Hamzeh Mirza Heshmat od-Dowleh
| Hamzeh Mirza Heshmat od-Dowleh | |
|---|---|
 Illustration of Hamzeh Mirza, from the Nezamiyeh Hall in the Golestan Palace, Tehran | |
| Died | 1880 Baneh, Iran |
| Dynasty | Qajar |
| Father | Abbas Mirza |
| Religion | Twelver Shia Islam |
| Military career | |
| Battles / wars | |
Hamzeh Mirza Heshmat od-Dowleh (Persian: حمزه میرزا حشمتالدوله) was a Qajar prince, governor and military officer in 19th-century Iran. The son of Abbas Mirza, Hamzeh Mirza held various governorships and led several military campaigns, notably against the Revolt of Hasan Khan Salar. He remained active in the country's military and administrative affairs until his death in 1880.
Biography
[edit]Background and early career
[edit]A member of the ruling Qajar dynasty of Iran, Hamzeh Mirza was the son of prince Abbas Mirza. He participated in the Herat war of 1837–1838, for which he was later rewarded with the governorship of Qazvin in 1839 by his brother and suzerain Mohammad Shah Qajar (r. 1834–1848). However, he was dismissed shortly after for his misbehavior. Later in the same year, he was given the governorship of Zanjan by his brother. In 1847, Hamzeh Mirza was appointed as the governor of Khorasan by his brother, who gave him the task of suppressing the Revolt of Hasan Khan Salar. During a battle, Hamzeh Mirza defeated Hasan Khan Salar, subsequently making some of the latters followers join him.[1]
In 1848, the soldiers in Mashhad revolted after Hamzeh Mirza had left the city. The governor of Mashhad and Hasan Khan Salar's brother, Mirza Mohammad Khan, also urged the populace to rebel. Hamzeh Mirza was defeated by the rebels, subsequently taking refuge in the fortress of Mashhad. Hamzeh Mirza made a fruitless attempt at making peace with the rebels, but they declined. He then clashed with the rebels again, but was defeated. Around the same time, Hasan Khan Salar marched towards Mashhad. The word of Mohammad Shah's death spread throughout Mashhad as Hasan Khan Salar surrounded Hamzeh Mirza and his troops.[1] Mohammad Shah was succeeded by his son Naser al-Din Shah (r. 1848–1896).[2] Yar Muhammad Khan Alakozai, the vizier of Herat, traveled to Mashhad and declared his support for Hamzeh Mirza, despite initially planning to aid Hasan Khan Salar. After Yar Muhammad Khan was defeated by Hasan Khan Salar, he and Hamzeh Mirza withdrew to Herat.[1]
Governorship of Azerbaijan
[edit]Following four months in Herat, Hamzeh Mirza returned to Iran in 1849, being given the title "Heshmat od-Dowleh" and appointed governor of Azerbaijan.[1] While en route to Tabriz to start his new position, Hamzeh Mirza met the governor Abbasqoli Khan Mo'tamed od-Dowleh Javanshir at Zanjan.[3]
There they were together informed of the violence between the Hajji-Khojalu and Damirchili tribes (both from the Shahsevan branch in Meshginshahr), which had resulted in multiple casualties. As a result, they moved toward the Ardabil region and wrote to several Shahsevan and Qaradaghi chiefs, commanding that they gather troops and subdue the Hajji-Khojalu, which seemingly ended in a success. Reaching Tabriz, Hamzeh Mirza and Abbasqoli Khan sent instructions to the nobles of Qaradagh to apprehend certain Shahsevan leaders, assigning 500 cavalry to ensure their transport to Tabriz. Hamzeh Mirza also dismissed Farzi Khan as the chieftain of Meshginshahr. As a result, the latter started extensive raiding operations.[3]
In the summer of 1851, Hamzeh Mirza received orders to travel to Ardabil and Meshginshahr to stop the Shahseven tribes from wintering on the Russian-ruled part of the Mughan plain. While in Meshginshahr, Hamzeh Mirza invited the main leaders of the Shahseven tribes, claiming he wanted to discuss matters for the well-being of the tribes. However, once they gathered in his camp, they were captured, shackled, and sent to the prison in Tabriz. It is uncertain which tribes were involved. The captured tribal leaders were Farzi Khan (likely the same Farzi Khan that Hamzeh Mirza had earlier dismissed), Eskandar Khan, Salim Khan, Roushan Khan, Qasem Khan of Shaki, Shah Palang, Shah Mar, and Mollah Mo'men.[4]
Several Shahsevan prisoners petitioned to be pardoned by Naser al-Din Shah in November 1851. The British consul-general Stevens believed that only Salim Khan and the brothers Shah Palang and Shah Mar needed to be in prison, whereas Hamzeh Mirza believed that all of the Shahsevan leaders should be held in prison to maintain border security. Farzi Khan was ultimately freed and restored to his position as chieftain of Meshginshahr, while the fate of the other prisoners remains unknown.[5]
Later career and death
[edit]Hamzeh Mirza's governorship of Azerbaijan lasted until 1854, when he was summoned to Tehran. From 1855 to 1858, he served as the governor of Isfahan. He was then once again summoned to Tehran and later reinstated as the governor of Khorasan in 1859.[1] In 1860, Hamzeh Mirza was ordered to deal with the rebellion by the Turkmens of Merv. He suffered heavy losses in the subsequent battle and had to withdraw due to a shortage of supplies. Following this defeat, the Russian Empire took control over Merv. Because of this, Hamzeh Mirza was summoned to Tehran, where he was deprived of his titles, positions, and privileges by Naser al-Din Shah. Hamzeh Mirza was appointed as the governor of Yazd in 1862, and from 1864 to 1866, he held occasional positions as governor of Khuzestan, Lorestan, and Khorasan.[1]
In 1870, Hamzeh Mirza captured several forts controlled by Turkmens. In 1872, he was removed from the governorship of Khorasan and recalled to Tehran, but the following year he once again received the governorship of Khuzestan and Lorestan. He is thereafter not mentioned in sources until 1880, when he was ordered to suppress the rebellion of Sheikh Obaidullah, a leader of the Kurdish branch of the Sufi order Naqshbandi. Before he could engage Sheikh Obaidullah, Hamzeh Mirza died at Baneh.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Beigi 2014.
- ^ Mousavi 2018.
- ^ a b Tapper 1997, p. 192.
- ^ Tapper 1997, p. 193.
- ^ Tapper 1997, pp. 193–194.
Sources
[edit]- Beigi, Maryam Arjah (2014). "Hamzeh Mirza Heshmat od-Dowleh". Encyclopaedia of the World of Islam (in Persian). Vol. 14. Encyclopaedia Islamica Foundation. ISBN 9789644470127.
- Mousavi, Mehdi (2018). "Nāṣir al-Dīn Shah Qajar". Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History Volume 20. Iran, Afghanistan and the Caucasus (1800–1914). Brill.
- Tapper, Richard (1997). Frontier Nomads of Iran: A Political and Social History of the Shahsevan. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-52158-336-7.
Further reading
[edit]- Noelle-Karimi, Christine (2014). The Pearl in its Midst: Herat and the Mapping of Khurasan (15th-19th Centuries). Austrian Academy of Sciences. ISBN 978-3700172024.