Ardashir I was crowned in 226 as the Å Ä hÄ n Å Ä h Ä ' rÄ n `` king of kings ( of ) Iran '' ( his consort Adhur-Anahid took the title `` Queen of Queens '' ) , Ardashir finally brought the over 400 year-old Parthian Empire to an end and began four centuries of Sassanid rule . Crowned in 226 as the Å Ä hÄ n Å Ä h Ä ' rÄ n `` king of kings ( of ) Iran '' ( his consort Adhur-Anahid took the title `` Queen of Queens '' ) , Ardashir finally brought the over 400 year-old Parthian Empire to an end and began four centuries of Sassanid rule .