Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Biography

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was the last Shah of Iran who reigned from 1941 to 1979, and introduced many reforms to foster economic development in Iran. One of the 11 children of his father, he was the eldest son among his siblings and was proclaimed the crown prince at birth, prior to the establishment of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1925. During World War II, he was crowned as the Shah of Iran, at the age of 21, amidst international political commotion. During his reign, he maintained a pro-Western foreign policy and fostered economic development in Iran. He instituted a ‘White Revolution’ to modernize the country, which included redistributing land holdings from the wealthiest, dividing them among small-holder farmers, though its success was mixed. He also supported new schools and adult literacy programs in small villages and gave women the right to vote. He sponsored new manufacturing plants and universities in the cities. Corruption in the government, rising inequality, and political turmoil resulted in a revolution which forced him to go into exile and was followed by the declaration of an Islamic republic in Iran. He assumed power during the turmoil of World War II, and his rule ended in similarly tumultuous circumstances. He served as the last Shah of Iran, ending 2,500 years of monarchy.