1.4.3.3 The Late Sasanian Kingdom

The Late Sasanian Kingdom lasted 60 eventful years. At the beginning of Khusru II's reign, Varhran Chobin (who had dethroned Hormazd IV) took power as Varhran VI. Khusru fled to the Byzantine Empire, where Maurice Tiberius helped him regain the throne. When Maurice was overthrown by Phocas, Khusru II invaded and overran large parts of the Empire against ineffective resistance. Phocas was overthrown byHeraclius, who slew the Persian commander in single combat at Nineveh in 627, where 70,000 Byzantine troops won a crushing victory. The Byzantines took the new capital of Destigerd, Ctesiphon was invested and Khusru II was overthrown.

Khusru II was unpopular for personal faults and demands for men and treasure, but after his overthrow the kingdom fell into anarchy. So many men of the royal house were killed in internecine fighting that Khusru's daughters Buran and Azarmidukht had to take the throne. Persia was invaded by Arab armies inspired by the new creed of Islam, and by the time Yazdgard III restored enough order to fight them it was too late. In 637 the Persians suffered a disastrous defeat at Qadisiyya, and their general Rustam was killed. At Nihavand in 642 the Persian last stand ended in utter disaster. The kingdom swiftly collapsed and Persia gradually fell to the Arabs.

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