And he had a kingdom thrust upon him.”Born in 1919, Mohammad Reza Shah was the son of Reza Shah, then an army officer. By 1925, Reza Shah became shah after forcing out the previous Qajar dynasty with the backing of the British. He named his nation Iran, which was still known as Persia until he ordered foreign diplomats to cease using the name. Reza Shah abdicated in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, at the insistence of the occupying British forces. State media in Iran now typically refer to the shah as “despotic,” focusing on the abuses and his lavish lifestyle.

Source: Egypt Independent January 17, 2019 13:30 UTC