Hormuzan was a wealthy aristocrat native to Mihragan-kadag, a district in Media,[1] and belonged to one of the seven Parthian clans of the Sasanian Empire.

[4] Although his origin is disputed, it is known that he was part of the Parsig (Persian) faction which is first mentioned in 628 and played a major role in Sasanian politics.

Hormuzan ruled his birthplace Mihragan-kadag as a part of his family domain, and all of Khuzistan,[3] one of the richest provinces of the Sasanian Empire.

The rebelling Arabs managed to defeat the Sasanians at the battle, but order was soon restored by Ruzbi, the frontier governor (marzban) of al-Hira.

In 633, the Muslim Arabs invaded Persia, and by 636, they were camping at al-Qadisiyyah, a city close to Ctesiphon, the capital of the Sasanian Empire.

The Sasanian army chief (spahbed), Rostam Farrokhzad, prepared to make a counter-attack, raising an army which included the Parsig faction under Piruz Khosrow, Bahman Jadhuyih and Hormuzan; the Pahlav (Parthian) faction under Rostam himself and Mihran Razi; and an Armenian contingent under Jalinus and Musel III Mamikonian.

Hormuzan managed to survive, and along with Nakhiragan, Mihran Razi and Piruz Khosrow, including the rest of the survivors, regrouped at Bavel (Babylon), where they tried to repel the Arab army, but were once again defeated.

Hormuzan shortly clashed with an Arab army to the west of Hormizd-Ardashir, but was easily defeated and thus retreated back to the city, where he sued for peace.

[9] The caliph (ruler) of the Rashidun Arabs, responded by sending an army under a certain Hurqus ibn Zuhayr as-Sa'di, who defeated Hormuzan in 638 at Hormizd-Ardashir, and forced the city to pay jizya (poll-tax).

[12] According to al-Baladhuri, during the siege, the Arabs were reinforced with a group of professional Iranian elites under Siyah al-Uswari, known as the Asawira.

What happened after is told by George Rawlinson, in summary, as follows:[16] Hormuzan, on obtaining an audience, pretended thirst and asked for a cup of water, which was given him; he then looked suspiciously around, as if he expected to be stabbed while drinking.

Umar had water brought, and upon Hormuzan obtaining a pledge of safety until he'd finished drinking he threw the cup to the ground.

This was not well received by some of Hormuzan's Arab supporters who strongly protested to Uthman[20] and even later tried to take action against Ubayd Allah, who managed to flee to the governor of Syria, Mu'awiya I.