Ahmad Shah Qajar

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Ahmad Shah Qajar (احمد شاه قاجار in Persian) ‎(January 21, 1898 - 21 February 1930) was Shah of Iran from July 16, 1909 to October 31, 1925. He was the last Shah of the Qajar dynasty.

Ahmad acceded to the Peacock Throne on July 16, 1909 following the overthrow of his father and predecessor Mohammad Ali Shah, who had attempted to reverse earlier constitutional restrictions on royal power. As a young boy he was separated from his parent and was educated by the constitutionalists. He became deeply loyal to the constitutional principles. In 1917, Britain used Iran as the springboard for an attack into Russia in an unsuccessful attempt to reverse the Russian Revolution of 1917. In 1919 the British tried to force him to sign the il-fated Anglo-Persian treaty which effectivly made Iran a colony of Britain. Ahmad Shah refused to sign the treaty. He was pushed aside in a military coup in 1921 by Reza Pahlavi which was designed by General Edmond Ironside and financed by the British financiers ^[1] . He went into exile with his family in 1923. He was formally deposed on October 31, 1925 when Reza Pahlavi was proclaimed Shah by a puppet Founders Assembly. He died in 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, though the dynasty was continued by his brother, the former crown prince Mohammad Hassan Mirza.

Ahmad Shah was arguably Modern-Iran's only democratic ruler in history. He refused to exceed his power limits as a constitutional monarch to save his dynasty from downfall. Also, he refused help from the Ottoman Sultan to restore him to the throne as he saw the offer as foreign interference in internal affairs of Persia. Additionally, he refused to cooperate with the British, a refusal that has been cited as a factor leading to his loss of the throne^[2].

[edit] See also

Qajar Dynasty

[edit] References

1. ^ Cyrus Ghani, Iran and the Rise of Reza Shah, I.B. Tauris
2. ^ [1] Salam Iran - Iran's History in brief

[edit] External links

• History of Iran: Qajar Dynasty
• A postage stamp with his image
• Listing of known Portraits and Pictures
• A sympathetic profile of him
• A genealogy and history of Qajar rulers
• List of marriages and descedants

Qajar Dynasty Born: January 21, 1898 Died: 21 February 1930
Regnal Titles
Preceded by Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar	Shah of Persia 1909-1925	Succeeded by Reza Shah Pahlavi
Preceded by Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar	Head of the Qajar Dynasty 1909-1930	Succeeded by Fereydoun Mirza
New Title	Heir Presumptive Qajar dynasty 1925-1930	Succeeded by Mohammad Hassan Mirza