Qajar Iran
Iran, 1789–1925. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly known as Qajar Iran, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which lasted from 1789 to 1925. It was founded by Agha Mohammad Khan, a chieftain of the Qajar tribe, a Turkic tribe based in northern Iran. In the Caucasus, the Qajar dynasty lost much of its conquered territory to the Russian Empire in the first decades of the 19th century, comprising modern-day eastern Georgia, Russia (Dagestan), Azerbaijan, and Armenia. In the early 20th century, the Persian Constitutional Revolution created an elected parliament or Majles, and sought the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, deposing Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar for Ahmad Shah Qajar.
Seat of power: Tehran
Rulers
Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar
shah, 1789–1797
He was the founder of the Qajar dynasty of Iran, ruling as Shah from 1789 to 1797, after reunifying the country and establishing Tehran as its capital. He took control of all northern Iran and in 1786 made Tehran his capital.
Portrait of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar: Sotheby's, Public domain, file
Fath-Ali Shah Qajar
shah, 1797–1834
His reign saw the irrevocable ceding of Iran's northern territories in the Caucasus, comprising what is nowadays Georgia, Derbent, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, to the Russian Empire following the Russo-Persian Wars of 1804-1813 and 1826-1828 and the resulting treaties of Gulistan and Turkmenchay. Fath-Ali Shah successfully restructured a mostly Turkic tribal khanship into a centralized and stable monarchy based on the old imperial design.
Portrait of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar: Mihr 'Ali, Public domain, file
Mohammad Shah Qajar
shah, 1834–1848
Mohammad Shah soon suppressed the rebellious princes and asserted his authority. Mohammad Shah dismissed and executed his tactful premier, Abol-Qasem Qa'em-Maqam, and appointed his favourite, Haji Mirza Aqasi, as the grand vizier.
Portrait of Mohammad Shah Qajar: OnlyDeductiveReasoning, CC0, file
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Naser al-Din Shah Qajar
shah, 1848–1896
Initially seeking to modernise Iran, his style of governance became more dictatorial over the course of his reign. He allowed the establishment of newspapers in the country and made use of modern forms of technology such as telegraph, photography and also planned concessions for railways and irrigation works.
Portrait of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar: Nadar / Adam Cuerden, Public domain, file
Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar
shah, 1896–1907
He is often credited with the creation of the Persian Constitution of 1906, which he approved of in one of his final acts as shah.
Portrait of Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar: Golestan Palace, Public domain, file
Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar
shah, 1907–1909
In 1907, Mohammad Ali dissolved the National Consultative Assembly and declared the Constitution abolished because it was contrary to Islamic law. He bombarded the Majles (Iranian parliament) with the military and political support of Russia and Britain.
Portrait of Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar: Unknown author, Public domain, file
Ahmad Shah Qajar
shah, 1909–1925
He ascended the throne at the age of 11 after the removal of his father Mohammad Ali Shah by the Parliament on 16 July 1909. Due to his young age, his uncle, Ali-Reza Khan, took charge of state affairs as Regent.
Portrait of Ahmad Shah Qajar: Bain News Service, Public domain, file
Culture
- Qajar Iran reinvented the Iranian notion of kingship and maintained relative political independence, but faced major challenges to its sovereignty, predominantly from the Russian and British empires in the Great Game.
- Since the Safavid era, Mamâlek-e Mahruse-ye Irân (Guarded Domains of Iran) was the common and official name of Iran.
- Most of the royal buildings date back to the 19th century and display a collection of Iranian and European crafts and gifts from the 18th to the 20th century.
Picture
The Golestan Palace is the former official royal Qajar complex in Tehran, Iran.
Image: ZarlokX, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
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Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.