Fath Ali Shah Qajar
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Fat'h Ali Shah (1771 - 1834) was the second Qajar King of Persia. He ruled from 1797 to 1834.
He was a son of Hossein Qoli Khan, younger brother of Agha Mohammad Khan. He ascended to the throne of Persia when his uncle was assassinated.
Fat'h Ali's real name was Baba Khan but he was crowned as Fath Ali Shah. He became suspicious of his chancellor Hajj Ebrahim Khan Kalantar and ordered his execution. Kalantar had been chancellor to Zand and Qajar rulers for some 15 Years.
Much of his reign was marked by the resurgence - 'Bazgasht' of Persian arts and painting, as well as a deeply elaborate court culture with extremely rigid etiquette. In particular, portraiture and large scale oil painting during his reign reached a height unknown in under any other Islamic dynasty, largely due to his personal patronage.
Fat'h Ali Shah also ordered the making of much royal regalia, including a coronation chair which was also used by later kings, and the 'Taj-e-Kayani', or Kayanid Crown, a modification of the crown of the same name invented by his uncle. This, like most of his regalia, was studded by innumerable pearls and gems. His Crown Jewels were valued at the time at a minimum of fifteen million pounds.
In his long reign he was forced to go to war with Alexander I of Russia over the territory of Georgia.
Fat'h Ali first aimed to get help from Britain or France but his plan failed because both countries made peace with Russia.
After a long war Persia was forced to accept peace and signed the Golestan and Turkmanchai treaties conceding many advantages to Russia.
Fat'h Ali later employed writers and painters to make a book about his wars with Russia, inspired by the Shahnama of Ferdowsi. This book, considered by many to be the most important Persian book written in the Qajar period, is called the Shahanshahnama.
When his beloved son and crown prince Abbas Mirza died, he named Abbas Mirza's son Mohammed Mirza, his grandson, as his crown prince. Fath Ali died a year later.
Fat'h Ali Shah had 158 wives, and 260 children. He is instantly recognisable in all 25 known portraits - mainly due to his immense, deeply black beard, which reached well beneath his waist.
Besides eulogistic chronicles, the only real sources that allow us to judge his personality are those of British, French and Russian diplomats. These vary greatly: earlier in his reign they tend to portray him as vigorous, manly and highly intelligent. Later they begin to point out his extreme indolence, avarice and possible lack of intelligence.
Nonetheless it is clear that he was, if not a brilliant ruler, nonetheless uncharacteristically humane for the period. He enjoyed unkingly romps with friends and children - which would stop instantly in the presence of venerable ministers, especially Hajji Ibrahim. He was a competent judge of art, but his greatest pleasure seems to have long remained playing practical jokes on his ministers, or at least making fun of any embarrasments that occurred to them.
| Preceded by: Agha Muhammad Khan | Persian Shahs 1797–1834 | Succeeded by: Mohammad Shah Qajar
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