List of grand viziers of Persia explained

The following is a list of grand viziers of Persia (Iran) until 1906, when the office of Prime Minister of Iran was created as a result of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution. There were different names for this office during different historical periods such as Wuzurg Framadar, Vizier (Persian: وزیر), Sāheb Divān (Persian: صاحب‌دیوان), Vizier of the Supreme Court (Vazir-e Divān-e A'lā, Persian: وزیر دیوان اعلیٰ), Grand vizier (Vazir-e A'zam, Persian: وزیر اعظم), Premier (Shakhs-e Avval, Persian: شخص اول) and Sadr-e A'zam (Persian: صدراعظم).

Wuzurg Framadar (224–651)

• Abarsam, active during the reign of Ardashir I.^[1]
• Khosrow Yazdgerd (for Yazdgerd I)
• Mihr Narseh (for Yazdgerd I and Bahram V)
• Suren Pahlav (for Bahram V)
• Bozorgmehr (for Kavad I and Khosrow I)
• Izadgushasp (for Khosrow I)
• Piruz Khosrow (for Kavadh II and Ardashir III)
• Mah-Adhur Gushnasp (for Ardashir III)
• Farrukh Hormizd (for Boran)

Ulugh Bitikchi/Saheb Divan/Vizier (1256–1335)

Ulugh Bitickhi

• Sayf al-Din Bitikchi (?–1263) (for Hulagu Khan)

Saheb Divan

• Shams al-Din Juvayni (1263–16 October 1284) (for Hulagu Khan, Abaqa Khan and Tekuder)

Vizier

• Buqa (15 September 1284–January 1289) (for Arghun Khan)

Saheb Divan

• Sa'ad al-Dawla Abhari (1289–1291) (for Arghun Khan)
• Sadr al-Din Ahmad Khaledi Zanjani (1st time) (18 November 1292–24 March 1295) (for Gaykhatu)

Vizier

• Jamal al-Din Ali Dastjerdani (1st time) (1295–1295) (for Baydu)
• Amir Nawrūz (5 October 1295–1295) (for Ghazan)
• Sharaf al-Din Mohammad Biabanaki Semnani (?–7 September 1296) (for Ghazan)
• Jamal al-Din Ali Dastjerdani (2nd time) (7 September 1296 – 5 October 1296) (for Ghazan)
• Sadr al-Din Ahmad Khaledi Zanjani (2nd time) (30 October 1296 – 30 April 1298) (for Ghazan)
• Rashid-al-Din Fazlollah Hamadani (1298–1316) and Sa'd-al-Din Mohammad Avaji (1298–1312) (for Ghazan and Öljaitü)
• Rashid-al-Din Fazlollah Hamadani (1298–1316) and Taj-al-Din Ali-Shah Jilani (1312 – June 1324) (for Öljaitü and Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan)
• Ghias-al-din Mohammad Ali-Shahi (for Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan)
• Rokn-al-Din Sa'en Fasavi (Nosrat-al-Din Adel Fasavi) (1324–?) (for Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan)
• Demasq Kaja (?–24 August 1327) (for Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan)
• Ghiyas-al-Din Mohammad Rashidi and Ala'-al-Din Mohammad Faryumadi (just for 8 months as a colleague of Ghiyas-al-Din) (for Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan)
• Ghiyas-al-Din Mohammad Rashidi (for Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan and Arpa Ke'un)

Vizier/Grand Vizier (1500–1732)

See also: List of Safavid Grand Viziers. Vizier

• Shams-al-Din Zakariya Kujuji (1500–1512) and Najm-al-Din Mahmud Jan Daylamite (1503–?) (for Ismail I)
• Mirak beg Daylamite (?–?) (for Ismail I)
• Shah-mir Daylamite (?–?) (for Ismail I)
• Kamal-al-Din Shah-Hossein Isfahani (1514–15 April 1523) (for Ismail I)
• Jalal al-Din Mohammad Kujuji (1523–1524) (for Ismail I and Tahmasp I)
• Qadi Jahan Qazvini (1st time) (1524–1525) (for Tahmasp I)
• Qavam-al-Din Jafar Savaji (1525–1531) (for Tahmasp I)
• Ahmad Beg Nur-e Kamal (?–?) (for Tahmasp I)
• Sa'd-al-Din Enayatallah Khuzani (1533–1535) and Mo'in-al-Din Yazdi (?–?) (for Tahmasp I)
• Qadi Jahan Qazvini (2nd time) (1535–1549) (for Tahmasp I)
• Ghias-al-Din Ali Shirazi (?–?) (for Tahmasp I)
• Aqa Mohammad Farahani (?–?) (for Tahmasp I)
• Jalal-al-Din Amir-Beg Kujuji (?–?) (for Tahmasp I)
• Mirza Beg Sabeqi Abhari (?–?) (for Tahmasp I)
• Masum Beg Safavi (?–1568) (for Tahmasp I)
• Seraj-al-Din Ali Qomi (1568–?) (for Tahmasp I)
• Jamal-al-Din Ali Tabrizi and Seyyed Hassan Farahani (simultaneously 1573–?) (for Tahmasp I)
• Mirza Shokrollah Isfahani (20 July 1576–13 June 1577) (for Tahmasp I and Ismail II)

Grand Vizier (E'temad-od-Dowleh)

• Mirza Salman Jaberi (13 June 1577–14 May 1583) (for Ismail I and Mohammad Khodabanda)
• Mirza Hedayatollah Saruni (1583–1585) (for Mohammad Khodabanda)
• Mirza Mohammad Kermani (1st time) (1585–1587) (for Mohammad Khodabanda)
• Mirza Shahvali Shirazi (1587–1589) (for Abbas I)
• Mirza Mohammad Kermani (2nd time) (1589–1589/90) (for Abbas I)
• Mirza Lotfollah Shirazi (1589/90–1590) (for Abbas I)
• Mirza Hatem Beg Nasiri Ordubadi (1590 – 28 May 1610) (for Abbas I)
• Mirza Taleb Khan Nasiri Ordubadi (1st time) (1610–1620) (for Abbas I)
• Salman Khan Ustajlu (1620–1623) (for Abbas I)
• Khalifeh Soltan (1st time) (1623–1631) (for Abbas I and Safi of Persia)
• Mirza Taleb Khan Nasiri Ordubadi (2nd time) (1623 – 28 July 1634) (for Safi of Persia)
• Saru Taqi (11 August 1634–1644) (for Safi of Persia and Abbas II)
• Khalifeh Soltan (2nd time) (1644–1653) (for Abbas II)
• Mohammad Beg the Armenian Tabrizi (1653–1661) (for Abbas II)
• Mirza Mohammad-Mehdi Karaki (1661–1669) (for Abbas II and Suleiman of Persia)
• Shaykh Ali Khan Zanganeh (1669–1671) (for Suleiman of Persia)

The office was vacant (1671–1672)

• Shaykh Ali Khan Zanganeh (1672–1688) (for Suleiman of Persia)

The office was vacant (1688–1690)

• Mohammad-Taher Vahid-e Qazvini (1690–1698) (for Suleiman of Persia and Sultan Husayn)
• Mohammad-Mo'men Khan Shamlu (1699–1707) (for Sultan Husayn)
• Shahqoli Khan Zanganeh (1707–1716) (for Sultan Husayn)
• Fath-Ali Khan Daghestani (1716 – 8 December 1720) (for Sultan Husayn)
• Mohammad-Qoli Khan Shamlu (1721 – 23 October 1722) (for Sultan Husayn)
• Amanollah Khan E'temad-od-Dowleh (1722 – 25 April 1725) (for Mahmud Hotak)
• Zele Khan E'temad-od-Dowleh (1725–1727) (for Ashraf Hotak)
• Mohammad-Amin Khan E'temad-od-Dowleh (1727–1729) (for Ashraf Hotak)
• Rajab-Ali Khan E'temad-od-Dowleh (1729–1732) (for Tahmasp II)

The office was vacant (1732–1750)

Grand Vizier (1750–1794)

• Zakariya Khan Kazzazi (June 1750–1751) (for Ismail III)
• Mohammad-Salim Khan Afshar (1751–?1752) (for Ismail III)
• Zakariya Khan Kazzazi (?1752–?1756) (for Ismail III)
• Mirza Aqil Alavi (?1758–1763) (for Karim Khan Zand)
• Mirza Jafar Isfahani (1763–1779) (for Karim Khan Zand)
• Mirza Rabi Isfahani (?–1785) (for Ali-Morad Khan Zand)
• Mirza Mohammad-Hossein Farahani (1785–?) (for Jafar Khan Zand and Lotf-Ali Khan Zand)

Grand Vizier/Sadr-e A'zam/Premier (Qajar Dynasty)

!!Picture!Name!Title of office!Took office!Left office!Shah (monarch)

1		Hajji Ebrahim Shirazi	Vazir-e A'zam	November 1794	14 April 1801	Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar
						Fath-Ali Shah Qajar
2		Mirza Shafi Mazandarani	Vazir-e A'zam (1801–1809)Sadr-e A'zam (1809–1819)	14 April 1801	12 July 1819
3		Hajji Mohammad Hossein Khan (Sadr-e Esfahani, Nezam-al-Dowleh)	Sadr-e A'zam	1819	1823
4		Abdollah Khan Amin ol-Dowleh(1st time)	?	1823	1825
5		Asef al-Dowleh	Sadr-e A'zam	1825	21 March 1828
6		Abdollah Khan Amin ol-Dowleh(2nd time)	?	21 March 1828	23 October 1834
7		Mirza Abu'l-Qasem Qa'em-Maqam	?	January 1835	26 June 1835	Mohammad Shah Qajar
8		Haji Mirza Aqasi (Abbās Bayāt Iravāni)	Shakhs-e Avval (Premier)	1835	20 October 1848
9		Mirza Taghi Khan Farahani (Amir Kabir)	Shakhs-e Avval (Premier)	20 October 1848	13 November 1851	Naser al-Din Shah Qajar
10		Mirza Aqa Khan Nuri(Mirza Nasrollah Khan Nuri)	Sadr-e A'zam	November 1851	30 August 1858
11		Mirza Ja'far Khan Moshir-al-Dowleh	Head of the State Council	15 September 1858	November/December 1862
—	The office was vacant.			November/December 1862	23 March 1865
12		Mirza Mohammad Khan Sepahsalar (Davallu Qajar)	?	23 March 1865	16 June 1866
—	The office was vacant.			16 June 1866	14 October 1867
13		Mirza Yusuf Ashtiani(Mostowfi-al-Mamālek)	Ra'is-al-Vozarā (Prime minister or Chief minister)First minister (Vazir-e Avval)	14 October 1867	13 November 1871
14		Mirza Hosein Khan Moshir od-Dowleh (Sepahsālār)	Sadr-e A'zam	13 November 1871	14 September 1873
—	Since 1873 to 1878 Mirza Hosein Khan Moshir od-Dowleh (Minister of Foreign Affairs and War) and Mirza Yusuf Ashtiani (Minister of Interior Affairs and Treasury) acted together as Grand Vizier. Since 1878 Kamran Mirza Nayeb es-Saltaneh was added to this group of statesmen.			1873	1880
—		Mirza Yusuf Ashtiani	Acting Sadr-e A'zam (After dismiss of Mirza Hosein Khan Moshir od-Dowleh on 1880, Mirza Yusef Ashtiani was in charge of Sadr-e A'zam affairs, however he was not called Sadr-e A'zam. On 24 June 1884, he officially became Sadr-e A'zam).	1880	24 June 1884
15		Mirza Yusuf Ashtiani	Sadr-e A'zam	24 June 1884	7 April 1886
—		Mirza Ali Asghar Khan Amin al-Soltan	Acting (Minister of Court)	7 April 1886	1888
16		Mirza Ali Asghar Khan Amin al-Soltan	Grand Vizier (1888 – 25 January 1893)Sadr-e A'zam (25 January 1893 – 22 November 1896)	1888	22 November 1896
						Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar
—	The office was vacant.			22 November 1896	6 April 1897
17		Mirza Ali Khan Amin-al-Dowleh	Ra'is-al-Vozarā (Prime minister or Chief minister) (6 April 1897 – 7 August 1897)Grand Vizier (7 August 1897 – November/December 1897)Sadr-e A'zam (November/December 1897 – 5 June 1898)	6 April 1897	5 June 1898
18		Mirza Mohsen Khan Moshir-al-Dowleh (Mazāher)	Ra'is-al-Vozarā (prime minister or chief minister)/Head of the State Council	5 June 1898	11 August 1898
19		Mirza Ali Asghar Khan Amin al-Soltan (Atabak)	Sadr-e A'zam	11 August 1898	15 September 1903
—	The office was vacant.			15 September 1903	23 January 1904
20		Abdol Majid Mirza (Atabak)	Grand Vizier (23 January 1904 – 26 August 1904)Sadr-e A'zam (26 August 1904 – 29 July 1906)	23 January 1904	29 July 1906
21		Mirza Nasrollah Khan Moshir-al-Dowleh	Ra'is-al-Vozarā (prime minister or chief minister) (30 July 1906 – 1 August 1906)Sadr-e A'zam (1 August 1906 – 7 March 1907)	30 July 1906	7 March 1907

See also

• List of prime ministers of Iran
• Persian name
• Prime Minister of Iran
• Vizier
• The history of the parliament in Iran
• Board of Directors of the Islamic Consultative Assembly
• Women in the Parliament of Iran

Sources

• Encyclopedia: FRAMADĀR . Chaumont . Marie-Louise . http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/framadar . Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. X, Fasc. 2 . 125–126 . 2000 .
• For a full list of Viziers of Iran in the last 2000 years, see: "Iranian Viziers: From Bozorgmehr to Amir Kabir" (وزیران ایرانی از بزرگمهر تا امیر کبیر) by Abdolrafi' Haqiqat (عبدالرفیع حقیقت). Perry–Castañeda Library collection DS 271 F34 1995
• Mohammad Taghi Bahar, Taarikh-e Mokhtasar-e Ahzaab-e Siaasi-e Iraan (A Short History of Political Parties of Iran), Amirkabir, 1978.
• Encyclopædia Iranica Online, available at www.iranica.com
• The Persian Encyclopedia

Notes and References

1. E. Yarshater, “Abarsam,” Encyclopædia Iranica, I/1, pp. 67-68; available online at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/abarsam (accessed on 10 January 2014).