Kavad II (Kavadh or Qobad), Sasanian King AD 628

, Superb Extremely Fine

Mint: APL (Abarshahr). Year: 2.

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Kavad II is the regnal name of Sheroe, also known as Shiroyeh or Siroe (In European operas). He was forced to agree to the execution of his father and assumed the throne afterward. Given the threat from the Byzantine armies’ counter-offensive and the power of the priesthood and nobility, he began to systematically eliminate all the male members of the Imperial family so that there would be no possible rival for his throne. This action deprived the Sasanian Empire of potential leaders who might have stopped the Arab invasion that was to come a decade later. Kavad II died during an epidemic of plague that broke out in the capital Ctesiphon. Given his Christian faith, inherited from her mother Maryam (the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Maurice), he was selected to begin peace negotiations with the Byzantines, returning the True Cross and prisoners of war. His faith, aside from negotiations with Byzantines, did not bring him any favor from the Zoroastrian priesthood and nobility. He may have died as a result of a plot by the nobility and priesthood. Kavad II (Siroe) life The events of his life became subject of stories and even classical operas by George Fredrick Handel, Antonio Vivaldi and others. His drachms are extremely rare due to his short reign.