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While a big part of
the Huns passed to the west, crossing the river Volga, the Ak-Huns, a group of them went
down to the south and arrived in Iran, where they strengthened up in the middle of the V.
century and became a big state. However, this point of the Hun's history isn't explained
very well. The situation got even more mixed up with the different registrated names of
the tribe/s in various documents, who had expanded their sovereignty from the shores of
the Caspian Sea to North India, Afghanistan, and to Central Asia. The clearness of the
relationship of this tribe with the Huns can be seen in the documents of Song-yun, the
Chinese traveller, in the year of 520. The ruler of the Ak-Hun's, who had been in fights
with the Sasani in the first half of the 5th century, was called "hakan"
(Khane). In the time of Yazdgird II. (438-457), Kunhas (different readings: Kuhanaz, Huşnavaz,
Ahşunvar, Aksungur, Kün-han, etc.), who had been the great ruler of the Ak-Hun's in the
years when they increased pressure over Iran, protected Firuz and helped him to ascend the
throne of the Sassanids in 459 by interacting to the Iranies internal affairs; afterwards
he expanded his sovereignty to Afghanistan, turned towards North India and destroyed the
state of Gupta (approx. 470).
The two biggest tribes
of Ak-Huns were the tribes of Uar and Hun. Mostly these tribes would establish domination
in the government.
Uran-Huns had
increased their pressure over Iran and they concluded an agreement with Sasani State in
the year of 358. This state of peace lasted for a long time for nearly three generations.
However, when Behram Gor ascended the throne as the sovereign of Sasani State, Ak-Huns
attacked again and they started to wear out the Sasani State again (in and after the year
of 427). Then, Kunhas (Kün Han) ascended the throne as the leader of the Ak-Huns and
Yazgird II ascended the throne of Sasani State (Iran).Kunhas started to interfere in the
internal affairs of Iran and to force this state to adopt his demands. He enthroned Firuz,
the crown prince od Sasani State that was under his protection as the sovereign of Iran.
Firuz who ascended the
throne of Sasani State would pay taxes to the Ak-Hun State and abandon the regions of
Tirmiz and Vasgirt over Ceyhun River to the Ak-Huns.Furthermore, he promised to consent to
the marriage of his beautiful daughter with the Turkish ruler.When Kunhas demanded the
from Firuz to send his daughter that he agreed to give in marriage, Firuz resorted to
intrigues. He sent a beautiful concubine to Kunhas as if she had been his daugher.
However, the concubine explained the secret since she had perceived that the truth would
be found out as soon as possible. Upon this event, Kunhas killed the most famous
commanders of Firuz that were supposedly sent to help him.
Sasani ruler Firuz
organised a military expedition in order to take revenge of his commanders that were
killed and to get rid of the Ak-Hun pressures totally. Kunhas had also taken the necessary
precautions. He busted the Sasani army in a mountainous region with a narrow passage. He
applied the Turan tactic and he retreated with his mary in front of the Sasani forces that
advanced without taking any precautions. Sasani army that supposed this action as a flight
ran into the passage with a great speed.
However, the troops of
Kunhas that had waylaid the back of the passage returned and they also waylaid the
entrance. Sasani army was surrounded from every direction and it was busted. Firuz applied
for the state of peace stating that he would accept any conditions of heavy tax. Kunhas
replied him saying, "Come and kneel down on your knees at a place where your soldiers
will see you and beg pardon from me. Only under these conditions, I will break the
blockade!" This was an unacceptable condition. However, Firuz accepted it. He knelt
down on the knees of Kumhas and begged pardon. The soldiers of both sides watched this
scene with drawing a lesson.
Therefore, the armies
retreated without any fight. Firuz had lost his honour; however, he had saved his army. He
burnt with the passion for revenge. Therefore, he waged war before long. But this time, he
would not enter into narrow passages, and he would not do the same mistake again. However,
Kunhas would not apply the same tactic.
He would direct the
war in the plain fields. He had made some investigations in the plain lands where he could
draw the Sasani army. He made deep trenches to be digged in the determined places at full
speed. Then, he covered these trenches in a proper manner so as they would not be seen. He
had left some zigzag paths between them and his soldiers knew well these paths.
When the enemy
attacked, Kunhas showed little resistance. Then, he retreated with his soldiers from the
zigzag paths that they knew. Firuz who saw this event moved forward his army and they got
stuck within the trenches that were digged. There were a lot of sacrifices among Sasani
soldiers that died in this war. Firuz could not save his life, either. When Sasani people
accepted the heavy conditions that were stipulated by Kunhas, a peace agreement was
concluded. The state of peace lasted for a specific period between the two countries.
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