Final answer:
A puppet government is one that appears to have control but is actually manipulated by external forces. In the Sasanian Empire, after a period of internal conflict, Yazdegerd III was a puppet king dominated by the nobility, marking a decline from the empire's earlier well-structured administration under strong kings who utilized satrapies and efficient communication systems like the Royal Road.
Step-by-step explanation:
A puppet government is a government that is officially in control but is actually controlled by an outside power. During the late period of the Sasanian Empire, following internal strife and civil war, the ruler Yazdegerd III came to power in 632 as a puppet king. He was only a child and lacked true authority, with the real power being held by the noble families amidst the fracturing state. The once-great Sasanian Empire had been a model of administration, divided into administrative regions called satrapies, ruled by governors known as Satraps who were kept in check by the king's oversight mechanisms. Systems such as the Royal Road, which facilitated swift communication across the empire, and standardized laws facilitated control over the vast territory. However, when weaker rulers came to power, the centralized control weakened, and the regional Satraps gained more autonomy, sometimes deliberately choosing weak rulers to increase their own influence.