Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/725

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PERSIA.

(Arjana. — Erax.)

Reigning Sovereign and Family.

Nassr-ed-Din, Shah of Persia, born in 1829, the eldest son of Shah Mohammed ; succeeded to the throne at the death of his father, Sept. 10, 1848.

Children of the Shah. — 1. Jfazaffer-ed-'Dm, heir-apparent, born in 1850. 2. Z)/7/a/-el-Dardeh, born in 1853.

The Shah of Persia — by his official title, ' Shah-in-shah,' or king of kings — is absolute ruler within his dominions, and master of the lives and goods of all his subjects. The law, or rather custom, of succession to the throne is the same as in Turkey.

The whole revenue of the country being at their disposal, recent sovereigns of Persia have been able to amass a large private fortune. That of the present occupant of the throne is reported to amount to four millions sterling, one-half represented by diamonds — the largest the Derya-i-Noor, of 178 carats — and other precious stones, forming the crown jewels.

The present sovereign of Persia is the fourth of the dynasty of the Kadjars, which took possession of the crown after a civil war extending over fifteen years, from 1779 to 1794. The date of accession of each of the four members of the reigning dynasty was : —

Aga-Mohammed. . 1794 I Mohammed. . . 1835 Feth-Ali. . . 1797 j Nassr-ed-Din. . . 1848

It is within the power of the Persian monarchs to alter or to over- rule the existing law of succession, and to leave the crown, with disregard of the natural heir, to any member of their family.

Government, Religion, and Education.

The form of government of Persia is in its most important features similar to that of Turkey. All the laws are based on the precepts of the Koran, and though the power of the Shah is absolute, it is only in so far as it is not opposed to the accepted doctrines of the Mahometan religion, as laid down in the sacred book of the Prophet, his oral commentaries and sayings, and the interpretation of the

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