| Hormizd III 𐭠𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭬𐭦𐭣 | |
|---|---|
| King of Kings of Iranians and non-Iranians | |
 Plate of a Sasanian king hunting lions, most likely Hormizd III | |
| Shahanshah of theSasanian Empire | |
| Reign | 457 – 459 |
| Coronation | Ray |
| Predecessor | Yazdegerd II |
| Successor | Peroz I |
| Regent | Denag |
| Died | 459 |
| Issue | Balendukht |
| House | House of Sasan |
| Father | Yazdegerd II |
| Mother | Denag |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
Hormizd III (Middle Persian:𐭠𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭬𐭦𐭣;New Persian:هرمز سوم), was the seventeenth king (shah) of theSasanian Empire, ruling briefly from 457 to 459. He was the son and successor ofYazdegerd II (r. 438–457). His reign was marked by the rebellion of his younger brotherPeroz I, who with the aid of one of theSeven Great Houses of Iran, theHouse of Mihran, and the eastern neighbours of the Sasanians, theHephthalites, had him captured and executed.
The name of Hormizd (also spelledŌhrmazd,Hormozd) is theMiddle Persian version of the name of the supreme deity inZoroastrianism, known inAvestan asAhura Mazda.[1] TheOld Persian equivalent isAuramazdā, whilst theGreek transliteration isHormisdas.[1][2] The name is attested inArmenian asOrmizd and inGeorgian asUrmizd.[3][4]
Hormizd III was the eldest son and heir of the Sasanian shahYazdegerd II, and governed the eastern province ofSakastan during his father's reign.[5] The province was far away from the imperial court inCtesiphon, and had since its conquest byArdashir I (r. 224–240) been governed by Sasanian princes, who held title ofsakanshah ("king of theSaka").[6] When Yazdegerd I died in 457, Hormizd ascended the throne atRay.[7] His younger brotherPeroz I, with the support of the powerfulMihranid magnateRaham Mihran, fled to the northeastern part of the empire and began raising an army in order to claim the throne for himself.[7][8] The empire thus fell into a dynastic struggle and became divided; the mother of the two brothers,Denag, temporarily ruled as regent of the empire from its capital, Ctesiphon.[7] According to eastern sources, Peroz was more worthy for the throne than Hormizd, who is called unjust.[5] Only the anonymous source known as the Codex Sprenger 30 describes Hormizd as the "braver and better", whilst describing Peroz as "more learned in religion".[5]
TheArsacid ruler ofCaucasian Albania,Vache II (r. 444–463), who was the nephew of the two brothers through his mother, and had been forced to convert to Zoroastrianism by Yazdegerd II, took advantage of the dispute by declaring independence and reverting toChristianity.[9][10] Peroz later went to the domains of theHephthalite monarch, who agreed to support him with soldiers in his struggle for the throne.[5] In 459, Peroz, with Hephthalite and Mihranid assistance, led an army against Hormizd and defeated him. According to some sources, Hormizd was pardoned and spared by his brother. However, this is most likely a legend, due to being contradicted by other sources, which state Peroz had Hormizd and three members of his family killed.[5] Peroz I afterwards fully incorporated Sakastan into the empire by appointing an aristocrat from theHouse of Karen as governor.[6] Hormizd was thus the last person to wield the title ofsakanshah.[6] Nocoins minted during Hormizd's reign has been found.[5]
Hormizd was survived by his two daughters, who were:
Hormizd III Died: 459 | ||
| Preceded by | King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran 457–459 | Succeeded by |