Encyclopedia of Islam

Reza Shah Pahlavi

 

(also known as Reza 

Khan and Reza Shah)

 

(1878–1944)  founder of 

the Iranian Pahlavi dynasty, he reigned as shah from 

1925 to 1941

By the beginning of the 20th century the tide of 

popular discontent and nationalist aspirations in 

i

ran

 began to focus on the weak and corrupt rule 

of the q

aJar

 

dynasty

, which had forfeited most of 

its power and influence over the state to Russia 

and Britain. The deteriorating situation ultimately 

led to a coup d’état that abolished Qajar rule and 

ultimately led to the crowning of Reza Khan in 

1925 as the first shah (Persian: king) of the Pahlavi 

dynasty.

Reza Shah Pahlavi was a strong-willed and 

impatient man. Born in poverty, he received no 

formal education. Like so many poor Iranians of 

his time he had no choice but to seek his fortunes 

in the military. Joining the Cossack Brigade as 

a teenager, he quickly rose through its ranks to 

become a deeply feared and respected commander 

of what was in truth little more than the Qajar 

shah’s personal bodyguards. He was, therefore, 

in an opportune position to seize control of the 

throne after the fall of the Qajars, first as minister 

of war in the transitional government that ruled 

from 1921 to 1925, and then as shah from 1925 

to 1941.

Heavily influenced by the European-inspired 

reforms of Turkey’s m

UstaFa

  k

emal

  a

tatUrk

 (d. 

1938), Reza Shah instituted a series of sweeping 

changes in Iran. He adopted Western-based legal