qajar dynasty

The Qajar dynasty was the ruling family of Persia from 1796 to 1925. The dynasty was founded in 1796 by Agha Muhammad Khan, a eunuch who defeated the last ruler of the Zand dynasty but was himself assassinated only a year later. During the Qajar period Persia fell under the economic sway of European empires with the British and Russian Empires each creating a sphere of influence in Persia. Under the rule of Fath Ali Shah, Persia was forced to cede its northern lands to Russia, while the British later took effective control of the south with its rich oil deposits. The Qajar Shahs made several faltering attempts at modernization during the 19th century and the start of the 20th century, with a constitution and parliament being established in 1906. This was a controversial development; Mohammad Ali Shah was deposed in 1909 for attacking the constitution established under his predecessor. In 1917 British troops invaded Russia from Persia in a bid to oppose the Russian Revolution. During this "war of intervention" a Persian military officer, Reza Pahlavi, staged a coup d'tat with British support which reduced the last Qajar ruler, Ahmad Shah, to figurehead status. Pahlavi deposed the Shah in 1925, declaring himself the new Shah and establishing his own dynasty. The members of the Qajar dynasty were:

Qajar Dynasty

See also