Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (; ; 17 July 1831 – 1 May 1896) was the fourth Shah of Qajar Iran from 5 September 1848 to 1 May 1896 when he was assassinated. During his rule there was internal pressure from the people of Iran, as well as external pressure from the

British empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

and the

Russian empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

. He granted many concessions, most importantly the

Reuter concession The Reuter concession (Persian: امتیازنامه رویتر) was a contract signed in 1872 between Paul Reuter, a German-born British banker, businessman, and founder of Reuters, and Naser al-Din Shah, Qajar king of Persia. George Curzon wr ...

and the Tobacco concession. 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. Despite his modernizing reforms on education, his tax reforms were abused by people in power, and the government was viewed as corrupt and unable to protect commoners from abuse by the upper classes which led to increasing anti-governmental sentiments. He was assassinated when visiting a shrine in

Rayy Shahre Ray, Shahr-e Ray, Shahre Rey, or Shahr-e Rey (, ) or simply Ray or Rey (), is the capital of Rey County in Tehran Province, Iran. Formerly a distinct city, it has now been absorbed into the metropolitan area of Greater Tehran as the 20t ...

near

Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...

. He was the first modern Iranian monarch who formally visited Europe and wrote of his travels in his memoirs. He was the son of Mohammad Shah Qajar and Malek Jahan Khanom and the third longest reigning monarch in Iranian history after Shapur II of the

Sassanid dynasty The Sasanian dynasty (also known as the Sassanids or the House of Sasan) was the house that founded the Sasanian Empire of Iran, ruling this empire from 224 to 651 AD. It began with Ardashir I, who named the dynasty in honour of his predecessor, ...

and Tahmasp I of the Safavid dynasty. Naser al-Din Shah had sovereign power for close to 48 years.

Reign

Effectiveness of his early rule

The state under Naser al-Din was the recognized government of Iran, but its authority was undermined by local tribal leaders due to the lack of a standing army. The army was weakened by wars with Russia in the Treaty of Gullistan (1813) and Turkmanchai (1828) The religious and tribal chieftains held quite a bit of autonomy over their communities. Naser al-Din was not effective in implementing his sovereignty over his people. Local groups had their own militias and oftentimes did not obey laws passed by the monarchy, since it did not have the power to enforce them. The people followed the ulama's fatwas instead of state-issued law. When Naser al-Din took power, his army barely had 3,000 men which was significantly smaller than the armies under various tribal leaders. When the state needed a proper army, he would hire the local militias. Prior to his reforms, Naser's government had very little power over their subjects and even during the reforms, they faced more scrutiny over their ability to implement those reforms successfully.

Diplomacy and wars

Naser al-Din Shah by Abul Hasan Ghaffari 1854

Naser al-Din was in

Tabriz Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...

when he heard of his father's death in 1848, and he ascended to the

Sun Throne The Sun Throne () also known as the Peacock Throne () is an Imperial throne of Iran. A radiant sun disk on its headboard and a consort of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar give the throne each of its names respectively. The throne has the shape of a platform ...

with the help of

Amir Kabir Mirza Taghi Khan-e Farahani (), better known as Amir Kabir (Persian: ‎; 9 January 1807 – 10 January 1852), was chief minister to Naser al-Din Shah Qajar for the first three years of his reign. He is widely considered to be "Iran's first re ...

. During his reign he would have to deal with the

Revolt of Hasan Khan Salar The Revolt of Hasan Khan Salar ''()'' was a revolt that occurred in Khorasan Province, Khorasan from 1846 to 1850. It began as a result of the power struggle in the Qajar Iran, Qajar court. One of the factions manifested itself in Khorasan by Hasa ...

, as well as insurrections by Babis. Naser al-Din had early

reformist Reformism is a political tendency advocating the reform of an existing system or institution – often a political or religious establishment – as opposed to its abolition and replacement via revolution. Within the socialist movement, ref ...

tendencies, but was dictatorial in his style of government. With his sanction, thousands of Bábis were killed, this was in reaction to an assassination attempt from a small group of Bábis. This treatment continued under his prime minister Amir Kabir, who even ordered the execution of the

Báb The Báb (born ʻAlí-Muḥammad; ; ; 20 October 1819 – 9 July 1850) was an Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbai ...

– regarded as a manifestation of God to Bábí's and Baháʼís, and to historians as the founder of the Bábí religion. Unable to regain the territory in the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

irrevocably lost to

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

in the early 19th century, Naser al-Din sought compensation by seizing Herat, in 1856.

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

regarded the move as a threat to

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

and declared war on Persia, forcing the return of Herat as well as Iran's recognition of the kingdom of Afghanistan. Naser al-Din was the first modern Iranian monarch to visit Europe in 1873 and then again in 1878 (when he saw a Royal Navy Fleet Review), and finally in 1889 and was reportedly amazed with the technology he saw. During his visit to the United Kingdom in 1873, Naser al-Din Shah was appointed by

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

a Knight of the

Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...

, the highest English order of chivalry. He was the first Iranian monarch to be honoured as such. His travel diary of his 1873 trip has been published in several languages, including Persian, German, French, and Dutch. In 1890 Naser al-Din met British major Gerald F. Talbot and signed a

contract A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, services, money, or promise to transfer any of thos ...

with him giving him the ownership of the Iranian

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

industry, but he later was forced to cancel the contract after

Ayatollah Ayatollah (, ; ; ) is an Title of honor, honorific title for high-ranking Twelver Shia clergy. It came into widespread usage in the 20th century. Originally used as a title bestowed by popular/clerical acclaim for a small number of the most di ...

Mirza Hassan Shirazi issued a

fatwa A fatwa (; ; ; ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (sharia) given by a qualified Islamic jurist ('' faqih'') in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist issuing fatwas is called a ''mufti'', ...

that made farming, trading, and consuming tobacco

haram ''Haram'' (; ) is an Arabic term meaning 'taboo'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowledge; or, in direct cont ...

(forbidden). Consuming tobacco from the newly monopolized 'Talbet' company represented foreign exploitation, so for that reason it was deemed immoral. It even affected the Shah's personal life as his wives did not allow him to smoke. This was not the end of Naser al-Din's attempts to give concessions to Europeans; he later gave the ownership of Iranian customs incomes to

Paul Julius Reuter Paul Julius Reuter (born Israel Beer Josaphat; 21 July 1816 – 25 February 1899), later ennobled as Freiherr von Reuter (Baron von Reuter), was a German-born British entrepreneur who was a pioneer of telegraphy and news reporting.

Reforms

He defeated various rebels in the Iranian provinces, most notably in

Khorasan KhorasanDabeersiaghi, Commentary on Safarnâma-e Nâsir Khusraw, 6th Ed. Tehran, Zavvâr: 1375 (Solar Hijri Calendar) 235–236 (; , ) is a historical eastern region in the Iranian Plateau in West and Central Asia that encompasses western and no ...

, balanced the budget by introducing reforms to the tax system, curbed the power of the

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

in the judiciary, built several military factories, improved relations with other powers to curb British and Russian influence, opened the first newspaper called ''Vaghaye-Ettefaghieh'', embellished and modernized cities (for example by building the

Tehran Bazaar The Grand Bazaar () is a bazaar, located in Central Tehran, Iran. Split into several corridors that are over in length, each specializing in different types of goods, the bazaar has several entrances, with Sabze Meydan being the main entrance. ...

) and most importantly opened the first Iranian school for upper education called the Dar ul-Funun where many Iranian intellectuals received their education. The Shah gradually lost interest in reform. However, he took some important measures such as introducing

telegraphy Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas pi ...

and postal services and building roads. He also increased the size of the state's military and created a new group called the

Persian Cossack Brigade The Persian Cossack Brigade, also known as the Iranian Cossack Brigade (), was a Cossacks, Cossack-style cavalry unit formed in 1879 in Qajar Iran, Iran. It was modelled after the Caucasian Cossack regiments of the Imperial Russian Army. Until 1 ...

which was trained and armed by the Russians. He was the first Iranian to be photographed and was a patron of

photography Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...

who had himself photographed hundreds of times. His final prime minister was Ali Asghar Khan, who after the shah's assassination aided in securing the transfer of the throne to Mozaffar al-Din. The Shah and the British Royal Family

Although he was successful in introducing those western-based reforms, he was not successful in gaining complete sovereignty over his people or getting them to accept these reforms. The school he opened, Dar al-Funun, had very small enrollment numbers. The restrictions defined by Sh'ia Islam on the shah's collection of the ''zakat'' led to those funds going straight into the coffers of the ulama. Therefore, the financial autonomy given to the ulama enabled them to remain structurally independent, keeping madrasahs open and supporting the students therein. The ulama also maintained their authority to challenge state law. To fund these new institutions and building projects, Naser al-Din repeatedly used

tax farming Farming or tax-farming is a technique of financial management in which the management of a variable revenue stream is assigned by legal contract to a third party and the holder of the revenue stream receives fixed periodic rents from the contr ...

to increase state revenue. Tax collectors routinely abused their power and the government was viewed as corrupt and unable to protect them from abuse by the upper class. This anti-government sentiment increased the ulama's power over the people because they were able to provide them security. Keddie states in her book, ''Roots of Revolution: An Interpretive History of Modern Iran'', that at the time "it was still considered a sign of greater status to be admitted to the ranks of the ulama than it was to become a member of the civil service." In 1852 Naser al-Din dismissed and executed

, the famous Iranian reformer. With him, many believe, died the prospect of an independent Iran led by meritocracy rather than nepotism. In the later years of his rule, however, Naser al-Din steadfastly refused to deal with the growing pressures for reforms. He also granted a series of concessionary rights to foreigners in return for large payments. In 1872, popular pressure forced him to withdraw one concession involving permission to construct such complexes as

railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

s and

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...

works throughout Iran. He visited Europe in 1873, 1878 and 1889. In 1890, he granted a 50-year concession on the purchase, sale, and processing of all tobacco in the country, which led to a national

boycott A boycott is an act of nonviolent resistance, nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organisation, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for Morality, moral, society, social, politics, political, or Environmenta ...

of tobacco and the withdrawal of the concession. This last incident is considered by many authorities to be the origin of modern

Iranian nationalism Iranian nationalism is nationalism among the people of Iran and individuals whose national identity is Iranian. Iranian nationalism consists of political and social movements and sentiments centered around support for Iranian culture, Iranian lan ...

Assassination

Brooklyn Museum - The Late Nasir al-Din Shah Lying in State in the Takiah Dawlat One of 274 Vintage Photographs

Naser al-Din Shah was assassinated by

Mirza Reza Kermani Mirza Reza Kermani (; Born in 1854 in Kerman, Persia (modern Iran) – 10 August 1896 in Tehran) was an adherent of Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and an Iranian who assassinated King Nasser-al-Din.Dabashi, Hamid. ''Iran: A People Interrupted.'' p. 67. ...

, a follower of

Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī Sayyid Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī (Pashto/), also known as Jamāl ad-Dīn Asadābādī () and commonly known as Al-Afghani (1838/1839 – 9 March 1897), was an Iranian political activist and Islamic ideologist who travelled throughout the Mus ...

, when he was visiting and praying in the

Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine The Shāh Abdol-Azīm Shrine (; ) is a Twelver Twelver Shi'ite funerary monument and religious complex, located in Rey, in the province of Tehran, Iran. The complex contains the tomb of ‘Abdul ‘Adhīm ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Hasanī (aka Sh ...

on 1 May 1896. It is said that the revolver used to assassinate him was old and rusty, and had he worn a thicker overcoat, or been shot from a longer range, he would have survived the attempt on his life. Shortly before his death, he is reported to have said "I will rule you differently if I survive!" The assassin was prosecuted by the defence minister, Nazm ol-Dowleh. Kermani’s act, though singular in its occurrence, quickly came to symbolize the deep-seated dissatisfaction with the established autocracy. Motivated by a fervent belief in reform and influenced by contemporary revolutionary ideas, his deed was interpreted by many as a deliberate challenge to the legitimacy of the Qajar regime. Scholars such as Ervand Abrahamian have argued that this assassination not only stripped the Shah of his personal authority but also exposed systemic weaknesses within the state apparatus that would later fuel demands for constitutional governance. In a similar vein, historians like Negar Keddie contend that the symbolic nature of the act underscored the tension between traditional monarchical power and emerging modern political thought, thereby prefiguring the ideological currents that ultimately culminated in the

Iranian Constitutional Revolution The Persian Constitutional Revolution (, or ''Enghelāb-e Mashrūteh''), also known as the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, took place between 1905 and 1911 during the Qajar era. The revolution led to the establishment of a parliament in I ...

. Nasser-al-Din Shah's assassination and the subsequent execution of Kermani marked a turning point in Iranian political thought that would ultimately lead to the

during his successor

Mozzafar-al-Din Shah Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar (; 23 March 1853 – 3 January 1907) was the fifth Qajar shah of Iran, reigning from 1896 until his death in 1907. He is often credited with the creation of the Persian Constitution of 1906, which he approved of in on ...

's turbulent reign. Naser al-Din was buried in the

, in

near

, where he was assassinated. His funeral took place six months after his death. A British diplomat who spoke with some who had been present,

Charles Hardinge Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst, (20 June 1858 – 2 August 1944) was a British diplomat and statesman who served as Viceroy and Governor-General of India from 1910 to 1916. Background and education Hardinge was the second ...

, commented "... the corpse was conveyed on a very high funeral car and was 'high' in more ways than one". His one-piece marble tombstone, bearing his full effigy, is now kept in the

Golestan Palace The Golestan Palace (, ''Kākh-e Golestān''), also transliterated as the Gulistan Palace and sometimes translated as the Rose Garden Palace from Persian language, was built in the 16th century, renovated in the 18th century and finally rebuilt ...

Museum in Tehran.

Artistic and literary interests

Naser al-Din Shah was very interested in painting and

. He was a talented painter and, even though he had not been trained, was an expert in

pen and ink PEN may refer to: * (National Ecological Party), former name of the Brazilian political party Patriota (PATRI) * PEN International, a worldwide association of writers ** English PEN, the founding centre of PEN International ** PEN America, located ...

drawing. Several of his pen and ink drawings survive. He was one of the first photographers in Persia and was a patron of the art. He established a photography studio in

. Naser al-Din was also a

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

. 200 couplets of his were recorded in the preface of ''Majma'ul Fusahā'', a work by

Reza-Qoli Khan Hedayat Reza-Qoli Khan Hedayat (; 8 June 1800 – 29 June 1871) was an Iranian literary historian, administrator, and poet in 19th-century Qajar Iran. Biography Hedayat was born in Tehran on 8 June 1800 to a renowned family which was descended from the ...

about poets of the Qajar period. He was interested in history and geography and had many books on these topics in his library. He also knew

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

, but was not fluent in either language. ''Hekāyāt Pir o Javān'' (; "The Tale of the Old and the Young") was attributed to him by many; it was one of the first Persian stories written in modern European style. He also wrote the book '' Diary of H.M. the Shah of Persia during his tour through Europe in A.D. 1873''.

Issue

Sons *Prince Soltan Mahmoud Mirza (1847–1849) Vali Ahad of Persia, 1849 *Prince Soltan Moin ed-Din Mirza (1849 – 6 November 1856) Vali Ahad of Persia, 1849–56 *Prince Soltan Massoud Mirza Zell os-Soltan (5 January 1850 – 2 July 1918) *Prince Mohammad-Qassem Mirza (1850 – 29 June 1858) Vali Ahad of Persia, 1856-8 *Prince Soltan Hossein Mirza Jalal od-Dowleh (1852–1868) *Prince Mozaffar ed-Din Mirza (25 March 1853 – 7 January 1907) *Prince Kamran Mirza Nayeb os-Saltaneh (22 July 1856 – 15 April 1929) *Prince Nosrat ed-Din Mirza Salar os-Saltaneh (2 May 1882 – 1954) *Prince Mohammad-Reza Mirza Rokn os-Saltaneh (30 January 1884 – 8 July 1951) *Prince Hossein-Ali Mirza Yamin od-Dowleh (1890–1952) *Prince Ahmad Mirza Azd os-Saltaneh (1891–1939) Daughters *Princess Afsar od-Dowleh *Princess Fakhr ol-Moluk (1847 – 9 April 1878) *Princess Ismat al-Doulah (1855 – 3 September 1905) *Princess Zi'a os-Saltaneh (1856 – 11 April 1898) *Princess Fakhr od-Dowleh (1861–1893) *Princess Forugh od-Dowleh (1862–1916) *Princess Eftekhar os-Saltaneh (1880–1941) *Princess Farah os-Saltaneh (1882 – 17 April 1899) *Princess Tadj os-Saltaneh (1883 – 25 January 1936) *Princess Ezz os-Saltaneh (1888–1982) *Princess Sharafsaltaneh Extended Family Jwamer Agha's descendants are related to Nasr al-Din Shah Qajar through the marriage of Jwamer's eldest son to 2 Qajar princesses from Nasr al-Din Shah Qajar. Thus they bear the title of Princess of Qajar.

Honours

Persian

* Founder of the Imperial Order of the August Portrait, ''1848'' * Founder of the Decoration of the Commander of the Faithful, ''November 1856'' * Founder of the Imperial Order of the Aqdas, ''1870'' * Founder of the Imperial Order of the Sun for Ladies, ''1873''

Foreign

Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...

: Grand Cross of the Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen, in Brilliants, ''1859'' *

Grand Duchy of Baden The Grand Duchy of Baden () was a German polity on the east bank of the Rhine. It originally existed as a sovereign state from 1806 to 1871 and later as part of the German Empire until 1918. The duchy's 12th-century origins were as a Margravia ...

: ** Knight of the

House Order of Fidelity The House Order of Fidelity () is a dynastic order of the Margraviate of Baden. It was established by Charles III William, Margrave of Baden-Durlach as a reward for merit and to mark the laying of the foundation stone of his residence at Kar ...

, ''1889'' ** Knight of the

Order of Berthold the First The Order of Berthold the First () was a dynastic order in the Grand Duchy of Baden The Grand Duchy of Baden () was a German polity on the east bank of the Rhine. It originally existed as a sovereign state from 1806 to 1871 and later as par ...

, ''1889'' *

Kingdom of Bavaria The Kingdom of Bavaria ( ; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1806 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German Empire in 1871, the kingd ...

: Knight of the

Order of Saint Hubert The Royal Order of Saint Hubert (), or sometimes () is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood founded in 1444 or 1445 by Gerhard VII, Duke of Jülich-Berg. He sought to commemorate his victory over the House of Egmond at the Battle of ...

, ''1889'' *

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

: Grand Cordon of the

Order of Leopold Order of Leopold may refer to: * Order of Leopold (Austria), founded in 1808 by emperor Francis I of Austria and discontinued in 1918 * Order of Leopold (Belgium), founded in 1832 by king Leopold I of Belgium * Order of Leopold II, founded in Congo ...

(military), ''4 August 1857'' * French Empire: Grand Cross of the

Legion d'Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

, ''1855'' *

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...

: ** Knight of the

Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation () is a Catholic order of chivalry, originating in County of Savoy, Savoy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Italy#The Kingdom of Italy, honours system in the ...

, ''13 April 1861'' ** Grand Cross of the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, a ...

, ''1862'' *

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

: Grand Cross of the

Order of the Netherlands Lion The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (, ) is a Dutch honours system, Dutch order of chivalry founded by William I of the Netherlands on 29 September 1815. The Order of the Netherlands Lion wa ...

, ''1868'' *

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

: **

Order of Osmanieh The Order of Osmanieh (, Modern ) was a civil and military decoration of the Ottoman Empire. History The order was created in January 1862 by Sultan Abdülaziz. With the obsolescence of the Nişan-i Iftikhar, this became the second highest order ...

, 1st Class, ''1880'' **

Order of Glory The Order of Glory () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on November 8, 1943. It was awarded to soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the Red Army as well as to aviation ...

, ''1880'' *

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...

: ** Knight of the

Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle () was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I of Prussia, Friedrich I, King in Prussia, the ...

, ''12 January 1860''; in Brilliants, ''1873'' ** Grand Cross of the

Order of the Red Eagle The Order of the Red Eagle () was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, o ...

, in Brilliants, ''9 June 1873'' *

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

: ** Knight of the Imperial Order of the White Eagle, ''1838'' ** Knight of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle the First-called, ''1873'' ** Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, ''1873'' ** Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Anna, 1st Class, ''1873'' ** Knight of the Imperial Order of Saint Stanislaus, 1st Class, ''1873'' *

Sweden-Norway Sweden and Norway or Sweden–Norway (; ), officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, and known as the United Kingdoms, was a personal union of the separate kingdoms of Sweden and Norway under a common monarch and common foreign poli ...

: Knight of the

Royal Order of the Seraphim The Royal Order of the Seraphim (; '' Seraphim'' being a category of angels) is the highest order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Sweden. It was created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Ord ...

, ''7 March 1890'' *

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

: Stranger Knight Companion of the

Most Noble Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, it is outranked in precedence only by the decorations of the Victoria Cr ...

, ''26 June 1873''Wm. A. Shaw, ''The Knights of England'', Volume I (London, 1906
p. 65
/ref> *

Kingdom of Württemberg The Kingdom of Württemberg ( ) was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918, located within the area that is now Baden-Württemberg. The kingdom was a continuation of the Electorate of Württemberg, which existed from 1803 to 1806. Geogr ...

: Grand Cross of the

Order of the Württemberg Crown Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * H ...

, ''1889''

List of premiers

* Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Kabir (1848–1851) * Mirza Aqa Khan-e Nuri (1851–1858) *''Post abolished'' (1858–1871) * Mirza Hosein Khan Moshir od-Dowleh Sepahsalar (1871–1873) * Mirza Yusuf Ashtiani (1873–1880) (''1st time'') * Prince Kamran Mirza (1880–1885) *Mirza Yousof Khan Ashtiani (1885–1887) (''2nd time'') * Mirza Ali-Asghar Khan Amin os-Soltan (1887–1896) (''1st time'')

Fictional depictions

* Naser al-Din Shah is played by

Bahram Radan Bahram Radan (; born April 28, 1979) is an Iranian actor. He has received various accolades, including two Crystal Simorgh and a Hafez Award. Career While studying business management in college, Radan signed up for acting classes where he was ...

in 2022 tv series '' Jeyran''. * Naser al-Din Shah is depicted in 1976 TV series ''

Soltan-e Sahebgharan ''Soltan-e Sahebgharan'' (; also Romanized as ''Soltān-e Sāhebgherān'') is an Iranian historical 1974 TV series directed by Ali Hatami. It stars Jamshid Mashayekhi, Naser Malek Motiee, Iren, Parviz Fanizadeh, Zari Khoshkam, Saeed Nikpour ...

'' and also in 1984 TV series ''Amir Kabir''. * He is also depicted in 1992 movie ''Nassereddin Shah, Actor-e Cinema'' ( Once Upon a Time, Cinema) written and directed by

Mohsen Makhmalbaf Mohsen Makhmalbaf (, ) (born May 29, 1957) is an Iranian film director, writer, film editor, and producer. He has made more than 20 feature films, won 50 awards, and served as a juror in more than 15 major film festivals. His award-winning films ...

and 1984 '' Kamal ol-Molk'' directed by

Ali Hatami Ali Hatami (; 14 August 1944 – 7 December 1996) was an Iranian film director, screenwriter, art director, and costume designer. The ''Tehran Times'' dubbed him "the Hafez of Iranian cinema due to the poetic ambiance of his movies." Career Hata ...

. * He was the inspiration for the main character of the novel ''De koning'', published in 2011, and the novel ''Salam Europa!'', published in 2016, by the Persian–Dutch writer Kader Abdolah. * It can be inferred from the time period and historical references that Naser al-Din Shah is depicted in the 1990 novel

Phantom Phantom, phantoms, or the phantom may refer to: * Spirit (metaphysics), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phanto ...

by Susan Kay which explores the life of the titular character in Gaston Leroux's

The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera may refer to: Novel * The Phantom of the Opera (novel), ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (novel), 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux Characters * Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Erik (''The Phantom of the Opera''), the title char ...

. * In animation form his life depicted by Beate Petersen in ''Nasseredin Shah and his 84 wives'' at 2011. * Joseph Roth: The tale of the 1002nd night: a novel (1939). File:Musicians and dancers at the Court of Nasser-al-Din.jpg, Musicians and dancers at the Court of Naser-al-Din Shah.

Notes

References

* * *

External links

Nasser-al-Din Shah's PortraitNasseredin Shah and his 84 wives
in

Side view of Nasser-al-Din Shah's marble tombstoneCoins, banknotes and medals of Qajar period
*''Window on an Era: A Qajar Royal Album''. Selected photographs from a private album of Nasser al-Din Shah, with an introduction by Kaveh Golestan
''Kargah''
*Mohammad-Reza Tahmasbpoor, ''History of Iranian Photography: Early Photography in Iran'', Iranian Artists' site
''Kargah''
*''History of Iranian Photography. Postcards in Qajar Period'', photographs provided by Bahman Jalali, Iranian Artists' site
''Kargah''
*''History of Iranian Photography. Women as Photography Model: Qajar Period'', photographs provided by Bahman Jalali, Iranian Artists' site
''Kargah''
* Sir James William Redhouse, ''The Diary of H.M. the Shah of Persia during His Tour through Europe in A.D. 1873'', A Verbatim Translation (John Murray, London, 1874)
''Internet Archive''
(Digitized by Robarts at

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

). * Sir Albert Houtum Schidler and Baron Louis de Norman, ''A Diary Kept by His Majesty the Shah of Persia during His Journey to Europe in 1878'', in English (Richard Bentley & Son, London, 1879)
''Internet Archive''
(Digitized by Google).
Photos of qajar kings
{{DEFAULTSORT:Qajar, Nasser Al-Din Shah 1831 births 1896 deaths 19th-century monarchs of Persia Nasser Al-Din Murdered Persian monarchs Deaths by firearm in Iran People murdered in Iran People of the Persian Constitutional Revolution People from Tabriz Assassinated Iranian politicians People of the Anglo-Persian War Iranian photographers 19th-century monarchs in the Middle East 19th-century photographers 19th-century murdered monarchs Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Russia) Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour Extra Knights Companion of the Garter Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (House of Romanov) Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class Iranian slave owners Assassinated heads of state in Asia Politicians assassinated in the 1890s Children of Mohammad Shah Qajar People murdered in 1896 Burials at Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine

Reign

Effectiveness of his early rule

Diplomacy and wars

Reforms

Assassination

Artistic and literary interests

Issue

Honours

Persian

Foreign

List of premiers

Fictional depictions

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links