Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

His Imperial Majesty Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (in Persian: ??????? ??? ?????) (October 26 1919 – July 27, 1980), was the last reigning Shah of Iran to date, ruling from 1941 until 1979. He is also known by the deferential title Aryamehr (meaning "Light of the Aryans").

Wives and children

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was married three times. His first wife was Princess Fawzia of Egypt (born November 5, 1921), a celebrated beauty of her day, daughter of King Fuad I of Egypt and his second spouse, Nazli Sabri, and a sister of King Farouk I of Egypt. They married in 1939 and divorced in 1948 after her failure to produce an heir to the throne (although later she did in fact have a son with her second husband). Fawzia was extremely unhappy at the Iranian court and longed to return to Egypt, which she did shortly before the forced abdication of her brother and the abolition of the Egyptian monarchy. They had one daughter, Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi (born October 27, 1940).

Related Topics:
Fawzia of Egypt - November 5 - 1921 - King Fuad I of Egypt - Nazli Sabri - King Farouk I of Egypt - 1939 - 1948 - Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi - October 27 - 1940

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His second wife was Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiari (June 22, 1932-October 26, 2001), daughter of Khalil Esfandiary Bakhtiari, Ambassador of Iran to the Federal Republic of Germany, and his German wife, Eva Karl. They married in 1951 and divorced in 1958 when it became apparent that she could not bear children. Given the title Princess Soraya of Iran after the divorce, she briefly debuted as a film actress, appearing in the 1965 movie "Three Faces of a Woman," and became mistress of its Italian director Franco Indovina, 1932-1972.

Related Topics:
Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiari - June 22 - 1932 - October 26 - 2001 - Khalil Esfandiary Bakhtiari - Eva Karl - 1951 - 1958 - 1965 - Franco Indovina - 1972

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The Shah's third wife was Farah Diba (born October 14, 1938), daughter of Sohrab Diba, Captain in the Imperial Iranian Army, and his wife, Faredeh Ghotbi. They were married in 1959, and Farah was created Shahbanu, or Empress, a title created especially for her. Previous royal consorts had been known as "Malekeh" (Arabic: Malika), or Queen. Farah Diba bore him four children:

Related Topics:
Farah Diba - October 14 - 1938 - Sohrab Diba - Faredeh Ghotbi - 1959 - Shahbanu - Malika

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• Reza Pahlavi II, the Crown Prince (born October 31, 1960)
• Farahnaz Pahlavi (born March 12, 1963)
• Ali Reza Pahlavi (born April 28, 1966)
• Leila Pahlavi (March 27, 1970 – June 10, 2001)