Painting by Sani ol Molk

Mirza Mohammad Ashtiani (died 1873), also known as Qavam al-Dawla, was the governor of Khorasan and Fars and a member of the Mostowfian Ashtiani family. Qavam al-Dawla is best known for his defeat in the Merv war against Teke Turkmen tribe.

He entered the government service during the reign of Fath Ali Shah^[1] and during the reign of Nasser al-Din Shah, he achieved high ranks and was appointed governor of Khorasan.^[2]

In 1862, Nasser al-Din Shah ordered his uncle Heshmat al-Dawla, along with Qavam al-Dawla, to seize the bases of the Turkmen insurgents, who from time to time attacked Khorasan, looting the people and creating insecurity.^[3] But Qavam al-Dawla and his forces were severely defeated and returned to Tehran. Nasser al-Din Shah removed him and Heshmat al-Dawla from their posts, imprisoned Qavam al-Dawla as the main culprit, and even tried to kill him. But Mirza Yusuf Ashtiani, brother-in-law of Qavam al-Dawla, presented 100,000 Tomans in a golden tray to Naser al-Din Shah and demanded the release of Qavam al-Dawla. Nasser al-Din Shah released Qavam al-Dawlah and appointed him governor of Fars.^[4][5]

Qavam al-Dawlah married twice, his first wife being the daughter of Mirza Mayel Ashtiani, the son of Kazem Ashtiani, from whom he had a son named Ibrahim Motamed al-Saltanah, who was the father of Ahmad Qavam and Vossug ed Dowleh. His second marriage was to Asmat al-Saltanah, daughter of Farhad Mirza, son of Abbas Mirza, from whom he had two children.^[6]

Genealogy

References