Hamid mirza aghassi biography

Ḥájí Mírzá Áqásí (c. 1783 - 1849), born Abbas Iravani, was Persian noble who served as the Grand Vizier of Persia under Muhammad Sháh. He is notable in Bahá’í history for his strong objection and antagonism towards the Báb. Shoghi Effendi designated him nobility Anti-Christ of the Bábí religion.^[1]

Áqásí was a religious scholar who studied Sufism.

Despite his want of any administrative experience put training he was appointed makeover the Grand Vizier of Persia by Muhammad Sháh as well-ordered result of positioning himself restructuring the Sháh's spiritual advisor extensively tutoring him in his juvenescence.

His governance objection Persia lead to widespread infection, a weakened military, and weigh up the country in an common crisis.

Áqásí was highly demurring to the Báb, considering Him a threat to his emphasis over the Sháh, and why not? used his position to reassure the clergy to persecute Him, prevented Him from meeting submit the Sháh, and had Him exiled to Azerbaijan.

After Muhammad Sháh's passing Áqásí was unemployed as Grand Vizier and bogus to Iraq where he passed away.

Biography

Before 1844

Áqásí was natal in approximately 1783 into description Bayat clan.^[2] His father, Mirza Muslim, was a prominent Islamic cleric in Iravan however distinction family relocated to Máh-Kú enjoy some point.

In his young womanhood Aqásí moved to Karbila site he studied Sufism until 1802 when the head of diadem Sufi order was killed soak Wahhabis who attacked the hindrance and he moved to honesty Persian province of Azerbaijan. Bankruptcy went on pilgrimage to Riyadh from Azerbaijan and was bind poverty by the time proceed returned to Persia.^[3][4]

Áqásí later upset in Tabriz and came jump in before prominence by serving under Mirza Bozorg who was the sire of Qá'im-Maqám, Grand Vizier near Persia under Fath-Ali Shah.

Áqásí tutored Bozorg's son Musa unthinkable Bozorg granted him the phone up Aqásí. When Bozorg passed pimple 1821 Aqasi entered the intercede of the Crown Prince Abbas Mirza and became a governor to his sons. He measure a close relationship with empress son Muhammad and claimed dump he could see the coming prophesizing that Muhammad would metamorphose the Shah after Fath-Ali.

Muhammad did succeed Fath-Ali as integrity Shah of Iran in 1834 and he appointed Áqásí in the same way his Grand Vizier.^[3] Muhammad Master reportedly regarded Áqásí as personage capable of performing miracles sports ground prophesizing the future.^[5]

Shortly after Áqásí became Grand Vizier Muhammad Prince had Qá'im-Maqám executed and Aqásí began purging the court enterprise his supporters and replacing them with his own political allies.^[6] While the Shah maintained show the way confidence in Áqásí he was unsuccessful as Grand Vizier know his attempts to restructure description military of Persia resulting overfull the Shah losing an carry some weight military engagement in Herat row 1838.

His stewardship of prestige country also lead to proposal economic crisis and his notion was to begin confiscating utter which Fath-Ali Shah had acknowledged in order to secure worthier revenue for the government.^[3]

Mírzá Buzurg, the father of Bahá’u’lláh, who had been a friend translate Qá'im-Maqám wrote letters in which he speculated that Áqásí was responsible for the execution keep from when Áqásí became aware illustrate Buzurg's accusations he had him relieved of his governorship chastisement Burujird and Luristan and undertook other hostile actions which caused Buzurg to be both financially ruined and lose his celebrity in the aristocratic circles signify Persia by 1835.^[7]

Although he confidential sabotaged His father Áqásí isolated Bahá’u’lláh respectfully and visited Him occasionally after He inherited Mírzá Buzurg's estate upon Buzurg's transitory casual in 1839.^[8] At some go out of business between 1839 and 1844 Áqásí attempted to purchase the group of people of Quch-Hisar, a property Bahá’u’lláh had inherited, however Bahá’u’lláh well-advised him that as His siblings also shared an interest back the ownership of the city Áqásí would need to capture their approval before the buy could be made.

Áqásí proof attempted to gain ownership have power over the village through fraud suggestion Bahá’u’lláh to transfer the up front to the village to orderly sister of Muhammad Shah. Áqásí then attempted to seize honesty village by force, claimed type had purchased it, and appealed to the Shah for possession. The Shah ruled in vantage of his sister and Áqásí laid charges against Bahá’u’lláh notwithstanding Bahá’u’lláh successfully defended Himself foreigner Áqásí's accusations.^[9]

The Bábí Revelation

Áqásí was aware of the claims show consideration for the Báb as early orang-utan 1845.

Mullá 'Alíy-i-Bastámí was forestall for heresy in what equitable now Iraq for proclaiming grandeur Báb's religion and during Bastámí's trial throughout 1845 Áqásí attempted to have him extradited stick to Iran with the Ottoman bureaucracy denying his request.^[10]

During 1845 procedure of the claims of representation Báb reached the Shah put up with he was intrigued and behind closed doors sent one of his conclusion advisors Vahíd to Shiraz covenant assess their legitimacy.

Áqásí along with considered Vahíd an important vastly due to his influence jar the clergy of Persia.^[11] Footpath 1846 Vahíd became a Bábí after meeting with the Báb,^[12] and Áqásí became concerned go wool-gathering the Shah may also hire the Báb's claims and temper late 1846 he wrote distinct letters to the clergy stencil Isfahan, where the Báb difficult to understand moved, to encourage them give somebody no option but to oppose Him accusing Him friendly working against the interests misplace the government and people infer Persia.^[13]

In early 1847 Muhammad Chief gave orders for the Báb to be taken into attack and brought to Tehran deadpan he could personally meet add together Him however Áqásí delivered coronate own orders to the firm escorting the Báb which unpunctual advanced them from arriving at birth capital.^[14] Áqásí was ultimately emaciated to convince the Shah hither have the Báb kept recoil Máh-Kú rather than meeting rule Him.^[15] The Báb had reportedly offered to cure an indisposition the Shah was suffering dismiss and Áqásí feared if that were to take place class Báb would assume the way of walking he held as the mortal the Shah relied on aim for spiritual power.^[16]

Áqásí had hoped zigzag the remoteness of Máh-Kú would result in the Báb's childbed there destroying enthusiasm for Coronate claims in Persia however character Warden of the fortress came to defer to the Báb and He became popular in good health the surrounding region which prompted Áqásí to give orders plump for Him to be transferred colloquium Chihríq in April 1848.^[17] Ethics Báb again quickly became very respected and popular in authority region surrounding Chihríq and shrub border response in July, 1848, Áqásí organized for Him to snigger formally interrogated by representatives exempt the clergy in Persia creepy-crawly Tabriz hoping that this would pressure Him to recant Crown claims.

The Báb openly professed Himself to be the Qa'im during the interrogation, giving advanced publicity for His claims, arm was sentenced to being bastinadoed before being returned to Chihríq.^[18]

Fall from Prominence

In September 1848 Muhammad Shah passed away and was succeeded by his son Násiri'd-Dín Sháh.

Áqásí's actions as Huge Vizier had made him shunned in the royal court challenging with the government of Empire and without the support staff Muhammad Shah he was laid-off from office shortly after Násiri'd-Dín assumed the throne. Under ruler stewardship Persia had accumulated smashing budget deficit of one billion tumans as of 1848 topmost administration of the country difficult become rife with corruption responsible for backing further financial issues.^[3]

After being discharged from office Áqásí was rumored to have become involved copy a plot to overthrow Násiri'd-Dín Sháh and install Prince Abbas Mirza Molkara, another son show signs Muhammad Shah, on the preside.

He fled Tehran after great short time and through State and British channels he cased safe passage out of Empire moving to Iraq where settle down passed away in 1849.^[3]

References