Editing Hormizd IV (section)

== Civil war ==
[[File:Northern Mesopotamia during the late Sasanian era.svg|right|thumb|Map of northern [[Mesopotamia]] and its surroundings under the late Sasanians]]
Due to his noble status and great military knowledge, Bahram's soldiers and many others joined the rebellion,{{sfn|Shahbazi|1988|pp=514–522}} which marked the start of the [[Sasanian civil war of 589–591]]. Bahram then appointed a new governor for Khorasan, and afterwards set for Ctesiphon.{{sfn|Shahbazi|1988|pp=514–522}} The legitimacy of the [[House of Sasan]] had been established in the credence that the halo of kingship, the ''[[xwarrah]]'', was given to the first Sasanian shah, [[Ardashir I]] ({{reign|224|242}}) and his family following the latter's conquest of the [[Parthian Empire]] (also known as the Arsacids).{{sfn|Shayegan|2017|p=810}} This was now, however, disputed by Bahram, thus marking the first time in Sasanian history that a Parthian dynasty challenged the legitimacy of the Sasanian family by rebelling.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=96}}{{sfn|Shayegan|2017|p=810}}

He started circulating rumours based on an extract from the Zoroastrian holy book ''[[Bundahishn]]'' that implied by the end of [[Zoroaster]]'s millennium, "a man shall come from the frontiers of [[Kavulistan]], with whom there will be glory, also of the royal family, whom they will name Kay Bahram; and all men will return with him, and he will rule even over India, Rome, and Turkistan, over all the frontiers."{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=252}}{{sfn|Shahbazi|1988|pp=514–522}} Indeed, the Sasanians had misidentified Zoroaster's era with that of the [[Seleucids]] (312 BC), which put Bahram's life almost at the end of Zoroaster's millennium, he was therefore hailed by many as the promised savior Kay Bahram Varjavand.{{sfn|Shahbazi|1988|pp=514–522}} A verse in the ''Shahnameh'' seemingly indicates that Bahram proclaimed himself as the personification of the fire of the sun god [[Mithra]], and that he swore to restore the religion and traditions of his ancestors, the Arsacids.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=252}}

Hormizd sent a force under [[Sarames the Elder]] to arrest Bahram. He was, however, defeated by the latter, who had him trampled to death by an [[Persian war elephants|elephant]].{{sfn|Warren|p=26}} The route taken by Bahram was presumably the northern edge of the [[Iranian plateau]], where in 590 he had repelled a Byzantine-funded attack by Iberians and others on [[Adurbadagan]], and suffered a minor setback by a Byzantine force employed in Transcaucasia.{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}} He then marched southwards [[Media (region)|Media]], where Sasanian monarchs, including Hormizd, ordinarily resided during the summer.{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}} Hormizd then left for the [[Great Zab River]] in order to cut communications between Ctesiphon and the Iranian soldiers on the Byzantine border.{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}} Around that time the soldiers, who were situated outside [[Nisibis]], the chief city in northern Mesopotamia, rebelled against Hormizd and pledged their allegiance to Bahram when reached the city.{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}}{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=253}}

The influence and popularity of Bahram continued to grow: Sasanian loyalist forces sent north against the Iranian rebels at Nisibis were flooded with rebel propaganda.{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}} The loyalist forces eventually also rebelled and killed their commander Chubriadanes, which made the position of Hormizd become unsustainable.{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}}{{sfn|Warren|p=36}} He then sent an envoy to placate Bahram, while he started to make preparations to collect the royal treasure, destroy the bridge of the Tigris, and take sanctuary in [[al-Hira]], the capital of the [[Lakhmids]].{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=253}}{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}} A new Sasanian force was sent under the general [[Farrukhan (6th-century)|Farrukhan]] to encounter Bahram. Shortly before the departure of the army, Hormizd had approved a request by Farrukhan. He had asked the king for the release of an aristocratic prisoner named Zadspram, whom he regarded as an important figure in his efforts against Bahram.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=254}} The forces of Farrukhan and Bahram confronted each other at the Great Zab, but neither attacked, due to lack of confidence to cross the river. Farrukhan possibly hoped that the troops of Bahram would desert the latter; instead he was, however, deserted by Zadspram, and then eventually some of his officers, who murdered him.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=254}}{{sfn|Whitby|Whitby|1986|p=293}}

=== Overthrow and death ===
[[Image:Coin of Khosrow II in 590.jpg|thumb|[[Ancient drachma|Drachma]] of [[Khosrow II]], minted in 590]]
Hormizd, during his stay at Ctesiphon, was overthrown in a seemingly bloodless palace revolution by his brothers-in-law [[Vistahm]] and [[Vinduyih]], who according to the [[Syriac language|Syriac]] writer [[Joshua the Stylite]], both "equally hated Hormizd".{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}}{{sfn|Shahbazi|1989|pp=180–182}} They had Hormizd blinded with a red-hot needle, and put his oldest son [[Khosrow II]] (who was their nephew through his mother's side) on the throne.{{sfn|Al-Tabari|1985–2007|loc=v. 5: p. 49}}{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}} On June, the two brothers strangled Hormizd to death with his own [[turban]].{{sfn|Bonner|2020|p=257}}

According to the 7th-century Byzantine historian [[Theophylact Simocatta]], Khosrow II was involved in the murder of his father, while the 9th-century Muslim historian [[Abu Hanifa Dinawari]], who based his account on the now lost Middle Persian work ''The Book of Bahram Chobin'', does not involve Khosrow II. Sebeos, who was hostile to Khosrow II, likewise does not accuse him of [[patricide]]. Propaganda circulated by Bahram, however, condemned Khosrow II for the death of his father. The modern historian Michael Bonner is skeptical of Theophylact's account, which he deems to have chronological issues.{{sfn|Bonner|2020|pp=256–257}} Bahram continued his march to Ctesiphon, now with the pretext of claiming to avenge Hormizd.{{sfn|Rezakhani|2017|p=178}} Hormizd's death continued to be a controversial matter—a few years later, Khosrow II ordered the execution of both his uncles as well as other nobles who had a hand in the killing of his father.{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2010}} A few decades later, Khosrow II, after being overthrown in a coup by his son [[Kavad II]], was accused of [[regicide]] against his father.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=155}}