Fath-Ali Khan Qajar

Born in 1685/86, Fath-Ali Khan was the son of Shahqoli Khan and a member of the Ashaqa-bash branch of the Turkoman Qajar tribe at Astarabad.[1] The Ashaqa-bash was one of the two main branches of the Qajar tribe in Astarabad (the other being the Yukhari-bash), and was composed of the subtribes of Qoyunlu (or Qovanlu), Izz al-dinlu, Sham Bayati, Qara Musanlu (Musalu?), Washlu (Ashlu?) and Ziyadlu. During the reign of Shah Abbas I (r. 1588–1629), some Qajar tribes were relocated to Astarabad to defend against incursions by the Yaka Turkmen.[2] By the late 17th-century, the vast majority of the Qajar seemingly lived in Astarabad.[3]

According to the Iranologist Abd al-Hosayn Nava'i: "Much of the information about Fath-Ali Khan's early career must be used cautiously as it is based mainly on chronicles from the Qajar period intent on presenting the career of the immediate forefathers of the dynasty in a flatteringly heroic manner. During the reign of Soltan Hoseyn (r. 1694–1722), Fath-Ali Khan and his brothers Fadl Ali and Mohammad Ali Beg were attacked at their fortress of Mobarakabad by the governor of Astarabad, Rostam Mohammad Khan Sa'dlu. This was done to attempt to thwart the rising authority of the Ashaqa-bash. Fath-Ali Khan's two brothers were killed, but he managed to flee and seek safety among the Yomut Turkmen.[1][3] They assisted Fath-Ali Khan in overthrowing Rostam Mohammad Khan Sa'dlu so that Fath-Ali Khan could assume governorship over Astarabad in 1717.[1][4]

These incidents occurred during the Afghan siege of Isfahan in 1722, and Fath-Ali Khan's role in the closing years of Safavid authority remains debatable. According to one story, he was able to sneak into the city of Isfahan during the night with between two and three thousand soldiers, and through "pure bravery", he managed to shift the circumstances in favour of the Safavids. However, Fath-Ali Khan was forced to depart to avoid possible imprisonment when jealous courtiers were able to persuade Soltan Hoseyn that he was a too ambitious and daring ally. Later Qajar sources essentially echo the same narrative. The veracity of this story's historical claims, however, is seriously questioned by the absence of supporting evidence from sources that existed around the same time, such as Judasz Tadeusz Krusinski, Mohammad Mohsen, or Hazin Lahiji.[1]

On 11 October 1726, Fath-Ali Khan was executed for treason under the orders of Shah Tahmasp II.[1]

• Floor, Willem (2008). Titles and Emoluments in Safavid Iran: A Third Manual of Safavid Administration, by Mirza Naqi Nasiri. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers. ISBN 978-1933823232.
• Nava'i, Abd al-Hosayn (1999). "Fatḥ-ʿAlī Khan Qājār". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume IX/4: Fārs II–Fauna III. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 406–407. ISBN 978-0-933273-32-0.
• Lambton, A.K.S. (1978). "Ḳād̲j̲ār". In van Donzel, E.; Lewis, B.; Pellat, Ch. & Bosworth, C. E. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Volume IV: Iran–Kha (2nd ed.). Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 387–399. OCLC 758278456.
• Sümer, Faruk (1978). "Ḳād̲j̲ār". In van Donzel, E.; Lewis, B.; Pellat, Ch. & Bosworth, C. E. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Volume IV: Iran–Kha (2nd ed.). Leiden: E. J. Brill. p. 387. OCLC 758278456.

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