Aziz Khan Mokri

Aziz Khan Mokri
Aziz Khan Mokri (right) standing beside the young crown prince Mozaffar ad-Din Mirza, who later became King (Shah) in 1896. Painted by Mohammad Hasan Afshar in 1860–1870. Stored in the Louvre
Born	1792 Sardasht, Qajar Iran
Died	11 January 1871 (aged 79) Tabriz, Qajar Iran
Buried	Near the Imamzadeh Hamzah, Tabriz
Battles/wars	Siege of Herat (1837–1838)
Relations	Mohammad Khan (father) Sayf al-Din Khan (son) Ali Khan (son)

Aziz Khan Mokri^[a] (Persian: عزیزخان مکری; 1792 – 1871), was an Iranian military officer and grandee, who occupied high offices under the Qajar shah Naser al-Din Shah (r. 1834–1896). Aziz Khan served twice as the commander-in-chief of the army, from 1853 to 1857, and from 1858 to 1868/9.^[1]

A native of Sardasht, Aziz Khan belonged to the Kurdish Mokri tribe. He spent his early career in the sixth regiment (fawj-e sheshom) of Azerbaijan, which he led as sarhang during the siege of Herat in 1837–1839. Dismissed for some time following his unsuccessful endeavors in the Herat operation, Aziz Khan was later appointed the consultant of Fars. There he eventually rose up to the position of sarhang of the fourth regiment of Tabriz, which was stationed in Fars. On 8 August 1583, Aziz Khan was promoted to sardar-e koll-e asaker (commander-in-chief of the army).

Aziz Khan later became a victim of the machinations of the grand vizier Mirza Aqa Khan Nuri, and was a result dismissed by the shah on 13 June 1857. Following Mirza Aqa Khan's dismissal on 30 August 1858, Aziz Khan was reinstated to his former offices and given further authority in Azerbaijan, becoming the pishkar (general manager) of the wali (governor-general) Bahram Mirza.

Aziz Khan died at Tabriz on 11 January 1871, where he is today buried near the Imamzadeh Hamzah.

Background[]

An ethnic Kurd,^[2] Aziz Khan was born in 1792 in Sardasht in northwestern Iran. He was the son of Mohammad Khan (also known as Mohammad Soltan), the sardar of his family, the Baba Miri of the Mokri tribe. Details regarding Aziz Khan's youth are obscure.^[1]

Rise[]

Due to Aziz Khan's ability to read and write, as well having a good handwriting, Aziz Khan joined the sixth regiment (fawj-e sheshom) of Azerbaijan at Tabriz. He later led this regiment as its sarhang during the Iranian siege of Herat in 1837–1839. Acting as the representant of the Qajar shah Mohammad Shah (r. 1834–1848), Aziz Khan spent two days in fruitless negotiations with the Afghan ruler of Herat, Kamran Mirza, and his vizier Yar Mohammad Khan. Following his Herat operation, Aziz Khan was deprived of any important political duty.^[1]

Amir Kabir discussing with Aziz Khan. Painted by Sani al-Mulk in c. 1850

In 1840/1, Mohammad Shah sent Mirza Nabi Khan Qazvini to Fars to take charge of its affairs, since its inhabitants had rebelled against Fereydun Mirza Farmanfarma. At the suggestion of Mirza Nazar-Ali Hakim-bashi, Nabi Khan had taken Aziz Khan with him as a consultant (rish-safid). They both returned to Fars later in 1843. Although Nabi Khan was succeeded by Hossein Khan Moqaddam Maraghai Ajudanbashi as the governor of Fars the following year, Aziz Khan remained consultant through the support of Hakim-bashi. Hossein Khan, who knew Aziz Khan from Tabriz, appointed him as his consultant, then tahwildar and later sarhang of the fourth regiment of Tabriz, which was stationed in Fars. Aziz Khan continued to serve under Hossein Khan until Mohammad Shah's death in September 1848.^[1]

Following the succession of Mohammad Shah's son Naser al-Din Shah and his appointment of Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Nezam (later known as Amir Kabir) as grand vizier in October 1848, the inhabitants of the city of Shiraz in Fars rebelled against Hossein Khan. Aziz Khan played a vital role as the mediator between the conflicting sides. This prompted Amir Kabir to acknowledge Aziz Khan's importance and appoint him as the ajudan-bashi (adjutant) despite his unfriendly relations with Aziz Khan's patrons, Hossein Khan and Hakim-bashi. During the Babi revolt of 1850–1851 in Zanjan led by Hujjat, Amir Kabir sent Aziz Khan to suppress the revolt, as well as an envoy to the Russian-controlled city of Yerevan, where Prince Alexander Pavlovitch was quelling a local revolt. After having his attempt to both negotiate and then attack the Babis thwarted, Aziz Khan left the commander of the Zanjan forces, Mohammad Khan Amir Tuman, to deal with them, and instead went to Yerevan, where he was well received. When Aziz Khan returned to the capital of Tehran on 12 March 1851, he was given a friendly reception with Naser al-Din Shah.^[1]

While Naser al-Din Shah was travelling to Persian Iraq along with Amir Kabir (from May to October, 1851), Aziz Khan served as the commander of the army and the fortress at Tehran. Aziz Khan's son Ali Khan was soon appointed the new chief of the newly-established police force in Tehran.^[1] After the death of the director of the Dar ul-Funun college, Mirza Mohammad-Ali Khan on 10 February 1852, Aziz Khan succeeded him. Occupying the office for only a few months, Aziz Khan seemingly did not make much of an impact on the administration of the college or its well-being.^[3] Later in the same year, Aziz Khan personally arranged the execution of Táhirih, an influential figure in the newly established Bábi Faith. Although Aziz Khan had hostile relations with the new grand vizier Mirza Aqa Khan Nuri (appointed in 1851), he had become well-versed in political survival, and as a result succeeded getting promoted to sardar-e koll-e asaker (commander-in-chief of the army) on 8 August 1853. During the same month, Aziz Khan had an "impressive military parade" arranged for Naser al-Din Shah at Soltaniyeh.^[1]

First and second term as commander-in-chief[]

In 1853/4, Naser al-Din Shah agreed to help the Russians against the Ottomans in the Crimean War. However, neither he nor Mirza Aqa Khan were able, or inclined to embrace a pro-Russian policy. Both the army led by Aziz Khan to the Iranian–Ottoman border at Azerbaijan, and the army sent to the border at Kermanshah, were unsuccessful. In the same year, Aziz was appointed the interim governor of Azerbaijan until the new governor appeared. During Aziz Khan's term, Mirza Aqa Khan schemed against him with courtiers and Jeyran Khanum, a favourite of Naser al-Din Shah. This eventually led the shah to dismiss Aziz Khan on 13 June 1857. However, he was not charged with anything.^[1]

Aziz Khan was imprisoned and made to defend his actions during his four year administration in Tabriz. In August or September 1857, he was exiled to Sardasht. Nevertheless, Mirza Aqa Khan continued to cause him problems, summoning him to Tabriz to prosecute and harass him.^[1]

Later life and death[]

Following Mirza Aqa Khan's dismissal on 30 August 1858, Aziz Khan was reinstated to his former offices and given further authority in Azerbaijan, becoming the pishkar (general manager) of the wali (governor-general) Bahram Mirza. Aziz Khan died at Tabriz on 11 January 1871, where he is buried near the Imamzadeh Hamzah.^[1]

Legacy and assessment[]

Aziz Khan was survived by three sons, whom he had with one of the daughters of the distinguished politician Amir Kabir. One of Aziz Khan's sons, Sayf al-Din Khan (died 1891/2), became the leader of the Mokris and also served as the governor of Savojbolagh multiple times. He was succeeded by his son Hossein Khan, who was killed during an Ottoman attack on Savojbolag in 1914. The Chahar-rah-e Aziz Khan square in the neighborhood of the Arg at Tehran is named after Aziz Khan, as it was part of his residence.^[1]

The contemporary Iranian historian and geographer Mirza Ja'far Haqayeqnegar Khormuji (died 1883) commended Aziz Khan for his just and valiant aspects.^[1]

Notes[]

References[]

Sources[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aziz Khan Mokri.

• Amanat, Abbas (1997). Pivot of the Universe: Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar and the Iranian Monarchy, 1831-1896. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1845118280.
• Calmard, J. (1988). "ʿAzīz Khan Mokrī". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume III/3: Azerbaijan IV–Bačča(-ye) Saqqā. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 261–263. ISBN 978-0-71009-115-4.
• Gurney, John; Nabavi, Negin (1993). "Dār al-fonūn". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume VI/6: Daf(f) and Dāyera–Dārā. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 662–668. ISBN 978-1-56859-004-2.