Editing Peroz I (section)

== Rise to power ==
[[File:Sasanian Empire in the mid 5th-century.svg|thumb|The [[Sasanian Empire]] in the mid 5th-century]]
When Peroz's father [[Yazdegerd II]] ({{reign|438|457}}) died in 457, he had reportedly not designed a successor and instead—according to the medieval historian [[al-Tha'alibi]]—entrusted the task to the elite and the leading {{transliteration|pal|[[marzban]]s}} ([[margrave]]s).{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=70}} Civil war soon followed; Yazdegerd II's eldest son [[Hormizd III]] declared himself king at the city of [[Ray, Iran|Ray]] in northern Iran, while Peroz fled to the northeastern part of the empire and began raising an army in order to claim the throne for himself.{{sfn|Kia|2016|p=248}}{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=71}} The brothers' mother, queen [[Denag]], temporarily ruled as regent of the empire from its capital, [[Ctesiphon]].{{sfn|Kia|2016|p=248}} According to eastern sources, Peroz was more worthy for the throne than Hormizd, who they refer to as "unfair".{{sfn|Shahbazi|2004|pp=465–466}} Only the anonymous source known as the ''Codex Sprenger 30'' describes Hormizd as the "braver and better", while describing Peroz as "more learned in religion".{{sfn|Shahbazi|2004|pp=465–466}}

Both brothers seemingly attempted to gain the support of the powers of the neighbouring eastern region of [[Bactria|Tokharistan/Bactria]] in their struggle. The region was then controlled by the [[Kidarites]], along with some of their local vassals, such as the Hephthalites.{{sfn|Rezakhani|2017|p=121}} According to three contemporary letters in the [[Bactrian language]] (the language of Tokharistan), the local ruler of the city of Rob (between [[Kabul]] and [[Balkh]]) Kirdir-Warahran, is given the honorific titles of "glorious through Hormizd" and "true to Peroz", which seemingly indicates that he shifted his allegiance between the two brothers.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=124}} According to the contemporary Armenian historians [[Elishe]] and [[Ghazar Parpetsi]], Peroz was notably supported by the [[House of Mihran]], one of the [[Seven Great Houses of Iran]], while later Persian sources instead report that Peroz fled to the Hephthalites and enlisted their help.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|pp=124–125}}

This version, however, has been called "legendary" and "somewhat fanciful" by modern historians.{{sfn|Shahbazi|2004|pp=465–466}}{{sfn|Bonner|2020|pp=124–125}} The modern historians [[Parvaneh Pourshariati]], [[Alireza Shapour Shahbazi|Shapur Shahbazi]] and Michael Bonner prefer the Armenian version, with the latter suggesting that the Persian account may yield some authenticity, with Peroz enlisting Hephthalite aid through the Mihranids.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=71}}{{sfn|Shahbazi|2004|pp=465–466}}{{sfn|Bonner|2020|pp=124–125}} Elishe and Ghazar give two slightly different accounts of Peroz's struggle against Hormizd. According to the former, Peroz was aided by his Mihranid tutor [[Raham Mihran]], who in 459 captured and executed Hormizd, and then crowned Peroz as {{transliteration|pal|shahanshah}}. The same account is given by Ghazar, with the exception that the Mihranid is named Ashtad Mihran, and was not the tutor, but rather foster father of Peroz.{{sfn|Shahbazi|2004|pp=465–466}}{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=124}}{{efn|According to some sources, Hormizd III was pardoned and spared by his brother; this is most likely a legend and is contradicted by other sources.{{sfn|Shahbazi|2004|pp=465–466}}}}