Karim Khan
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Karim Khan Zand, (Persian: کریم خان زند), (c. 1705- 1779), was the ruler and de facto Shah of Iran from 1760 until 1779. He founded the Zand dynasty. He never styled himself as "shah" or king, and instead used the title (Vakil ar-Ra'aayaa وکیل الرعایا, President).
Karim Khan Zand was one of the generals of Nader Shah Afshar. After Nader Shah's death in 1747, Persia fell into a state of civil war. At that time, Karim Khan, Abdolfath Khan and Ali Mardan Khan reached an agreement to divide the country among themselves and give the throne to Ismail III. However, the cooperation ended after Ali Mardan Khan invaded Isfahan and killed Abdolfath Khan. Subsequently, Karim Khan killed Ali Mardan Khan and gained control over all of Iran except Khorasan, respecting Shah Rukh, grandson of Nader Shah. Nevertheless, he did not adopt the title of Shah for himself, preferring the title, Vakil e-Ra'aayaa (Advocate of the People).
While Karim was ruler, Persia recovered from the devastation of 40 years of war, providing the war ravaged country with a renewed sense of tranquility, security, peace, and prosperity. During his reign,relations with Britain were restored, and he allowed the East India Company to have a trading post in southern Iran. He made Shiraz his capital and ordered the construction of several architectural projects there. Following Karim Khan's death, civil war broke out once more, and none of his descendants were able to rule the country as effectively as he had. The last of these descendants, Lotf Ali Khan, was killed by Agha Mohammad Khan, and the Qajar dynasty came to power.
To this day, he has a reputation as one of the most just and able rulers in Iranian history. A wealth of tales and anecdotes portray Karim Khan as a compassionate ruler, genuinely concerned with the welfare of his subjects. In the words of John Malcolm, "The happy reign of this excellent prince, as contrasted with those who preceeded and followed him, affords the historian of Persia that kind of mixed pleasure and repose, which a traveler enjoys on arriving in a beautiful and fertile valley during an arduous journey over barren and rugged wastes. It is pleasing to recount the actions of a chief who, 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." (John Malcolm, The History of Persia, 1829)
He is buried at Pars Museum of Shiraz.
[edit] References
Perry, John R. Karīm Khān Zand: a history of Iran, 1747-1779 University of Chicago Press, 1979ISBN 978-0226660981 and One World Publications, 2006 ISBN 978-1851684359
John Malcolm, The History of Persia, 1829
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Karim Khan
Born: 1705 Died: 1779 |
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| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Shah Rukh Afshar |
Shah of Persia 1760-1779 |
Succeeded by Mohammad Ali Khan |
| Preceded by Azad Khan Afghan |
Ruler of Azerbaijan (as part of Persia) 1756–1779 |
Succeeded by Abol Fath Khan Zand |
| Preceded by Mohammad Hasan Khan Qajar |
Ruler of Mazandaran (as part of Persia) 1757–1779 |
Succeeded by Abol Fath Khan Zand |
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