Persia's crown prince overthrew his father to stop a half-brother's succession, executed him, killed his brothers, and died of plague within months

Khosrow II ruled Persia from 590; he had come to power after his own father was deposed and blinded in a palace revolt led by Khosrow's uncles. His most influential wife, Shirin, a Christian from Khuzestan, had his eldest son Kavad Shiroe sent away from court and won the promise of the succession for her son Mardanshah. After Heraclius's campaigns broke the Persian war effort, nobles and officers plotted with Shiroe. On the night of 23 to 24 February 628 they seized Khosrow. Shiroe took the throne on 25 February as Kavad II. Khosrow was charged with misconduct, chiefly the taxes he had raised for the war, and executed on 28 February 628. Kavad had 17 or 18 of his brothers put to death, Mardanshah among them^†; al-Tabari says they were all educated, brave men. World History Encyclopedia says Shirin took her own life. Kavad made peace with Byzantium, then died in a plague named after him in late summer or autumn 628, after six to eight months on the throne. His seven-year-old son Ardashir III succeeded under a regent. The arch of the palace at Ctesiphon, the Taq Kasra, still stands south of Baghdad^†.