Agha Mohammad Qajar

1742 - 1797

Founder and first monarch of Persia's Qajar dynasty; shah in 1796.

Agha Mohammad Qajar (also Aqa Mohammad Ghadjar) was born the son of Mohammad Hoseyn Khan of the Qovanlu branch of the Qajar family, a Turkic tribe that had settled in and near Astarabad, now in northeastern Iran. The chief of the tribe, Fath Ali Khan, was killed by Nader Shah Afshar, so his son Mohammad Hoseyn Khan took refuge with other Turkomans. After Nader was killed in 1747, his successor Adel Shah took Mohammad Hoseyn Khan's six-year-old son Agha Mohammad Khan and emasculated him. When Adel Shah died, Agha Mohammad joined Karim Khan Zand, who ruled in southern and central Persia, with a capital at Shiraz. Mohammad Hoseyn was killed in battle by Karim Khan Zand in 1758; Zand then took Agha Mohammad and his family as hostages to his capital.

Agha Mohammad was treated well and was trusted by Karim Khan, but when Karim died in 1779, Agha Mohammad escaped and raised the standard of revolt against the descendants of the Zands (Persian dynasty 1750 - 1794). Gradually, he succeeded in conquering, pacifying, and uniting Persia. Still, he had to contend with Lotf Ali Khan Zand, Karim Khan's successor. After being defeated by Agha Mohammad in Shiraz, Lotf Ali escaped to Kerman in southeast Persia. There he was finally captured by Agha Mohammad in 1794, who proceeded to sack the city and treat the citizens with great cruelty for sheltering Lotf Ali.

In 1796, Agha Mohammad had himself crowned king (becoming Agha Mohammad Shah Qajar), in Tehran, which he chose for his capital. At the time, Tehran was a small and insignificant township selected for its proximity to the seat of Qajar power in the north. Agha Mohammad set about reconquering Georgia, once a tribute state to Persia, but transferred by its ruler, Heracleus, to Russia. During his second expedition to Georgia in 1797, the shah was assassinated outside Shusha, Georgia's capital.

Though Agha Mohammad Shah was harsh and cruel, by his courage, astuteness, and endeavor he reunited his country and founded the dynasty that ruled Persia until 1925.

Bibliography

Curzon, George Nathaniel. Persia and the Persian Question (1892). 2 vols. London: Cass, 1966.

Lambton, A. K. S. "Persian Society under the Qajars." Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society 48 (1961): 123 - 138.

Malcolm, Sir John. The History of Persia, from the Most Early Period to the Present Time. London: J. Murray, 1815.

Watson, Robert G. A History of Persia from the Beginning of theNineteenth Century to the Year 1858. London: Smith Elder, 1866.

— MANSOUREH ETTEHADIEH