Zand dynasty
Encyclopedia
The Zand dynasty ( (formally known as the Zandieh dynasty) ruled southern and central Iran
(1750–1794) in the 18th century.
The dynasty was founded by Karim Khan
, chief of the Zand tribe
which was Lur
or Lak
deportees. Modern scholarships such as Wadie Jwaideh suggested his Kurdishness. He became one of Nader Shah
's generals. Nader Shah moved the Zand tribe from their home in Lakestan to the eastern steppes of Khorasan
. After Nader’s death, the Zand tribe, under the guidance of Karim Khan
, went back to their original land. After Adil Shah was made king Karim Khan
and his soldiers defected from the army and along with Ali Morad Khan Bakhtiari and Abolfath Khan Haft Lang, two other local chiefs, became a major contender but was challenged by several adversaries. Abolfath Khan was the Prime Minister, Karim Khan became the army chief commander and Ali Morad Khan became the regent. Karim Khan declared Shiraz
his capital. He gained control of central and southern parts of Iran
. In order to add legitimacy to his claim, Karim Khan
placed the infant Shah Ismail III, the grandson of the last Safavid king in 1757 on the throne. Ismail was a figurehead king and real power being vested in Karim Khan
. Karim Khan
chose to be the military commander and Alimardan Khan was the civil administrator. Soon enough Karim Khan managed to eliminate his partner as well as the puppet king and in 1760, founded his own dynasty. He refused to accept the title of the king and instead named himself The Advocate of the People.
By 1760 Karim Khan had defeated all his rivals and controlled all of Iran except Khorasan, in the northeast, which was ruled by Shah Rukh
. His foreign campaigns against Azad Khan in Azerbaijan
and against the Ottomans
in Mesopotamia
brought Azerbaijan and the province of Basra
into his control. But he never stopped his campaigns against his arch-enemey, Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar, the chief of the Ghovanloo Qajars. The latter was finally defeated by Karim Khan and his sons, Agha Mohammad Khan and Hosseingholi Khan, were brought to Shiraz as hostages.
Karim Khan's monuments in Shiraz
include the famous Arg of Karim Khan
, Vakil Bazaar
, and several mosques and gardens. He is also responsible for building of a palace in the town of Tehran
, the future capital of the Qajar dynasty.
also failed to follow the policies of Karim Khan and soon enough, the country was under attack from all sides.
The biggest enemies of the Zands, the Qajar chiefs, led by the former hostage, Agha Mohammad Khan, were advancing fast against the declining kingdom. Finally, in 1789, Lotf Ali Khan
, a grand-nephew of Karim Khan, declared himself the new king. His reign (until 1794) was spent mostly in war with the Qajar khan. He was finally captured and brutally killed in the fortress of Bam
, putting an effective end to the Zand Dynasty.
Politically, it is also important that the Zands, especially Karim Khan, chose to call themselves Vakilol Ro'aya (Advocate of the People) instead of kings. Other than the obvious propaganda value of the title, it can be a reflection of the popular demands of the time, expecting rulers with popular leanings instead of absolute monarchs who were totally detached from the population, like the earlier Safavids.
After the Islamic Revolution of 1979 the Zand was the only dynasty whose names on public places and monuments were not removed by the new Republican government. Interestingly, a union was formed between the Zands and the Qajars in so far as Karim Khan's grand daughter, Bolour Khanum Zandieh married Mohammad Shah Qajar
and bore him two daughters, Princess Ozra and Princess Effat ed-Dowleh.
The Zand era was an era of relative peace and economic growth for the country. Many territories that were captured by the Ottoman
s in the late Safavid times were taken back and Iran was once again a coherent and prosperous country. |After Iranian painting reached its height at the end of the 17th century, a special school of painting took shape during the Zand era in the 17th and 18th centuries. The art of this era is remarkable and despite the short length of the dynasty, a distinct Zand art had the time to emerge. Many Qajar artistic traits were copied from the Zand examples.
In foreign policy, Karim Khan attempted to revive the Safavid era trade by allowing the British to establish a trading post in the port of Bushehr
. This opened the hands of the British East India company in Iran and increased their influence in the country. The taxation system was reorganized in a way that taxes were levied fairly. The judicial system was fair and generally humane. Capital punishment was rarely implemented.
(the leading English authority on Karim Khan Zand's era) writes of this forward thinking and notably popular leader, Karim Khan Zand, a man before his time, that by opening up international trade, employing a fair fiscal system and showing respect for existing religious institutions, Karim Khan succeeded in creating a peaceful and prosperous state in a particularly turbulent epoch of history.
The Zand Benevolent Trust (dedicated to humanitarism and charity) has been set up by a number of Karim Khan Zand's descendants, including Nazanin Khajeh-Noori and Michael-Mehrdod Khan-e Zand Khajeh-Noori (aka Michael Khajeh-Noori), both great grand children of Princess Bolour Khanum Zandieh, the grand daughter of Karim Khan Zand, who married the Qajar King, Mohammad Shah Qajar
.
The Zand Benevolent Trust is a global charity dedicated to bringing hope and relief to children and the vulnerable.
George Hosking, Founder, Chief Executive and Research Co-ordinator of The WAVE Trust (Worldwide Alternatives to ViolencE) has been one of the first to be bestowed with companion membership of the order in recognition of his remarkable efforts and reflecting the enormity of his contribution to the humane development of mankind and the creation of a truly peaceful society for us and our children to live in. George Hosking has been singularly key in founding and progressing The WAVE Trust's work to prevent violence and child abuse by tackling it at its roots and making headway at a government and international level and the path to making compassion, empathy and peace the norm rather than an idealistic goal paid lip service by the many but heed by the few.
Iranian plateau
The Iranian plateau, or Iranic plateau, is a geological formation in Southwest Asia. It is the part of the Eurasian Plate wedged between the Arabian and Indian plates, situated between the Zagros mountains to the west, the Caspian Sea and the Kopet Dag to the north, the Hormuz Strait and Persian...
(1750–1794) in the 18th century.
Karim Khan Zand
Karim Khan
Karim Khan Zand, , , was a ruler of Iran, and the founder of the Zand Dynasty.He was born to a family of the Zand tribe of Lur or Lak deportees...
, chief of the Zand tribe
Zand tribe
The Zand tribe are a tribe of Fayli of Lorestan, most known for their member, Muhammad Karim Khan Zand, who become the Regent of Southern Persia for Ismail III in 1750. After Zand's death in 1779, internal conflicts for his succession resulted in a weakening of the dynasty, ending with the defeat...
which was Lur
Lurs
Lurs are an Iranic people living mainly in south-western Iran. Their population is estimated at above two million. They occupy Lorestan, Bakhtiari, and Kuh-Gilu-Boir Ahmed. "....
or Lak
Lak people (Iran)
The Laks are an Iranian group in southwestern Iran. They speak Laki , a Northwestern Iranian language, that is usually grouped with Southern Kurdish dialects...
deportees. Modern scholarships such as Wadie Jwaideh suggested his Kurdishness. He became one of Nader Shah
Nader Shah
Nāder Shāh Afshār ruled as Shah of Iran and was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty. Because of his military genius, some historians have described him as the Napoleon of Persia or the Second Alexander...
's generals. Nader Shah moved the Zand tribe from their home in Lakestan to the eastern steppes of Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
. After Nader’s death, the Zand tribe, under the guidance of Karim Khan
Karim Khan
Karim Khan Zand, , , was a ruler of Iran, and the founder of the Zand Dynasty.He was born to a family of the Zand tribe of Lur or Lak deportees...
, went back to their original land. After Adil Shah was made king Karim Khan
Karim Khan
Karim Khan Zand, , , was a ruler of Iran, and the founder of the Zand Dynasty.He was born to a family of the Zand tribe of Lur or Lak deportees...
and his soldiers defected from the army and along with Ali Morad Khan Bakhtiari and Abolfath Khan Haft Lang, two other local chiefs, became a major contender but was challenged by several adversaries. Abolfath Khan was the Prime Minister, Karim Khan became the army chief commander and Ali Morad Khan became the regent. Karim Khan declared Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
his capital. He gained control of central and southern parts of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. In order to add legitimacy to his claim, Karim Khan
Karim Khan
Karim Khan Zand, , , was a ruler of Iran, and the founder of the Zand Dynasty.He was born to a family of the Zand tribe of Lur or Lak deportees...
placed the infant Shah Ismail III, the grandson of the last Safavid king in 1757 on the throne. Ismail was a figurehead king and real power being vested in Karim Khan
Karim Khan
Karim Khan Zand, , , was a ruler of Iran, and the founder of the Zand Dynasty.He was born to a family of the Zand tribe of Lur or Lak deportees...
. Karim Khan
Karim Khan
Karim Khan Zand, , , was a ruler of Iran, and the founder of the Zand Dynasty.He was born to a family of the Zand tribe of Lur or Lak deportees...
chose to be the military commander and Alimardan Khan was the civil administrator. Soon enough Karim Khan managed to eliminate his partner as well as the puppet king and in 1760, founded his own dynasty. He refused to accept the title of the king and instead named himself The Advocate of the People.
By 1760 Karim Khan had defeated all his rivals and controlled all of Iran except Khorasan, in the northeast, which was ruled by Shah Rukh
Shah Rukh of Persia
Shahrukh Shah Afshar, also spelled Shahrokh was a king of the Afsharid dynasty and a contemporary of the Zand kings. He reigned until 1796....
. His foreign campaigns against Azad Khan in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
and against the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
brought Azerbaijan and the province of Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
into his control. But he never stopped his campaigns against his arch-enemey, Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar, the chief of the Ghovanloo Qajars. The latter was finally defeated by Karim Khan and his sons, Agha Mohammad Khan and Hosseingholi Khan, were brought to Shiraz as hostages.
Karim Khan's monuments in Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
include the famous Arg of Karim Khan
Arg of Karim Khan
The Arg of Karim Khan is a citadel located in the north-east of Shiraz, southern Iran. It was built as part of a complex during the Zand dynasty and is named after Karim Khan, and served as his living quarters. In shape it resembles a medieval fortress....
, Vakil Bazaar
Vakil Bazaar
Vakil Bazaar is the main bazaar of Shiraz, Iran, located in the historical center of the city.It is thought that the market originally was established by the Buwayhids in the 11th century AD, and was completed mainly by the Atabaks of Fars, and only was renamed after Karim Khan Zand in the 18th...
, and several mosques and gardens. He is also responsible for building of a palace in the town of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, the future capital of the Qajar dynasty.
Decline and Fall
Karim Khan's death in 1779 left his territory vulnerable to threats from his enemies. His son and successor Abu al-Fath was an incompetent ruler who was heavily influenced by his half uncle (and Karim Khan's commander), Zaki Khan. Other rulers such as Ali Morad and Jafar KhanJafar Khan
Jafar Khan Zand, was a Shah of Persia who reigned from February 18, 1785 - January 23, 1789. He was the seventh king of Zand dynasty.After Jafar Khan's father, Sadiq Khan, was overthrown by Ali Murad Khan, Jafar Khan vowed to avenge his father and thus after four years of reigning, Ali Murad Khan...
also failed to follow the policies of Karim Khan and soon enough, the country was under attack from all sides.
The biggest enemies of the Zands, the Qajar chiefs, led by the former hostage, Agha Mohammad Khan, were advancing fast against the declining kingdom. Finally, in 1789, Lotf Ali Khan
Lotf Ali Khan
Lutf or Lotf Ali Khan was the last Shah of Persia of the Zand dynasty.Lotf Ali Khan Zand came to power after a decade of infighting among a succession of violent and inept Zand chiefs following the death in 1779 of the dynasty's founder, Karim Khan Zand...
, a grand-nephew of Karim Khan, declared himself the new king. His reign (until 1794) was spent mostly in war with the Qajar khan. He was finally captured and brutally killed in the fortress of Bam
Bam, Iran
Bam is a city in and the capital of Bam County, Kerman Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 73,823, in 19,572 families.The modern Iranian city of Bam surrounds the Bam citadel. Before the 2003 earthquake the official population count of the city was roughly 43,000. There are...
, putting an effective end to the Zand Dynasty.
Politically, it is also important that the Zands, especially Karim Khan, chose to call themselves Vakilol Ro'aya (Advocate of the People) instead of kings. Other than the obvious propaganda value of the title, it can be a reflection of the popular demands of the time, expecting rulers with popular leanings instead of absolute monarchs who were totally detached from the population, like the earlier Safavids.
After the Islamic Revolution of 1979 the Zand was the only dynasty whose names on public places and monuments were not removed by the new Republican government. Interestingly, a union was formed between the Zands and the Qajars in so far as Karim Khan's grand daughter, Bolour Khanum Zandieh married Mohammad Shah Qajar
Mohammad Shah Qajar
Mohammad Shah Qajar was king of Persia from the Qajar dynasty .- Rise to power :...
and bore him two daughters, Princess Ozra and Princess Effat ed-Dowleh.
Culture
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
s in the late Safavid times were taken back and Iran was once again a coherent and prosperous country. |After Iranian painting reached its height at the end of the 17th century, a special school of painting took shape during the Zand era in the 17th and 18th centuries. The art of this era is remarkable and despite the short length of the dynasty, a distinct Zand art had the time to emerge. Many Qajar artistic traits were copied from the Zand examples.
In foreign policy, Karim Khan attempted to revive the Safavid era trade by allowing the British to establish a trading post in the port of Bushehr
Bushehr
Bushehr Bushehr lies in a vast plain running along the coastal region on the Persian Gulf coast of southwestern Iran. It is the chief seaport of the country and the administrative centre of its province. Its location is about south of Tehran. The local climate is hot and humid.The city...
. This opened the hands of the British East India company in Iran and increased their influence in the country. The taxation system was reorganized in a way that taxes were levied fairly. The judicial system was fair and generally humane. Capital punishment was rarely implemented.
Zand Benevolent
Esteemed academic John PerryJohn Perry
John Perry may refer to:*John Perry , English politician, MP for New Shoreham*John Perry , Irish engineer*John Perry , English musician, guitarist with The Only Ones...
(the leading English authority on Karim Khan Zand's era) writes of this forward thinking and notably popular leader, Karim Khan Zand, a man before his time, that by opening up international trade, employing a fair fiscal system and showing respect for existing religious institutions, Karim Khan succeeded in creating a peaceful and prosperous state in a particularly turbulent epoch of history.
The Zand Benevolent Trust (dedicated to humanitarism and charity) has been set up by a number of Karim Khan Zand's descendants, including Nazanin Khajeh-Noori and Michael-Mehrdod Khan-e Zand Khajeh-Noori (aka Michael Khajeh-Noori), both great grand children of Princess Bolour Khanum Zandieh, the grand daughter of Karim Khan Zand, who married the Qajar King, Mohammad Shah Qajar
Mohammad Shah Qajar
Mohammad Shah Qajar was king of Persia from the Qajar dynasty .- Rise to power :...
.
The Zand Benevolent Trust is a global charity dedicated to bringing hope and relief to children and the vulnerable.
Order of Zand
The Most Noble Order of Zand, founded in 2009, has been set up to, among other things, bestow companionship each year on a handful of unsung heroes to the honorary Most Noble Order of the Zand (which may include a cash award) . True to the spirit of the man described by Sir John Malcolm as "though born of an inferior rank, obtained power without crime, and who exercised it with a moderation that, for the times in which he lived, was as singular as his humanity and justice" nominees for consideration for selection are taken from a list proposed by any member of the public from any country in the world.George Hosking, Founder, Chief Executive and Research Co-ordinator of The WAVE Trust (Worldwide Alternatives to ViolencE) has been one of the first to be bestowed with companion membership of the order in recognition of his remarkable efforts and reflecting the enormity of his contribution to the humane development of mankind and the creation of a truly peaceful society for us and our children to live in. George Hosking has been singularly key in founding and progressing The WAVE Trust's work to prevent violence and child abuse by tackling it at its roots and making headway at a government and international level and the path to making compassion, empathy and peace the norm rather than an idealistic goal paid lip service by the many but heed by the few.
Rulers / Kings of the Zand dynasty
- Karim KhanKarim KhanKarim Khan Zand, , , was a ruler of Iran, and the founder of the Zand Dynasty.He was born to a family of the Zand tribe of Lur or Lak deportees...
, 1750–1779 کریم خان زند - Abol Fath KhanAbol Fath KhanAbol Fath Khan Zand was the third Shah of Zand dynasty, who ruled the Persian Empire from March 6, 1779 until August 22, 1779....
, 1779 ابولفتح خان زند - Mohammad Ali KhanMohammad Ali KhanMohammad Ali Khan Zand , was the second Shah of the Zand dynasty. He ruled Persia from March 6, 1779 until June 19, 1779.After the death of Karim Khan in 1779, Iran disintegrated once again. Karim Khan's brother Zaki Khan declared Mohammad `Ali, the second son of Karim Khan who was also his...
, 1779 محمدخان زند - Sadiq Khan, 1779–1782 صادق خان زند
- Ali Murad KhanAli Murad KhanAli Murad Khan Zand the sixth Shah of the Zand dynasty, reigned from March 15, 1781 until February 11, 1785.After the death of Karim Khan Zand, Agha Muhammad Khan who was a hostage--in light of preventing an outbreak of war between the Qajar tribes in the northern Persia and the Zands--escaped...
, 1782–1785 علیمراد خان زند - Jafar KhanJafar KhanJafar Khan Zand, was a Shah of Persia who reigned from February 18, 1785 - January 23, 1789. He was the seventh king of Zand dynasty.After Jafar Khan's father, Sadiq Khan, was overthrown by Ali Murad Khan, Jafar Khan vowed to avenge his father and thus after four years of reigning, Ali Murad Khan...
, 1785–1789 جعفر خان زند - Lotf Ali Khan, 1789–1794 لطفعلی خان زند
Family tree
External links
- http://www.iranchamber.com/history/zand/zand.php
- http://www.iranologie.com/history/history13.html
- http://www.friesian.com/iran.htm#zand
- http://www.zandbenevolent.com
See also
- History of IranHistory of IranThe history of Iran has been intertwined with the history of a larger historical region, comprising the area from the Danube River in the west to the Indus River and Jaxartes in the east and from the Caucasus, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and Egypt...
- List of kings of Persia
- Karim KhanKarim KhanKarim Khan Zand, , , was a ruler of Iran, and the founder of the Zand Dynasty.He was born to a family of the Zand tribe of Lur or Lak deportees...
- Persian namePersian nameA Persian or Iranian name consists of a given name, sometimes more than one, and a surname.-Given names:Names used in Iran not necessarily from Persian origin....
- List of Shi'a Muslims dynasties