Andragoras

"Andragoras" from The Heroic Legend of Arslan (anime)
Parsian Andragoras III
Biographical Information
Titles	King of Pars Shirghir (P) Mardān (P)
Language	Parsian
Birth	P.E. 276
Rule	P.E. 304 - 321
Death	P.E. 321 (aged 45)
Family
House	Royal Family of Pars
Parentage	Gotarzes II, father
Siblings	Osroes V and Hilmes, adopted nephew
Spouse	Tahamenay
Children	Arslan, ad. son, and an unnamed son
Physical Description
Gender	Male
Hair color	Brown
Gallery

"In Pars, the right to lead an army lies with one man, the king. For another to violate the king's right is nothing short of high treason."

― Andragoras III to Arslan about Arslan's leading armies in The Heroic Legend of Arslan (anime), "The Monarch Versus the Conqueror"

Andragoras III (アンドラゴラスⅢ, Andoragorasu III^? ) was the second son of Gotarzes II, brother of Osroes V and half-brother of Hilmes. He adopted Arslan from a family of knights and became the eighteenth King of Pars. He was taken captive by Hilmes, and he was later killed by Innocentis VII, falling from a tower.

History

He hunted a lion and became Shergir at the age of 13. He fought in a battle for the first time and became a Mardan when he was 14. At the age of 25, his father died. He supported Osroes for taking the throne and Andragoras himself became Eran. They helped each other in reigning the country. However, they began to fight over Tahamenay until Osroes passed away. Since then, he reigned Pars for 16 years.

He was known as the Undefeated King until the Battle of Atropatene, when he was captured and imprisoned by his half-brother Hilmes.

After taking back Ecbatana, the capital of Pars, during the confrontation between Arslan and Andragoras, Innocentis VII in a weakened and half-dead state from sickness has gradually made his way towards Andragoras without anyone noticing; he startles everyone by grappling Andragoras' neck from behind. During their scuffle, Innocentis refuses to release the Parsian king even when his face is bashed bloody and broken by the other’s elbow. In the end, Innocentis, with a last prayer to his god, drags Andragoras along as they both fall out and down from the window of the tower; thus, the lives of the two countries' rulers are lost.

Andragoras was then buried in his imperial mausoleum. However, after 3 years, his body was stolen, by none other than Zahhāk's Warlocks. His body then became the host for the soul of Zahhāk. Utilizing his visual of the former king, Zahhāk gathers force as Andragoras to fight with Arslan. Many nobles followed him as they had lost many rights including the possession of slaves under Arslan's reign. Zahhāk also tried to use Tahamenay to claim Arslan as a rebellion, but as Tahamenay was satisfied with the reunion with Leila, whom she believed to be her daughter, she refused to work against Arslan, so Zahhāk killed her. In the Last Battle, Zahhak killed Merlain, Kishward, and Daryun. At last, he also gave Arslan a fatal injury, although at the same time, Arslan slew him. His corpse melted into a liquid and purification was conducted by Farangis.

It had once been revealed that because his wife was unable to bear another child after bearing a girl, Andragoras adopted Arslan from a common knight's family, if only to have a male heir, and he sent the girl somewhere with a silver bracelet. However, it was later revealed that their baby was actually a boy who could not survive his birth, and Andragoras had just wanted to prevent Tahamenay from committing suicide and that is why he lied that they had a daughter who is alive somewhere.

Etymology

Andragoras is the Hellenized form of Old Persian Narisanka, which is derived from Avestan Nairyosangha, meaning "man of words." Thus, Andragoras shares his name with Narsus.

Genealogy

Yazdegard II unknown

Osroes V's wife unknown

Gotarzes II 240 - 301

Irina d. 324 †

Hilmes 293 - 325 †

Osroes V 274 - 304 †

Tahamenay 284 - 325 †

ANDRAGORAS III 276 - 321 †

unborn child d. 324 †

Arslan 306 - 325 †

unnamed son unknown †

Portrayal in adaptations

2014: The Heroic Legend of Arslan (2013 manga):

Andragoras is a large, strong man, always wearing a stern face filled with pride for his Kingdom. Unlike the novels, Andragoras did not immediately die from falling, but was instead killed by Tahamenay.