Shokooh al-Saltanah

Biography

Family and marriage

Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh was born in 1254 AH (1838) to Fath-Allah Mirza Shoa' al-Saltaneh and Shahrbanoo Khanum, the daughter of Ibrahim Khan Zahir al-Dawlah, the ruler of Kerman. Shoa' al-Saltaneh was the thirty-sixth son of Fath Ali Shah and Fatimah Khanum Sunbul-Baji, one of the influential and favored wives at Fath Ali Shah's court.Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh was only twelve years old when, in 1268 AH (1852), she married the young Nasser al-Din Shah. She was his third official wife. Their marriage produced two children: the first was Mozzafar al-Din Mirza, born on the 14th of Jamadi al-Thani, 1269 AH (1853), and the second was a daughter named Zinat al-Dawlah, who died after nine months.

Reaching the position of mother of the crown prince

After the death of three of Nasser al-Din Shah's chosen crown princes and the necessity of appointing an heir, despite the Shah's personal reluctance, Mozzafar al-Din Mirza was selected as the crown prince in 1278 AH. This appointment brought Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh a special kind of authority. Dr. Jakob Pollak, the Austrian physician to Nasser al-Din Shah, mentioned in his memoirs titled Iran and Iranians that the Shah had a deep sense of disgust and hatred towards Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh and her father, Fath-Allah Mirza Shoa' al-Saltaneh, regarding Mozzafar al-Din Mirza's appointment. It is said that before Mozzafar al-Din Mirza's selection as crown prince, in 1274 AH, Mohammad Ali Mirza, the royal astrologer, gave a prediction to Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh's father, Fath-Allah Mirza, congratulating him on his grandson's future appointment as crown prince. While Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh was in the court of Nasser al-Din Shah in Tehran, she had special supervision over the affairs of the crown prince's court in Tabriz. When the court of the crown prince was taken over by individuals more focused on indulgence than governance, the senior figures of the Tabriz court wrote a petition to Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh, informing her of the situation. She, in turn, sent the exact petition to her husband, Nasser al-Din Shah, for him to address the matter.

Interference in the private life of the crown prince

Shokouh al-Saltaneh was deeply involved in the personal and marital matters of her son, Mozzafar al-Din Mirza, especially during the conflict between him and his wife, Taj al-Muluk (the daughter of Amir Kabir and Azad al-Dawlah, and the sister of Nasser al-Din Shah). Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh sought to influence Nasser al-Din Shah's decision to support the divorce between the couple. She became aware of a confidential letter from the Shah to the crown prince regarding the dispute with Taj al-Muluk and requested that Mirza Mohammad Ali Khan Ghafari, the messenger carrying this confidential letter, inform her about its contents. However, her request was initially rejected. In response, Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh wrote a letter to Mohammad Ali Khan Ghafari: "Moqarreb al-Khaqan Mirza Mohammad Ali Khan, regarding the decree, Qamar al-Saltaneh had written something to me. Very well, you should take the decree. I will write to Qamar al-Saltaneh, take a copy of the handwriting and read it. You should arrive soon in safety. When you reach His Majesty and present the decree, whatever His Majesty's decision is, inform me by telegram in a sealed form, so I can know if there will be reconciliation, divorce, or a return to Tehran. ... Please send me a telegram in a sealed form, so that I am not kept in the dark, and inform me in your words what is best for the crown prince on my behalf. Resolve this matter in a decisive manner. I swear by God, I have no peace of mind. I fear that woman's [Taj al-Muluk's] madness will lead to something disastrous, and the wise will be left bewildered... You all must be very careful in every matter, especially in regard to the crown prince's food, as that woman has no sense. Malabaji is also in the harem, so please make sure to speak to him to avoid any negligence. It is better to resolve this issue thoroughly..." This letter highlights Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh's intense involvement in trying to ensure that the dispute between her son and his wife was settled in a way that would be in her favor, showcasing her concern about Taj al-Muluk's influence and her attempt to control the situation.

Nasser al-Din Shah did not solely rely on the advice of Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh and Mozzafar al-Din Mirza. He assigned Mirza Hossein Khan Sepahsalar to investigate the matter. After reviewing the situation, Sepahsalar realized Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh’s persistent insistence on separating her son from Taj al-Muluk. He attempted to persuade Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh to reconsider and abandon her request for divorce through negotiations. In his letter to the Shah, Sepahsalar wrote: "I humbly offer my obeisance at the feet of Your Majesty, the most sacred and exalted, in regard to Em al-Khaqan, as it was decreed that if anything comes to my humble attention, I must present it at the royal feet. While the essence of every matter and the best course of action is in accordance with the radiant thoughts of Your Majesty, the beloved ruler of the realm, I, out of the utmost humility and submission, must dare to express that, in my poor opinion, reconciliation is far more beneficial than separation in all cases. This is especially true for those who belong to the royal family, and it is more appropriate for them to find a way to reconcile, if at all possible. Therefore, I humbly suggest that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince or the noble and esteemed Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh, may she be blessed, consider the possibility of reconciliation, and that the name of separation may never be uttered again.

Supporting the position of her son

In 1296 AH (1879), during the bread crisis in Tabriz, Mozzafar al-Din Mirza complained in a telegram about the difficulties he was facing due to the shortage of bread. In response, Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh urged him to remain patient and wrote: "Most of the provinces have been facing similar issues this year." Later, after Mozzafar al-Din Mirza's failure to suppress the rebellion of Sheikh Obaidullah, in 1298 AH (1881), Nasser al-Din Shah summoned him to Tehran as a form of punishment for his inadequacy. The crown prince was stationed at the Ilkhani Garden in Tehran. The Shah openly showed his disfavor toward his son, and rumors even circulated that the Shah might appoint his other son, Sultan Mas'ud Mirza Zill al-Sultan, as the new crown prince.Concerned about the future of her son's position, Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh made efforts to secure his place as heir. She arranged a meeting with Haj Sayah, who had just returned from a trip to Europe, and asked him to visit Mozzafar al-Din Mirza. After this meeting, Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh asked Haj Sayah to mediate and resolve the discord between the two brothers, with the aim of gaining Zill al-Sultan's support for Mozzafar al-Din Mirza. Haj Sayah succeeded in this mission, which greatly reassured Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh and helped secure her son's position.

Position in the harem

The residents of Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh's harem held significant influence due to her own authority. Ahmad Khan Khwaja, one of her trusted servants, and Ali Khan Khwaja, a powerful servant at Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh's court, were among those who held sway in her circle. In the court of Nasser al-Din Shah, only the most favored women had ministers, and Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh's minister was Haji Mohammad Khan. Her mukhtâr (administrator), Mirza Javad Khan Motamen al-Mulk, who represented Boroujerd in the First National Assembly, was highly influential and had complete control over the country's financial and internal affairs.Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh also had her own independent house in the Arg of Tehran, where she resided in the inner quarters. This independence and the fact that she had her own space in the royal citadel reflected her autonomy and power within the court, emphasizing her influential position in the royal harem.

Illness and death

With the outbreak of influenza in 1309 AH (1891), Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh contracted the disease. To treat her, six Iranian and foreign doctors were called upon. Among them was Dr. Fourier, who writes about the situation: "When the patient saw that we could not agree on the treatment, she resorted to Istikhara (a form of seeking divine guidance). Since the Iranian doctors allowed the Istikhara for treatment, I withdrew." Her illness lasted for three months, and despite the efforts of the doctors, she died at the age of 55 on the 14th of Shawwal, 1309 AH (1891), due to the severity of the illness. She did not live to see her son, Mozzafar al-Din Mirza, ascend the throne. Her illness lasted for three months, and despite the efforts of the doctors, she died at the age of 55 on the 14th of Shawwal, 1309 AH (1891), due to the severity of the illness. She did not live to see her son, Mozzafar al-Din Mirza, ascend the throne.Her body was later transferred to the holy shrines of Iraq (Atabat Aliyyah) in 1323 AH (1905), where it was laid to rest.

Her position in the eyes of the shah

Although Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh did not enjoy the same level of affection from the Shah as Anis al-Dawlah and Amin al-Aqdas, she still held a unique position in the royal household. Her status was notable, as evidenced by the fact that during Nasser al-Din Shah's third trip to Europe, he sent a photograph of himself exclusively to Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh, indicating her special place in his regard. To prevent any tension or resentment among the Shah's wives, Amin al-Aqdas took a diplomatic step and sent two additional photographs of the Shah to Galin Khanom and Taj al-Dawlah, who, like Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh, were among the Shah's official wives and descendants of Fath Ali Shah. This act shows not only Shokouh-ol-Saltaneh's unique position but also the delicate balance of power and emotions among the royal consorts, and how even small gestures were used to maintain harmony within the harem.