Golbadan Baji or Gulbadan Khanum, also known by her title Khazen ol-Dowleh () was a

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubi ...

and later wife of

Fath-Ali Shah Qajar Fath-Ali Shah Qajar ( fa, فتحعلى‌شاه قاجار, Fatḥ-ʻAli Šâh Qâjâr; May 1769 – 24 October 1834) was the second Shah (king) of Qajar Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death on 24 October 1834. His reign saw the irr ...

of Persia (r. 1797–1834). Of

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

origin, she was originally a slave girl of Fath-Ali Shah's mother after whose death she rose to prominence.

Biography

Fath-Ali Shah's mother Mahd-e Olya Asiye Khanum Ezzeddin Qajar had been responsible for running the

Qajar harem The harem of the monarchs of the Qajar dynasty (1785-1925) consisted of several thousand people. The harem had a precise internal administration, based on the women's rank. Hierarchy and organisation Mother of the Shah As was customary in Muslim ...

household until her death. When she died, Fath-Ali Shah's wives were unable to choose a new head of the royal

harem Harem (Persian: حرمسرا ''haramsarā'', ar, حَرِيمٌ ''ḥarīm'', "a sacred inviolable place; harem; female members of the family") refers to domestic spaces that are reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A hare ...

, and therefore requested Fath-Ali Shah to leave Golbadan Baji in charge of the household as she was reportedly familiar with the ways of her mistress. By choosing a concubine, Fath-Ali Shah's wives protected themselves from the perception of favouring one wife over another. Golbadan Baji therefore became head of the household pursestrings. According to contemporaneous sources, she fulfilled this task efficiently and with fidelity. Fath-Ali Shah was very impressed by Golbadan Baji's performance, and therefore married her as a ''

sigheh ''Nikah mut'ah'' ar, نكاح المتعة, nikāḥ al-mutʿah, literally "pleasure marriage"; temporary marriage or Sigheh ( fa, صیغه ، ازدواج موقت) is a private and verbal temporary marriage contract that is practiced in Tw ...

'', and gave her the honorific title (''laqab'') ''Khazen-ol-Dowleh''. Even after marrying and giving birth to two sons (Fath-Ali Shah's 37th son Bahman Mirza ''Baha-ol-Dowleh''; and his 42nd son Seyfollah Mirza) she still managed the harem's affairs and expenditures efficiently. According to contemporaneous sources, at

Nowruz Nowruz ( fa, نوروز, ; ), zh, 诺鲁孜节, ug, نەۋروز, ka, ნოვრუზ, ku, Newroz, he, נורוז, kk, Наурыз, ky, Нооруз, mn, Наурыз, ur, نوروز, tg, Наврӯз, tr, Nevruz, tk, Nowruz, ...

(the Iranian New Year), she chose gifts for the harem's residents, princes and notables including the governors of Iran's provinces. Golbadan Baji kept a detailed list of all expenditures and presents. She was well trusted by many inside and outside the harem. At the height of her influence, Golbadan Baji presided over the private treasury, the harem finances and the Shah's private funds whilst heading a host of women secretaries and accountants.

References

Sources

* * * * {{cite book , last1=Nashat , first1=Guity , editor1-last=Beck , editor1-first=Lois , editor2-last=Nashat , editor2-first=Guity , title=Women in Iran from 1800 to the Islamic Republic , date=2004 , publisher=University of Illinois Press , isbn=978-0252071898 , chapter=Marriage in the Qajar Period 18th-century births 19th-century deaths Iranian people of Georgian descent 19th-century Iranian women Qajar royal consorts Slave concubines 19th-century slaves