Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty (Persian: سلسله پهلوی) is the last Iranian royal dynasty, ruling for almost 54 years between 1925 and 1979. The dynasty was founded by Reza Shah, a Mazanderani[1][2] soldier. The dynasty took on the name of the Pahlavi language spoken in the pre-Islamic Sasanian Empire in order to strengthen his nationalist credentials.[3][4][5][6]
Pahlavi dynasty سلسله پهلوی | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1925–1979 | |||||||
 Flag of Pahlavi Iran (1964–1980)  Imperial Arms of Pahlavi dynasty | |||||||
| Anthem: (1925–1933) سلامتی دولت علیّه ایران Salâmati-ye Dowlat-è Âlliye-ye Irân ("Salute of the Sublime State of Iran") (1933–1979) سرود شاهنشاهی ایران Sorud-è Šâhanšâhi-ye Irân ("Imperial Anthem of Iran") | |||||||
.svg) | |||||||
| Capital | Tehran | ||||||
| Religion | Secular state (1925–1941, 1953–1979)Shia Islam (1941–1953) | ||||||
| Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy (de jure 1925–1979 and de facto 1941–1953) Unitary absolute monarchy (de facto 1925–1941; 1953–1979)
| ||||||
| Shah | |||||||
• 1925–1941 | Reza Shah Pahlavi | ||||||
• 1941–1979 | Mohammad Reza Pahlavi | ||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | 1925 | ||||||
• Disestablished | 1979 | ||||||
| |||||||
Origins
The dynasty was founded by Reza Shah of Mazanderani descent.[1][2][7] Reza's father was a Mazanderani,[8][9][10][11] commissioned in the 7th Savadkuh Regiment, and served in the Siege of Herat in 1856.[12] His mother was a Georgian Muslim immigrant from Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire).[13][14]
History
The Pahlavi regime established by Reza Shah was a secular, nationalism, militarist and anti-communist regime.[15] Although he himself was of Mazanderani descent, his government carried out an extensive policy of Persianization trying to create a single, united and largely homogeneous nation, similar to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's policy of Turkification in Turkey after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.[16] After the removal of Reza Shah in 1941, his son Mohammad Reza Shah took his place. Finally, the dynasty came to an end with the Iranian revolution.
