When was shah of iran born

The Shah emerged as an international statesman whose Imperial Armed Forces provided a protective shield over regional oil assets and shipping routes.

In he married Farah Diba with whom he had four children: Reza b. With a booming economy, the strongest military in the region, and strong support from its western partners, Iran provided the region with stability and security.

The Shah stepped up the pace of modernization and Iran became a regional hub for commerce, science and the arts. In the Shah invited world leaders to Iran to mark the 2,th anniversary of the Persian monarchy. Ultimately, the influx of oil revenues overheated the economy and contributed to popular unrest.

See all related overviews in Oxford Reference ». Shah of Iran —79 Born in Tehran, he succeeded his deposed father on 17 September , and was subsequently anxious to avoid his predecessor's mistake of having been too reserved toward UK and US influence. Unfortunately, he ultimately went too far in this endeavour, when he came to rely predominantly on US aid against internal popular opposition to his secular reforms.

Thus, he resisted the coup by Mussadeq and, after a brief period in exile , returned to speed up a programme of comprehensive social, economic, and cultural reform. These changes were designed less to bring about social peace, than to buttress the regime's corrupt allies in the military and among powerful landowners and other owners of capital. Hence, his reforms increased further domestic opposition, such as that led by Ayatollah Khomeini.

Pahlavi murdered thousands of political opponents each year, while tens of thousands suffered imprisonment and torture. He was finally unable to contain the unrest that had built up against him for so long, and was forced to flee the country on 16 January In he replaced the Islamic calendar with an "imperial" calendar, which began with the foundation of the Persian empire more than 25 centuries earlier. These actions were viewed as anti-Islamic and resulted in religious opposition.

The shah's regime suppressed and marginalized its opponents with the help of Iran's security and intelligence organization, the SAVAK. Relying on oil revenues, which sharply increased in late , the Shah pursued his goal of developing Iran as a mighty regional power dedicated to social reform and economic development.

Yet he continually sidestepped democratic arrangements and refused to allow meaningful civic and political liberties, remaining unresponsive to public opinion.

By the mids the Shah reigned amidst widespread discontent caused by the continuing repressiveness of his regime, socioeconomic changes that benefited some classes at the expense of others, and the increasing gap between the ruling elite and the disaffected populace. Islamic leaders, particularly the exiled cleric Ayatollah Khomeini , were able to focus this discontent with a populist ideology tied to Islamic principles and calls for the overthrow of the shah.

He took Valium and other medication as well, likely only adding to his indecisive nature. There had been a crackdown against political opponents, seeing thousands imprisoned and tortured by his feared SAVAK intelligence service. Iran today, however, faces criticism from international human rights groups for arbitrary arrests, mistreatment and torture of prisoners.

It also has faced accusations that it detains people with Western ties and uses them as bargaining chips. Instead of fighting and holding onto power, the shah instead chose exile 40 years ago, flying away on a jetliner that he himself piloted.

He died in July at the age of 60, the last monarch Iran has ever known. Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www. Sections U. Science Technology Business U.