Peroz I

Peroz I (Middle Persian: ; New Persian: پیروز Pirouz, lit. "the Victor") was the eighteenth king of the Sasanian Empire, who ruled from 459 to 484. Peroz I was the eldest son of Yazdegerd II (438–457).

On the death of Peroz I's father, Yazdegerd II, the younger son of the deceased emperor, Hormizd, seized the throne in the absence of his elder brother Peroz who had been posted as the governor of distant Sistan; Peroz was thus forced to seek the protection of the Hephthalites. The Hephthalite monarch, Khushnavaz, was glad to welcome him and aid him in his war against Hormizd. Peroz was also supported by Raham of the Mihran family. During this dynastic struggle, Denag, the mother of the two Sasanian princes, governed all of the Sasanian capital of Ctesiphon, or some parts of it.

With Hephthalite and Mihranid assistance, Peroz led an army against Hormizd, defeated him and held him captive. He then ceded Taliqan to Khushnavaz. Sources differ as to what happened to Hormizd after his capture. Some say that he was put to death. However, the Persian historian Mir-Khvand says that Peroz pardoned his younger brother and amicably spared his life.

The civil war in Iran had affected the nation so much as to cost a province. Vache II, the king of Caucasian Albania, rebelled against Sasanian rule and declared himself independent while the brothers were busy fighting amongst each other. So once Peroz I ascended the throne in the year 459, he led an army into Albania and completely subjugated the nation. He then allowed the Armenians of Persian Armenia to practice their religion, Christianity, freely. He also made an agreement with the Byzantine Empire that they would together defend the Caucasus from incursions. Furthermore, Peroz ordered his foster brother Izad Gushnasp to take the Armenians who had been held captive during the reign of his father to Herat.