Khajeh Nouri family

The Khajeh-Nouri —alternatively transliterated as Khajenouri, Khwajahnuri, Xojanori, etc.— family is one of the most prominent aristocratic families in the contemporary history of Iran, emerging from the ancient imperial era. The family originated from the Baladeh area in Mazandaran, and held local power during the late Safavid, Afshari, and Zand dynasties. From the beginning of the Qajar period, the family entered politics through bureaucratic and military positions. The family was based in Tehran, where they served in the Qajar court. Throughout the Qajar and Pahlavi periods the Khajeh Nouri family held high political positions and strong relations with the dynasties. The name translates to "Lord of Light" in Persian.[1]

Khajeh Nouri
Persian Noble Family
A mural in the Nizamiyeh mansion. Mirza Aqa Khan Nuri is seen as the Prime Minister.
EtymologyLord of Noor / Light (Persian)
Place of originNoor, Persia
TitlesKhajeh (Lord)
Mirza

The most famous figure was Mirza Aga Khan Nouri, who was the Prime Minister of Iran during the reign of king Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.

Khajeh Nouri's family had ties to many aristocratic families of the Qajar period and belonged to a group of the ruling class that was called the "Thousand Families" by opponents of the monarchy before the Islamic Revolution.[2]

History

The oldest known information about the Khajeh Noori family dates back to the late Safavid period. During the reign of Shah Abbas II, Noor belonged to the family and the elders ruled the area. The first known ancestor of the Nouri family is Haji Mohammad Akbar. After him, there is information about his two sons named Taherbig and Khajeh Abdal Bey. It is said that Khajeh Abdal Bey was the "ruler of Aghasi" during the reign of Shah Abbas II, the ruler of Behshahr and his brother Tahir Beg. Khajeh Abdel Bey had seven sons. His son, Mirza Aghababa, is the father of Mirza Assadollah, mirza Mohammadzaki and Mirza Nasrollah and the ancestor of the Nouri families of Tehran and Shiraz, and his fit son, Aghahadi is the ancestor of the Nouri family in Isfahan. Mirza Aghababa was the first member of the Khajeh Nouri family to take office in the Qajar dynasty.[3]

Post-Revolution

During the revolution and when many members of the family were executed by the regime,[4][5][6] many permanently settled outside of Iran where the family already held assets in and where they were educated. They fled to Europe, London and the United States.

Notable family members
Summary Profession Lifespan Name Picture
Prime Minister of Persia from 1830 to 1858 Politician 1807-1865 Mirza Khan Nouri
Vice-Chancellor from 1853 to 1858, Ruler of Yazd (1873), Minister of Justice, Minister of Division Politician 1830- 1889 Mirza Kazem Nizam al–Mulk
The ruler of Mazandaran, the representative of the second term of the National Assembly, the ruler of Boroujerd and Lorestan, the member of the presidium of the third term of the National Assembly, the governor of Sistan and Kerman Diplomat 1834 – 1899 Amir Aslan Khan Nizam al-Dawlah
Ruler of Tehran, Minister of Division, Minister of Finance, Ruler of Persia from 1898 to 1899, Minister of Justice, Ruler of Azerbaijan Politician 1848-1916 Abdul Wahab Khan Nizam al-Mulk
Deputy Secretary of State, Iranian Ambassador to India, Iran's First Ambassador to the United States, Minister of Public Works. Married Nasir-ad-din Shah's daughter. Diplomat & Politician 1849–1937 Hajji Hossein-Gholi Khan Noori (Known as "Haji Washington")
Lashkarnavis, Bashi and Deputy Minister of Lashkar Politician Mirza Nematullah, Director of the Sultanate
Father of Iranian Civil Registration, Mayor of Shiraz (1888) and Tehran (1899), ruler of Khorasan Politician Amirnosrat Khajeh Nouri
Diplomat in Italy.[7] Diplomat 1858 - 1921 Ghulam Ali Khajeh Nouri
Founding member of the Justice Party, Director General of the Propaganda Office and Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinets of Ali Soheili, Ahmad Ghavam and Mohammad Saed. Senator of Tehran during the first term of the Senate. Founder of the School of Refugees and translator of several Psychology Books. Politician, Psychologist and author. 1862- 1951 Ibrahim Khajeh Nouri
A close friend of Princess Ashraf Pahlavi. Leading up to the Islamic revolution, she was killed in an assassination attempt on her and the Princess's life in Monaco.[4] Forough Khaje Nouri
A judicial General in the Imperial Army and head of its courts. He was executed on March 5, 1979 by the Islamic Regime.[5][8] Military Abdullah Khajeh Nouri
Managing Director of the Ministry of Labor and Member of the National Assembly. Executed on April 13, 1979.[9][6] Mohsen Khajeh Nouri

References
  1. http://ensani.ir/file/download/article/20100912122201-192.pdf
  2. Shabani. Thousand Families. pp. 89.-91.
  3. Saleh, Mirza. Men and Diplomats of the Qajar and Pahlavi eras.
  4. Pahlavi, Ashraf, Princess (1980). Faces in a mirror : memoirs from exile. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice-Hall. ISBN 9780132991315.
  5. "Iran Regime Executes Seven More Officials". The New York Times. March 5, 1979.
  6. "List of unsung executed, destroyed, vanished by Islamic Regime of Ayatollahs". Holycrime.
  7. Aqili, Baqir (2002). Ruling families in Iran. Alam Publishing. pp. 116–118.
  8. "Abdullah Khajeh Nouri". Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran.
  9. "The Senate". Institute for Iranian Contemporary Studies.
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