The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-01-07
NEW RULER SEATED
OH PEACOCK throne
Persian Capital City of Ka-
Ieidoscopic Contrasts.

Washington. - Recent news dis
patches from Persia announce the de-
position of the Kajar dynasty, which
has ruled the country for more than
$50 years, and the ascension of a new
shah to the famous peacock throne in
Teheran.
Despite Persias traditional con-
servatism in governmental affairs TIE
heran, its capital, is a city of kaleido-
scOpic contrasts" says bulletin from
the Washington headquarters of the
National Geographic society. visitors
may enter through any of its twelve
beautiful gates, whose glazed tiles
glisten in the sunlight, and find spread
before them a dingy collection of mud
houses rubbing elbows with palatial
residences enclosing flower-filled gar
dens. a numbering camel, seemingly
just stepped out of a priceless old Per-
sian rug, may draw aside to allow the
passage of high-powered motor car
bearing a wealthy Persian en- route to
his villa on the outskirts of the city.
Linked With "Araban Nights"
"Teheran has not always been the
capital of Persia. Rhages or Rel, it's
predecessor, the ruins of which are
nearby, was bustling city of one and
a half millions in the Middle ages. AS
the birthplace of Harum al-Rashid,
Caliph of Bagdad, the fifth and most
renowned of the Abbassides, its name
is forever linked with Arabian Nights
This city, also called Rhagae, was de-
stroyed by Jenghiz Khan and Timur.
Modern Teheran's position, 10 miles
south of the Caspian sea, commanding
the highways Of the extensive upland
plateau and the entrance to the Elburz
passes, has made it the center of
considerable caravan trade, though it
does not rank high as an industrial
city, Its population is roughly esti-
mated at 100000 in winter, but in sum-
mer this number diminishes one-third.
For, although the district lies in the
approximate latitude of Cape Hat
teras, and nine months of the year
bring it cool nights and sunshiny days.
the three months of summer are I'M
comfortably hot and dry.
''The palace of the deposed shah is
located in the Ark or former citadel,
in the middle Of the city. Here is the
Salaam court, containing the large
Takht-i-Khaneh, or throne room, where
the shah received his people at his
New Years reception, three months
of a WoStnrn world
ushered in a new year. This recep-
ton formerly was a brilliant affair;
the royal band played all through the
ceremony, the court poet was much
in evidence with the shah's greetings
for the new season, and the shah him
self was seated in a jeweled chair on
a beautiful marble throne, which, how
ever, should not be confused with the
priceless Peacock throne kept in the
treasure vault.
1.-THE office of the cOmmandant of
the imperial guards, the apartments
of the grand viZier and the imperial
archives are separated from the main
palace by a shady rose garden, but
ones interest naturally centers in the
treasure vault wherein are kept the
Persian crown jewels.
"Nadir Shah, who was also known
as Kuli Khan, was shah of Persia from
1876 to 1747. Shortly after he was
crowned he invaded India, laid waste
the country and sacked Delhi. 1t
was he who laid down his bare sword
as a sign that the massacre might be-
gin and refused to lift it again until
thousands of the inhabitants had been
murdered And he it was who brought
the peacock throne to Teheran where
it has been since 1889.
"This gorgeous chair of state is in
crusted with thousands of precious
Jewels; rubies, diamonds, emeralds
and so many others that one is almost
blinded by its coruscant splendor. EN-
blazoned on the back is the large pea
cock from which the throne takes it's
name, with it's tail spread out in
magnificence no living peacock ever
attained. Taken as one piece of fur
niture,' the peacock throne might cas-
lily be called the most expensive in the
world, for it is valued at thirty mil
lions Of dollars!
Where East Meets West.
Excepting it company Is the sword
of Timur the Tartar, which doubtless
accompanied him on his victorious
march through Persia and Syria as far
as the frontier Of Egypt, in those
bloodthirsty days when invasions and
conquest were the lifelong ambitions
Of every great man. In the treasure
vault also is huge terrestrial globe
of gold, weighing eighty pounds, set
with 51,366 ewels, and nearby is the
diamond known as the Dary-i-Nur or
Sea Of Light weighing 1856 carats,
which Nadir Shah did not overlook at
Delhi.
"Teheran might we'll be called the
meeting place of East and West, for
in the southern portion of the city.
tucked away behind the pale pink and
blue plaster walls. may be found the
majority of the natives with their
bazaars and their own circles Of life
hardly untouched since the early