Khaqan (Fath ‘Ali Shah)

Khaqan, Fath’ali Shah Qajar (d. 1834), son of Husaynquli Jahansuz. The second Qajar King (r. 1798/1799-1834) who reigned 36 years and 8 months. He was born in the township of Damghan in an alley that still bears the name Mawlud Khana (‘House of Birth’). Having suppressed the Qajar Muhammad Hasan Khan’s rebellion, the Zand Karim Khan supported the former’s two sons, Agha Muhammad Khan and Husaynquli Khan. He took Muhammad Khan to Shiraz and appointed the other son of Husaynquli Khan (the Qajar Agha Muhammad Khan’s younger brother) the governor of Damghan. Fath’ali Shah succeeded Agha Muhammad Khan, his paternal uncle, after the latter’s assassination. Fath’ali Shah’s name was originally Baba Khan, but upon his coronation, he chose the name Fath’ali, that of his grandfather, the Qajar Fath’ali Khan. It was in Fath’ali Shah’s reign that Russo-Persian Wars led to the separation of Caucasia from Persia. It may be said that the process of disintegration of Persian territories began upon his reign. His crown prince was his son, ‘Abbas Mirza, who fought valiantly in those wars, though he did not survive his father. Muhammad Mirza, ‘Abbas Mirza’s son, succeeded his father as the crown prince and later succeeded his grandfather, Fath’ali Shah, bearing the name Muhammad Shah.

After his accession to the throne, Fath’ali Shah endeavored to establish intimate relations with Shi’i scholars and religious authorities, still dreaming about the Safavid times. The Shah aimed at strengthening the newly established Qajar rule by legitimization of power and he succeeded to a great extent in his endeavors. During the Russo-Persian Wars, he was supported by religious scholars who urged people to take part in jihad. Fath’ali Shah married 158 wives and had 260 children by them. He granted himself titles, e.g. Qa’an-i Afkham, Khaqan-i A’zam, Nawwab-i Humayun, Kamkar-i Mu’azzam, Ulu ‘l-Amr-i Muhtaram, Nawwab-i Malik al-Riqab, Khadiv-i Sahibqiran, Shah-i Shahan, Abu ‘l-Khawaqin, Badr al-Salatin, Shams al-Muluk, Sultan Yuz Ughlan, Nawwab-i Aqdas-i Wala, and Shahanshah-i ‘Alam Tamam. He inflicted damages and losses like engraving the words ‘Sultan-i Sahibqiran Fath’ali Shah Qajar 1829 on the large diamond ‘Darya-yi Nur’ (Sea of Light), thereby decreasing the value of the gem; having his picture engraved on parts of historic monuments from the Sassanid times at Taq-i Bustan, thereby inflicting irreparable damages to these Sassanid monuments; separation of parts of Arran, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and elsewhere, and conclusion of disgraceful pacts of Turkamanchay and Gulistan all occurred in his reign.

His nom de plume was Khaqan used in a famous couplet composed for the Dilgusha Garden. It is recorded in Majma’ al-Fusaha’ as Sahibqiran Qajar Quyunlu, followed by his detailed biographical account and selected poetry. Edward Browne held that Fath’ali Shah encouraged and thereby directed the literary revival and improvement in poetic refinement in his times. He also composed poetry with the nom de plume Khaqan and gathered a multitude of poets at his court. Historians extol his justice. He is well-known as Khaqan-i Sahibqiran. The author of a work including biographical accounts of poets, Mastabih-yi Kharab, who was a prince, says: ‘Indeed in the forty years of his reign, all people from different walks of life have rested in the shade of his justice and the gates of mercy and compassion are open to all Persian. In fact, after Bahram-i Gur and the Arab and non-Arab conquests, there has never been such Sultan ruling with such peace of mind and prosperity.’ In his biographies of poets, Safinat al-Mahmud, the Qajar Mahmud Mirza presents quite detailed accounts of the services and battles of Fath’ali Shah, under the headword ‘Khaqan’ and includes all his poetical compositions in the first Majlis, all indicative of the king’s poetic talent and sentiments. The king favored belletrists and poets and his Divan has been published several times in Bombay and Tehran. The last edition appeared in 1954.

Lughatnama-yi Dihkhuda (6/ 9325-9326); Farhang-i Sha’iran-i Zaban-i Parsi az Aghaz ta Imruz (1/ 180).