Zruanduxt

Zruanduxt was a Sasanian Princess from Persia who lived in the 4th century. She became queen consort to King Khosrov IV of Armenia.

Zruanduxt was the daughter of the Sasanian King Ardashir II who reigned from 379 until 383 and was the cousin of the Sasanian King Shapur III who reigned from 383 until 388 by an unnamed mother. Zruanduxt was born and raised in Ctesiphon, the capital of the Sasanian Empire. Little is known on her life prior to marrying the King Khosrov IV of Armenia.

In 387, from the Sasanian invasions of Armenia, led the Roman emperor Theodosius I and the Sasanian King Shapur III to negotiate into a treaty called the Peace of Acilisene. This led the whole Roman Client Armenian Kingdom to be partitioned into two empires: Western Armenia to be under Roman rule and Eastern Armenia to be under Sasanian rule. Later in 387, the last Roman Client Armenian King Arsaces III (Arshak III) who ruled in Western Armenia died leaving no heir. Western Armenia was annexed and became a province of the Byzantine Empire.

Armenians that lived in Western Armenia moved into Eastern Armenia which included many of the Nakharars. The Armenians that lived under Sasanian rule, requested to Shapur III from him an Arsacid King. Shapur III delighted from the request of the Armenians and with their consent appointed the Arsacid prince Khosrov IV as King of Armenia. After the appointment of Khosrov IV, Shapur III put a crown on the head of the youth.

As a sign to extend his courtesies to Sasanian Armenia, Shapur III gave his cousin Zruanduxt to Khosrov IV to marry as his wife. Through marriage Zruanduxt became a Queen consort, a relation to the ruling Arsacid dynasty of Armenia and a powerful, influential woman in Armenian society. Shapur III gave to his cousin with Khosrov IV a large army to protect Armenia and gave Khosrov IV a tutor called Zik.

...
Wikipedia