Background
He was the successor and son of Bahram V (420–438) and reigned from 438 to 457. At the start of his reign, he continued his father’s policies.
He was the successor and son of Bahram V (420–438) and reigned from 438 to 457. At the start of his reign, he continued his father’s policies.
He spent most of his reign in war against the Hephthalites and imposing Zorastrianism on other people. However, after some time, he turned away from these and started a policy of his own. each age has its own customs."
Wars
In 440, Yazdegerd II waged a war against the Roman empire, with little success for either side. The Romans, however, were invaded in their southern provinces by the Vandals, Making the Roman Emperor, Theodosius II (408–450), ask for peace and send his commander, Anatolius, personally to Yazdegerd"s camp.
In the ensuing negotiations in 440, both empires promised not to build any new fortifications in Mesopotamia and that Sasanians would get some payment.
Shortly after his peace treaty with Romans, he, along with Izad Gushnasp, Ashtat, and his vizier Mihr Narseh, moved towards Persian Armenia, and defeated the Armenians and captured many Armenian nobles, priests, and troops, sending them to the eastern Sasanian provinces to protect the borders from Hunnic invasions. In 453, Yazdegerd II moved his court to Nishapur in Khorasan to face the threat from the Huns and left Mihr Narseh in charge of the Sasanian Empire.
He spent many years at war against the Huns. According to the Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr, Yazdegerd fortified the city of Damghan and turned it into a strong border post against the Huns.
After his wars against the Huns, Yazdegerd"s shifted his focus on Armenia, Caucasian Albania and the Roman Empire.
Under his reign, 153,000 Assyrians were massacred solely in one city, Kirkuk. In his later years, Yazdegerd became engaged again with the Kidarites until his death in 457. He pursued strict religious policies and persecuted various minorities.
