- Mostowfi ol-Mamalek
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Mostowfi ol-Mamalek Prime Minister of Iran In office
15 July 1910 – 19 July 1911Preceded by Vosough od-Dowleh Succeeded by Vosough od-Dowleh In office
1 July 1914 – 1 February 1915Preceded by Mirza Mohammed Ali Khan Succeeded by Abdol-Hossein Mirza Farmanfarma In office
18 August 1915 – 25 December 1915Preceded by Abdol Majid Mirza Succeeded by Abdol-Hossein Mirza Farmanfarma In office
7 July 1917 – 19 December 1917Preceded by Vosough od-Dowleh Succeeded by Abdol Majid Mirza In office
30 January 1923 – 15 June 1923Preceded by Ahmad Qavam Succeeded by Hassan Pirnia In office
13 June 1926 – 2 June 1927Preceded by Mohammad-Ali Foroughi Succeeded by Mehdi Qoli Hedayat Personal details Born 5 October 1874
Tehran, IranDied 27 August 1932
Tehran, IranResting place Alzahra University Political party Constitutional Movement/E'tedalion Party Spouse(s) Esmat el Molouk Religion Islam Mirza Hasan Ashtiani Mostowfi al-Mamalek (October 5, 1874 - August 27, 1932) was an Iranian Politician who served as Prime Minister of Iran on six separate occasions.
Contents
Early Life
Mostowfi al-Mamalek came from an important and well-known family of highranking bureaucrats during the Qajar era. His father was, Mirza Yousof Mostowfi al-Mamalek, a bureaucrat of the Qajar court and a Prime Minister, and his grandfather was Mirza Hasan Mostowfi al-Mamalek I and was given the title of Mostofi al Mamalek under Mohammad Shah Qajar[1] . One year before his fathers death, Nasereddin Shah granted the title Mostowfi ol-Mamalek ("chief financier of the country") to the very young, Hasan.[1] When the nobility started to ridicule Hasan for being given such an important job/title at such young age, Nasereddin Shah, convinced of the young boy's talents, added the title "Aaqaa" (Sir) to Hasan's titles, thereby obliging the nobility to call him "Sir" every time they addressed him. He was since frequently referred to simply as "Aaqaa" in political circles. At the age of 18, he married Nasr-ol-Din Shah’s granddaughter, Khanom Esmat el Molouk, and became a member of the royal family. [1]
Education in Paris
After a series of disgreements with the newly instated Mozaffar ad-Din Shah, Mostowfi al-Mamalek travelled to Paris for his higher education, and soon climbed his way up the political ladder in Iran. During this period he visited many European countries and observed their systems of government [1]. During his trips to Europe, Mozaffar ad-Din Shah gave him multiple invitations to return to Iran, however he declined. In the year 1907, after the Persian Constitutional Revolution and the death of Mozzafar ad-Din Shah, Mostowfi al-Mamalek returned to Iran accompanied by Ali Asghar Khan, who had just been appointed Prime Minister of Iran by Mohammad Ali Shah [1] Soon after his return he set up a humanitarian society with Mohammad Mossadegh as his deputy
Political Career
During the Persian Constitutional Revolution era, Mostowfi was appointed Minister 15 times, and Prime Minister 6 times.
One of his most formidable opponents in politics at the time was Hassan Modarres who made numerous efforts to pull down Mostowfi's cabinet.
Mostowfi's cabinet finally collapsed under pressure from political opponents despite the full backing of Ahmad Shah Qajar. During the run-up to the elections, Modarres and his followers in the Parliament were actively campaigning against Mostowfi's cabinet. They tabled a formal question to the government, which was customarily followed by a vote of confidence. The ministers answered the questions convincingly. Mostowfi, who was not used to this kind of street politics, was said to be angry and disappointed. He delivered his most famous speech to Parliament, blaming members of Parliament for “giving and taking ajil [dried nuts]”, which in Persian means giving and taking bribes. He is believed to have said “I have problems with my digestive system, and I do not take or give any ajil”.
He was the first Prime Minister to call Parliamentarians corrupt instead of cajoling and flattering them. He and his ministers left the Parliament, went straight to the Shah and resigned.
Despite his opposition to Mostowfi, Modarres was part of the party that encouraged Mostowfi to take his sixth term as Prime Minister. Reza Shah had been elected Shah and crowned. In order to legitimize his rule he needed a Prime Minister who had the confidence of the politicians and the general public, so he chose Mostowfi. Modarres believed that Mostowfi was one of the few people who might curb the excesses of the new Shah and his generals.
This was to be Mostowfi's last post. At the end of May 1927, Mostowfi resigned from office and from political life.
Death and Legacy
Mirza Hassan Mostowfi al Mamalek died of a heart attack on the 28th August 1932. He was buried in the family mausoleum in Vanak village. The funeral procession was marked by the fact that the Armenian residents of Vanak carried the coffin for a mile to the Mausoleum, followed by a procession of 80 or more cars. The mausoleum is currently on the grounds of Alzahra University .
His descendants now bear the surname "Mostofi al-Mamaleki", "Mostowfi", " Tahriri", "Dabiri".
References
- ^ a b c d e Bakhtiar, Salar (24 November 2004). "THE LIFE OF MIRZA HASSAN KHAN, MOSTOFI AL MAMALEK". http://www.iransociety.org/docs/journal_2005.pdf. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- Iran in the last 3 Centuries by Alireza Avsati. Published Tehran, 2003. Vol1 ISBN 964-93406-6-1 Vol2 ISBN 964-93406-5-3
See also
Political offices Preceded by
Vosough od-DowlehPrime Minister of Iran
1910-1911Succeeded by
Vosough od-DowlehPreceded by
Mirza Mohammad Ali KhanPrime Minister of Iran
1914-1915Succeeded by
Abdol-Hossein Mirza FarmanfarmaPreceded by
Abdol Majid MirzaPrime Minister of Iran
1915Succeeded by
Abdol-Hossein Mirza FarmanfarmaPreceded by
Vosough od-DowlehPrime Minister of Iran
1917Succeeded by
Abdol Majid MirzaPreceded by
Ahmad QavamPrime Minister of Iran
1923Succeeded by
Hassan PirniaPreceded by
Mohammad-Ali ForoughiPrime Minister of Iran
1926-1927Succeeded by
Mehdi Qoli HedayatPrime Ministers of Iran (List) Qajar dynasty
(1906–1925)Nasrullah Khan · Amir Asghar Khan · Tonekaboni · Mafi · Hedayat · Kamran Mirza · Tonekaboni · Saad ad-Daula · Tonekaboni · Vosough · Mostowfi · Vosough · Tonekaboni · Saad ad-Daula · Mirza Mohammed-Ali Khan · Mostowfi · Farmanfarma · Majid Mirza · Mostowfi · Farmanfarma · Vosough · Mostowfi · Majid Mirza · Pirnia · Momtaz os-Saltaneh · Pirnia · Fathollah Khan Akbar · Tabatabaee · Qavam · Malek Mansur Mirza · Pirnia · Qavam · Mostowfi · Pirnia · Reza Khan Sardar SepahImperial State of Iran
(1925–1979)Foroughi · Mostowfi · Hedayat · Foroughi · Jam · Matin-Daftari · A.Mansur · Foroughi · Soheili · Qavam · Soheili · Sa'ed · Bayat · Hakimi · Sadr · Hakimi · Qavam · Hekmat · Hakimi · Hazhir · Sa'ed · A.Mansur · Razmara · Ala' · Mosaddegh · Qavam · Mosaddegh · Zahedi · Ala' · Eghbal · Sharif-Emami · Amini · Alam · H.A.Mansur · Hoveida · Amouzegar · Sharif-Emami · Azhari · BakhtiarIslamic Republic of Iran
(1979–present)Categories:- Prime Ministers of Iran
- 1875 births
- 1932 deaths
- E'tedalion Party politicians
- Constitutionalist Party of Iran politicians
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