Artaxias IV

Artaxias IV or Artashir IVEfn|Also known as Artaxias, Artashes, Modern genealogies depict Artaxias IV as the grandson of Varasdates (Varazdat). Artaxias IV was born about 405, as he was seventeen years old when enthroned. The identity of his mother is unknown. She may have been Vramshapuh's wife or concubine. Artaxias IV was born and raised in Armenia and little is known about his life, prior to his kingship. Artaxias IV was named in honor of past kings of Armenia and Iberia who had this name.

Rise to the throne When Vramshapuh died in 417, Artaxias IV was too young to succeed his father as king. After his father died, the Armenian Catholicos Sahak, who was Artaxias IV's distant relative, visited the court of the Sasanid king, Yazdegerd I, to obtain the release of Khosrov IV from political exile. Yazdegerd consented and released Khosrov from imprisonment. Upon release, Khosrov may have served again as king of Armenia from 417 until 418, when he died. Little is known about Artaxias IV's relationship with his father and uncle.

Until 422, Armenia was under direct rule of the local Armenian nakharar nobility and the Sasanid dynasty. The nakharar requested that the Sasanid dynasty enthrone a client king from the Arsacid line. At the ''nakharars''' request, Artaxias IV was dethroned by Bahram V in 428. Armenia was annexed and became a satrapy of the Persian Empire. The Sasanids installed Veh Mihr Shapur as marzban of Persian Armenia. The further fate of Artaxias IV is unknown. Through the dethronement of Artaxias IV, Armenian rule by the Arsacid dynasty and almost a thousand years of Armenian monarchy ended.