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Asiye Khanum Ezzeddin Qajar

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Asiye Khanum Ezzeddin Qajar (Persian: آسیه خانم عزالدین قاجار; 19th-century) was the mother of Shah Fath-Ali Shah Qajar of Persia (r. 1797–1834).[1] She functioned as the administrator of the Qajar harem and the treasurer of her son, the Shah. When she died, her son married her trusted slave servant Khazen Al Doulah, who succeeded Asiye Khanum as harem administrator and treasurer.

Biography

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Asiye Khanom, the daughter of Mohammad Khan Ezzeddinlou (Ozdadlou) Qajar from the Ashaqa-Bash tribe,[2] was married to Hossein Qoli Khan Qajar, the brother of Agha Mohammad Khan and the governor of Damghan, in 1182 AH. A year later, their first child, Fath-Ali, was born in Damghan. After the assassination of Hossein Qoli Khan Qajar by the order of Karim Khan Zand, Asiye Khanom and her two sons were returned to the Qajar tribe by Agha Mohammad Khan. After Agha Mohammad Khan escaped from Shiraz, Asiye Khanom joined him, and they married. Following the conquest of Tehran, Agha Mohammad Khan brought her and her sons to the city.[3]

Asiye, along with Mirza Mohammad Zaki, the Chief Financial Officer, was tasked by the Shah to unite other Qajar tribal leaders in Astarabad by offering them gifts. In 1024 AH, Fath-Ali, Asiye's son, became the crown prince of Agha Mohammad Khan. In 1207 AH, she traveled to the holy cities of Iraq and buried the bones of Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar and Hossein Qoli Khan Jahansouz in Najaf. Asiye Khanom protected the throne and royal wealth until her son's ascension to the throne. When Fath-Ali Shah became king, Asiye's other son, Hossein Qoli Khan, rebelled against his brother, but Asiye Khanom mediated peace between the two. In 1216 AH, she again traveled to the holy cities and took Agha Mohammad Khan's tombstone with her. She is also known for renovating the Hakim Hashem School, an endowment of hers, which is why the school is also known as "Madar-e Shah" (Mother of the Shah).[4] She died in 1217 AH in Tehran and was buried in Najaf. Throughout her life, Asiye Khanom mediated between her sons, but after her death, Fath-Ali Shah blinded his brother.[5]

Titles

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Asiye Khanom was titled Um al-Khaqan (Persian: ام الخاقان) and Mahd-i Ulya. After Jeeran Khanum, she was the second person in the Qajar dynasty to hold the title of Mahd-i Ulya. Following her, Naneh Khanom Barforoush, another wife of Fath-Ali Shah, held this title, and then the wife of Abbas Mirza, followed by the mother of Naser al-Din Shah. After the mother of Naser al-Din Shah, no one was referred to by this title.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Amanat, Abbas (1997). Pivot of the Universe: Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar and the Iranian Monarchy, 1831–1896. London, England: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1845118280.
  2. ^ Ejlali, Farzam. Foundations of Qajar Dynasty (بنیان حکومت قاجار). Ney Publications. ISBN 9789643121563.
  3. ^ "Asiye Khanum (آسیه خانم)".
  4. ^ Rajabi, Mohammad Hassan (2008). "سرسخن: گذری بر حیات فرهنگی و اجتماعی زن در تاریخ ایران تا قبل از دوره ی تجدد". History and Geography Monthly (Persian: کتاب ماه تاریخ و جغرافیا) (in Persian) (127): 2–5.
  5. ^ a b "مهدعلیاهای دوره قاجار". فصلنامه تاریخ معاصر ایران. 12. 2004.