Bahram IV

Bahram IV
𐭥𐭫𐭧𐭫𐭠𐭭
King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran[a]
Drachma of Bahram IV, minted at Herat
Shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire
Reign388–399
PredecessorShapur III
SuccessorYazdegerd I
Died399
IssueKhosrow
HouseHouse of Sasan
FatherShapur III
ReligionZoroastrianism

Bahram IV (also spelled Wahram IV or Warahran IV; Middle Persian: 𐭥𐭫𐭧𐭫𐭠𐭭), was the Sasanian King of Kings (shahanshah) of Iran from 388 to 399. He was likely the son and successor of Shapur III (r. 383–388).

Before his accession to the throne, Bahram served as governor of the southeastern province of Kirman. There he bore the title of Kirmanshah (meaning "king of Kirman"), which would serve as the name of the city he later founded in western Iran.

His reign as shahanshah was largely uneventful. In Armenia, he deposed his insubordinate vassal Khosrov IV and installed the latter's brother Vramshapuh on the Armenian throne. In 395, the Huns invaded the countryside around the Euphrates and the Tigris, but were repelled. It was under Bahram IV that the use of mint signatures became regular, with several new mints established in his empire. Like his father, Bahram IV was killed by the nobility; he was succeeded by his brother Yazdegerd I.

He is notable for being portrayed on two seals, one during his tenure as Kirmanshah; and the other as shahanshah.

  1. ^ Yücel 2017, pp. 332–333.


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).