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{{Infobox Qajar Shah
|Shah_Name=Fat'h Ali Shah
|image_neshan=Coat of arms of Persia (16th century - 1907).png
|image_portrait=Fath Ali Shah(Saad Abad).jpg
|Military=
|title=[[Shahanshah|Shahanshah of Persia]]
|title2=
|before=[[Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar]]
|after=[[Mohammad Shah Qajar]]
|years=1797-1834
|date of birth={{Birth date|1772|9|5|df=y}}
|place of birth  = [[Damghan]], [[Persia]]
|date of death={{death date and age|1834|10|23|1772|9|5|df=yes}}
|place of death  = [[Tehran]], [[Persia]]
|place of burial = [[Qom]]
}}

'''Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar''' (var. Fathalishah, Fathali Shah, Fath Ali Shah) ({{lang-fa|فتح على شاه قاجار}})‎ (5 September 1772 – 23 October 1834) was the second [[Qajar dynasty|Qajar]] king of [[Iran]]. He ruled from 17 June 1797 to 23 October 1834.

==Early life==
Fat′h Ali Shah was the  son of Hossein Qoli Khan Qajar, brother of [[Agha Mohammad Khan]]. He was born in 5 September 1772. He was governor of [[Fars]] when his uncle was assassinated in 1797. Fat′h Ali shah's real name was "Bābā Khān" but he was crowned as Fat′h Ali Shah. He became suspicious of his chancellor [[Hajji Ebrahim Khan Kalantar]] and ordered his execution. Hajji Ebrahim Khan had been chancellor to [[Zand]] and [[Qajar]] rulers for some fifteen years.

Much of his reign was marked by the resurgence of Persian arts and painting, as well as a deeply elaborate court culture with extremely rigid etiquette. In particular during his reign, portraiture and large-scale oil painting reached a height previously unknown under any other Islamic dynasty, largely due to his personal patronage.

Fat′h Ali also ordered the creation of much royal regalia, including coronations chairs, "Takht-e-Tâvoos" ({{lang-fa|تخت طاووس}}) or [[Peacock throne]] and "Takht-e-Nāderī" ({{lang-fa|تخت نادری}}) or [[Naderi throne]], which was also used by later kings, and the "Tāj-i-Kīyānī" ({{lang-fa|تاج كيانى}}), or [[Kiani Crown]], a modification of the crown of the same name created by his uncle [[Agha Mohammad Khan]]. This, like most of his regalia, was studded with innumerable pearls and gems. His Crown Jewels were valued at the time at a minimum of fifteen million [[pound (currency)|pounds]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}

==Russo-Persia wars==
===Russo-Persian War (1804–1813)===

{{Main|Russo-Persian War (1804–1813)}}

During the early reign of Fat′h Ali Shah, [[Imperial Russia]] took control of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] claimed by the Persians. The war broke between Persia and Russia when Fat′h Ali Shah ordered the invasion of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] in 1804, under pressure from the [[Shia]] clergy, who were urging a [[war]] against Russia. The war began with notable victories for the Persians, but Russia shipped in advanced weaponry and cannons that disadvantaged the technologically inferior Qajar forces, who did not have artillery to match. Russia continued with a major campaign against Persia; Persia asked for help from Britain on the grounds of a military agreement with that country (the military agreement was signed after the rise of Napoleon in France). However, Britain refused to help Persia claiming that the military agreement concerned a French attack not Russian.

[[File:Gardane Jaubert Jouanin.jpg|thumb|left|[[General Gardane]], with colleagues Jaubert and Joanin, at the Persian court of Fat′h Ali Shah in 1808.]]

Persia had to ask for help from France, sending an ambassador to [[Napoleon]] and concluding a [[Franco-Persian alliance]] with the signature of the [[Treaty of Finkenstein]]. However, just when the French were ready to help Persia, Napoleon made peace with Russia. At this time, [[John Malcolm]] arrived in Persia and promised support but Britain later changed its mind and asked Persia to retreat. Russian troops invaded Tabriz in 1813 and Persia was forced to sign the [[Treaty of Gulistan]] with Russia.

===Treaty of Gulistan===

{{Main|Treaty of Gulistan}}

On account of consecutive defeats of [[Persia]] and after the fall of [[Lankaran]] on 1 January 1813, Shah was forced to sign the [[Treaty of Gulistan]]. The text of treaty was prepared by a British diplomat; [[Gore Ouseley|Sir Gore Ouseley]]; and was signed by Nikolai Fyodorovich Rtischev from the Russian side"<ref name=TreatyofGulistan>[http://www.hrono.ru/dokum/ruper1813.html Treaty of Gulistan]</ref> and Hajji Mirza Abol Hasan Khan from the Iranian side on 24 October 1813 in the village of [[Gulistan]].<ref name=TreatyofGulistan/>

By this treaty all of the cities, towns, and villages of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], villages and towns on the coast of the [[Black Sea]]  , all of the cities, towns and villages of the [[Khanates]] in [[South Caucasus]] and part of the [[Talysh Khanate]], including [[Megrelia]], [[Abkhazia]], [[Imeretia]], [[Guria]], [[Baku khanate]], [[Shirvan Khanate]], [[Derbent]], [[Karabakh khanate]], [[Ganja khanate]], [[Shaki Khanate]] and [[Quba Khanate]] became part of Russia.<ref>John F. Baddeley, "The Russian Conquest of the Caucasus", [[Longman]], Green and Co., [[London]]: 1908, p. 90</ref> In return Russia pledged to support [[Abbas Mirza]] as heir to the Persian throne after the death of Fat′h Ali Shah.

===Russo-Persian War (1826–1828)===

{{Main|Russo-Persian War (1826–1828)}}

[[File:Persia1808.JPG||right|thumb|180px| Persia in 1808 according to a British map, before defeats to Russia in the north on 1813 and the [[Treaty of Gulistan]], and the loss of [[Herat]] to [[Great Britain]] in 1857 after the [[Treaty of Paris (1857)|Treaty of Paris]]]]

In 1826, 13 years after the [[Treaty of Gulistan]] Shah on the advice of British agents, decided to occupy the lost territories. [[Abbas Mirza]] invaded the [[Talysh Khanate]] and [[Karabakh khanate]] with an army of 35000 on 16 July 1828. The Khans quickly switched sides and surrendered their principal cities, [[Lenkoran]], [[Quba]] and  [[Baku]] to the Persians. In May 1827, [[Ivan Paskevich]], Governor of [[Caucasus]], invaded [[Echmiadzin]], [[Nakhichevan]], [[Abbasabad]] and on 1 October [[Erivan]]. Fourteen days later, General [[Eristov]] entered [[Tabriz]]. On January 1828 when Russians reached the shores of [[Lake Urmia]], [[Abbas Mirza]] urgently signed the [[Treaty of Turkmenchay]] on 2 February 1828.

===Treaty of Turkmenchay===

{{Main|Treaty of Turkmenchay}}

Turkmenchay Treaty was signed on 21 February 1828 by Hajji Mirza Abol Hasan Khan and General Ivan Paskievich . By this treaty [[Erivan khanate]], [[Nakhchivan khanate]], [[Talysh Khanate]], [[Ordubad]] and [[Mughan]] became under the rule of [[Imperial Russia]].<ref>[http://www.hist.msu.ru/ER/Etext/FOREIGN/turkman.htm Treaty of Turkmenchay]</ref> Iran pledged to pay Russia 10 Million in Gold and in return Russia pledged to support [[Abbas Mirza]] as heir to the Persian throne after the death of Fat′h Ali Shah . The treaty also stipulated the resettlement of Armenians from Persia to the Caucasus, which also included an outright liberation of Armenian captives who were brought and had lived in Iran since 1804 or as far back as 1795.

==Later life==
Fat′h Ali later employed writers and painters to make a book about his wars with Russia, inspired by the [[Shahnameh]] of [[Ferdowsi]]. This book, considered by many to be the most important [[Persian language|Persian]] book written in the Qajar period, is called the Shahanshahnama.

In 1829, [[Alexandr Griboyedov]], the Russian [[diplomat]] and [[play writer]] was killed in the encirclement of the [[Embassy of Russia in Tehran|Russia embassy]] in [[Tehran]]. To apologize, the Shah sent [[Tsar]] [[Nicholas I]] one of the biggest diamonds of his crown Jewelry, [[Shah Diamond]].

[[File:Fath Ali Shah Qajar Firman in Shikasta Nastaliq script January 1831.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Fat'h Ali Shah Qajar ''[[Firman (decree)|firman]]'' in [[Shikasta Nastaʿlīq]] script, January 1831.]]
When his beloved son and crown prince [[Abbas Mirza]] died on 25 October 1833, Fat′h Ali named his grandson [[Mohammed Mirza]] as his crown prince. Fat′h Ali died a year later, on 23 October 1834.

He is instantly recognizable in all 25 known portraits - mainly due to his immense, deeply black beard, which reached well beneath his narrow waist.

Besides eulogistic chronicles, the only real sources that allow us to judge his personality are those of British, French and Russian diplomats. These vary greatly: earlier in his reign they tend to portray him as vigorous, manly and highly intelligent. Later they begin to point out his extreme indolence and avarice.

In 1797, he was given a complete set of the ''Britannica's'' 3rd edition, which he read completely; after this feat, he extended his royal title to include "Most Formidable Lord and Master of the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]''."<ref name="EB_bicentennial">{{cite book | year = 1968 | title = Banquet at Guildhall in the City of London, Tuesday 15 October 1968: Celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the Encyclopædia Britannica and the 25th Anniversary of the Honorable William Benton as its Chairman and Publisher | publisher = [[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.|Encyclopædia Britannica International, Ltd.]] | location = [[United Kingdom]]}}</ref>
[[File:Golestan-qajar.jpg|thumb|200px|Fath Ali Shah Qajar with his Kiani crown, painted by Mir Ali]]

==Offspring==
Fat′h Ali Shah had 158 wives {{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}, many of them were [[Zand]] or [[Afshar]] princesses. He had 260 children {{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}. Of those, 57 sons and 48 daughters, 105 total, survived him. Just his 10 eldest sons had 333 children. He had, in total, 786 grandchildren, 313 grandsons and 473 grand daughters {{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}. His first son, [[Dowlatshahi|Mohammad Ali Mirza Dowlatsh]], was seven months older than his brother [[Abbas Mirza]] (Fat'h Ali Shah’s Crown Prince), but on account of his mother, Ziba Chehreh Khanoum, non-Qajar origin he was unable to claim the title "Valiahd." ([[Crown prince]]).

'''sons'''

* [[Dowlatshah|Mohammad Ali Mirza]] (1788-1821)
* Mohammad Qoli Mirza (1788-1874)
* Mohammad Vali Mirza (1789-1869)
* [[Abbas Mirza]] (1789-1833)
* [[Hossein Ali Mirza]] (1789-1835)
* Hassan Ali Mirza
* Mohammad Taqi Mirza
* Ali Naqi Mirza
* Sheikh Ali Mirza
* [[Ali Shah Mirza]]
* Abdollah Mirza
* Imam Verdi Mirza
* Mohammad Reza Mirza
* Mahmud Mirza
* Heydar Qoli Mirza
* Homayoun Mirza
* Allah Verdi Mirza
* Esma'il Mirza
* Ahmad Ali Mirza
* Ali Reza Mirza
* Keyghobad Mirza
* Bahram Mirza
*Shapour Mirza
* [[Malek Qassem Mirza]]
* Manoutchehr Mirza
* Hormozd Mirza
* Malek Iradj Mirza
* Keykavous Mirza
* Shah Qoli Mirza
* Mohammad Mehdi Mirza
* Keykhosro Mirza
* Kioumarth Mirza
* Jahan Shah Mirza
* Soleyman Mirza
* Fatollah Mirza
* Malek Mansur Mirza
* Bahman Mirza
* Soltan Mohammad Mirza
* Soltan Ebrahim Mirza
* Soltan Salim Mirza
* Soltan Mostafa Mirza
* Seyfollah Mirza
* Yahya Mirza
* Zakarya Mirza
* Mohammad Amin Mirza
* Soltan Hamzeh Mirza
* Farrokhseyr Mirza
* Tahmoureth Mirza
* [[Soltan Ahmad Mirza]] (1812-1902)
* Sahebgharan Mirza
* Jahansouz Mirza
* Mohammad Hadi Mirza
* Parviz Mirza
* Ali Qoli Mirza
* Abbas Qoli Mirza
* Kamran Mirza
* Orang-zeyb Mirza
* Soltan Jalal al-Din Mirza
* Amanollah Mirza

{{S-start}}
{{S-hou|[[Qajar Dynasty]]||5 September 1772||23 October 1834}}
{{S-reg|}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Agha Mohammad Khan|Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Qajar dynasty|Shah of Persia]]
|years=1797-1834}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Mohammad Shah Qajar]]}}
{{end}}

==See also==
*[[Tangeh Savashi]] near [[Tehran]], where Fat′h Ali Shah had a [[relief]] carved into the side of a mountain pass.
*[[Sarah Shahi]], an Iranian-American actress, is the great-great-granddaughter of Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar of the Iranian Qajar dynasty from her father's side.
*[[Imperial Crown Jewels of Persia]]
*[[Naderi throne]]
*[[Darya-ye Noor Diamond]]
*[[Peacock throne]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* Portrait of Fat′h Ali Shah by ''Mihr Ali'', [http://www.qajarpages.org/fathalishah.html  ''Qajar Pages'']
* Complete list of Fath Ali Shah's Descendants, Manoutchehr M. Eskandari-Qajar (Kadjar), [http://www.qajarpages.org/fathalishahchildren.html  ''Qajar Pages'']
* Fath Ali Shah's Standing Portrait by ''Mihr Ali'', 1809–1810, [[Hermitage Museum]], [http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/fcgi-bin/db2www/descrPage.mac/descrPage?selLang=English&indexClass=PICTURE_EN&PID=%5CLVR-1107&numView=1&ID_NUM=3&thumbFile=%2Ftmplobs%2FC_404Y585AWIJ0OI466.jpg&embViewVer=last&comeFrom=quick&sorting=no&thumbId=6&numResults=5&tmCond=fath+ali&searchIndex=TAGFILEN&author=Mihr%26%2332%3BAli  ''Hermitage Museum'']
* Seated Portrait of Fath Ali Shah , by ''Mihr Ali'', 1813–1814, presented by the Shah in 1817 to [[Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov]], [[Hermitage Museum]], [http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/fcgibin/db2www/descrPage.mac/descrPageselLang=English&indexClass=PICTURE_EN&PID=5CLVR1108&numView=1&ID_NUM=1&thumbFile=2Ftmplobs2FPBQ6D2240RDP6UO24F6.jpg&embViewVer=last&comeFrom=quick&sorting=no&thumbId=6&numResults=5&tmCond=fath+ali&searchIndex=TAGFILEN&author=Mihr%26%2332%3BAli  ''Hermitage Museum'']
{{Wikicommons|Category:Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar}}
*[http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Persia/qajar3.htm Genealogy]
* Fath 'Ali Shah seated on the [[Peacock Throne]], [[Scale model|miniature]] from Shāhanshāhnāmeh of sābā [http://www.imagesonline.bl.uk/results.asp?image=074205&imagex=5&searchnum=2 British Library]
* ''Divān-i-Khāqān'', Fat′h Ali Shah's own Poems, presented by the Shah to the [[Prince Regent]] in 1812, now in [[Royal Library]] at [[Windsor Castle]], [http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/eGallery/object.asp?object=1005020&row=0&detail=magnify  ''royal collection'']
*[http://cartelen.louvre.fr/cartelen/visite?srv=rs_display_res&critere=fath+ali&operator=AND&nbToDisplay=5&langue=fr Louvre]
*[http://www.artres.com/c/htm/CSearchZ.aspx?o=&Total=1&FP=33529218&E=22SIJMFUEGBD&SID=JMGEJNUJP9CE&Pic=1&SubE=2UNTWAGHGCSE Crown]
*[http://www.yadegaran.com Photos of qajar kings]

{{Kings of Qajar Dynasty}}
{{Iran-United Kingdom relations}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2010}}

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME              = Qajar, Fat'h Ali Shah
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = 
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = 
| DATE OF BIRTH     = 5 September 1772
| PLACE OF BIRTH    = [[Damghan]], [[Persia]]
| DATE OF DEATH     = 23 October 1834
| PLACE OF DEATH    = [[Tehran]], [[Persia]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Qajar, Fat'h Ali Shah}}
[[Category:Qajar shahs]]
[[Category:Monarchs of Persia]]
[[Category:Field Marshals of Iran]]
[[Category:1772 births]]
[[Category:1834 deaths]]
[[Category:Encyclopædia Britannica]]

[[az:Fətəli şah Qacar]]
[[ca:Fat·h-Alí Xah Qajar]]
[[de:Fath Ali Schah]]
[[et:Fath Ali-šahh]]
[[fa:فتحعلی شاه]]
[[fr:Fath Ali Shah Qajar]]
[[os:Фатх Али шах]]
[[it:Fath Ali Shah]]
[[nl:Sjah Fath'Ali Kadjar]]
[[ja:ファトフ・アリー・シャー]]
[[pt:Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar]]
[[ru:Фетх Али-шах]]
[[tr:Feth Ali Şah Kaçar]]
[[vi:Fath Ali Shah Qajar]]
[[Category:2Fix]]