Editing Yazdegerd III (section)

===Conditions of the empire===
[[File:Yazdegerd III coronation.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|14th-century [[Shahnameh]] illustration of the coronation of Yazdegerd III, who is incorrectly portrayed as an adult.]]
Yazdegerd, however, did not have the authority required to bring stability to his extensive empire, which was swiftly falling apart due to ceaseless internal conflicts between the army commanders, courtiers, and powerful members of the aristocracy, who were fighting amongst themselves and wiping each other out. Many of the governors of the empire had proclaimed independence and carved out their own kingdom.{{sfn|Kia|2016|p=284}} The governors of the provinces of [[Mazun (Sasanian province)|Mazun]] and [[Sasanian Yemen|Yemen]] had already asserted their independence during the civil war of 628–632, thus resulting in the disintegration of Sasanian rule in the [[Arabian Peninsula]], [[Early Muslim conquests|which was uniting under the banner of Islam]].{{sfn|Morony|1986|pp=203–210}} The [[Iranologist]] [[Khodadad Rezakhani]] argues that the Sasanians had most likely lost much of their possessions after Khosrow II's execution in 628.{{sfn|Rezakhani|2019|p=242}}

The empire was starting to look more like the Parthian feudal system before the fall of the [[Parthian Empire|Arsacid Empire]].{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=36}} Yazdegerd, although being acknowledged as the rightful monarch by both the ''Parsig'' and ''Pahlav'' factions, does not seem to have held sway over all of his empire. Indeed, during the first years of his rule coins were only minted in [[Pars (Sasanian province)|Pars]], [[Sakastan (Sasanian province)|Sakastan]], and [[Khuzistan (Sasanian province)|Khuzestan]], approximately corresponding to the regions of the southwest (''Xwarwarān'') and southeast (''Nēmrōz''), where the ''Parsig'' was based.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|pp=221–222}} The ''Pahlav'', who were mainly based in the northern portion of the empire, refused to mint coins of him.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|pp=221–222}} Even in the south Yazdegerd's rule was not seemingly secure; a Sasanian claimant to the throne, [[Khosrow IV]], minted coins at [[Susa]] in [[Khuzistan (Sasanian province)|Khuzestan]] around this time, which he would do till 636.{{sfn|Daryaee|2010|pp=48–49}} According to Rezakhani, Yazdegerd seemingly did not control [[Mesopotamia]], including the capital of [[Ctesiphon]]. He argues that the conspiring aristocrats and the population of Ctesiphon, "do not appear to have been too successful or eager in bringing Yazdgerd to the capital."{{sfn|Rezakhani|2019|p=242}}

The empire was also at the same time invaded on all fronts; by the [[Göktürks]] in the east, and by [[Khazars]] in the west, who raided [[Sasanian Armenia|Armenia]] and [[Adurbadagan]].{{sfn|Kia|2016|pp=284–285}} The Sasanian army had been heavily weakened due to the [[Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628|war with the Byzantines]] and internal conflict.{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=37}} The circumstances were so chaotic, and the condition of the nation so alarming, that "the Persians openly spoke of the imminent downfall of their empire, and saw its portents in natural calamities."{{sfn|Shahbazi|2005}}