Featured dossier
Kavad II Sheroe: coup, fratricide and peace
Sheroe was the son of Khosrow II and a Byzantine woman named Maria. In February 628, as Heraclius’ army neared Ctesiphon, the nobles deposed his father in a coup and crowned him under the name Kavad. Khosrow was killed, and Kavad also killed his brothers. He made peace with Byzantium and died less than eight months later, probably of plague.
- months of reign
- < 8
- brothers killed
- 17–18
Map: the short reign of Kavad II
Battle627–628 CE1 of 7
Heraclius’ advance
Heraclius had taken part of Ādurbādagān, destroyed the fire temple of Ādur Gušnasp and defeated an army sent by Khosrow. The Byzantine army was approaching Ctesiphon.
Certainty: Secure (contemporary source)
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Three separate layers
Each section has three layers: “Historical evidence” is only what the sources say; “Philosophical interpretation” is our reading by the standard of property and liberty; “Modern cultural meaning”. Quotations come only from published translations, with references.
Historical evidencePhilosophical interpretationModern cultural meaning
Dossier · 1
Why Sheroe?
Sheroe may have been Khosrow’s eldest son, but this is unclear. Khosrow seems to have wanted Mardānšāh, Shirin’s son, as heir. Commanders who feared Khosrow’s revenge brought Sheroe out of confinement and crowned him.
Therefore, perhaps it was less due to the specific abilities of the presumptive new ruler, but rather to the urgent need to replace Ḵosrow II as quickly as possible with someone—anyone —else.
Schindel suggests the main reason for choosing Sheroe may have been the Ctesiphon elite’s inability to stop Heraclius: Khosrow had to be replaced as quickly as possible with someone, anyone, else. He does not defend the fratricide ethically, but says Kavad may have seen it as preferable to risking civil war. Hormizd IV too is said to have killed his brothers.
When no law settles succession, every brother is a threat and killing becomes a form of security. But this “security” emptied the dynasty: a few years later there was hardly a male prince left for the crown. This is our reading.
Sources: N. Schindel, Encyclopaedia Iranica
Dossier · 2
What the coins say
All of Kavad’s drachms are dated year 2. Most mints of Khosrow’s last years, in Asōristān, Media, Ḵuzestān, Fārs, Mēšān and Ṭabarestān, struck for him too. Khorasan issued little, and no coin from Ādurbādagān, where Heraclius’ army stood, is yet known. Kavad dropped most of his father’s coin innovations, such as Bahrām’s wings on the crown and the word xwarrah.
From these coins Schindel concludes that Kavad still commanded basically the entire empire. The choice of the name Kavad is surprising, since court historiography was not well disposed towards Kavad I.
Coins are dry but honest evidence: they show the administration still worked, even while the court was killing kings and brothers.
Sources: N. Schindel, Encyclopaedia Iranica
Synthesis
Kavad II came to power by a coup, killed his father and brothers, made peace with Byzantium and died after a few months, probably of plague. Schindel says it is hard to imagine a fundamentally better course in that military and political situation. The date of his death is disputed.
Bibliography
- N. Schindel, Encyclopaedia Iranica, Kawād II (2022). https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kawad-ii/
- A. Sh. Shahbazi, Encyclopaedia Iranica, Ardašīr III (1986). https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ardasir-iii/
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; licence and author were checked on each file page.
Khosrow II, his fatherArdashir III, his sonThe Sasanian dynasty