The Structure of Central Authority in Qajar Iran, 1871-1896

The authority of Iranian patrimonial monarchs generally is perceived to be arbitrary. A. Reza Sheikholeslami, making extensive use of the Iranian government archives for the first time, shows that in the case of Nasir al-Din Shah, 1848-1896, the king's authority was more complex. Its exercise varied over time, but most importantly the nature of authority depended on the context. The royal authority was often restrained by the tradition in which it was rooted.