| Ardashir III 𐭠𐭥𐭲𐭧𐭱𐭲𐭥 | |
|---|---|
| King of Kings of Iranians and non-Iranians | |
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| Shahanshah of theSasanian Empire | |
| Reign | 6 September 628 – 27 April 630 |
| Predecessor | Kavad II |
| Successor | Shahrbaraz |
| Born | 621 |
| Died | 27 April 630 (aged 9) Ctesiphon |
| Burial | |
| House | House of Sasan |
| Father | Kavad II |
| Mother | Anzoy |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
Ardashir III (Middle Persian:𐭠𐭥𐭲𐭧𐭱𐭲𐭥,romanized: Ardašir; 621 – 27 April 630) was theSasanianKing of Kings (shahanshah) ofIran from 6 September 628 to 27 April 630.
Ardashir is theMiddle Persian form of theOld PersianṚtaxšira (also spelledArtaxšaçā, meaning "whose reign is throughtruth").[1][2] TheLatin variant of the name isArtaxerxes.[1] Three kings of theAchaemenid Empire were known to have the same name.[1] He is also recorded in Greek asAdeser (Greek:Αδεσήρ;Theophanes the Confessor)[3] andArtaxes (Greek:Αρτάξης;Chronographeion Syntomon)[4]
Ardashir was the son of kingKavad II (r. 628) and Anzoy, who was a princess from theByzantine Empire,[5][6] which made Ardashir less popular among the Iranians, who had recently been in along and devastating war against the Byzantines.[5] In 628, a devastating plague spread through western Iran, which claimed the lives of half of the population, including Kavad II himself.[7]
After the death of Kavad II, theWuzurgan elected Ardashir as his successor, who was only a 7-year-old boy. In reality, however, he exercised little power and his empire was controlled by his vizierMah-Adhur Gushnasp, whose duty was to protect the empire until Ardashir became old enough to rule. The Iranian historianal-Tabari says the following thing about Mah-Adhur Gushnasp's administration of the Empire; "Mah-Adhur Gushnasp carried on the administration of the kingdom in [such] an excellent fashion, [and with such] firm conduct, [that] no one would have been aware of Ardashir III's youthfulness."[8]
During the same period, a brother of Mah-Adhur Gushnasp namedNarsi, was granted withKashkar as a part of his domains,[9] However, even under a strong vizier, things were still looking grim in Iran; Factionalism had greatly increased among the Iranians, and several powerful factions which had emerged during the reign of Ardashir's grandfatherKhosrau II, had gained firm control of important parts of Iran, while the Sasanian state was less-centralized than it had been under Ardashir's predecessors. Ardashir's ascension was supported by both thePahlav (Parthian) andParsig (Persian) faction, and a third major faction named theNimruzi.[10] However, sometime in 629, theNimruzi withdrew their support for the shah, and started to conspire with the distinguished Iranian generalShahrbaraz to overthrow him.[11] ThePahlav, under their leaderFarrukh Hormizd of theIspahbudhan clan, responded by supporting Ardashir's auntBoran as the new ruler of Iran, who subsequently started minting coins in thePahlav areas ofAmol,Nishapur,Gurgan andRay.[11]
One year later, Shahrbaraz with a force of 6,000 men marched towardsCtesiphon andbesieged the city.[5] Shahrbaraz, however, was unable to capture the city, and then made an alliance withPiruz Khosrow, the leader of theParsig, and the previous minister of the Empire during the reign of Ardashir's father.[12] With the support of both theParsig andNimruzi, Shahrbarazcaptured Ctesiphon and executed Ardashir, Mah-Adhur Gushnasp himself, and many other prominent nobles.[5] Shahrbaraz then ascended the Iranian throne. According to late folklore, Ardashir was buried at an unknown place inMeshan.[5]
Like his father, Ardashir III refrained from using the title ofshahanshah ("King of Kings") on his coin engravings. This was probably done in order distance themselves fromKhosrow II, who had restored the title.[13]
Ardashir III Born: 621 Died: 27 April 630 | ||
| Preceded by | King of kings of Iran and Aniran 6 September 628–27 April 630 | Succeeded by |
