Mehrab Kaboli

painting of Mihrab in the Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp

Mehrāb Kāboli (Persian: مهراب کابلی) or Mehrāb, is a character in the Persian epic Shahnameh. He is the king of Kabol and is most famous for being the father of Rudaba and the grandfather of her son, the famous Persian hero, Rostam. His wife is Sindukht.

Heritage and Symbolism of Mehrāb in Persian Epic Tradition

In the Shahnameh, Mehrāb of Kabul (Persian: مهرابِ کابلی) appears in the episode of Zāl and Rudāba. He is described as a descendant of Zahhāk, which causes concern among the Iranian nobles when Zāl falls in love with his daughter, Rudāba.^[1] Despite his lineage, Mehrāb is portrayed as a wise and noble ruler who governs Kabul with justice and dignity. His willingness to marry his daughter to Zāl — a union between the Iranian and foreign royal lines — symbolizes reconciliation and the bridging of cultural divides in Ferdowsi’s epic narrative.^[2][3]

In later interpretations, Mehrāb’s character is viewed as representing the tension between inherited guilt and personal virtue — a ruler descended from an evil ancestor who nonetheless embodies justice and wisdom.^[4]

Family tree

Zahhak

Sām

Mehrab Kaboli

Sindukht

Zāl

Rudaabeh

Rostam

References

1. "RUDĀBA". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
2. "Shahnameh by Abolqasem Ferdowsi: 9780143108320 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
3. Ferdowsi. Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings.
4. Davidson, Olga M. (1994). Poet and Hero in the Persian Book of Kings. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801429297. Retrieved 2025-10-18. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)