His full name is Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, similar to his father's name (the 1st Shah), Reza Shah. Mohammad was the eldest son of his father, and therefore expected to be the best. As a young boy in primary school, Mohammad went to Switzerland for education before returning to Iran in 1935, where he enrolled in a Tehran military school. Only a year after he graduated (in 1938), Mohammad married the sister or Faroq I, the king of Egypt.
To no one's surprise, in 1949, the couple divorced. They were married for 14 years, and most believed it was solely for power. After the divorce Mohammad Reza married two more times. His second marriage to Soraya Esfandiari happened a year after the first divorce in 1950, and the second was with Farah Diba in 1959.
Now let's go back 18 years to 1941. This was the year (on September 16th) that Mohammad Reza replaced his father, Reza Shah, shortly before his 22nd birthday. Mohammad continued the reform policies of his father, but a contest for control of the government soon erupted between the shah and an older professional politician, the nationalistic Mohammad Mosaddeq. The reason for his father's leaving (Reza Shah) was from Britain and the USSR. The reasoning behind the USSR's and Britain's force, was that the two countries feared the shah would cooperate with Nazi Germany to rid himself of their guardianship.
After they forced Reza Shah to abdicate, and with no viable alternative, permitted Mohammad Reza (his son) to assume the throne.
This new shah's reign began against a backdrop of social and political disarray, economic problems, and food shortages though this wasn't the only issue. Despite Mohammad's vow to act as a constitutional monarch who would defer to the power of the parliamentary government, Mohammad Reza increasingly involved himself in governmental affairs and opposed or thwarted strong prime ministers. Eventually when Mosaddeq's nationalization was completely reversed, with US assistance, the shah proceeded to carry out a new national development program.
Now let's go back 18 years to 1941. This was the year (on September 16th) that Mohammad Reza replaced his father, Reza Shah, shortly before his 22nd birthday. Mohammad continued the reform policies of his father, but a contest for control of the government soon erupted between the shah and an older professional politician, the nationalistic Mohammad Mosaddeq. The reason for his father's leaving (Reza Shah) was from Britain and the USSR. The reasoning behind the USSR's and Britain's force, was that the two countries feared the shah would cooperate with Nazi Germany to rid himself of their guardianship.
After they forced Reza Shah to abdicate, and with no viable alternative, permitted Mohammad Reza (his son) to assume the throne.
This new shah's reign began against a backdrop of social and political disarray, economic problems, and food shortages though this wasn't the only issue. Despite Mohammad's vow to act as a constitutional monarch who would defer to the power of the parliamentary government, Mohammad Reza increasingly involved himself in governmental affairs and opposed or thwarted strong prime ministers. Eventually when Mosaddeq's nationalization was completely reversed, with US assistance, the shah proceeded to carry out a new national development program.
This program was the called the White Revolution. It was meant to "westernize" Iran with the construction of an expanded road, rail, and air network with a number of dam and irrigation projects to prevent the eradication of diseases. The shah also established a literacy corps and a health corps for the large but isolated rural population. His goal was to develop a more independent foreign policy and establish working relationships with the Soviet Union and eastern European nations.
Despite Mohammad's efforts, the White Revolution only solidified domestic support for the shah, and there was a continuing political criticism from those who felt that the reforms did not move far or fast enough. All opposition to the shah himself was based upon his autocratic rule, corruption in his government, the unequal distribution of oil wealth, forced westernization, and the activities of Savak (the secret police) in suppressing dissent and opposition to his rule.
Unfortunately for the shah, even the young generations began to support Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a Shīʿite religious leader living in exile in Paris. Rioting and turmoil in Iran's major cities brought down four successive governments, as the shah's control began to dissolve. Eventually, on January 16, 1979, the shah left the country, and a man named Khomeini assumed control.
Despite Mohammad's efforts, the White Revolution only solidified domestic support for the shah, and there was a continuing political criticism from those who felt that the reforms did not move far or fast enough. All opposition to the shah himself was based upon his autocratic rule, corruption in his government, the unequal distribution of oil wealth, forced westernization, and the activities of Savak (the secret police) in suppressing dissent and opposition to his rule.
Unfortunately for the shah, even the young generations began to support Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, a Shīʿite religious leader living in exile in Paris. Rioting and turmoil in Iran's major cities brought down four successive governments, as the shah's control began to dissolve. Eventually, on January 16, 1979, the shah left the country, and a man named Khomeini assumed control.
Although the shah did not abdicate, a referendum resulted in the declaration on April 1, 1979, of an Islamic republic in Iran. To escape, Mohammad, traveled to Egypt, Morocco, The Bahamas, and Mexico before entering the United States on October 22, 1979, for medical treatment of lymphatic cancer. Two weeks after the Shah went to the US, Iranian militants seized the U.S. embassy in Tehrān and took hostage more than 50 Americans, demanding the extradition of the shah in return for the hostages’ release.
Extradition was refused, but the shah later left for Panama and then Cairo, where he was granted asylum by President Anwar el-dada, the third President or Egypt. This was the end of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi's travels, as he died on July 27, 1980 in Cairo, Egypt at the age of 61.
Author: Amber
Extradition was refused, but the shah later left for Panama and then Cairo, where he was granted asylum by President Anwar el-dada, the third President or Egypt. This was the end of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi's travels, as he died on July 27, 1980 in Cairo, Egypt at the age of 61.
Author: Amber
Works Cited
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi | Biography - Shah of Iran." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Apr. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
"Historic Personalities of Iran: Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi." Historic Personalities of Iran: Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"Mohammad Reza Pahlavi." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
"Mohammad Reza Pahlavi." Last.fm. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi | Biography - Shah of Iran." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Apr. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
"Historic Personalities of Iran: Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi." Historic Personalities of Iran: Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"Mohammad Reza Pahlavi." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.
"Mohammad Reza Pahlavi." Last.fm. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.