Editing Yazdegerd II (section)

== War with the Huns ==
[[Image:Kidarites ruler Kidara Circa 425-457 CE.jpg|thumb|5th-century [[Ancient drachma|drachma]] of a [[Kidarite]] ruler]]
Since the reign of [[Shapur II]] ({{reign|309|379}}), Iran had to deal with nomadic invaders in the east known as "[[Iranian Huns]]" and made up of Hephthalites, [[Kidarites]], [[Chionites]] and [[Alkhans]]).{{sfn|Rezakhani|2017|pp=85–87}} They seized Tokharistan and [[Gandhara]] from Shapur II and his Kushano-Sasanian clients, and eventually Kabul from [[Shapur III]] ({{reign|383|388}}).{{sfnm|Payne|2016|1pp=7, 11|Rezakhani|2017|2p=96}} [[Archaeological]], [[numismatic]], and [[sigillographic]] evidence demonstrates the Huns ruled a realm just as refined as that of the Sasanians. They swiftly adopted Iranian imperial symbolism and titulature.{{sfn|Payne|2015b|p=285}} Their coins also imitated [[Sasanian coinage|Sasanian imperial coinage]].{{sfn|Payne|2015b|p=285}} The modern historian Richard Payne states: "Far from the destructive ''xyonan'' of the Iranian accounts or the marauding barbarians of the Roman historians, the Hun kingdoms of post-Iranian Central Asia were city-based, tax-raising, ideologically innovative states the kings of kings found themselves hard pressed to unseat".{{sfn|Payne|2015b|p=286}} Hard-pressed by the Huns, Iran fought an almost uninterrupted war with them on its northern and northeastern marches, notably under Bahram V and Yazdegerd II, who both attempted to regain Tokharistan, but only succeeded in preserving [[Abarshahr]].{{sfn|Payne|2015a|p=45}} The Sasanian efforts were disrupted in the early 5th century by the Kidarites, who forced [[Yazdegerd I]] ({{reign|399|420}}), Bahram V, and/or Yazdegerd II to pay them tribute.{{sfnm|Payne|2016|1p=18|Payne|2015b|2p=287}} Although this did not trouble the Iranian treasury, it was nevertheless humiliating.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=100}} Yazdegerd II eventually refused to pay tribute.{{sfnm|Potts|2018|1pp=291, 294|Payne|2015b|2p=287}}

In 450, he launched an expedition into deep Kidarite territory in [[Central Asia]], raiding and capturing forts and cities, which resulted in the accumulation of many captives and riches.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=119}} In 453, he moved his court to [[Nishapur]] in Abarshahr to face the threat from the Kidarites and left his minister (''[[wuzurg framadar]]'') [[Mihr Narseh]] in charge of the Sasanian Empire.{{sfn|Daryaee, "Mehr-Narseh"}} He spent many years at war against the Kidarites.{{sfn|Daryaee, "Yazdegerd II"}} His forces initially suffered a severe defeat, but fighting continued.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=119}} According to the ''[[Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr]]'' ("The Provincial Capitals of Iran"), Yazdegerd II fortified the city of [[Damghan]] and turned it into a strong border post against the Kidarites.{{sfn|Daryaee, "Yazdegerd II"}} It was sometime during this period that Yazdegerd II created the province of ''[[Eran-Khwarrah-Yazdegerd]]'' ("Iran, glory of Yazdegerd"), which was in the northern part of the [[Hyrcania|Gurgan]] province.{{sfn|Gyselen|1998|p=537}} After he managed to secure the eastern portion of his empire against the Kidarite incursions, Yazdegerd II shifted his focus on Armenia and [[Caucasian Albania (Sasanian province)|Caucasian Albania]] to defend the Caucasus with the Romans against the increasing [[Huns|Hun]] threat.{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=23}}