Yazdegerd III

Yazdegerd III was the final King of Kings of the Sasanian Empire. He ruled from 632 to 651. His name is a theophoric name, meaning it contains a reference to a god. In Old Iranian, it combines 'yazata,' meaning a divine being, with 'karta,' meaning made. Therefore, Yazdegerd means "God-made."

His reign marked the end of the last pre-Islamic Iranian empire. This empire had ruled for more than 400 years. His rise to power happened during a time of extreme instability for his people.

The instability began long before his coronation. His grandfather, Khosrow II, was overthrown and executed in 628 by his son, Kavad II. Kavad II then ordered the execution of his own brothers and half-brothers. This included Yazdegerd's father, Shahriyar. This purging of the royal family dealt a massive blow to the empire. It ignited a civil war that lasted for four years. During this time, powerful noble families created their own governments. Two main factions, the Parsig and the Pahlav, fought for control. They even divided the imperial treasury between themselves.

While the nobles fought, a devastating plague swept through the western provinces. This plague killed half of the population in those areas. Kavad II was among the victims of this disease. After Kavad II, the throne saw a rapid succession of rulers. Ardashir III was king for only two years before being killed by the general Shahrbaraz. Then, the Pahlav leader Farrukh Hormizd installed Boran on the throne. Many rulers followed until two powerful magnates, Rostam Farrokhzad and Piruz Khosrow, agreed to an alliance. They installed the eight-year-old Yazdegerd III to end the civil war. He was crowned at the Temple of Anahita in Istakhr.

Despite his coronation, Yazdegerd III lacked true authority. He functioned mostly as a figurehead. Real power rested with army commanders, courtiers, and the aristocracy. These groups engaged in deadly internecine warfare, which means fighting between members of the same group. The empire was also facing invasions from the Göktürks in the east and the Khazars in the west.

Because of this chaos, many regional governors declared independence. The empire began to resemble the feudal system of the earlier Parthian Empire. Even the minting of coins was divided. The Pahlav in the north refused to mint coins with Yazdegerd's image. Instead, coins were only minted in the southwest and southeast where the Parsig faction held influence.

The most significant threat came from the Rashidun conquest of Iran by Muslim Arab forces. In 633, Arab forces defeated a Sasanian force near the city of Hira. This loss made Yazdegerd's ministers realize the danger. In 636, a major clash occurred at the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah. The Sasanian army suffered a crushing defeat there. Many important leaders, including the general Rostam, were killed.

Following this defeat, the Arabs moved toward the imperial capital, Ctesiphon. Yazdegerd fled the capital with the imperial treasury and 1,000 servants. Ctesiphon was a massive, rich commercial metropolis. The fall of the capital was a major turning point in the invasion of Iran.

Another massive military disaster occurred at the Battle of Nahavand in 642. This battle followed the Sasanian attempt to retake Ctesiphon. The conflict lasted for several days and resulted in heavy losses for both sides. After Nahavand, Yazdegerd spent his remaining years fleeing from one province to another. He moved to Isfahan, then Istakhr, and then Kirman. He hoped to raise new armies, but he faced constant trouble. In Isfahan, his own troops mutinied against him. In other provinces, he alienated local governors by demanding higher taxes to fund his military efforts.

In his final attempts to save his rule, Yazdegerd looked abroad for help. He sent envoys to the Tang dynasty in China to seek military assistance. He offered tribute to the Chinese emperor in 639 and again in 647 and 648. While the Chinese eventually sent assistance, it arrived only after Yazdegerd was dead. He also tried to form an alliance with the leaders of the Turks in the east. However, the people in Khorasan were war-weary and preferred peace with the Arabs. In 651, Yazdegerd met his end near Merv. He was killed by a miller. His death brought a final close to the Sasanian era.