Shapur IV
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| Shapur IV 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 | |
|---|---|
| King of Kings of Iranians and non-Iranians | |
 Drachm of Shapur IV minted during the reign of his father Yazdegerd I | |
| King of Armenia | |
| Reign | 415–420 |
| Predecessor | Vramshapuh |
| Successor | Artaxias IV |
| Shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire | |
| Reign | 420 |
| Predecessor | Yazdegerd I |
| Successor | Khosrau the Usurper |
| Born | Persia |
| Died | 420 Ctesiphon |
| House | House of Sasan |
| Father | Yazdegerd I |
| Mother | Shushandukht |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
Shapur IV (Middle Persian: 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 Šāhpuhr), was king of Sasanian Armenia from 415 to 420, who briefly ruled the Sasanian Empire in 420. The only witnesses to this brief reign are the 5th century Armenian historians Łazar Pʿarpecʿi and Movses Khorenatsʿi, and the Mandaean Book of Kings, in which he appears as "King Shābur, son of Yazdiger."[1]
Shapur IV was the son of Yazdegerd I and Shushandukht, and had two brothers named Bahram V and Narse. At the death of the Arsacid Armenian king Khosrov IV, Yazdegerd I decided to give the royal crown of Armenia to his eldest son Shapur IV, instead of giving it to Khosrov's nephew, Artaxias IV. During Shapur's reign in Armenia, he concentrated on reconciliation and established friendly relations with the nobles. He made every effort to convert the Christian Armenians to Zoroastrianism, but was largely unsuccessful.[2]
In 420, Yazdegerd I was murdered by the Sasanian nobles at Hyrcania,[3] which made Shapur quickly leave Armenia and arrive at Ctesiphon to claim the Sasanian throne. However, he only managed to reign during a short time, until he was murdered by the nobles and the clergy, who sought to expel all the sons of Yazdegerd I.[4] After the murder of Shapur, the nobles elected another Sasanian prince, Khosrau, the son of Bahram IV, as king of the Sasanian Empire.