Abdollah Mirza Qajar
Abdollah Mirza Qajar (; 25 November 1796 – 18 June 1846) was an Iranian prince ("shahzadeh") of the Qajar dynasty, the 11th son of Fath-Ali Shah, king of Qajar Iran from 1797 to 1834. Abdollah was the governor of the states Zanjan and Khamseh. He had two children with his wife, Mohsen Mirza and Shams al-Molok. Other than that, he had 19 sons and 9 daughters from his concubines. Abdollah distinguished himself early on in the Russo-Iranian War of 1826. Though his administration was accompanied by growth and development, he was twice ousted from the government  due to complaints and dissatisfaction. The second time, Fath-Ali Shah handed over the rule of Zanjan to his other son, Fathullah Mirza. Following the death of Fath-Ali Shah, Abdollah tried to reclaim his rule by mobilizing and attacking the kingdom but failed. When at early reign of Mohammad Shah, the eldest sons of Fath-Ali Shah rebelled against his reign. Unlike his other brothers, Abdollah confirmed his rule. He spent the last years of his life in the capital Tehran away from government jobs and spent time with scholars and writers, writing literary works and poetry. Abdollah has  been described as the prince of writers and poets. He wrote poetry under the pseudonym "Dara" and in addition to two books, wrote a divan of over fifty thousand verses. Early life. Abdollah Mirza was born on 25 November 1796 in Shiraz by a sayyida mother named Kulthum Khanum, a Mazandarani lady from a local landholder family. After the death of Fath Ali Shah, she was one of the few of his wives that were allowed to visit Mohammad Shah. At Abdollah Mirza's birth, Agha Mohammad Khan was still the king. In 1797, when Abdollah Mirza was one year  old, his father was crowned as Shah of Iran. Abdollah Mirza lived in his father's court in Tehran until he was thirteen years old. According to Behzadi, he benefited from the "wise men" there and received the education fit for a prince. Career. Rule over Zanjan. In March 1809, Abdollah Mirza, who was thirteen at the time, was appointed by his father to rule Zanjan, Sojas, Sohrevard, Abhar, and Soltanieh. According to Ardakani, he was also the governor of the Khamseh province. Because of his youth, Shah appointed Mohammad Taqi Saheb Ali Abadi, Shah's favorite poet, as his  regent. Abdollah developed a taste in poetry because of his teachings. Ali Abadi served as regent for Abdollah Mirza until 1819 when he returned to Tehran from his father's order. Abdollah Mirza's rule over Zanjan was a period of prosperity and development. By his order, the Jameh Mosque of Zanjan and Zanjan Government House were built. The Zanjan Bazaar was expanded as well. In 1810, Abdollah was informed of valuables being discovered in an area by a mountain near Zanjan. Abdollah sent for an investigation. They discovered the tomb of Arghun Khan, Ilkhan of Ilkhanate and it was  filled with gold and jewelry Abdollah Mirza brought the findings to Tehran and presented them to Fath-Ali Shah. They were placed in the treasury by the Shah's order. After this incident, Prince Hossein Ali Mirza Farman Farma, governor of Fars and brother of Abdollah Mirza immediately opened tombs of Achaemenid kings in Marvdasht and found them empty. In 1811 (or according to Khatibi,1812), Abdollah Mirza married the daughter of Soleyman Khan Qajar Etezad al-Dowla, Lala of Abbas Mirza. As a result of the marriage, Abdollah was considered a relative of Malek Jahan Khanom, wife of Mohammad Shah  Qajar and mother of Nasser al-Din Shah. As it was a tradition, Abdollah's family took a summer trip to Soltanieh. Fath-Ali Shah held a wedding party there for the new couple. Abdollah had two children with his wife, Mohsen Mirza and Shams al-Molok. Otherwise, he had 19 sons and 9 daughters from his many concubines. Presence in wars. In 1822, during the Ottoman-Persian War, Abdollah Mirza joined his nephew Muhammad Hussein Mirza Heshmat al-Dawlah, son of Dowlatshah by his fathers order. They were on their way to Iraq to conquer Baghdad and Shahr-e  Zur. Abdollah Mirza took command of soldiers from Astarabad, Damghan, and Semnan and headed to Shahr-e Zur with his army. He initially succeeded, but with an outbreak of cholera among the army, the troops dispersed. During the Second Russo-Persian War, Abdollah Mirza moved to Ardabil with an army to help Abbas Mirza, where he fought Valerian Madatov. Abdollah successfully looted horses, guns, and supplies. Removal from Zanjan government. In 1827, vassals complained to Fath Ali Shah about Abdollah Mirza and the Shah removed him from the government, but by offering 12,000 tomans to his father, he was able  to regain the governorship. The date of his second removal from governorship is unknown, but in 1834, the governor of Zanjan was Fathullah Mirza (35th son of Fath Ali Shah), and at that time Abdollah was serving his father. Attempted overthrow of Fathullah Mirza. Abdollah Mirza accompanied Fath Ali Shah on his trip to Esfahan in 1834. After the Shah's death, he rushed to Zanjan to oust Fathullah Mirza and take over. According to Khatibi, Abdollah Mirza had buried property under government buildings in Zanjan during his rule, he feared that if he did not take control of the  city, he would lose all of it. He reached Zanjan in a short time and gathered and mounted three thousand people on foot from the villages of that area and the Valusi tribe. Ten days later, he went to Zanjan and camped a mile from the city. In return, Fathullah Mirza prepared an experienced and well-equipped army to confront his brother. Abdollah's troops, who were from different clans, were aware of the situation of Fathullah Mirza's forces and predicted the severity of the war ahead. They dispersed two hours before dawn and before any confrontation took place  and Abdollah Mirza was forced to flee to Qazvin. A few days later, Mohammad Shah, who was heading from Tabriz to Tehran to sit on the throne, arrived in Zanjan and ratified the rule of Fathullah Mirza. Abdollah, who had failed to reclaim his rule, returned to Tehran and confirmed his Nephew, Mohammad Shah, as King of Iran. Final years and death. During the reign of Mohammad Shah, Abdollah Mirza resigned from government affairs. He often traveled with the Shah and took part in Mohammad Shah's expedition of Herat. According to Ardakani, Abdollah Mirza foretold his own death and  died on that exact date, 18 June 1846. Studies and writings. Abdollah Mirza studied Islamic astronomy under his brother Mohammad Vali Mirza. Abdollah was also a writer and poet. He wrote poetry under the pseudonym "Dara" and knew the principles of poetry and prose. His divan consists of fifty thousand verses and contains poems and lyric poems. Another divan he wrote was "Divan-e Marathi". "Golnameh" or "Kalnameh" is a satire Mathnavi about life of a balding person. Abdollah Mirza co-wrote it with his brother Mohammad Reza Mirza. The only known prose work of Abdollah Mirza is a satirical  book that was completed in 1845, "Qanun va Basat Neshat". Appearance and skills. James Edward Alexander, a Scottish soldier and traveller, met with Abdollah Mirza in Zanjan in 1821. In his travelogue, he described him as a tall man, with a noble and commanding face and bright red and white skin, adding: "He was one of the most handsome men I have ever seen." He continues: "But his character is very greedy and tyrannical; His subjects are the most oppressed people in Iran." According to Alexander, as a result of Abdollah's methods of government, the people were suffering from  poverty and the temperament of plunder and shamelessness had prevailed over them. According to Behzadi, Abdollah Mirza had found his father's companion because of these qualities, and whenever Fath Ali Shah was sad, it was his duty to resolve the situation with his words. According to him, the short sentences that Abdollah Mirza made with the help of talent and insight were very much considered by the Qajar elders at that time.