Maziar was a Zoroastrian ruler of Tabaristan (today’s Mazandaran). He had come from the House of Karen, a noble Parthian clan. This famous clan claimed to be descendants of the mythical hero, Kaveh the blacksmith (shown on the right).

In 839, Maziar started a rebellion against the Arab rulers and took an oath to return Iran to the Sassanian rule. He defeated the Arab armies many times. His resistance against the Arabs made him a great hero in Iran.

Maziar, however, was betrayed by his brother, Kuhyar, and was arrested and taken to Baghdad. While waiting for his trial in Baghdad, Maziar drank poison and killed himself rather than being humiliated by the Arabs.