a solid basis of legality to rest upon; but, apparently, the personal
character of Kaoses was unsatisfactory, or at any rate, there was
another prince whose qualities conciliated more regard and aroused more
enthusiasm. Zanies, the second son of Kobad, had distinguished himself
repeatedly in the field, and was the idol of a considerable section
of the nation, who had long desired that he should govern them.
Unfortunately, however, he possessed a disqualification fatal in the
eyes of Orientals; he had, by disease or mischance, lost one of his
eyes, and this physical blemish made it impossible that he should occupy
the Persian throne. Under these circumstances an ingenious plan was hit
upon. In order to combine respect for law and usage with the practical
advantage of being governed by the man of their choice, the discontented
nobles conceived the idea of conferring the crown on a son of Zames,
a boy named after his grandfather Kobad, on whose behalf Zames would
naturally be regent. Zames readily came into the plot; several of his
brothers, and, what is most strange, Chosroes' maternal uncle, the
Aspebed, supported him; the conspiracy seemed nearly sure of success,
when by some accident it was discovered, and the occupant of the throne
took prompt and effectual measures to crush it. Zames, Kaoses, and all
the other sons of Kobad were seized by order of Chosroes, and, together
with their entire male offspring, were condemned to death. The Aspebed,
and the other nobles found to have been accessory to the conspiracy,
were, at the same time, executed. One prince alone, the intended
puppet-king, Kobad, escaped, through the compassion of the Persian who
had charge of him, and, after passing many years in concealment, became
a refugee at the Court of Constantinople, where he was kindly treated by
Justinian.

When Chosroes had by these means secured himself against the claims
of pretenders, he proceeded to employ equal severity in repressing the
disorders, punishing the crimes, and compelling the abject submission
of