Amir Kabir
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Amir Kabir (1807 - January 11 , 1852)(Persian: امیرکبیر), also known as Mirza Taqi Khan Amir-Nezam (Persian: میرزا تقیخان امیرنظام), served as Prime Minister of Persia (Iran) under Nasereddin Shah (The emperor). Born in Hazaveh, a county of Arak, and murdered in 1852, is a controversial historical figure. He is considered by some to be "widely respected by liberal nationalist Iranians" as `Iran's first reformer`, a modernizer who was "unjustly struck down" attempted to bring "gradual reform" to Iran.[1] He is also considered a ruthless tyrant for his involvement in the massacre of thousands of the Bab'i's (later Baha'i's), and his hand in the execution of the Bab'i/Baha'i Messenger, The Bab.
His father, Karbalaee Qorban (Persian: کربلائی قربان), was a cook for Mirza Abu'l-Qasim Farahani Qá'im Maqam, a previous prime minister, which made Mirza Taghi Khan learn many skills of the court.
Amir Kabir was sent to the Ottoman Empire to represent Persia in negotiations for an end to a hundred years of war between the two empires. He also helped Nasereddin Shah to receive the throne, so the Shah made him his chancellor and gave his sister to him in marriage.
Under his tenure, government expenditure was slashed, and a distinction made between the privy and public purses. The instruments of central administration were overhauled, and Amir Kabir assumed responsibility for all areas of the bureaucracy. His most immediate success was the vaccination of Iranians against smallpox, saving the lives of many thousands if not millions.[2] Additionally, Amir Kabir curtailed foreign interference in Iran's domestic affairs.
Amir Kabir started some reformist movements in Persia. He founded Darolfonoon, the first European-style university in Persia in 1848, which taught modern sciences and languages.[2] Decades later, many parts of this establishment were turned into the University of Tehran, with the remaining becoming Darolfonoon Secondary School.[3] He also supported the foundation of the first Persian newspaper, vaghaye al etefaghiyeh. He established and planned for almost all of the industries that were existent in the world in that era, in Persia. His efforts included planning for a steel mill and a ship making industry and establishing the textile, weaponry, sugar, glass, Samovar, tea, and ceramic industries. These efforts, in turn, dramatically reduced the amount of importation from Russia. Amir Kabir established tariff to reduce importing from Britain, and created a strong and stable economy. Amir Kabir implemented patent regulation for the first time in Iran to support inventors and industries and supplied them with loans and facilities. He enforced Quarantines and mandatory vaccination to prevent frequent outbreaks.[2] He made improvements in the military and in discipline, planned for a Navy, and extended Persian influence in Northern and Eastern borders.[2] Notably, he captured Herat without using force, doing it instead by diplomacy. He made a very sophisticated intelligence service and fought against bribery, fraud and foreign interference.[4]
He strengthened the law, discipline and order and even fixed the Shah's salary. He fixed summative deficits by lapsing the huge salaries that members of the royal family were receiving from the national treasury. This caused some of the royals, led by the Shah's mother and other members of the Royal family who had 'suffered' cuts in the grand lifestyle to forge allegations against him.[4] The allegations convinced the Shah to dismiss Amir Kabir and send him into internal exile in Kashan. At the time, the shamed Qajars having realised the unpopularity of what they had done, they spun a rumour that it had been the Shah's mother (whom the Shah allegedly did not like) and the succeeding Prime Minister Mirza Agha Khan Noori, whom some have suggested was a British sympathiser, to hatch the plot, thereby, exonerating the rest of the real culprits. However, entries from the diary of the impartial crown prince Mozaffar-e-din, Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar's son, make it clear that was it was Amir Kabir's reforms that had antagonized various Royals and nobles who had been excluded from the government. They regarded the Amir Kabir as a social upstart and a threat to their interests, and they formed a coalition against him, in which the queen mother was active. She convinced the young shah that Amir Kabir wanted to usurp the throne. It seems from this source that not only was Mirza Agha Khan Noori not involved in Amir Kabir's downfall but that he, in fact, interceded on his behalf with the Shah.
It is said that the Russian embassy offered him a refuge in Russia, which Amir Kabir declined. Later, when the Shah was drunk, the Shah's mother and her aides asked him for an order to execute Amir Kabir, and executed the order very quickly in Kashan's Fin Bath, before the Shah could rescind the order.
Amir Kabir is also known in Iranian history for taking a decisive stance against the Babis. During his term he supported strong action against the Babis in the Shaykh Tabarsi, Nayriz and Zanjan upheavals. He was also the prime instigator in the execution of the Báb in 1850.
Tehran Polytechnic was established during Pahlavi Dynasty in 1958, which was renamed Amirkabir University of Technology after him in 1979.
[edit] In fiction
Amir Kabir Farahani is portrayed by Dariush Arjmand in movie Nassereddin Shah, Actor-e Cinema.
He is also portrayed by Saeed Nikpour in the Iranian television series Amir Kabir.
[edit] See also
[edit] References and notes
'Amir Kabir and Iran' by Fereydun Adamiyat, Tehran, Kharazmi Publishing, 1354/1975.
- ^ Molavi, Afghin, The Soul of Iran, Norton, 2005, p.195,197
- ^ a b c d Molavi, Afghin, The Soul of Iran, Norton, 2005, p.196
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darolfonoon
- ^ a b http://www.markazitourist.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=1289
