He continued the wars on two fronts but overstrained the resources of the empire, however he was able to bring the long running war against the Persian Sassanids (572–591) to a satisfactory conclusion largely due to civil war in Persia in which the Byzantine's intervened earning the gratitude of the victorious faction. War in the west and the Balkans went less well until the Persian matter was concluded, and was finally settled in the Balkans in 602, while separate administrations ("exarchates") were established with the intention of once again dividing the empire amongst his sons.