Editing Kavad I (section)

===Conflict with Sukhra over the empire===
[[Image:Sufaray (The Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp).png|thumb|alt=Illustration of Sukhra shown holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left | Illustration of [[Sukhra]]]]
The young and inexperienced Kavad was tutored by Sukhra during his first five years as shah.{{sfn|Schindel|2013a|pp=136–141}} During this period, Kavad was a mere [[figurehead]], whilst Sukhra was the [[de facto]] ruler of the empire. This is emphasized by [[al-Tabari]], who states that Sukhra "was in charge of government of the kingdom and the management of affairs ... [T]he people came to Sukhra and undertook all their dealings with him, treating Kavad as a person of no importance and regarding his commands with contempt."{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=78}} Numerous regions and the representatives of the elite paid tribute to Sukhra, not to Kavad.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=79}} Sukhra controlled the royal treasury and the Iranian military.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=79}} In 493, Kavad, having reached adulthood, wanted to put an end to Sukhra's dominance, and had him exiled to his native [[Shiraz]] in southwestern Iran.{{sfn|Schindel|2013a|pp=136–141}}{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=79}} Even in exile, however, Sukhra was in control of everything except the kingly crown.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=79}} He bragged about having put Kavad on the throne.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=79}}

Alarmed by the thought that Sukhra might rebel, Kavad wanted to get rid of him completely. He lacked the manpower to do so, however, as the army was controlled by Sukhra and the Sasanians relied mainly on the military of the Seven Great Houses of Iran.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|pp=79–80}} He found his solution in [[Shapur of Ray]], a powerful nobleman from the House of Mihran, and a resolute opponent of Sukhra.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=80}} Shapur, at the head of an army of his own men and disgruntled nobles, marched to Shiraz, defeated Sukhra's forces, and imprisoned him in the Sasanian capital of [[Ctesiphon]].{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=81}} Even in prison, Sukhra was considered too powerful and was executed.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=81}} This caused displeasure among some prominent members of the nobility, weakening Kavad's status as shah.{{sfn|Frye|1983|p=150}} It also marked the temporary loss of authority of the House of Karen, whose members were exiled to the regions of [[Tabaristan]] and [[Zabulistan]], which were away from the Sasanian court in Ctesiphon.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2017}}{{efn|Although some of Sukhra's sons would later serve Kavad, the power of the Karens was first restored during the reign of Kavad's son and successor, [[Khosrow I|Khosrow I Anushirvan]] ({{reign|531|579}}), who reportedly regretted Kavad's approach to the family, and gave them the post of military commander (''[[spahbed]]'') of [[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]].{{sfn|Pourshariati|2017}}}}