Dec 3, 2025The status of the Kaviani Banner (Derafsh-e-Kāvīānī) in the legendary world of the Iranians is remarkably significant—even astonishing. In Shahnameh, the most important and revered banner of the Iranians is undoubtedly the Kaviani Banner, which may rightly be referred to as Iran’s national banner. Iranians were willing to sacrifice their lives for it, and even their enemies believed Iran’s strength resided in this very flag and sought to capture it.
The Kaviani Banner (Derafsh-e-Kāvīānī) is the ancient national banner of the Iranians, holding a special place both in Iranian civilization and in the hearts of the Iranian people. In the Shahnameh, it is portrayed as the most valuable and significant standard, symbolizing the very essence of the Iranian homeland (The Kaviani Banner is also known by names such as the Banner of Fereydoun or the Purple Banner).
None of the other banners mentioned in the Shahnameh hold a status comparable to the Derafsh-e-Kāvīānī. It is the principal and symbolic flag of Iran, while the others are merely the banners of commanders, noblemen, or individual kings—sometimes shown alongside the national banner, but never replacing it.
Below are a few instances that demonstrate the exalted position of the Kaviani Banner in the Shahnameh.
According to Iranian legends, a blacksmith named Kāveh rose heroically against Zahhāk the Serpent-King after his sons had been killed by the tyrant. Leaving Zahhāk’s palace, Kāveh lifted his leather apron upon a spear and cried out: “Whoever desires the death of this demonic and oppressive Zahhāk, and seeks the kingship of Fereydun—join me!”
Popular symbols in the Shāhnāmeh narrative concerning Kāveh the Blacksmith and the Kāveyān Banner are unique. Throughout history, the emblems on the banners of civilizations have mostly represented kings alone, yet the Kaviani Banner (Derafsh-e-Kāvīānī) clearly carries the symbols of the people within it.
The Shāhnāmeh describes Kāveh’s uprising and the Kaviani Banner as follows:
He roared out and cried aloud,
Summoning the whole world toward justice.
From that same leather which blacksmiths
Wear on their legs when striking the anvil,
Kāveh raised it upon a spear,
And at once a great dust rose from the marketplace.
From that worthless, ill-favored hide
A sound arose that parted friend from foe.
Kāveh then went to Fereydun’s dwelling, and after meeting Kāveh and his leather banner, Fereydun placed a star upon the hide and adorned it with red, yellow, and purple silks:
When the king beheld that hide raised upon the spear,
He set upon it a noble, auspicious star.
He embellished it with Roman silk,
With gems, embroidery, and golden ground.
He raised it above his head like the halo of the moon,
Casting a fortunate omen for the kingdom.
He let hang from it red, yellow, and purple,
And called it the Kāveyān Banner.
One of the lesser-known yet profoundly moving stories in the Shahnameh recounts the self-sacrifice of an Iranian commander who clings to the Kaviani Banner with tooth and nail to keep it raised high. This story reflects a passionate love for the ancient national standard of Iran.
When the Iranian commander, named Gerāmī, sees the radiant Kaviani Banner fallen to the ground, he cannot bear the disrespect shown to it. He immediately rushes to the fallen national standard, lifts it up, dusts it off, and holds it upright with the reverence it deserves.
With one hand, he holds the Kaviani Banner, and with the other—wielding a mace—he fights off the enemies.
The enemy soldiers encircle him and launch a fierce assault from all sides. In the course of this brutal attack, one of the commander’s arms is severed from his body!
He took up Banner of Fereydoun (Kaviani Banner) (1) in his teeth,
And fought on with one hand—how wondrous a feat!
In another episode of the Shahnameh, it is revealed that the enemies of Iran sought to capture the Kaviani Banner, believing that it was the source of Iranian power. They thought that if they could seize this banner, they would corner the king of Iran and weaken the entire nation.
This belief is voiced by a clever Turanian commander named Hūmān, who declares:
Said Hūmān: That banner is a star above,
Within it lies the power of Iran.
If we could seize the purple-hued flag (Kaviani Banner) (1),
We’d bring Kāvus (the king of Iran) down, make his glory sag.
This demonstrates how highly the Kaviani Banner was regarded in the legendary worldview of the Iranians—so much so that even their enemies recognized its power and significance.
No such honor or narrative is ever associated with the other banners mentioned in the Shahnameh, as they simply did not possess such symbolic weight.
Footnote:
1- These terms refer to the same Derafsh-e-Kāvīānī, but since the stories are told in verse in the Shahnameh, other names such as “the Banner of Fereydoun” or “the Purple Banner” are used instead.
Translated from kheradgan.ir/p/23517
