king of kings

The title "king of kings" is shāhanshāh, an ancient Persian title meaning emperor. This title was adopted by the Pahlavi dynasty in the 20th century, evoking rulers like Cyrus II the Great. The simpler title shāh also denotes the king of Iran. This title was used in Afghanistan until 1973 and by rulers in other parts of Asia. The concept of shāhanshāh implies a hierarchical structure where the supreme ruler's authority is exercised through subordinate rulers, who are themselves kings in a sense. This system was prominent during the Sāsānian period, where provincial rulers appointed by the sovereign held the title of shāh.1234