YAZDEGERD I

flourished 5th century king of the Sasanian Empire (reigned 399420). Yazdegerd was a highly intelligent ruler who tried to emancipate himself from the dominion of the magnates and of the Magi (a priestly caste serving a number of religions); thus, his reign is viewed differently by Christian and Magian sources. Because he stopped the persecution of the Christians, the Christian writers praise his clemency, but the sources dependent on Magian tradition refer to him as Yazdegerd the Sinner. He also tried to limit the power of the nobles, but their resistance finally was answered with severity. He lived in peace and friendship with the Roman Empire and was therefore praised by Byzantine authors. He appears to have been murdered in Khorasan and was succeeded by one of his sons, Bahram V.