Reza Shah Pahlavi (1878 - 1944) was an important ruler of modern Iran and the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty. His reign from 1925 to 1941 brought sweeping changes to the country's politics, society, economy, and culture. In this blog text, we will take a closer look at the life and achievements of Reza Shah Pahlavi.
Reza Khan, as he was then known, was born in Alasht in northern Iran and grew up in poor circumstances. At the age of 13, he joined the Shah's Cossack Brigade, where he quickly rose through the ranks and proved himself a leader. However, he was also punished and imprisoned several times for his rebellious attitude and criticism of the regime at the time.
During the Constitutional Revolution of 1905-1911, Reza Khan fought on the side of the reformers and later joined the Cossack Brigade, which was in opposition to the government. He also fought in World War I against the Ottoman army and was promoted to brigadier general for his bravery.
After the collapse of the Qajar dynasty, Reza Khan was appointed Minister of War in 1921 by the coup d'état of Seyyed Zia al-Din Tabatabai and quickly rose in the hierarchy. In 1923, he forced the government to resign and appointed himself prime minister. Five years later, in 1925, he forced the last shah of the Qajar dynasty to resign and crowned himself the new shah and ruler of Iran.
As shah, Reza Shah Pahlavi had a clear vision for Iran: he wanted to modernize the country and make it more independent of foreign influence. He carried out profound reforms that catapulted Iran into modernity. The most important steps of his reforms were:
The disempowerment of religious leaders: Reza Shah Pahlavi separated the power of the clergy from the power of the state and promoted education and the sciences.
The modernization of the economy: he promoted the construction of factories, dams and roads to strengthen the economy and industrialize the country.
The creation of a modern army: he reformed the military and made it a powerful unit to defend the country.
The promotion of education: he established schools and universities and promoted the education of women and men.
The introduction of a new writing system: Reza Shah Pahlavi introduced the Latin script as the official script of the country to facilitate literacy and communication with foreign countries.
Despite his reforms, Reza Shah Pahlavi also had many critics and enemies.
He also instigated reforms in areas such as education, health care, and the judiciary. Despite his many accomplishments, Reza Shah Pahlavi is often criticized for his authoritarian tendencies and suppression of political opposition. His son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, succeeded him as Shah and ruled the country until the 1979 revolution.