REIGN OF ARDESHIR BIN SHIRUIAH.

He ascended the throne of his father at the age of seven years. When one of the grandees of Persia, whose name was Shehriâr, who had the frontiers of the country in his charge, and who was distinguished in station above his peers, had heard of this event, he became enraged, because Ardeshir had been raised to the throne without consulting him. Accordingly he marched with an army to Madâin, slew Ardeshir and many others, on the plea of their having been concerned in the deposition and murder of Khosru. As the latter had left no male heir, he himself ascended the throne. There is a difference of opinion about the duration of the reign of Ardeshir, which is in the ‘Meadows of God’* stated to have lasted fifteen months, and in the Kâmel-ut-tovârikh he is said to have reigned six months; but the [true] knowledge is with Allah.